1. Reasons for Independence
• Create a list of all the reasons why colonists
wanted to declare their independence from
Great Britain.
• Be specific! Don’t just say “taxes.” Say “being
taxed without representation.”
• The next slide has reasons we’ve discussed
over the last week – don’t peek until you’ve
made a list yourself!
Reasons for Independence
• No representation in
Parliament
• Discrimination by the British
(George Washington in the F &
I War)
• Standing Army
• Limited trade (Navigation Acts)
• Quartering Act
• Closing Boston Harbor
• Unfair taxes – Stamp Act
taxing legal documents, for
example
• Quebec Act – taking away land
• Put merchants out of business
– Tea Act
• Murdering colonists (Boston
Massacre)
• General Thomas Gage is
governor of Massachusetts
(military is in control)
• Unfair court system – guilty
until proven innocent, no
juries
• Charter taken away – no local
control of government
• King is 3000 miles away
• Colonial blood spilled (battles)
• Proclamation of 1763 – can’t
move to land won in F & I War
• King ignored peace treaties –
Olive Branch Petition
• Declaratory Act
• Burned towns (Concord)
• Searched without consent
• Compare with actual document.
• Use the blue primary source booklet to
compare your list with the actual Declaration
of Independence.
• Click here for the text of the document.