American revolution PART 2 Flashcards
What had Britain and France been fighting for
Fighting for large areas of land in North America Britain defeats french army and used colonies to grow tobacco sugar and cotton
-early 1700’s 13 separate English colonies in North America and 2.5 million settlers
What did the American settlers resent
CAUSES
Broths wanted empires to tax the people who lived in the colonies
Americans resented this as they were paying taxes for British army
- Britain believed they had to pay taxes as they would protect settlers form foreign invasion
-also has to pay stamp tax a tax on all documents eg newspaper
Navigation act
CAUSES
1760
Colonists has to obey navigation act stating that there was no trading with other countries
-colonists get bossed about as British controlled land they could use ( previous agreement made with native Americans )
CAUSES
Boston Massacre
1770
Anti British colonists jeered and threw snowballs and sticks at British army 5th March and the army opened fire and killed them
CAUSES
boston tea party
1773
- as colonists unhappy about heavily taxed British tea they were forced to buy so boarded ship and poured tea into harbour so British army close port of Boston
- Boston tea party
1775 CAUSES
When British attempt to seize gunpowder I concord they were fired on by 20,000 minutemen (local farmers , office workers , ploughmen)
-became known as Lexington incident and marked start of revolution against Britain
Problem with parliament CAUSES
NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
-Americans had no representation in parliament
Declaration of Independence
Americans met at congress and George Washington head of army 1775
- states that 13 colonies were free from control of Britain
- 7 years of fighting before colony’s victorious and independent America was reality
Battle at Yorktown
Britain had won most battle due to strong army
- many battles took place in forests and mountains that the British did not know well
- BATTLE AT YORKTOWN 1781
- American troops perceived to be weak reinforced themselves with 3,000 men with support of French
- french had control of waters and Britain needed supplies from sea
- broths commander Charles Cornwallis places troops on peninsula awaiting supplies now they were cut off in a weak position George Washington attacked
Significance to America
Set up their own system of government with congress and president gained representation
- poor farmers did not get representation as could not buy land to vote despite declaration stating ‘all men are equal’
- slavery still existed and native Americans faced discrimination
- only rich white had representation
- by early 20th century America had developed into most powerful country in world
significance to Britain
- worsened relationship with France
- Britain now used Australia and New Zealand as penal colonies
- Indi became ‘jewel in crown’ most important colony
- Britain now had to deal with working class population who might be influenced by ideas of overthrowing authority
- used navy to regain colonies as army was weakened
Significance to world
- American revolution I spite French revolution and Louis XVI was executed (1789/1799)
- french revolution I spite charity’s and working class to rebel
short term and long term
extremely significant in both
empire
-collection of tribes, regions territories states and countries that are ruled over and controlled by one leader or mother country
colony
country or area under full or partial control fo another country and occupied by settlers from that country
