The Coming of Independence

Chapter 2Section 2

Britain’s Colonial Policies

• Administrative Power – King• Colonial Legislature – Power of the Purse

– Power• Britain’s Responsibilities

– Defense, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Common Currency• Colonial Responsibilities

– Basically Self Rule• King George III (1760)

– New taxes• Support Colonial Troops

– Restricted Trade

Colonial Attempts to Unite

• League of Friendship (1643)– Mass Bay, Plymouth, New Haven, Conn• Defense against Native Americans

– Dissolves 1684» Natives no longer a threat» Disagreements between settlements

• Penn Plan (1696)– Trade, Defense, Criminal issues• Quickly dissolves

• The Albany Plan (1754)– Called by British Board of Trade

• 7 Northern Colonies– Wanted to stop Native attacks on trade items

– Benjamin Franklin• Annual Congress with reps from 13 colonies

– Raise military and Navy– Wage war and make peace with Natives– Regulate Trade with Natives– Tax and collect duties

– Those attendees agreed but King and colonies refute

• The Stamp Act Congress– 9 colonies send delegates to meet at NY• Drafted Declaration of Rights and Grievances

– Marks 1st time colonies oppose King• Parliament repeals Stamp Act

– Passes other policies that anger colonists– Colonists boycott English goods– Boston Massacre

» March 5, 1770 – kills 5

• Boston Tea Party – Dec. 16, 1773

First Continental Congress

• 1774 Parliament passes policies to punish colonists for Boston

• Colonists called Intolerable Acts

– 12 Colonies meet in Philadelphia Sept 5, 1774• All but Georgia• Sends Declaration of Rights to King

– Protest Britain’s colonial policies

• Colonies urged to refuse trade with England– All 13 colonies would respect

– Meeting adjourns on Oct 26, 1774• Second Congress to meet in May

Second Continental Congress

– May 10, 1775 – Revolution had begun• The Delegates– All 13 colonies represented

• John Hancock named president of Congress• Continental Army created – George Washington

• Became first National Government– Opposed by Britain – “Den of Traitors”– Last for 5 years

• War, taxes, borrowed, made treaties, currency

– Each state had one vote on legislative issues

The Declaration of Independence

• Richard Henry Lee (Virginia) – Proposes Colonies should be free and sovereign

• Committee named to write a proclamation of independence– Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston,

Thomas Jefferson

• Delegates agree on July 2, 1776– “The Second Day of July . . . Will be celebrated, by succeeding

Generations, as the great anniversary Festival . . . With Pomp and Parade, . . . Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and illuminations . . .”

John Adams

• Adopt the Declaration of Independence– July 4, 1776

First State Constitutions

• New Hampshire adopts state constitution– Jan 1776 • Replaces royal charter

• Congress urges all other to do same– May 10, 1776

• Massachusetts– Convention of delegates (elected by people)• Draft constitution then send to voters for ratification

– Still oldest, modern-day constitution in world today

Common Features of State Constitutions

• Popular Sovereignty– Government only exists at consent of governed

• Limited Government– Power granted by people.

• Could not get more power than given

• Civil Rights and Liberties– People are given certain rights and government MUST respect their rights

• 7 would include a Bill of Rights

• Separation of Powers– Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches formed

• Each branch given specific powers

• Checks and Balances– Powers given keep branches from getting too powerful