Chapter 2, section 2- 1/25/12

2. For about 150 years, the colonies
pretty much governed themselves and
remained loyal to England.
What was the first legislature
established in the colonies? (Hint: it
was in Virginia.)
The colonies in America provided
economic benefits to England
Raw materials
Market for British goods

3. Britain tightens control
French and Indian War: (France vs. Great Britain-
fighting over land)
Good News for Britain: they won the war and gained
lots of land!
Bad News for Britain: they also gained a lot of debt
Bad News for the colonies: they were expected to
help repay this debt….TAXES! 

5. TAXES 
Stamp Act (1765)
First direct tax on colonists
Taxed
documents, pamphlets, newspaper, dice, playing
cards
Britain made a lot more money
Colonists were pissed!
Stamp Act repealed

6. Boston Tea Party (1773)

7. Great Britain was pissed because of the
Boston Tea Party
Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts as
punishment
Closed Boston Harbor
Massachusetts could no longer govern
itself
Colonists not happy 

9. Answer the following questions on a
separate sheet of paper:
1. What caused Britain to have so much debt?
2. How did Britain plan to handle this debt?
3. What did the colonists do to protest?
4. How did Britain punish the colonies for acting
out?

10. Colonists fight back
Stamp Act Congress- delegates from 9 of the
colonies
Committees of Correspondence- over 80 in
Massachusetts alone!
First one started by Sam Adams

11. The First Continental
Congress
Meeting to decide what to do about the
Intolerable Acts
Every colony except Georgia was represented
Embargo- prohibited trade with England; chose
not to use British goods.
Lexington and Concord- first violent clash, “shot
heard round the world”

12. Second Continental
Congress
All 13 colonies
represented
Organized army and
navy
Made George
Washington
commander of army

13. Independence??
Thomas Paine
Wrote Common Sense pamphlet
Samuel Adams
“Is not America already independent? Why not declare
it?”
Richard Henry Lee
“these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free
and independent states.”

14. The Declaration of
Independence
Written by Thomas
Jefferson- he was the best
writer of the group
Final draft approved on
July 4th, 1776
Jefferson borrowed heavily
from whom???
(Hint: Social Contract
Theory!)

15. 3 parts of the Declaration
Part 1- purpose and basic human rights
“all men created equal”
“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
Part 2- complaints against the king of
England
Part 3- statement of separation

16. 5. What actions did the First Continental
Congress decide to take against Britain?
6. What major event that started the
Revolutionary War happened in between the first
and second Continental Congress?
7. What did Thomas Paine, Samuel Adams, and
Richard Henry Lee all suggest?
8. What were the 3 parts of the Declaration of
Independence and what was each part’s
purpose?