Show singleness of purpose in revolution the separation of the thirteen united states of america from great britain had the slowness and inevitability ot of a natural growth the fruit t of independence did not drop from the parent branch until it had been matured mature a by events and reached full ripeness when the second continental congress assembled on slay may 10 1775 the skirmish at lexington and concord was but three weeks old and the siege of 0 boston by unorganized bands ot of new englanders had begun tile congress had been rebuffed by the british king who had refused to receive its declaration of rights and grievances that document had been drawn up as an ultimatum to the mother country the kings reply had been indirect but clear ile he had begun military and naval preparations to put down rebellion despite this state of affairs few members of the congress it any desired separation benjamin franklin later bald that the first word lie he had heard beard in favor of independence was in starch march 1775 2775 john jay afterward said bald that the first talk of separation he be heard was in the fall of that year olive branch extended but however far separation was from their thoughts the members of the congress had cast the die and they staunchly adhered to its impress they issued a declaration of the causes and necessity of taking up arms in which they professed loyalty loyally to the crown and justified the resistance by force of the colonies the declaration expressly stated that we mean not to dissolve that union which has so long and so happily subsisted between us the declaration was dispatched and pending a response the congress took steps to make the colonies resistance by force effective it tool took control over the army besieging boston appointed officers and called upon the state governments to raise arms and men it appointed george washington commander in chief of the armed arinea forces revolutionary victories civil and military events moved rapidly revolutionary organization took the reins of government from british officials even in the royal colonies the battle of bunker hill was fought tou glit later the british were forced to evacuate boston and new england was thus cleared of hostile troops ethan allen alien and benedict arnold led forces that captured the forts at ticonderoga and crown point montreal was captured but quebec withstood attack and the former place had to be abandoned attempts of southern to break the power of the revolutionists failed meanwhile the king had replied to the congress declaration lie ile denounced the americans as rebels and forbade commercial relations with them an act blockading the colonial ports was passed by parliament the congress retaliated by opening american ports to vessels of all nations in disregard of tile the british navigation acts step to independence with affairs at this pitch public opinion still did not favor a severance from great real britain the first official act that showed the turn of the tide came in may 1770 when mien the congress all suggested that each colony form a government based on tile the assumption that the crowns authority was no longer binding the first move toward independence came in the same month mon th not from the congress but THE FOURTH OF JULY to the sages who spoke to the heroes who bled to the day and the deed strike 1 the harp strings of glo glory let the song of the ransomed rans omed remember the dead and the tongue of the eloquent hallow the staryl story 0 er the bones of the bold be the story long told and on fames golden tablets their triumphs enrolled who on freedoms green hills freedoms doms s banner unfurled and the beacon fire raised that gave light to the world they are gone mighty men and they sleep in their fame shall tva ever forget them oh never no never let our sons learn front from us to embalm each great nanze name and the anthem send down independence fo forever reverl wake wake heart and ton tongue gillel keep the theme ever young let their deeds through the long line of ages be sung who on freedoms green hills freedoms banner unfurled and the beacon fire raised that gave light to the world charles sprague from the provincial convention of 0 virginia which instructed the virginia VIrgin hil congressional delegates to propose it resolution of independence this was done on june 7 by richard henry lee the delegates as a whole however were not yet set prepared for so decisive a step the vote on the resolution was postponed but the proponents ot of the measure managed to obtain tile tha appointment of a committee to draw vp up a declaration while tile the committee was engaged in tile the work ot of drafting the proponents whipped up support tor for the resolution on july 1 I it receiver received the votes of nine state delegations lations gat ions and on a later due date the vote was unanimous colonies united the declaration of 0 independence was born on july 4 when oien the report of the lie committee composed of thomas jefferson benjamin john adams roger sherman and robert kobert n R was unanimously adopted it was born one year and three months after the fighting at lexington and concord ushered in armed hostility between the colonies and the mother country subsequent events proved how beneficial to the new nation this slow birth was the happenings of the tha fifteen months had taught the colonies to work in unison and had given them a c common on imon outlook they showed thel their r strength and singleness of purpose in their successful prosecution of the war and that ended in the strong government they created true that government in its early days dais often had trouble manta maintaining ining its authority but it was never seriously endangered until the oc occasion caslon of tho the civil war the outcome of that struggle settled for all time the question of the oneness of the american union nations Na tlona firm foundation rarely barely does history show a parallel case of a nation springing from a revolution proving as stable as united states has been during the years ars of its existence there can b be 0 no O gainsaying gain saying that tills this stability has has proceeded largely from aiom the lie circumstances cu cum in stances of the nations birth there was no abrupt break with the tha past aas as has been the case with many european nur and latin american and south american republics the amerlean american revolution evolved naturally front from the american peoples political maturity and strength and the evolution of american institutions for the good of us nil all must proceed in the future ns as in ia the past slowly and upon firm ground 4 x MCI WIM exterior Ext arlor view of the west side of Headquarter sat valley corp forg |