The Birth of Our Nation Mr Tresky s Civics

The Birth of Our Nation! Mr. Tresky’s Civics Class

• This educational production is brought to you by SPORKS! Is it a spoon? Or a Fork? Whoaa its both!!!!

Fun Preview………. . • In the early 1700’s England (Great Britain) had established 13 colonies in North America, each was run by a Royal Governor and an elected legislature. …. • Great Britain was a World Power , it was 3, 000 miles Away and had many matters to tend to. The Colonists got use to self government and making decisions on their own… until King George III took the throne.

Fun Preview • The British had fought a costly war in North America called the French & Indian War and won territory from the French in North America. To cover the costs of its war debt and governing the new lands, King George III and Parliament looked to the colonies to pay the bulk of these expenses…………. let’s see what happens young citizens!

French & Indian War The Colonists fought along side the British troops and were promised more lands if they won. Instead they couldn’t move on the lands and had to pay taxes on them!

King George III & Mercantilism A. Viewed the colonies as a source of cheap resources (timber, farmland, cotton, indigo) B. Viewed the colonies as a place to buy British products. at high prices. C. Viewed colonies as a way for Great Britain to gain wealth. Who seems to making money from this situation? ? ? clik

Mercantilism • King George III and Britain were practicing mercantilism-Parliament required colonies to sell raw materials (resources) such as cotton & lumber at low prices (to Britain) and then turn around & buy British Products at high prices……. . that ain’t cool?

Mercantilism In Action! • Colonies: had to sell Britain Cotton for 2$ a bushel. Not allowed to sell to other countries and could charge no more. • Britain: Would then make shirts to sell to colonists at 10$ per shirt. Colonists not allowed to buy shirts from other countries, even if France would sell us shirts for 2$. Who does this system favor?

Taxation Without Representation! To cover the costs of governing the new lands won from France, Britain created the following acts, they did not sit well with the 13 colonies. 1. Stamp Act-required colonist to attach expensive tax stamps to all newspapers and legal documents. 2. Declaratory Acts – stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the American Colonies in all cases. 3. Townshend Acts- levied new taxes on goods imported to the colonies, items they needed like glass, tea, paper & lead. Things they did not have.

Fight the Power! • The acts were considered taxation without representation, they the colonists had NO VOICE in Parliament, if you recall the Virginia Company of London Charter gave them all the same rights as Englishmen! • The Colonists fought back with a boycott, which was a refusal to buy British goods, let them sit on the shelf!

More Acts from the British • 1. The tea act- allowed a British Company to bypass taxes usually paid so that British Tea was cheaper than the colonial tea. The colonists dressed up like indian’s and had a tea party in Boston Harbor. • 2. Intolerable Acts- Allowed British Soldiers to search & actually move into colonial homes! • 3. The Acts & taxes led the colonies to band together and establish a political body for American interests and challenge British control…getting good folks!

1 st Continental Congress • In 1774 twelve of the colonies send delegates to Philadelphia to discuss what to do!

1 st Continental Congress * Sent a document to King George III, demanding the rights of the Colonists restored. • Made plans to extend the boycott of British Goods • Agreed to meet again the following May, if the situation did not get better.

• How did King George III respond to the First Continental Congress? • King George responded with force, two battle occurred in Massachusetts at Lexington & Concord. (The shots hear ‘round the world)

• With the British now shooting at colonists many began to question their attachment with Britain.

Loyal to England/or Common Sense? • Many colonists remained loyal to their home country, they did not want to fight the British, because they considered themselves British. • However with British Soldiers now shooting at colonists and the burden of heavy taxes…. . many started to listen to the words from a man named Thomas Paine.

Thomas Paine: Common Sense • Wrote a pamphlet called “Common Sense” • It inspired and persuaded colonists to become independent of Great Britain.

Common Sense • “It was common sense to stop following the Royal Brute known as King George the III” * The Colonists loved it!!!!!!

2 nd Continental Congress • In 1775 the delegates decided that the colonies must become independent from Great Britain.

2 nd Continental Congress The Congress now acting as the government for the colonies, appointed Thomas Jefferson as head of the committee in charge of writing the Declaration of Independence.

This is our nations first political cartoon, created by Ben Franklin, what do you suppose ol’ Ben was trying to say?

The Declaration of Independence Notes • Signed: July 4 th 1776 • Author: Thomas Jefferson

John Locke *John Locke was an English Philosopher during the 17 th Century (1690), *Thomas Jefferson was inspired by the writings of John Locke, a lot of John Locke’s ideas were put into the Declaration of Independence

The Social Contract • People should abide by the governments decisions, if it protects their life, liberty and property. • If government misuses power the people should REBEL!!!!!

What the Declaration Did! 1. Stated grievances against King George III of Britain and called him a tyrant. “The History of the present King of Britain is a history of Repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the Establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states…. ”

What the Declaration Did! 2. Declared the colonies independent from Great Britain. “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and Independent States; that they are absolved from allegiance to the British Crown.

What the Declaration Did! 3. Established and affirmed “Certain unalienable rights” such as Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights , that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. ”

Pursuit of Happiness Uh…. sorry ……. .

What the Declaration Did! 4. Established the idea that all people were created equal. “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. ”

• Freedom would not come until the hard fought end of the Revolutionary War…….

Tresky Educational Production