Name:___________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_________
The Adams Family Papers (Page 1)
Chapter 5
Directions: The descendants of John and Abigail Adams have carefully saved over one thousand
letters written between this husband-and-wife team who truly loved each other. In fact, Adams
called his wife "Miss Adorable" before their marriage and his "best friend" and "dear girl" after they
became husband and wife. Their marriage lasted fifty-four years. The two also depended on the
intellect that they shared. Below and on page 46 are excerpts from letters referencing the
Declaration of Independence. Read them and answer the questions that follow each.
Letter to Abigail Adams from John Adams, 3 July 1776
Had a Declaration of Independency been made seven Months ago, it would have
been attended with many great and glorious Effects. . . . We might before this Hour, have
formed Alliances with foreign States. - We should have mastered Quebec and been in
Possession of Canada. . . .
But on the other Hand, the Delay of this Declaration to this Time, has many great
Advantages attending it. -- The Hopes of Reconciliation, which were fondly entertained by
Multitudes of honest and well meaning tho weak and mistaken People, have been gradually
and at last totally extinguished. - Time has been given for the whole People, maturely to
consider the great Question of Independence and to ripen their judgments, dissipate their
Fears, and allure their Hopes, by discussing it in News Papers and Pamphletts, by debating
it, in Assemblies, Conventions, Committees of Safety and Inspection, in Town and County
Meetings, as well as in private Conversations, so that the whole People in every Colony of
the 13, have now adopted it, as their own Act. - This will cement the Union, and avoid those
Heats and perhaps Convulsions which might have been occasioned, by such a Declaration
Six Months ago. . . .
I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great
anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn
Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with
Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this
Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
Source: Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 July 1776, "Had a Declaration. . ." Adams
Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Boston, Mass.: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2002.
www.masshist.org/digitaladams/
1.
What did John Adams think we might have gained if the Declaration of Independence had
been signed in January rather than in July?
2.
What was accomplished by the delay in signing the Declaration of Independence in July?
3.
When was the Declaration of Independence actually approved?
4.
What were Adams's hopes for future celebrations of the anniversary of the signing of
The Declaration of Independence?
5.
What do you think Adams would think of the typical July 4th celebration in your own
community? Explain your response.
CHAPTER FIVE
45
Name:_____________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_______
The Adams Family Papers (Page 2)
Chapter 5
Now, let's see how the bright, outspoken Abigail responded. You can read more selections from
their correspondence by going to website www.masshist.org.
Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13-14 July 1776
By yesterdays post I received two Letters dated 3 and 4 of July and tho your Letters
never fail to give me pleasure, be the subject what it will, yet it was greatly heightned by the
prospect of the future happiness and glory of our County; nor am I a little Gratified when I
reflect that a person so nearly connected with me has had the Honour of being a principal
actor, in laying a foundation for its future Greatness. May the foundation of our new
constitution, be justice, Truth and Righteousness. Like the wise Mans house may it be
founded upon those Rocks and then neither storms or temptests will overthrow it.
I cannot but feel sorry that some of the most Manly Sentiments in the Declaration
are Expunged from the printed coppy. Perhaps wise reasons induced it.
Poor Canady I lament Canady but we ought to be in some measure sufferers for the
past folly of our conduct. The fatal effects of the small pox there, has led almost every
person to consent to Hospitals in every Town. In many towns, already arround Boston the
Selectmen have granted Liberty for innoculation. I hope the necessity is now fully seen. . . .
I suppose you have heard of a fleet which came up pretty near the Light and kept us
all with our mouths open ready to catch them, but after staying near a week and makeing
what observations they could set sail and went of to our great mortification who were
[prepared?] to for them in every respect. If our Ship of 32 Guns which [was] Built at
Portsmouth and waiting only for Guns and an other of [. . .] at Plimouth in the same state,
had been in readiness we should in all probability been Masters of them. Where the blame
lies in that respect I know not, tis laid upon Congress, and Congress is also blamed for not
appointing us a General. - But Rome was not Built in a day.
I hope that the Multiplicity of cares and avocations which you will not be too
powerful for you. I have many anxietyes upon that account. Nabby and Johnny send duty
and desire Mamma to say that an inflamation in their Eyes which has been as much of a
distemper as the small pox, has prevented their writing, but they hope soon to be able to
acquaint Pappa of their happy recovery from the Distemper. - Mr. [Cranch] and wife, Sister
[Betsy] and all our Friends desire to be remembered to you and foremost in that Number
stands your
Portia
PS. A little India herb would have been mighty agreeable now.
Source: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 13-14 July 1776. Adams Family Papers: An
Electronic Archive. Boston, Mass. Massachusetts Historical Society, 2002.
www.masshist.org/digitaladams/
46
6.
