Early Colonies
Before 1760 how did colonial governments operate?
colonies had assemblies and passed laws
What effect did Common Sense have in the colonies?
It persuaded many colonists that America should be independent.
What natural rights does Jefferson describe in the declaration?
The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Who was Patrick Henry and what group did he identify with?
patriots
What became evident when the colonists and British troops clashed at Lexington and Concord?
The colonists were willing to fight for the right to govern themselves.
According to Thomas Jefferson, the power to rule comes from who?
the governed (people)
What was the purpose of the Olive Branch Petition?
to ask King George to make peace with the colonies
According to the Declaration of Independence, what right do people have over government?
To alter, abolish, and institute a new government.
The name Boston Massacre was given to the events of March 5, 1770, in order to…
create anti-British sentiment
What are some examples of what the colonists might have considered tyranny from Great Britain?
The Proclamation of 1763, Tea Act, Stamp Act,
Who gained territory in North America after the French and Indian War?
Great Britain
What did the colonists resent most about the Stamp Act?
They had no representatives to vote on the tax.
Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
to explain why the colonies were separating from Great Britain
Which group formed the Sons of Liberty?
patriots
How did Parliament respond to the colonists’ protests against the Stamp Act?
They repealed the stamp act
Who benefited from the Proclamation of 1763?
Great Britain, American Indians (colonists can't settle in their land)
Why did Thomas Jefferson say that King George III was an unfit ruler?
He denied the colonists their rights, he allowed slavery in the colonies
How do natural rights, as described in the Declaration of Independence, differ from other rights?
People are born with natural rights
How did many of the Loyalists view the Patriots?
as ungrateful rebels
In which way did Great Britain increase its control of the colonies?
It required the colonists to pay taxes
What were the results of the French and Indian War?
Great Britain gained land in Canada and had a huge war debt
To Great Britain, the signing of the Declaration of Independence was considered an act of __________.
treason
In a draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson charged the king with violating the “sacred rights of life and liberty … of distant people [by] carrying them into slavery.” Why was this passage removed?
enslaved people might demand freedom, economic effects, might offend merchants
What was the goal of the First Continental Congress?
to find a solution to the conflicts with Great Britain
Tie Breaker: Which colony did not vote on the ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 2nd, during the 2nd Continental Congress?
New York