Unit: American Revolution Slide 4 of 7
Let's examine Section 1: "Distinguished Leaders"
Write in BLUE ink/pencil:
"The Second Continental Congress gathered extraordinary and wealthy colonial leaders who were motivated to unite and organize a defense of their rights."
Notice how this sentence answers our main question without copying quotes!
Unit: American Revolution Slide 5 of 7
Let's examine Section 2 & 3: "Key Actions" & "Common Sense"
E: Evidence Quote (Write in RED)
"In Common Sense, Paine writes, 'Every thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation... 'TIS TIME TO PART.'"
X: Explanation (Write in GREEN)
"This reveals that colonists were increasingly motivated to abandon efforts for peace and demand complete freedom because Great Britain repeatedly ignored their rights and prepared for war."
Unit: American Revolution Slide 6 of 7
Your turn! Open Page 4: "Writing the Declaration"
T: BLUE sentence 1?
E: RED sentence 2?
X: GREEN sentence 3?
T: BLUE sentence 4?
Write in BLUE ink/pencil:
"Therefore, the relentless abuses of King George III and the philosophy of natural rights left colonial leaders with no option but to formally declare themselves a new, sovereign nation."
Make sure sentence 4 connects everything back and finishes your paragraph!
Unit: American Revolution Slide 7 of 7
CLASS:
WE DO
The Continental Congress did take steps to begin governing the colonies. It authorized the printing of money and set up a post office, with Franklin in charge. The Congress also formed committees to handle relations with Native Americans and foreign countries. Most important, it created the Continental Army.
Unlike local militias, such a force could form and carry out an overall strategy for fighting the British. The Congress unanimously chose George Washington to command this army. Washington was an experienced soldier and a respected Southern planter. He left Philadelphia at once to take charge of the forces in Boston.
The delegates then offered Britain a last chance to avoid war. They sent a petition, or formal request, to George III. Called the Olive Branch Petition, it assured the king that the colonists wanted peace. It asked him to protect the colonists' rights.
The king rejected the petition. Instead, he prepared for war. He hired more than 30,000 German troops, called Hessians (HEH • shuhnz), to fight alongside British troops.
My Annotation Margins
Circle key terms like petition. Underline important details. Write margin notes!
Explaining:
What was the significance of the Olive Branch Petition, and how did King George III respond to it?
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 2 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Sovereignty"
NAME:
DATE:
CLASS:
WE DO
Congress learned that British troops in Canada were planning to invade New York. The Americans decided to strike first. A unit of Patriots marched north from Fort Ticonderoga and captured Montreal. However, an American attack on Quebec, led by Benedict Arnold, failed.
Washington reached the Boston area in July 1775, a few weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill. The British held Boston, but Patriot militia ringed the city. Although the size of the colonial force grew every day, Washington realized that the men were disorganized and lacked discipline—the ability to follow strict rules and procedures. Washington began the task of turning armed civilians into soldiers.
Washington also needed weapons. He arranged to have dozens of cannons hauled 300 miles (483 km) from Fort Ticonderoga. Moving the heavy guns was a huge effort.
In March 1776, Washington believed his army was ready to fight. Under the cover of darkness, he moved soldiers and cannons into position overlooking Boston, while the redcoats slept. The move surprised the British, who realized they were now within easy reach of Washington's big guns. British General William Howe commanded his soldiers to board ships and withdraw from Boston. On March 17, Washington led his jubilant troops into the city. They watched as the British troops sailed away to Halifax, Nova Scotia, a part of Canada.
My Annotation Margins
Identify Washington's key achievements. Underline important details in red!
Analyzing:
How did Washington transform armed civilians into a disciplined army, and how did weapons from Fort Ticonderoga help him win Boston?
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 3 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Common Sense"
NAME:
DATE:
CLASS:
WE DO
Many colonists held on to hope that the colonies could remain part of Great Britain. Still, support for independence was growing. It was inspired in no small part by writer Thomas Paine. Paine arrived in the colonies from England in 1774. He soon caught the revolutionary spirit. In January 1776, he published a pamphlet called Common Sense. In bold language, Paine called for a complete break with British rule.
"Every thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, ‘TIS TIME TO PART." —from Common Sense, 1776
Common Sense listed powerful reasons why Americans would be better off free from Great Britain. The pamphlet greatly influenced opinions throughout the colonies.
The Second Continental Congress was filled with spirited debate: Should the colonies declare themselves an independent nation or stay under British rule? In June 1776, Virginia's Richard Henry Lee offered a bold resolution:
"That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States . . . and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." —Richard Henry Lee, 1776
The Congress debated Lee's resolution. Some delegates still thought the colonies should not form a separate nation. Others argued that war had already begun and they should be free. Still others feared Britain's power to crush the rebellion.
My Annotation Margins
Identify Paine and Lee's ideas. Draw your green *. Underline details in red!