How long did it take for Abigail to hear John's reaction to the Declaration of Independence?
Check a map and see how far is it from Philadelphia to Quincy, Massachusetts.
7.
What role did Abigail feel her husband had had in the passage of the Declaration of Independence?
8.
What three things did Abigail want our new country to stand for?
From Royalty to Independence
Name:___________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_________
Where Did it Happen?
Chapter 5
Directions: On the U.S. map below, locate the following places. Mark each with an "X" and a
different color marker. Make a legend and indicate what happened in each location as well as the
date of the event. Finally, rewrite the list so that it gives the events in chronological order.
Boston
Lexington and Concord
New York City
Philadelphia
Princeton
Saratoga
Yorktown
Learning About Your Textbook
47
Name:_____________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_______
Filling in the Details
Chapter 5
Directions: Read each question below and add the missing details. Afterward, use the letters from
your answers to determine the quotation at the bottom of the page.
1.
What Georgian led the rebel militia gang at the Battle of Kettle Creek?
2.
__ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __
2
Which act passed by Parliament forced the colonists to house and feed British soldiers?
3.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
15
6 21
What was the nickname given to British soldiers?
4.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
13
3
What name was given to British loyalists?
5.
__ __ __ __ __ __
17
Who was the author of Common Sense?
6.
__ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
18
16
Who met at Tondee's Tavern in Savannah?
7.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
12
9
What happened in the harbor of Boston, Massachusetts?
8.
__ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __
7
Who became Georgia's governor in 1760?
9.
__ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __
10
22
What was the first constitution of the United States called?
10.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
5
19
20
What state office did John Treutlen hold?
11.
__ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
23
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
14
4
Who was the signer of the Declaration of Independence not selected as the state’s first
governor?
__ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
11
1
17 8
__ ________ ______ ______ __________ ____ __________
1
2 3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
- John Paul Jones, 1779
48
From Royalty to Independence
Name:___________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_________
Revolutionary War Sites
Chapter 5
Directions: Using the map below, shade the counties in which the Revolutionary War battles
listed below were fought. Mark an "X" in the county where you live. Which site is closest to where
you live?
Battle of Kettle Creek
Augusta
Savannah
Sunbury
CHAPTER FIVE
49
Name:_____________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_______
So They Said
Enrichment Activity
Chapter 5
Directions: You may have already read that Paul Revere never said "The British are coming, the
British are coming!" There were other quotes that were repeated and retold until they became a
part of our nation's history. Using your textbook, school media center resources, and the Internet,
put the following quotations in chronological order (according to when they were said). By each,
identify who the speaker was or about whom or what event the speaker was talking.
Quotation
Date
1. "They that can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
50
2.
"Taxation without representation is
tyranny."
3.
"I regret that I have but one life to give
for my country."
4.
"The shot heard around the world."
5.
"We must all hang together or
assuredly we shall all hang separately."
6.
"I know not what course others may
take but as for me -- Give me liberty
or give me death."
7.
"Don't fire until you see the whites
of their eyes." (May have said the
"color" of their eyes.)
8.
"If this be treason, make the most
of it."
9.
"These are the times that try men's
souls."
From Royalty to Independence
By Whom, About Whom/What
Name:___________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_________
Who Am I?
Extension Activity
Chapter 5
Directions: See how much you know about Georgia during the Revolutionary War period by
identifying the individuals or groups described below. Write the letter of your answer in the space
provided.
