In October 1775, King George III addressed the British Parliament to say that the colonies needed to show “proper submission” to the king. The colonists needed to stop protesting the laws and taxes that had been placed on them. Both the House of Lords and the House of Commons agreed with the King.
Additional British troops arrived in January 1776, and the colonists were informed that there would be severe consequences if the colonists did not obey the King. Some towns were burnt and ships were seized.
The colonists did not originally want independence, but they did not want to be treated like they were slaves of Great Britain. The Journals of the Continental Congress from February 1776 reflect the sentiments of the time. The colonists were beginning to become divided. There were the Loyalists and then there were the Patriots who did not want to be subjects of the King.
Robert Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the “financier of the American Revolution,” wrote that nothing could save or serve the true interest of Great Britain more than the King holding out “just and equitable terms” before it was too late.
George Washington was concerned that the troops encamped near Boston lacked the materials and the discipline needed to become an effective fighting force. Soldiers had signed up to serve for only one year. Their provisions depended on what families and neighbors could provide. Some lacked the proper provisions they needed to survive. The soldiers worked hard to build encampments and fortifications, but many did not have the ability to maintain proper hygiene. Disease quickly spread among the troops.
British authorities wanted to restore royal authority in North Carolina. On February 27, the British forces reached the Moores Creek Bridge in Currie, North Carolina. Patriot forces had fortified the eastern bank of the bridge. When the British forces and Loyalist supporters approached the bridge, they were met with deadly Patriot rifle and artillery fire. The Patriots were the victors in the battle. This battle proved to be a pivotal point and the start of the cry for independence.
PBS is currently showing a documentary series on the American Revolution. Ken Burns is one of the major contributors to the series. David McCullough wrote the book 1776. I am finding both sources provide interesting insights into life in the American Colonies in 1776.
