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Chapter 6-2 Colonies Declare Independence
Legislature – law-makinggroup
Declare – to strongly statesomething
Declaration – a forceful,strong statement
Independence – to havefreedom to make your ownchoices and have controlover what happens to you
Preamble – introduction –usually for an officialdocument; often givesreasons for document beingwritten
Declaration of Independence– Document that made ourbreak with England official
Natural Rights – rights thatbelong to all people from birth
COMMON SENSE
Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine
Urged colonists to declare independence
Listed reasons why it was only “commonsense” to be our own country
Paine said the idea of kings and queens waswrong & that the colonies didn’t owe theirloyalty to England
Convinced many colonists to side with Patriots
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Chapter 6-2 Colonies Declare Independence
Treason –betraying one’scountry
Traitor –Someone whobetrays his orher country
Capital crime – acrime for whichthe penalty isdeath
CONGRESS VOTES FOR INDEPENDENCE
June 1776, Continental Congress decides tovote for independence from England
A difficult decision – all would be called traitorsby England; they would be committing treason,a capital crime
Appointed a committee to tell the world whythey were declaring independence
Committee chose Thomas Jefferson to write it
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Signed July 4, 1776, Independence Hall,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
All 13 colonies had delegates sign it
John Hancock was president of ContinentalCongress – signed largely and boldly
Was distributed throughout the colonies
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Chapter 6-2 Colonies Declare Independence
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Made up of preamble and three main parts
Natural Rights – First main part of thedocument
States that certain rights are ours from birthand that if the government violates them, it’sthe right and duty of the people to over-throwthe government
British Wrongs - Second part of document
Condemns king for putting soldiers in coloniesduring peacetime and for breaking up thecolonial legislatures (law-making groups)
Lists many of the British “wrongs” and sayscolonists had the right to rebel
Also said that king had a chance to fix themistakes but chose not to do so
Independence – Third and final part ofdocument
States that we break all ties with England
Calls colonies the United States of America
Declares full independence as a country
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Chapter 6-2 Colonies Declare Independence
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Chapter 6-2 Colonies Declare Independence