Term+1+Test+Questions

1. Outline the events that led directly to the Declaration of Independence by the colonies
 Prior to the mid 1750s-1760s, most Americans colonists were unconcerned with Britain. They were content to be a colony. With the exception of some trade laws and small taxes, Britain had left the colonies alone. However, several situations, beginning with the French and Indian War lead Britain to tighten it's grip on the colonies. The consequences for these actions were the Declaration of Independence and the eruption of the American Revolutionary War.
 * French and Indian War**: (1756-1763) the bloodiest American war in the eighteenth century. It took more lives than the American Revolution. It was extension of the Seven Years War in Europe between France and England. It is called the French and Indian War, because the Indians sided with the French against the colonies and Britain. Many colonist fighting on the British side, such as George Washington, would later turn and fight against Britain in the Revolutionary War (with France on the Colonial side).
 * Proclamation of 1763**: Issued October 7, 1763 by King George III after the French and Indian War. The Proclamation prohibited colonists from settling farther west than the Appalachian Mountains. It was seen on the British side as a effort to prevent tension between the colonists and the Native Americans because of the cost to the British Crown. However, it contributed to the fire of the Declaration because it made many colonists, who had already purchased land west of the Appalachian Mountains mad. They were told they had to move immediately and financially took a hit. This affected a relatively small population of colonists, but the Proclamation sparked the flame that would begin the Declaration of Independence and the fight for American independence.


 * Sugar Act**: The Sugar Act was passed on April 5, 1764. It was modified version of the earlier Sugar and Molasses Act, which was about to expire. The Sugar Act lowered the six-pence per gallon tax on the importation of foreign molasses to three-pence per gallon, but increased taxes on coffee, indigo, and certain wines. It also banned the importation of rum and French wines. It was stricter on the collection of such taxes as well. Prior to the Sugar Act, colonists had been able to largely get away without paying any taxes. They had been left mostly to themselves, but after the French and Indian War, Britain started to crack down. Britain wanted the Colonies to contribute to paying off the debt incurred from the War. The Colonies were also upset because they didn't have any say in the Act. The Sugar Act added to the growing discontentment of the Colonies. The Sugar Act had a bigger affect than did the Proclamation of 1763 simply because it affected every colonist.


 * Stamp Act**: The Stamp Act was passed March 22, 1765. It imposed a tax on such items as legal documents, magazines, newspapers, and most paper products. It's purpose, like the Sugar Act, was to help pay for the debt incurred by the French and Indian War. The Stamp Act targeted a much larger population than did the Sugar Act or Proclamation of 1763. Because the opposition was so great, the Act was repealed just less than a year later, on March 18, 1766.


 * Sons of Liberty**: a group of shopkeepers and workers against the Stamp Act and other injustices. John Gill (owner of the Boston Gazette), Patrick Henry, Paul Revere, John Hancock, John Adams and Sam Adams were all prominent members. Groups existed in every colony. The group was reported to have been founded in August of 1765. The Sons of Liberty were involved in such events as the burning of HMS Gaspee in 1772 and the Boston Tea Party. They were essential in the push towards colonial independence. Some its members were the very men who drafted the Declaration.

**Boston Tea Party**: The Boston Tea Party was one of the first direct responses of the Colonists against the British government. On the night of December 16, 1773, members of the Sons of Liberty, boarded three ships carrying taxed British tea and dumped the tea into the Boston Harbor after officials in Boston refused to return the tea to Britain. Britain responded to the Boston Tea Party with the Intolerable Acts.


 * Intolerable Acts:** (Called the Coercive Acts in Britain) . Passed in 1774, in response to the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, etc. Closed the Boston Port. It stated that the port would not be opened until the tea that had been dumped in the water had been paid for.
 * **Quebec Act**: Gave religious freedom to the Catholics living in Quebec.
 * **Quartering Act**: Gave the soldiers the freedom to quarter wherever they wanted without financial compensation
 * **Administration of Justice Act**: Gave governor the ability to move a trial to another colony or England if he believed they would not receive a fair trial where they were.


