16 Questions
What was the main purpose of the Second Continental Congress in 1775?
To function as an independent government and prepare for war with Britain
Who was appointed to command the Continental Army in 1775?
George Washington
What was the main argument of Thomas Paine's pamphlet 'Common Sense'?
That war with Britain was inevitable and necessary for independence
Who drafted the formal declaration of independence?
Thomas Jefferson
What was the outcome of the Second Continental Congress's petition to King George III?
He refused and sent more troops to the colonies
What was the significance of Richard Henry Lee's resolution in May 1776?
It called for a formal declaration of independence
What was the main purpose of the committee established by the Second Continental Congress in 1776?
To write a formal declaration of independence
What was the outcome of Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' pamphlet?
Many wavering colonists became revolutionary patriots
What date was Jefferson's Declaration of Independence unanimously endorsed by the Second Continental Congress?
July 4, 1776
According to the Declaration of Independence, what are the three natural rights that all humans possess?
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
What theory guided the Declaration of Independence in proposing that governments must be based on the consent of the people?
Social contract theory
What was the purpose of listing grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence?
To convince the colonists and European powers of the necessity of breaking with Great Britain
What event began in 1775 and ended with the signing of a peace treaty in Paris in 1783?
The American Revolutionary War
What was the significance of the Declaration of Independence in the American Revolution?
It provided a rallying point for the colonies to moving forward
What instruction was given to the legislative assembly of each colony before the Declaration of Independence was endorsed?
To write a constitution establishing natural rights
What was the central goal of the new government envisioned in the Declaration of Independence?
Liberty and equality
Study Notes
Second Continental Congress (1775-1781)
- Convened on May 10, 1775, with delegates elected by colonial legislatures or correspondence committees
- Authorized to function as an independent government, preparing for war with Britain
- Appointed George Washington to command the Continental Army
Last Effort to Avert War
- In July 1775, the Congress petitioned King George III to end hostile actions against the colonists
- The king refused and sent more troops to the colonies
Influence of Thomas Paine's Common Sense
- Published in January 1776, arguing that war with Great Britain was necessary and unavoidable
- Argued that independence was necessary for civil and religious liberty
Richard Henry Lee's Resolution
- Asserted that the united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states
- Called for the drafting of a plan of union for the colonies
Declaration of Independence
- Established a committee to write a formal declaration of independence on behalf of all the colonies
- Thomas Jefferson, a Virginia delegate, drafted the declaration
- Unanimously endorsed by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776
Key Principles of the Declaration of Independence
- All men are equal, with natural rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)
- Governments must be based on the consent of the people
- People have the duty to abolish a government if it is not protecting their rights
Impact of the Declaration of Independence
- Provided a rallying point for the colonists, envisioning a new government based on the consent of the people, with liberty and equality as its central goals
- Won the hearts and minds of people in the colonies and abroad
Establishing a New Government
- Before the end of the war, the colonial delegates encouraged each colony to write a constitution establishing natural rights
- The War for Independence ended with the signing of a peace treaty in Paris in 1783
Learn about the Second Continental Congress, its formation, and key decisions that shaped the American Revolution. Discover the role of George Washington and the Continental Army in the fight for independence.
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