What Led To The Decleration Of Independence And What Was Its Importance Flashcards
What where thought on independence like by early 1766?
All hopes of reconciliation had faded despite Americans long considering themselves Britons
- George III was bent on subjugation
- several months of fighting weakened ties
- southern support for separation was strengthened when Governor Dunmore of Virginia offered slaves their freedom
What was common sense ?
- Thomas Paines pamphlet helped to mould the mood of independence
- Published in January 1776 selling 100k copies very quickly
- greatest influence of all pamphlets an written in a forceful and straightforward praise: widely accessible
What were Paines arguement ?
- events had made independence a foreigner conclusion
- blood of Americans spilled by Britain
- ‘reconciliation is a fallacious dream’
- attack the British constitution and the king with the whole concept of hereditary monarch and aristocratic privilege
- Americans should embrace not fear independence
- called for the establishment of a republic and annual assemblies
What was John Adams’ thought on government ?
- less emotional than Paines work
- April 1776
- set a clear blueprint for a future national government which would protect liberty and the rights of former colonies by separating power between government, legislation and the judiciary
What was enlightenment ?
- owed a lot to European enlightenment
- John Locke (eng phil) argued for a contractual theory of Gov something developed by Jean Jacques Rousseau in France
- it involved the contract between the people and ruler and rebellion was a natural right if government didn’t rule with peoples interests
What was John Adam’s thoughts on government influenced by ?
European Enlightenment (just another part of it is the below+ the John Locke bit Ei Contractual government)
- The idea of the seperation of power to protect the liberty of citizens ensuring different beaches of government are seperation and can block oppressive action
- developed by Montesquieu who notioned for government to be dived into the executive, legislature and the judiciary
What was the situation like in early 1776 ?
- many congressmen believed foreign aid to be vital
- Nov 1775 a secret committee of secret correspondence carried out diplomacy with nations and sent delegates like Silas Deane to France to gain military support
- however many believed it would only be given if independence was declared
- 1776 all royal governors now replaced by makeshift rebel government
- Congress had exercised sovereign power issuing money and making war
By 1776, why did momentum for independence have to come from the colonies ?
Congress could not declare if pence without prior authorisation from their colony meaning momentum had to come from within the colonies
How did some bodies by 1776 already declared independence before congress ?
- May, Rhode Island expunged all reference to the king in its charters and laws
- May, Virginia instructed delegates to propose independence
- other colonies including New Jersey, Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania and Maryland did the same
How did ripening influence the declaration/ move to independence ?
- Adams and his supporters offered a coherent policy in congress of nation wide unity agaisnt Britain
- they negotiated with foreign powers to get allies and strengthened military forces
- clear statement of aims and values
- tied nearly with the widespread common sense
What was the situation like in Congress ?
- 7 June 1776 Henry Lee introduced the Virginia Conventions resolution ‘these untied colonies are, out of right to be, free and independent states’
- many moderates gave up any hopes of reconciliation however, recognising the need for unanimity congress did suspend making a decision
- set up a committee to draft a declaration
What were attitudes towards Britian at the time ?
- news of Britain hiring mercenaries outraged many
- king and parliament refused to negotiate which worsened the outrage
- it strengthened radical arguement
What was the British dispatch ?
Dangerous and pressing
100 ships and 32k men
Washington had only gathered 12k amateur soliders
- imminent threat that helped to catalyse revolution however rebellion and independence were already underway
What were the consequences of defeat ?
- displaced governor of Virginia promised freedom for slaves that fought for Britian
- bombardment of Norfolk by British warships showed dangers of war
- revenge from loyalists
- German mercenaries
