5th Grade Social Studies Chapter 5 Lesson 3 Declaring Independence

What are the differences between the Patriots and Loyalists?

What are the differences between the Patriots and Loyalists?

Loyalists=disagreed with British laws but wanted to settle the disagreement peacefully and remain part of Great Britain.
Patriots=felt that the colonies should govern themselves. They wanted to be a separate country.

_____ was chosen to be the leader of the Second Continental Congress in 1775.

John Hancock

an army of paid soldiers from the colonies

Continental Army

George Washington was chosen as the leader of the Continental Army because he

fought in the French and Indian War and was a skillful soldier.

The leaders of Congress wanted peace and sent an official message to King George III of England. This message was called

The Olive Branch Petition

a written request for right or benefits

petition

The Olive Branch Petition details:

1. Colonists wanted the King to help settle their conflict with Parliament.
2. Asked for more freedom to govern themselves
3. King George III refused even to read the petition

Thomas Paine wrote a famous pamphlet called

Common Sense

Why did Thomas Paine write Common Sense?

to give colonists reasons why it was time to part ways with Great Britain

freedom from rule by others

independence

Who are 3 of the men who worked together to write the Declaration of Independence?

Benjamin Franklin
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson

Who was considered the "actual author" of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

Cite the reasons Congress chose Thomas Jefferson to be the main author.

1. intelligent
2. educated
3. a good writer

freedom

rights

Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that people are born with certain rights:

unalienable rights

Jefferson also included that if any form of government becomes destructive, it is the right of the people to

alter or abolish it and put in place a new government

Jefferson then included a list of ___________ or ________, which included the ways King George had tried to take away the colonists' rights.

grievances for complaints

What were some of the grievances against King George?

1. He refused to agree to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good
2. kept standing armies in the colonies without consent.
3. imposed taxes on colonies without consent

Jefferson concludes the document by stating that because Great Britain tried to take away the colonies' rights, the colonies had the right to :

become a separate country

Describe the powers that the new nation has, according to the Declaration of Independence:

1.named the United States of America
2.have the power to declare war or peace
3.trade with other nations
4.hold the same powers that other countries have

Who wrote their name the largest?

John Hancock

Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence on

July 4, 1776

How did the colonists celebrate?

cheered
rang bells
tore down statues of King George

the crime of fighting against one's own country

treason

Anyone found guilty of treason could be

hung

Even though the Declaration of Independence included the famous words, "all men are created equal", explain why this was not true back then.

The rights of women, African Americans and Native Americans were not recognized.

The basic ideas the Declaration of Independence was based on :

1. Freedom
2. Equality
3. Protecting peoples' rights

Event timeline:

1770 Boston Massacre
1773 Boston Tea Party
1775 Paul Revere's Ride
Battle of Lexington
Battle of Bunker Hill
Olive Branch Petition
1776 Declaration of Independence

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created ____, that they are endowed by their _______ with certain unalienable rights that among these are ____, ____, and ________.

equal
creator
life
liberty
pursuit of happiness

Why do you think the colonists tore down the statues of King George III?

to show King George III they are not under his rule

What do you think the term "George vs. George" meant during the American Revolution?

The term was created because the leader of Great Britain was King George II and the leader of the Continental Army was George Washington. These two men would have the biggest influence on whether or not the United States would survive or die.