Reading Log #6

Discontent and Liberty The road to the revolution

The following slides have images that connect to this period’s history. Explore what they have in common.

What events do the refer to?

George Grenville

Organizing the Resistance

• Farmers organized against colonial governments in several colonies. What examples can you find in the readings?

• Who were the Daughters of Liberty? • Sons of Liberty:

• Very aggressive • Strongest in Boston • Targeted disdain towards

government representatives

The Coercive (Intolerable)

Acts Pushed more colonists to organize a response to protect their freedoms.

What did each act do? How did colonists react to them?

First Continental Congress • Held at Carpenter’s Hall.

• Did not accept the arguments for revolt. Instead proposed stopping trade with England until Coercive Acts were lifted.

• Most colonists were pleased with the proposal from the First Continental Congress: it was seen as being a middle-of-the-road action.

• Continental Association was created to force royal authority to redress their grievances through an economic boycott.

• Journals of the Continental Congress: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/ lwjc.html

A R M E D C O N F L I C T B E G I N S

• Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775

• Second Continental Congress, May 10, 1775

• Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill, June 16, 1775

D E C L A R I N G I N D E P E N D E N C E

The Document (audio reading: www.npr.org/2011/07/04/137497061/ reading-the-declaration-of- independence-aloud)

• Thomas Jefferson drafted the first draft and was helped by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin

• What arguments did Jefferson put forth?

• On July 4, 1776, twelve colonies agreed to the declaration. New York abstained.

Liberty What did the colonists mean

when the referred to “liberty”?