Analyzing:
How did Richard Henry Lee's resolution reflect the main arguments of Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet?
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 4 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Writing"
NAME:
DATE:
CLASS:
WE DO
While delegates debated, Congress chose a committee to write a declaration of independence. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman formed the committee. Adams asked Jefferson to write the first draft. Jefferson hesitated, but Adams persuaded him, saying:
"Reason first—You are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second—I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third—you can write ten times better than I can." —from The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, 1822
Jefferson agreed that he would do the writing for the great project. He drew on ideas from English philosopher John Locke to explain why the 13 colonies were proclaiming their freedom. In the 1690s Locke expressed the idea that people are born with certain natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke wrote that people form governments to protect those rights, and that a government interfering with those rights could rightfully be overthrown. Jefferson and other Patriots agreed with Locke.
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted on Lee's resolution for independence. Twelve colonies voted for independence. New York did not vote but later announced its support.
Next, the delegates discussed Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence. After making some changes, delegates approved the document on July 4, 1776. John Hancock signed the Declaration first. He remarked that he wrote his name large enough for King George to read without his glasses. Eventually 56 delegates signed the document announcing the birth of the United States.
Copies of the Declaration of Independence were printed and sent out to people in the newly declared states. George Washington had the Declaration read to his troops in New York City on July 9. In Worcester, Massachusetts, a public reading of the Declaration of Independence led to "repeated [cheers], firing of musketry and cannon, bonfires, and other demonstrations of joy."
My Annotation Margins
Identify Adams' persuasion. Underline key steps leading to July 4 in red!
Analyzing:
Why did John Adams ask Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration, and which of John Locke's ideas did Jefferson draw upon?
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 5 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Universal Principles"
NAME:
DATE:
CLASS:
YOU DO
The Declaration has four major sections. The preamble, or introduction, states that people who wish to form a new country should explain their reasons for doing so. The next two sections of the Declaration list the rights that the colonists believed they should have and their complaints against Great Britain. The final section proclaims the existence of the new nation.
John Adams expected the day Congress voted on Lee's resolution for independence to be celebrated as a national holiday. He wrote, "The Second Day of July 1776 . . . ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade . . . and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." Instead, July 4, the date the delegates actually adopted the Declaration of Independence, is celebrated as Independence Day.
The Declaration of Independence states what Jefferson and many Americans thought were universal principles—that is, principles that apply to all people in all situations. It begins by describing what had long been viewed as basic English rights:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable [not to be denied] Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." — Declaration of Independence, 1776
The Declaration states that government exists to protect these rights. If government fails, "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it and to institute new Government." The document goes on to list grievances against the king and Parliament. These include "cutting off our trade with all parts of the world" and "imposing taxes on us without our consent." Americans had "Petitioned for Redress" of these grievances. The British had ignored or rejected these petitions. Finally, the Declaration announces America's new status (STAY • tuhs). Pledging "to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor," the Americans declared themselves a new nation. The struggle for independence—the American Revolution—had begun.
My Annotation Margins
Circle bold word preamble. Underline unalienable rights in red!
Summarizing Question:
According to John Locke, what is the purpose of government?
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 6 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Writing Blueprint"
NAME:
DATE:
CLASS:
INDEPENDENT T-E-X-T RESPONSE WRITING WORKSPACE
Prompt: How did individuals and events impact efforts for independence?
Using your active reading annotations, draft a cohesive 4-sentence T-E-X-T response. Follow the color-coding instructions carefully to format each sentence:
■ T: Topic Sentence (Write in BLUE) Directly answers the historical prompt
■ E: Evidence Quote (Write in RED) Direct quotes or key facts pulled from the source text
■ X: Explanation (Write in GREEN) Explains how the evidence supports your topic sentence
■ T: Tie It Up (Write in BLUE) Concluding summary sentence to wrap up your argument
The Spirit of Independence • Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 Page 7 of 7
* Franklin: Wealthy, respected, repealed Stamp Act.
* Hancock: President of Congress, funded the Sons of Liberty.
* Jefferson: Chosen for brilliant writing skills.
* Blood Spilled: Even after Lexington, many still want peace / reconciliation.
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 1 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Key Actions"
NAME: TEACHER ANSWER KEY
DATE: 08/27/2776
CLASS: Grade 5 History
WE DO
The Continental Congress did take steps to begin governing the colonies. It authorized the printing of money and set up a post office, with Franklin in charge. The Congress also formed committees to handle relations with Native Americans and foreign countries. Most important, it created the Continental Army.
Unlike local militias, such a force could form and carry out an overall strategy for fighting the British. The Congress unanimously chose George Washington to command this army. Washington was an experienced soldier and a respected Southern planter.
