Outline 5 - Nate Hebert Period 6 APUSH The States United...

Nate Hebert
Period 6
10-9-17
APUSH
The States United
a)Defining American War Aims
1)2nd Continental Congress (CC) agreed to support war, disagreed on purpose.
One group led by John and Sam Adams favored full independence, others wanted
modest reforms in imperial relationship. Most sought middle ground
2)“Olive Branch Petition” conciliatory appeal to king, then July 1775 “Declaration
of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms”
3)Public at first fought not for independence but redress of grievances, later began
to change reasons b/c cost of war too large for such modest aims, anger over
British recruitment of Indians, slaves, mercenaries, and b/c GB rejected Olive
Branch Petition and enacted “Prohibitory Act” w/ naval blockade
4)January 1776 Common Sense by Thomas Paine was revolutionary propaganda,
argued that problem was not parliamentary acts but English constitution, king,
and ruling system. GB no longer fit to rule b/c of brutality, corruption
b)The Decision for Independence
1)After Common Sense support grew, CC recommended colonies establish
independent govt’s from British, July 4 1776 Declaration of Independence
2)Dec of Indep. written mostly by Thomas Jefferson, restated contract theory of
John Locke that govts formed to protect rights of “life, liberty, pursuit of
happiness”, then listed alleged crimes of king and Parliament
3)Dec. inspired French Revolution’s Dec. of the rights of Men, claimed sovereign
“United States of America”, led to increased foreign aid
c)Responses to Independence
1)At news of Dec many rejoiced others disapproved b/c still had great loyalty to
king, called themselves Loyalists but independents called them Tories
2)States drafted constitutions to replace loyal govts by 1781, states considered