Compelling Question: Were the colonists justified in declaring independence from Great Britain? Source 1: Excerpts from Common Sense, Thomas Paine 1 Volumes have been written on the subject of the struggle between England and America. Men of all ranks have embarked in the controversy, from different motives, and with various designs: but all have been ineffectual, and the period of debate is closed. Arms as a last resource decide the contest; the appeal was the choice of the king, and the continent has accepted the challenge. As much has been said of the advantages of reconciliation, which, like an agreeable dream, has passed away and left us as we were, it is but right that we should examine the contrary side of the argument, and inquire into some of them any material injuries which these colonies sustain, and always will sustain, by being connected with and dependent on Great Britain. I have heard it asserted by some that as America hath flourished under her former connection with Great Britain, the same connection is necessary towards her future happiness, and will always have the same effect. Nothing can be more fallacious than this kind of argument For I answer roundly, that America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power taken any notice of her. But she has protected us, say some. That she hath engrossed us is true, and defended the continent at our expense as well as her own is admitted; Alas! We have boasted the protection of Great Britain without considering that her motive was interest, not attachment; and that she did not protect us from our enemies on our account, but from her enemies on her own account. But Britain is the parent country, say some. Then the more shame upon her conduct. Even brutes do not devour their young, nor savages make war upon their families; Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America. This new world hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe. Hither have they fled, not from the tender embraces of a mother, but from the cruelty of the monster. As to government matters, it is not in the power of Britain to do this continent justice: the business of it will soon be too weighty and intricate to be managed with any tolerable degree of convenience, by a power so distant from us, and so very ignorant of us; for if they cannot conquer us, they cannot govern us. To be always running three or four thousand miles with a tale or a petition, waiting four or five months for an answer, which, when obtained, requires five or six more to explain it in, will in a few years be looked upon as folly and childishness. There was a time when it was proper, and there is a proper time for it to cease....but where, say some, is the king of America? I ll tell you, friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal Brute of Great Britain; let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America THE LAW IS KING. For as in absolute governments the king is law, so in free countries the law ought to BE KING, and there ought to be no other. A government of our own is our natural right; and when a man seriously reflects on the precariousness of human affairs, he will become convinced, that it is infinitely wiser and safer to form a constitution of our own in a cool deliberate manner, while we have it in our power, than to trust such an interesting event to time and chance. 1 This work by The Independence Hall Association is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The original work is available at
1. Who is the author of the text? 2. When was the document written? 3. Is the source of the document credible? Common Sense Guided Reading Questions 4. According to the document, who does the author believe should govern the people? 5. According to the document, why is reconciliation with Great Britain not an option for the colonies? 6. According to the document, what is Thomas Paine s view of the new world s role for mankind? Explain. 7. Who does Thomas Paine believe is the true king of people? 8. How does Thomas Paine describe the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies? 9. In your opinion, does Thomas Paine make a good argument for declaring independence from Great Britain? Why or Why not? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
Source 2: Excerpts from Arguments against the Independence of these Colonies, 1776 2 The Consequences involved in the Motion now lying before You are of such Magnitude, that I tremble under the oppressive Honor of sharing in its Determination. I feel Myself unequal to the Burthen assigned Me. I believe, I had almost said, I rejoice, that the Time is approaching, when I shall be relieved from its Weight My Conduct, this Day, I expect will give the finishing Blow to my once too great, and, my Integrity considered now too diminished Popularity. It will be my Lott to know, that I had rather vote away the Enjoyment of that dazzling display, that pleasing Possession, than the Blood and Happiness of my Countrymen too fortunate, amidst their Calamities, if I prove a Truth known in Heaven, that I had rather they should hate Me, than that I should hurt them But thinking as I do on the Subject of Debate, Silence would be guilt. What advantages could it be claimed would follow from the adoption of this resolution? 1. It might animate the People. 