The delegates then offered Britain a last chance to avoid war. They sent a petition, or formal request, to George III. Called the Olive Branch Petition, it assured the king that the colonists wanted peace. It asked him to protect the colonists' rights.
The king rejected the petition. Instead, he prepared for war. He hired more than 30,000 German troops, called Hessians, to fight alongside British troops.
My Annotation Margins
#GovActions: Congress creates central currency, mail, & army.
* Army: Structured, national force capable of unified strategic planning.
* Washington: Strong reputation, Southerner (helps unite colonies).
* Petition: Formal written request signed by citizens.
* Olive Branch: Symbol of peace; rejected by George III, who sends Hessians.
Explaining:
What was the significance of the Olive Branch Petition, and how did King George III respond to it?
Congress wanted to give the king a way to avoid war, but he responded with a build up of troops, rejecting the petition and preparing 30,000 German Hessians.
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 2 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Sovereignty"
NAME: TEACHER ANSWER KEY
DATE: 08/27/2776
CLASS: Grade 5 History
WE DO
Congress learned that British troops in Canada were planning to invade New York. The Americans decided to strike first. A unit of Patriots marched north from Fort Ticonderoga and captured Montreal. However, an American attack on Quebec, led by Benedict Arnold, failed.
Washington reached the Boston area in July 1775, a few weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill. The British held Boston, but Patriot militia ringed the city. Although the size of the colonial force grew every day, Washington realized that the men were disorganized and lacked discipline—the ability to follow strict rules and procedures. Washington began the task of turning armed civilians into soldiers.
Washington also needed weapons. He arranged to have dozens of cannons hauled 300 miles from Fort Ticonderoga. Moving the heavy guns was a huge effort.
In March 1776, Washington believed his army was ready to fight. Under the cover of darkness, he moved soldiers and cannons into position overlooking Boston, while the redcoats slept. The move surprised the British, who realized they were now within easy reach of Washington's big guns. British General William Howe commanded his soldiers to board ships and withdraw from Boston. On March 17, Washington led his jubilant troops into the city. They watched as the British troops sailed away to Halifax, Nova Scotia, a part of Canada.
My Annotation Margins
#CanadaAttack: Patriots capture Montreal but fail at Quebec.
#BostonVictory: Cannons from Ticonderoga force British evacuation.
* Cannons: Hauled 300 miles; huge tactical success for Washington.
* Evacuation: Gen. Howe boards ships and withdraws from Boston to Canada.
Analyzing:
How did Washington transform armed civilians into a disciplined army, and how did weapons from Fort Ticonderoga help him win Boston?
Washington established strict rules and procedures to drill raw civilians. He then hauled dozens of heavy cannons 300 miles from Ticonderoga to Boston, strategically surprising Gen. Howe's sleeping redcoats and forcing their retreat.
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 3 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Common Sense"
NAME: TEACHER ANSWER KEY
DATE: 08/27/2776
CLASS: Grade 5 History
WE DO
Many colonists held on to hope that the colonies could remain part of Great Britain. Still, support for independence was growing. It was inspired in no small part by writer Thomas Paine. Paine arrived in the colonies from England in 1774. He soon caught the revolutionary spirit. In January 1776, he published a pamphlet called Common Sense. In bold language, Paine called for a complete break with British rule.
"Every thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, ‘TIS TIME TO PART." —from Common Sense, 1776
Common Sense listed powerful reasons why Americans would be better off free from Great Britain. The pamphlet greatly influenced opinions throughout the colonies.
The Second Continental Congress was filled with spirited debate: Should the colonies declare themselves an independent nation or stay under British rule? In June 1776, Virginia's Richard Henry Lee offered a bold resolution:
"That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States . . . and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." —Richard Henry Lee, 1776
The Congress debated Lee's resolution. Some delegates still thought the colonies should not form a separate nation. Others argued that war had already begun and they should be free. Still others feared Britain's power to crush the rebellion.
My Annotation Margins
#PaineCommonSense: Revolutionary pamphlet shifts opinions.
#LeesResolution: Resolution for complete dissolution of ties with Britain.
* Paine's Argument: Staying with Britain goes against reason and nature.
* Debate: Deep divisions exist over whether colonies can withstand British power.
Analyzing:
How did Richard Henry Lee's resolution reflect the main arguments of Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet?
Both argued that a complete break and separation was the only logical, reasonable path, proclaiming that all political connections with Britain ought to be completely dissolved.
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 4 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Writing"
NAME: TEACHER ANSWER KEY
DATE: 08/27/2776
CLASS: Grade 5 History
WE DO
While delegates debated, Congress chose a committee to write a declaration of independence. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman formed the committee. Adams asked Jefferson to write the first draft. Jefferson hesitated, but Adams persuaded him, saying:
"Reason first—You are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second—I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third—you can write ten times better than I can." —from The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, 1822
Jefferson agreed that he would do the writing for the great project. He drew on ideas from English philosopher John Locke to explain why the 13 colonies were proclaiming their freedom. In the 1690s Locke expressed the idea that people are born with certain natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke wrote that people form governments to protect those rights, and that a government interfering with those rights could rightfully be overthrown. Jefferson and other Patriots agreed with Locke.
