Date
Name
TERMS AND NAMES
Second Contiaental Congress The
meeting of colonial delegates that
approved the Declaration of
Independence
Olive Branch Petition An offer of
peace sent bythe Second Continental Congress to King George III
Common Sense Pamphlet written by
Thomas Paine that attacked the
In the last section, you learned about the conflicts that led " monarchy
to the start of the American Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson Main author of
- tn~s section, you will learn why the colonists declared
the Declaration of Independence
their indepenaence,
Deelaratioa of Indepeodeoee
Documentthat said the United States
was an independent nation
Patriots Colonists who wanted
Use this diagram ~o take notes. Fill in the boxes with the
independence (rom Britain
events that led to tne signing of the Declaration of
loyalists Colonists who were loyal to
Indepenaence.
Britain
Ideas Help Star a
Revolution
Event:
Event:
Event:
Co~r~ss
The Colonies Hover Between
Peace and War oage 103-105)
What was the Olive Branch
Peation?
In June of 1775, British troops fought against
colonial soldiers near Boston in the Battle of
Bunl<er Hill. More than 1,000 British soldiers were
killed. The colonists lost 311 men. This battle
would be the deadliest of the war.
Although the eolonists were preparing for war,
In May of 1775. delegates from the First
Continental Congress met again at what becamethey were hoping for peace. Most colonists still felt
lmown as the Second Continental Congress.a deep loyalty to Britain~ king, George III. They
During the meeting, some leaders urged inde-blamed the bloodshed in the colonies on the ldng’s
pendence from Great Britain. Others were r~ot ministers. In jgly of 1775, the Continental
ready for independence. The Congress did create Congress sent King George IIIa peace offer, called
the Continental Army, however. Congressionalthe Olive Branch Petition. This petition urged a
leaders placed George Washington in charge ofreturn to "the former harmony" between Britain
and the colonies.
the army.
C~El~ 4 TH~ WAll FOR INDEPENDENCE 39
King George IiI flatly rejected the petition.Native Americans, and African American slaves.
Furthermore, he issued a proclamation stating thatHowever, Jefferson’s words presented ideals that
would later help diese groups challenge traditional
the colonies were in rebellion. He urged Parliament
to order a naval blockade of tl~e American coast. attitudes,
The Second Continemal Congress adopted the
How did King George Ill react to the Olive Branch
Declaration on Ju, ly 4, 1776. The Declaration of
Petition?
Independence thrilled Patriots--colonists who
supported independence.
How did the Declaration of Independence support
the notion of rebelling against Britain?
The P triots Dec|are
ideas supported rebelhon ?
More colonists began to object to British rnle and to
call for independence, Many were influenced by aWho were the Loyalists and the
pamphlet titled Common Sense. Colonist ThomasPatriots?
Paine was the author. He argued that independence
Despite ~he growing atmosphere of rebellion in the
would lead to a better society.
in June 1776, the Continental Congress movedcolonies, many colonists opposed independence.
closer to declaring the colonies independent. TheThese colonists were known as Loyalists. They
Congress asked Thomas Jefferson of Virginia to supported the B:dtish and were loyal to the ldng.
write a document stating the colonies’ reasons forSome loyalists felt a special tie to the ldng because
declaring their freedom. The docmnent becamethey had se~"ced as judges, councilors, or governors.
]mown as the Declaration o£ Independence.
Most Loyalists, hqwever, were ordinary people.
The Declaration of independence was based onSome felt that the British could protect their rights
the ideas of English philosopher Johu Locke. Lockebetter than a new colonial government could.
said that people have "natural rights" to liIb, liberOthers simply did not want to be punished as
ty, and property. Lreke also argued that citizensrebels.
form a social contract, or an agreement, with their Those colonists who supported independence
government. It~ the government tries to take awayWere called Patriots. This group included farmers,
peopIe’s natural iights, the people can overthrowartisans, merchants, and landowners. They wanted
the government.
to be free from British rule. Others saw great ecoIn the Declaration of Independence, Jeffersonnomic opportunity in a new arid independent
nat~on. Patriots made up a little less than half of the
wrote that people’s rights to life, liberty, trod the
pursuit of happiness cannot he taken away.colonial population.
Government gets its power from the people, and Tbe conflict divided o~her groups as welll The
the people em~ remove a govermnent that threatens’Quakers generally supported the Patriots.
their rights. He then listed in the doemnent the
However, they did not fight. Tliey did not he’eve in
many ways that Britain had taken away thewar. Many African Americans joined the Patriots.
Others joined the Loyalists because they were
coloNsts’ rights.
The Declaration states that "all men are createdoffered freedom from slavery. Most Native
equal." Whe~ this phrase was written, it expressedAmericans supported the British. They viewed
the common belief that free e?~tizens were pohtical
colonial settlers as a bigger threat to their land.
equals. However, it did not claim that ’all people had Why did some colonists remain loyal to Britain?
the same ability or ought to have equal wealth. In
addition, the Declaration did not hmlude women,