2. It would Convince foreign Powers of our Strength & Unanimity & we would receive their aid in consequence thereof. As to the 1st point it is Unnecessary. The preservation of Life, Liberty & Property is a sufficient Motive to animate the People. The General Spirit of America is animated. As to the 2d - foreign Powers will not rely on Words When We have bound ourselves to a stern Quarrel with Great Britain by a Declaration of Independence, France has nothing to do but to hold back & intimidate Great Britain till Canada is put into her Hands, then to intimidate Us into a most disadvantageous Grant of our Trade... Now let us consider, if all the Advantages expected from foreign Powers cannot be attained in a more unexceptional manner. Is there no way of giving Notice of a Nation s Resolution, than by proclaiming it to all the World? Let Us in the most solemn Manner inform the House of Bourbon, at least France that We wait only for her Determination to declare our Independence. We must not talk generally of foreign Powers but only of those We expect to favor Us Besides, first we ought to Establish our governments & take the Regular Form of a State These preventive Measures will shew Deliberation, Wisdom, Caution & Unanimity. It is Our Interest to keep Great Britain in the Opinion that We mean Reconciliation as long as possible The Wealth of London &c is poured into the Treasury. The whole Nation is ardent against Us. We oblige her by our attitude to persevere in Her Spirit... The War will be carried on with more Severity. The Burning of Towns, the Setting Loose of Indians on our Frontiers, has Not yet been done. Boston might have been burnt though it was not. What Advantage is to be expected from a Declaration? 1 The Animating of our Troops? I answer, it is unnecessary. 2 Union of the Colonies? I answer, this is also unnecessary. It may weaken that Union, when the People find themselves engaged in a cause rendered more cruel by such a Declaration without Prospect of an End to their Calamities, by a Continuation of the War. 3rd A PARTITION of these Colonies will take Place if Great Britain cant conquer Us. To escape from the protection we have in British rule by declaring independence would be like Destroying a House before We have got another, In Winter, with a small Family; Then asking a Neighbor to take Us in and finding He is unprepared. We cannot look back. Men generally sell their Goods to most Advantage when they have several Chapmen. We have but two to rely on. We exclude one by this Declaration without knowing what the other will give. Great Britain after one or more unsuccessful Campaigns may be inducted to offer Us such a share of Commerce as would satisfy Us, to appoint Councilors during good Behaviors, to withdraw her armies, to protect our Commerce, Establish our Militias- in short to redress all the Grievances complained of in our first Petition. Let Us know, if We can get Terms from France that will be more beneficial than these. If we can, LET US DECLARE INDEPENDENCE. If We cannot, let Us at least withhold that Declaration, till We obtain Terms that are tolerable. We have many Points of the utmost Moment to settle with France- Canada, Acadia and Cape Breton. What will content her? Barbary Pirates, Spain, Portugal? Will she demand an Exclusive Trade as a Compensation, or grant Us Protection against piratical States only for a Share of our Commerce? When our Enemies are pressing Us so vigorously, When We are in so wretched a State of Preparation, When the Sentiments & Designs of our expected Friends are so unknown to Us, I am alarmed at this Declaration being so vehemently presented.
NAME: DATE: HOUR: Arguments Against the Independence of these Colonies Split-Page Notes Unknown Words/Phrases Main Ideas/Important Information Comments/Questions Summary:
NAME: DATE: HOUR: Declaring Independence: Staying vs. Going Answer the following question first as Paine then as Dickinson: Why should the Colonies stay as British subjects or form their own country? Paine: Common Sense Dickinson: Arguments against the Independence
Source 3: Excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, 1776 3 WHEN, in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands, which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature s GOD entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation. Paragraph 1 We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their CREATOR, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among MEN, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Paragraph 2 But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. Paragraph 3 3 This text is in the public domain.
The History of the present King of Great-Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World. HE has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance HE has refused to pass other Laws for the Accommodations of large Districts of People, unless those People would relinquish the Right of Representation in the Legislature, a Right inestimable to them, and formidable to Tyranny only HE has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People. Paragraph 4 FOR quartering large Bodies of Armed Troops among us: FOR protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: FOR cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World: FOR imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: Paragraph 5 WE, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in GENERAL CONGRESS Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Connexion between them and the State of Great-Britain, is, and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of Right do. And for the Support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honour. Paragraph 6