Rebellion & Independence
Waging war turns rebellion into revolution Fragile coalition of thirteen separate sovereignties Turning points: bunker hill, trenton, saratoga, yorktown Washington is commander in chief of the "continental army" Local resistance groups completed the transfer of sovereignty British problem- how to use armed force to restore political control B believe in decapitation B is unwilling to make political concessions Bc it would take too long to raise new troops in b isles, imperial gov hired 30, 000 mercenaries Dunmore in virginia- example of trying and failing to balance government and military Imperial race war in virginia Virginia opinion rapidly turned to independence B imperial authority had ceased to function B attempted to use conventional forces to fight an insurgency- this sort of counter-insurgency almost never works Olive branch petition-offered something that might reunite b and imperial b Proclamation by king for suppressing rebellion Common sense by thomas paine- advocates separation Declaring independence Jefferson drafted the declaration (not the author) July 4, 1776- congress officially adopted the declaration Benjamin franklin John adams Declaration of independence- the unanimous agreement of 13 colonies uniting Unalienable rights constituted among men in america-deriving their powers from the consent of the governed articles...