This topic discusses the drafting and adoption of the American Declaration of Independence, a document that announced the separation of thirteen American colonies from Great Britain and the formation of a new nation based on the principles of liberty, equality, and democracy.
Colonial America: The history of the thirteen colonies that formed the backbone of the American Revolution, including their social and economic structures, and their relationship with Great Britain.
Taxation without Representation: The main cause of the American Revolution was the British government’s imposition of taxes on the colonists without their consent, which violated the principle of “no taxation without representation” that they had come to expect.
Sons of Liberty: An organized group of colonists who were opposed to British rule and who used violence and intimidation to protest against unfair treatment.
Boston Tea Party: A famous incident in which colonists, dressed as Mohawk Indians, boarded a British ship and dumped more than 300 chests of tea into Boston Harbor to protest against British tariffs on tea.
Lexington and Concord: The first battles of the American Revolution, which took place in 1775 and marked the beginning of armed conflict between the colonists and the British.
Continental Congress: A body of representatives from the thirteen colonies, which met in Philadelphia in 1774 to coordinate their resistance to British rule and to plan for their future independence.
Declaration of Independence: A document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, which declared the thirteen colonies to be independent from Great Britain and outlined the principles of liberty and equality that would guide the new American nation.
Revolutionary War: The eight-year-long conflict between the American colonies and Great Britain, which ultimately resulted in American independence.
Founding Fathers: The leaders of the American Revolution, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, who played a key role in shaping the new American government and its Constitution.
United States Constitution: The document that outlines the basic structure of the American government, including the separation of powers, the Bill of Rights, and the roles of the president, congress, and judiciary.
The Declaration of Independence (1776): The document was written by Thomas Jefferson and declared the United States as a new nation, independent from Great Britain. The document is one of the most important founding documents and principles of the United States, and it declared the American Revolution.
The Articles of Confederation (1781): This document served as the first constitution of the United States, which established a weak central government with most powers held by the states, and set up guidelines for the functioning of the federal government.
The Treaty of Paris (1783): The treaty ended the American Revolutionary War and granted independence to the United States. It also established boundaries for the new nation as well as rights regarding fishing in western Atlantic waters.
The United States Constitution (1787): This document established the framework for the present-day US government and describes the powers and duties of each branch of government, as well as individual rights and liberties.
The Bill of Rights(1791): This document consists of the first ten amendments to the constitution which served to recognize individual rights and liberties to protect individuals from government interference or infringement.