with moderates still hanging on, it would take another seven months
why did it take such a long time?
8 Matching Annotations
- Dec 2025
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On May 10, 1776, nearly two months before the Declaration of Independence, the Congress voted on a resolution calling on all colonies that had not already established revolutionary governments to do so and to wrest control from royal officials.
How did the people feel about this?
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Somerset v Stewart
Somerset v. Stewart was a British court case that ruled slavery was unsupported by English law, leading to James Somerset’s freedom. The decision influenced debates about slavery throughout the Atlantic world. It also raised questions for colonists about the legality and morality of slavery under British rule.
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But not all colonists were patriots. Indeed, many remained faithful to the king and Parliament, while a good number took a neutral stance. As the situation intensified throughout 1774 and early 1775,
This passage reminds readers that colonial society was deeply divided, with many people remaining loyal to Britain or choosing neutrality. It challenges the idea that all colonists supported resistance or independence. Recognizing these divisions helps explain why the Revolution created internal conflict as well as opposition to British rule.
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great scheme
“great scheme” refers to a larger coordinated plan among the colonies, suggesting that resistance to British policies was becoming more organized and intentional rather than spontaneous.
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the Coercive Acts fostered the sense of shared identity created over the previous decade.
highlights how the Coercive Acts unintentionally unified the colonies by strengthening a shared identity. Rather than isolating Massachusetts, British punishment encouraged cooperation and solidarity among the colonies. This growing unity helped lay the groundwork for collective resistance.
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“Continental Association.”
The Continental Association was an agreement among the colonies to boycott British goods in order to pressure Parliament into repealing oppressive laws.
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The Congress struck a compromise, agreeing to adopt the Massachusetts militia and form a Continental Army, naming Virginia delegate George Washington commander in chief. They also issued a “Declaration of the Causes of Necessity of Taking Up Arms” to justify the decision. At the same time, the moderates drafted an “Olive Branch Petition,” which assured the king that the colonists “most ardently desire[d] the former Harmony between [the mother country] and these Colonies.” Many understood that the opportunities for reconciliation were running out. After Congress had approved the document, Benjamin Franklin wrote to a friend saying, “The Congress will send one more Petition to the King which I suppose will be treated as the former was, and therefore will probably be the last.”31 Congress was in the strange position of attempting reconciliation while publicly raising an army.
This passage shows how divided colonial leaders were in 1775 between seeking peace and preparing for war. While Congress formed the Continental Army and justified taking up arms, they also sent the Olive Branch Petition to show loyalty to the king. Franklin’s comment suggests that many leaders already believed reconciliation was unlikely.
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