 * Committees of Correspondence**: groups organized by the local governments of the Thirteen Colonies to coordinate correspondence and action against Great Britain. Many of the members of the Committees of Correspondence were also Sons of Liberty. The idea for the Committees was presented by Dabney Carr (a very good friend of Thomas Jefferson) in March 1773. He suggested to the Virginia House of Burgesses, that a Committee of Correspondence and Inquiry be formed that would communicate and correspond with the state legislatures of each of the colonies so that they could coordinate in their efforts of opposition against the injuries Great Britain had committed against them. This was one of the first acts of the actual colonial government against King George and Britain. Before this point, many of the members of state legislatures had been involved in groups, such as the Sons of Liberty, but this was the first action of the government against the British Crown. The Committees of Correspondence began the increased involvement of the local colonial governments, and acted as a catalyst for the Declaration.

The First Continental Congress accomplished two main things. The first was a compact among the colonies to boycott British goods beginning December 1, 1775. The West Indies were threatened with a boycott if the islands did not stop the importation of British goods. The importation of British goods dropped 97 percent in 1775 from the previous year. Committees of Observation and Inspection were formed in each colony for the enforcement of the Association. Every colony approved the proceedings, except New York. The second accomplishment was to provide the Second Continental Congress to meet on May 15, 1775. In addition of the colonies present, the Congress sent letters of invitation to Quebec, East and West Florida, Nova Scotia, St. John's Island, and Georgia. None sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress, except Georgia, who arrived in July 1775.
 * Lexington and Concord**: The first military engagements of the Revolution fought on April 19, 1775. Britain gets word that the Sons of Liberty are hiding out in Concord and Britain sends group of soldiers to get them. Paul Revere famous ride warns the Sons of Liberty of Britain's coming. A militia of 75 colonist assemble on the the Green in Lexington to prevent the 700 British soldiers from marching through to Concord. A battle ensued. 8 colonist were killed and 10 wounded. The British march through to Concord to search for stored weapons and ammunition. The British could not find anything in Concord, so they march back. Several hundred colonial militia men ambush the British and drive them back. The British march back to Boston. By the end of the day, 273 British soldiers and 94 colonist were killed.
 * First Continental Congress**: The first Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies.(Georgia did not send delegates) They met from September 5 to October 26, 1774 in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carpenter's Hall was the seat of the Pennsylvania Legislature. The convention was held as a response to the Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts). The delegates were elected by the people, the state legislatures, or selected by the Committees of Correspondence. Although the colonies were united in their determination to show Britain the combined authority of the colonies, their aims were completely different. Some colonies, such as New York and Pennsylvania, were sent with strict instructions to seek resolution with Great Britian. The other colonies were evenly divided between complete separation from Britian and legislative parity, or the ability to have a say in laws. One delegate who seeked resolution with Britain was Patrick Galloway from Pennsylvania. He presented a "Plan of Union" which called for an American Legislature to be formed and who's consent would be needed for any "imperial measures".

Possibly the most famous act of the Second Continental Congress, was the Declaration of Independence. The United States Declaration of Independence was passed on July 4, 1776. Soon after, Congress drafted the Articles of Confederation. Another year of debate ensued and finally on March 15, 1777, Congress passed the Articles of Confederation and sent it to the states to be ratified. However, the Articles of Confederation were not ratified by all the states until almost 4 years later. On March 1, 1781, the Articles of Confederation finally became law. The next day, the same delegates met, no longer as the Second Continental, but as the new Congress of the Confederation.
 * Second Continental Congress**: The Second Continental Congress was another convention of delegates from the 13 colonies. This time Georgia decided to send delegates. The convention commenced on May 10, 1775, after warfare in the Revolutionary War had already begun. Essentially, it was a reconvening of the First Continental Congress, for many of the same delegates attended. However, such men as Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson were new delegates. The main purpose of the Second Continental Congress was to manage the colonial war effort. During the beginning of the War, the Patriots were not formally organized into an army and did not have leadership. Therefore, many of their efforts were uncoordinated and did not accomplish much ground. On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress created the Continental Army and appointed George Washington, a delegate, to command the new Army. Congress also drafted a peace treaty, the Olive Branch Petition, to Britain. However, the Petition was received too late to do any good. Congress also reopened the ports in rebellion to the Navigation Acts. Congress assumed all powers of a national government (except taxation) and appointed ambassadors and generals, raised armies, signed treaties and attained loans from other countries. Because Congress could not tax, they relied on the states for money to finance the war.

**Common Sense** : A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It was written in two parts. The first states what governments rightfully have power to do and tax. The second part states the ways that the King George and Britain are abusing that power and what they are doing wrong. //Common Sense// was published in January of 1776, at a time when colonists began want independence. Commons Sense was written in such a way that it was easy for uneducated colonists to read and understand.