The Coming of Independence
Trouble and Unrest in the Colonies
· In 1776, colonies were still under the control of the King through the Privy Council and Board of Trade in London
· Parliament took little interest in most matters in the colonies, and left decisions up to the Crown
o Except in matters of trade
· In theory, the colonies were governed in important matters from London
o The problem was that London was 3,000 miles away….a two month long trip by boat!
o As a result, the colonies continued to become largely self-sufficient
· Each colonial lawmakers began to have broad lawmaking powers
o The power of the “purse” became quite effective!
· By the mid 1700’s, the relationship between the colonies and Britain had become federal
o Britain provided defense, foreign affairs and monetary system
o Colonies did the rest
· Things changed with King George III…
o The crackdown began on the colonies
§ Trade was restricted, while new taxes were imposed
· Colonists took strong exception to these new policies
o Opposition to “taxation without representation”
o Wanted British troops off American soil
· At the same time, colonists still considered themselves to be loyal British subjects
· They just rejected Parliament’s attempts to control them from afar
· The king’s ministers were stubborn and unwilling to change….
· This left the colonists with a choice - submit or revolt
The Albany Plan
· The Albany Plan of Union was a meeting to discuss the problems of colonial trade and the danger of French attacks
· There were seven of the northern colonies present
· Benjamin Franklin suggested a plan for the formation of an annual congress of delegates from each of the 13 colonies
· The congress would have the power to do the following:
o Raise military and naval forces
o Make war and peace with Native Americans
o Regulate trade
o Tax
o Collect customs duties
· This plan was rejected by the colonies and the King
The Stamp Act
· The Stamp Act of 1765 was an attempt by the British that required the use of tax stamps on all legal documents, newspapers, etc…
· These taxes were perceived by the colonists to be “taxation without representation”
· In October 1765, Nine states sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress
· Prepared a Declaration of Rights and Grievances against the new British policies and sent them to the King
· This was the first time a significant number of colonies had joined to oppose the King
· Parliament eventually repealed the Stamp Act, but tensions continued to mount
o New laws were passed to tie the colonies more closely to London
o Colonists continued to resent the heavy-handed tactics of the Crown
§ Committees of Correspondence were formed to provide for cooperation and the exchange of information throughout the colonies
· British troops fired upon jeering protesters in the Boston Massacre (March 1770)
· Protests continued to multiply in the colonies
· The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773 to protest British control of tea trade
The Intolerable Acts
· Parliament again passed news laws to punish the colonists called the Intolerable Acts
The First Continental Congress
· This prompted a meeting of delegates from each colony, except Georgia, in September of 1774
· As they met for two months, they debated and discussed the worsening situation
· The delegates sent a Declaration of Rights to King George III
· The delegates also urged trade boycotts of England and agrees to meet again in May, 1775
· Following the First Continental Congress, the British refused to compromise it’s policies with the colonists
· It responded with even stricter measures towards the colonists
· By the time for the Second Continental Congress was supposed to meet, the Revolution had begun…
· All thirteen colonies sent representatives to the Congress
o John Hancock was chosen President of the Congress
o George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the army
· This was our nation’s first national government, however it has no Constitutional base
· The British called it an “unlawful assembly” and a “den of traitors”
· It was however supported by public opinion and practical necessity in the colonies
· The Congress served as our first government for five years (1776 – 1781)
· Among the many jobs the Congress did were:
o Fought a war
o Raised armies and a navy
o Borrowed money
o Made treaties with foreign governments
The Declaration of Independence
· After Richard Lee of Virginia had proposed independence to the Congress, five men were appointed to a committee for the purpose of preparing a proclamation of independence
o Benjamin Franklin
o John Adams
o Roger Sherman
o Robert Livingston
o Thomas Jefferson
· The product of their work, most of it by Jefferson, was adopted by delegates after spirited debate on July 4, 1776
· With the signature of 56 men on the Declaration, the United States of America was born
· In 1776 and 1777, most states adopted written Constitutions
o Fundamental laws that set out the principles, structures and processes of government
· The Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 is the oldest written constitution in the world today
· Even though each state constitution differed, many had common features… Among them:
o Popular Sovereignty
o Limited Government
o Civil Rights and Liberties
o Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances
· Most state constitutions were rather brief documents