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted on Lee's resolution for independence. Twelve colonies voted for independence. New York did not vote but later announced its support.
Next, the delegates discussed Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence. After making some changes, delegates approved the document on July 4, 1776. John Hancock signed the Declaration first. He remarked that he wrote his name large enough for King George to read without his glasses. Eventually 56 delegates signed the document announcing the birth of the United States.
Copies of the Declaration of Independence were printed and sent out to people in the newly declared states. George Washington had the Declaration read to his troops in New York City on July 9. In Worcester, Massachusetts, a public reading of the Declaration of Independence led to "repeated [cheers], firing of musketry and cannon, bonfires, and other demonstrations of joy."
My Annotation Margins
#DeclarationCommittee: Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, Livingston, Sherman.
* Persuasion: Adams leverages Jefferson's Virginian roots and writing talent.
* Locke Philosophy: Government exits only to protect natural rights.
* July 2 vs 4: Voted on July 2, approved text on July 4.
* Reading: Gen. Washington reads it to troops to inspire battle morale.
Analyzing:
Why did John Adams ask Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration, and which of John Locke's ideas did Jefferson draw upon?
Adams asked Jefferson because he was Virginian, popular, and a superb writer. Jefferson drew on Locke's ideas that people are born with natural rights (life, liberty, property) and governments interfering with them may be overthrown.
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 5 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Universal Principles"
NAME: TEACHER ANSWER KEY
DATE: 08/27/2776
CLASS: Grade 5 History
YOU DO
The Declaration has four major sections. The preamble, or introduction, states that people who wish to form a new country should explain their reasons for doing so. The next two sections of the Declaration list the rights that the colonists believed they should have and their complaints against Great Britain. The final section proclaims the existence of the new nation.
John Adams expected the day Congress voted on Lee's resolution for independence to be celebrated as a national holiday. He wrote, "The Second Day of July 1776 . . . ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade . . . and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." Instead, July 4, the date the delegates actually adopted the Declaration of Independence, is celebrated as Independence Day.
The Declaration of Independence states what Jefferson and many Americans thought were universal principles—that is, principles that apply to all people in all situations. It begins by describing what had long been viewed as basic English rights:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable [not to be denied] Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." — Declaration of Independence, 1776
The Declaration states that government exists to protect these rights. If government fails, "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it and to institute new Government." The document goes on to list grievances against the king and Parliament. These include "cutting off our trade with all parts of the world" and "imposing taxes on us without our consent." Americans had "Petitioned for Redress" of these grievances. The British had ignored or rejected these petitions. Finally, the Declaration announces America's new status (STAY • tuhs). Pledging "to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor," the Americans declared themselves a new nation. The struggle for independence—the American Revolution—had begun.
My Annotation Margins
#DeclarationStructure: Preamble, list of rights, list of complaints, new nation.
* Unalienable Rights: Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
* Grievances: Trade cutoff, taxation without representation.
* Status: Americans pledge lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.
Summarizing Question:
According to John Locke, what is the purpose of government?
According to John Locke, the purpose of government is to protect people's basic natural rights (life, liberty, and property).
Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 • Declaring Independence Page 6 of 7
Unit 1 • Chapter 1 • Lesson 4 | American Revolution
"Writing Blueprint"
NAME: TEACHER ANSWER KEY
DATE: 08/27/2776
CLASS: Grade 5 History
INDEPENDENT T-E-X-T RESPONSE WRITING WORKSPACE
Prompt: How did individuals and events impact efforts for independence?
Using your active reading annotations, draft a cohesive 4-sentence T-E-X-T response. Follow the color-coding instructions carefully to format each sentence:
■ T: Topic Sentence (Write in BLUE) Directly answers the historical prompt
The Second Continental Congress gathered extraordinary and wealthy colonial leaders who were motivated to unite and organize a defense of their rights.
■ E: Evidence Quote (Write in RED) Direct quotes or key facts pulled from the source text
In Common Sense, Paine writes, "Every thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation... 'TIS TIME TO PART."
■ X: Explanation (Write in GREEN) Explains how the evidence supports your topic sentence
This reveals that colonists were increasingly motivated to abandon efforts for peace and demand complete freedom because Great Britain repeatedly ignored their rights and prepared for war.
■ T: Tie It Up (Write in BLUE) Concluding summary sentence to wrap up your argument
Therefore, the relentless abuses of King George III and the philosophy of natural rights left colonial leaders with no option but to formally declare themselves a new, sovereign nation.
The Spirit of Independence • Unit 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 4 Page 7 of 7
