Click2History - American Colonies - We are Free! - Chapter 1 - Preface

<BODY aLink=#ff0000 bgColor=#000033 link=#0000ff vLink=#000000> <TABLE bgColor=#000033 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align=middle vAlign=top> <TABLE bgColor=#ffffff cellPadding=5 width="90%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align=middle vAlign=top> <DIV align=center> <P><B><FONT color=#000000 face="arial, helvetica" size=5><B>AMERICAN COLONIES:</P> <P>WE ARE FREE!</B></FONT></P> <TABLE width=590> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align=middle bgColor=#000000 colSpan=2 vAlign=top><FONT color=#ffffff face="ARIAL, HELVETICA" size=3><center><B>STORY CHAPTER LINKS</center></B></FONT></TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=middle vAlign=top width="50%"> <TABLE border=0 cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=5 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align=left vAlign=top><FONT face="ARIAL, HELVETICA" size=2><a href="am_colonies_ch1.htm" target="_blank"><B>1. STORY PREFACE</B></a></FONT> </TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=left vAlign=top width="50%"><FONT face="ARIAL, HELVETICA" size=2><B><a href="am_colonies_ch2.htm">2. A DIVINELY ORDAINED FIGHT</a></B></FONT> </TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=left vAlign=top width="50%"><FONT face="ARIAL, HELVETICA" size=2><B><a href="am_colonies_ch3.htm">3. AMERICAN "FIRSTS"</a></B></FONT> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD> <TD align=middle vAlign=top width="50%"> <TABLE border=0 cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=5 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align=left vAlign=top><FONT face="ARIAL, HELVETICA" size=2><B><a href="am_colonies_ch4.htm">4. DRAFTING THE DECLARATION</a></B></FONT> </TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=left vAlign=top><FONT face="ARIAL, HELVETICA" size=2><B><a href="am_colonies_ch5.htm">5. WE ARE FREE!</a></B></FONT> </TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=left vAlign=top><FONT face="ARIAL, HELVETICA" size=2><B><a href="am_colonies_ch6.htm">6. EVIDENCE OF FREEDOM</a></B></FONT> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <P><B><FONT size=3><U><A name=preface>PREFACE</A></U></FONT></B></P> <DIV align=center><B><I><FONT color=#000000 face="Times New Roman" size=3>When in the Course of human events,<BR>it becomes necessary for one people<BR>to dissolve the political bands which<BR>have connected them with another...</B></I><BR><BR><A href="http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/declaration/declaration.html" target=_blank><B>Declaration</B></A> of Independence<BR>July 4, 1776</FONT><BR><BR></DIV> <CENTER> <TABLE width="90%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align=left vAlign=top> <DIV align=justify> <P><FONT color=#000000 face="arial, helvetica" size=3>It was 1775. <A href="http://media.nara.gov/media/images/43/12/43-1154a.gif" target=_blank><B>George III</B></A> ruler of Great Britain, viewed the thirteen American <A href="http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/13colonies/13colonies1775maps75.jpg" target=_blank><B>colonies</B></A> as "his." Heavy taxes, paid by the colonials, filled the king’s treasury. Life was good - for some people. For others, like <A href="http://www.earlyamerica.com/portraits/images/paine.jpg" target=_blank><B>Thomas Paine</B></A></P> <CENTER><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B><I>Now is the time<BR>that tries men’s souls<BR><BR><A href="http://members.aol.com/tompaine7/pict24.jpg" target=_blank><B>The American Crisis</B></A></CENTER></FONT></B></I> <P align=justify><FONT face="arial, helvetica">What was trying "men’s souls" was British rule. The <A href="http://www.multied.com/revolt/Common.html" target=_blank><B>time had come</B></A> for America to be free. </P> <P>But cutting the ties that bound <A href="http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/dhistorymaps/images/Early%20American%20wars/ra1.jpg" target=_blank><B>thirteen colonies</B></A> to England would not happen without a revolt. No one ever gives up a treasure without a fight. Especially not a king.</P> <P>Many colonists, however, believed their cause was supported by a power much higher and greater than King George. Those beliefs helped to fan the flames of revolutionary fervor.</P></DIV> <P align=right><FONT size=2><a href="am_colonies_ch2.htm">GO TO CHAPTER 2</a></FONT></P><BR>  </FONT></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></B></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BODY>