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The Coming of Independence

The Coming of Independence. American Government. A Change in Policy. Before 1760, the American colonies were left largely to themselves. They relied on England for defense and a common market, but not much else.

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The Coming of Independence

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  1. The Coming of Independence American Government

  2. A Change in Policy • Before 1760, the American colonies were left largely to themselves. They relied on England for defense and a common market, but not much else. • In 1760, King George III assumes the throne and begins to deal with the colonies in a more aggressive manner. • He passes taxes in order to pay for the colonies’ defense. • Angers colonists • “No taxation without representation!”

  3. Attempts at Unity • 1643: Massachusetts Bay, New Haven, and Connecticut settlements formed a “league of friendship” for defense against Native Americans. • 1754:Benjamin Franklin offered the Albany Plan of Union. • Each colony would send a delegate to an annual congress which would have the power to raise an army, make war & peace with Natives, and tax. • It was turned down by the colonies and Crown.

  4. Attempts at Unity (cont.) • Stamp Act Congress: In response to the tax in 1765 nine colonies joined together to protest it. • This marked the first time that the colonies joined to oppose England. • It is successful! England repealed the Stamp tax.

  5. Continental Congresses • 1st Continental Congress: • In response to the Intolerable Acts of 1774, every state except for Georgia sent delegates to a congress in Philadelphia, PA. • They sent a Declaration of Rights, protesting Britain’s policies, to the King. • They agreed to meet the following year.

  6. Continental Congresses • 2nd Continental Congress: • They met in May of 1775, the first shots of the Revolution had already occurred. • John Hancock was named the president. • America’s first government (1776-1781) • The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 2, 1776

  7. Declaration of Independence • Congress named a committee of five to prepare a proclamation of independence. • They debated for days whether to completely separate from England. • The Congress adopted the DOI on July 4th, 1776. • Before DOI, no political system had ever been found on the notion that the people should rule and that everyone is created equal. • In Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the DOI, he describes the slave trade as “a cruel war against human nature”, but it is later removed. Why?

  8. Your Task • Find at least five examples of similarities between your document and the Declaration of Independence. • Why would these documents borrow the language of the Declaration of Independence?

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