____ 1.
____ 2.
____ 3.
____ 4.
____ 5.
____ 6.
____ 7.
____ 8.
____ 9.
____ 10.
____ 11.
____ 12.
____ 13.
____ 14.
____ 15.
____ 16.
____ 17.
Georgia's second royal governor
Georgia's first representative at the Second
Continental Congress
"Undesirable" people who moved to the
Georgia colony from Virginia and the Carolinas
Those who wanted to become independent of
Great Britain
British monarch during the Revolutionary War
Young Virginia surveyor who led militia in
French and Indian War, he later was
commander of the American forces during
the Revolutionary War
Commander of Georgia forces at the Battle
of Kettle Creek
Last royal governor of Georgia
Free black who fought and was wounded at
the Battle of Kettle Creek
A strict religious group who settled in the
New England colonies
First governor of the state of Georgia
British monarch when Georgia became a
royal colony
Those who remained loyal to the British
crown during the Revolutionary War
Youngest signer of the Declaration of
Independence
Georgia's first royal governor
Group of Georgians who opposed the
Stamp Act
Georgia's most famous Revolutionary
War heroine
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
Elijah Clarke
crackers
Austin Dabney
Henry Ellis
George II
George III
Nancy Hart
Liberty Boys
Lyman Hall
Patriots
Puritans
John Reynolds
Tories
John Treutlen
George Walton
George Washington
James Wright
CHAPTER FIVE
51
Name:_____________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_______
Source Document:
Chapter 5
Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence
The road toward independence from Great Britain was often rocky and unsettled. After the Boston
Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, the new laws enacted by the British government angered the
colonists even more. Many of the protest activities that had been carried out in secret became more
brazen, but there remained points of disagreement even among the patriots. Some wanted to
establish their own government without giving up the "perks" from King George III. As hot weather
approached, loud arguments could be heard through open windows of taverns and shops as friends
and enemies debated the future of the colonies. In the meantime, the Second Continental Congress,
meeting in Philadelphia, had approved a motion made by Richard Lee to declare freedom and
independence for the thirteen colonies. For the next two days, Thomas Jefferson, joined by others
including Benjamin Franklin, wrote and rewrote the document we know as the Declaration of
Independence. By the time Congress finally approved the document, eighty-six changes had been
made. The final version remains one of the most important documents ever written.
When, in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the
Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, liberty,
and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever
any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to
alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles
and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
Safety and Happiness.
52
1.
How could Great Britain have granted the requests of the colonists and still have
maintained control over the colonies?
2.
Do you personally believe in the principles stated in the Declaration of Independence?
3.
Is the document true today, and is it important in our lives? Why or why not?
From Royalty to Independence
Name:___________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_________
Chapter 5 Test (Page 1)
Directions: Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the
question. Write your answer in the space provided.
____ 1.
Which of the following represents major economic activities of the Southern Colonies?
A.
Farming
C.
Mining and manufacturing
B.
Shipbuilding and fishing
D.
Naval stores and fishing
____ 2.
A royal colony was governed by
A.
Trustees appointed by
the king.
B.
The king of Great Britain.
C.
D.
A governor elected by
the colonists.
James Oglethorpe.
____ 3.
Which of the following best represents major economic activities of the Middle Colonies?
A.
Farming and textiles
C.
Naval stores and timber production
B.
Shipbuilding and fishing
D.
Manufacturing and furniture production
____ 4.
Which of the following was not a form of punishment used by the Puritans during
the Colonial Era?
A.
Caning and public whippings C.
Leg stocks
B.
Dunking chairs in water
D.
Time-out restrictions
____ 5.
Which religious group dominated in the New England area during the colonial period?
A.
Jewish
C.
Salzburgers
B.
Puritans
D.
Moravians
____ 6.
Which of the following does not represent one of Georgia's benefits from the French
and Indian War?
A.
Peace with the Native Americans C.
Water access for shipping
B.
Land to the south and west D.
Lands now in the area known as Florida
____ 7.
Which of the following terms does not refer to those who supported America's
independence from Great Britain?
A.
Patriots
C.
Tories
B.
Whigs
D.
Liberty Boys
____ 8.
One of Georgia's royal governors was
A.
Governor George Gilmer.
C.
B.
Governor James Wright.
D.
Governor Henry Rice.
Governor John Treutlen.
____ 9.
Which of the following battles ended the American Revolution?
A.
Battle of New Orleans
C.
Battle of Lexington and Concord
B.
Battle of Yorktown
D.
Battle of Augusta
____ 10.
One of the major functions of the Committees of Safety was
A.
To enforce the blockade on British shipping.
B.
To ensure the safety of the colonies during the Revolutionary War.
C.
To organize and direct state militias.
D.
To raise funds for the Revolutionary War.
CHAPTER FIVE
53
Name:_____________________________________Date:__________Class Period:_______
Chapter 5 Test (Page 2)
Directions: Write your answer to each of the following questions in the space provided. Be sure
to use complete sentences.
54
11.
Who was Georgia's first royal governor?
12.
What was Georgia's first capital city?
13.
Which groups of Georgians were most against slavery during the colonial period?
14.
What was Georgia's official port of entry during the colonial period?
15.
What was the first constitution of the United States called?
16.
Who was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence?
17.
As a new state, how were Georgia's first governors chosen?
18.
When did Georgia adopt its first state constitution?
19.
Which states did not allow slaves to serve in their militias during the Revolutionary War?
20.
Generally, what fraction of citizens favored remaining loyal to Great Britain as the war for
independence grew near?
21.
What did the Townshend Acts of 1767 affect or tax?
22.
Which British piece of legislation most directly affected Georgia in the days prior to the
revolution?
23.
Who led the young Continental Army?
24.
Who led Georgia's militia in the victories at Kettle Creek and Augusta?
25.
What Georgians signed the Declaration of Independence?
From Royalty to Independence