Conflict and American Independence (1754-1800) Flashcards
Albany Plan of Union
Developed by Ben Franklin (1754)
Reps from 7 colonies met
Goals: make intercolonial gov. and negotiate with Iroquois
Result: Fail because colonies did not want to relinquish control of their right to tax themselves or unite under single colonial legislature, British mad at Indians
Seven Years’ War
1754-1763 A.K.A French and Indian War Cause: Ohio Valley Sides: French and Indians vs. British Result: British won - taking over North America and most of Canada (France kept a couple sugar islands)
William Pitt
English Prime minister during Seven Years’ War
Supported colonies, encouraged them to join war effort, promised some autonomy
THEN change in minister, colonies = angry
Pontiac’s Rebellion
Indian chief Pontiac rallied tribes in Ohio Valley and attacked several colonial outposts
(in response, Paxton Boys)
Paxton boys
Frontiersmen in PA who killed men from the Pontiac Rebellion tribe
Proclamation of 1763
Forbid settlement west of Appalachians
Agitated colonial settlers
ALSO marks end of salutary neglect
Reasons for new taxes after war
Britain felt colonies should help pay off war debt
George III and George Grenville
King and Prime Minister in Britain after war
Mercantilism
Idea that colonies were only there to benefit the bigger country
Export raw materials
Sugar Act
Navigation Acts
Currency Act
Stamp Act
Acts that imposed taxes or regulations on trade
All created discontent within colonies
James Otis
wrote The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved - colonists’ argument against taxes
Sons of Liberty
Protest group
Stamp act repealed, but colonies not given right to representation
Townshend Acts
Taxed goods imported directly from England
Created more Vice-Admiralty courts
Massachusetts Circular Letter
By Samuel Adams
Protest new measures
British ordered letter to NOT be discussed, only made it worse
Boston Massacre
result of Quartering Act, soldiers were occupying and tensions high.
Soldiers fired on a crowd, killing 5
Started a propaganda campaign
Boston Tea Party
Result of Parliament composing new taxes for the colonies (this time on tea), and the colonists dumped the tea into the water
Coercive Acts
Result of Boston Tea Party
AKA - Intolerable Acts
Closed Boston harbor except for essential trade
Tightened English control
First Continental Congress
1774
Came up with a list of laws they wanted repealed and agreed to boycott British goods until they did so.
Also set up limits for when Parliament could interfere/
Major step towards independence.
Battle at Concord
Minutemen versus the British redcoats
Result: minutemen won, huge for colonists
“Shot heard round the world”
Loyalists
Gov. Officials, devout Anglicans, merchants dependent on trade with England, religious and ethnic minorities
Patriots
White protestant property owners and gentry
Urban artisans
Second Continental Congress
Established Continental Army, with Washington as General
Also had the *Olive Branch Petition written by John Dickinson
Olive Branch Petition
John Dickinson
Last attempt to avoid armed conflict
King George III rejected it
Common Sense
by Thomas Paine
Wanted colonial independence
Very popular, spoke in a language colonists could understand
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
Enumerated grievances
Individual liberty
Battle of Saratoga
Turning point in American revolution
Victory for American troops
French gov. agreed formal alliance with Continental Congress
Battle of Yorktown
End to American Revolution
Treaty of Paris 1783
1783
Granted US independence and territorial rights.
Articles of Confederation
1777
Contained major limitations (didn’t want to act like British government)
Could not impose tariffs, printed more money instead (inflation)
Shay’s Rebellion
Shays faced foreclosure by banks, wanted to take over the courthouses. Revealed resentment among classes. (Similar to Bacon’s rebellion and Whiskey Rebellion)
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Abolished slavery in Northwest territories, set regulations for territories to become states
Annapolis Convention
Became the Constitutional Convention
Constitution was a combination of… (Called the “Great Compromise”
The New Jersey and Virginia Plan
Anti-federalists
Opposed the Constitution - Bill of Rights was made to appease them
Federalist Papers
Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
Swayed opinion in New York towards the Constitution
Washington Presidency
- Whiskey Rebellion
- Hamilton Fiscal Plan -National Bank, assume all war debts
- French Revolution - Neutrality Proclomation
Federalist v. Democratic-Republican
Federalists - Strong federal government, commerce, wealthy northeast, loose construction, more sympathetic towards Great Britain
Democratic-Republican - State power, strict construction, farmers, agriculture, sympathetic towards France
Whiskey Rebellion
Farmers resisted excise tax on whiskey. Washington sent troops to stop rebellion.
Jay’s Treaty
Washington sent Jay to make a treaty with G. Britain, Washington set precedent for executive priveledge
Washington Farewell Address
- Neutrality
2. Stay away from political parties
Republican Motherhood
1790s
New important civil role to raise virtuous students.
John Adams Presidency
Federalist
- XYZ Affair
- Alien and Sedition Acts
XYZ Affair
Adams
Instead of going to war with France, sent diplomats
France demanded a huge bribe, angered Americans
War was avoided, but did have a Quasi Naval War to end issues
Alien and Sedition Acts
Adams
Limited freedom of the press/expression/speech
Purely political
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Written by Madison and Jefferson
Gave states right to judge constitutionality of federal laws
Declared Alien and Sedition Acts void
