Group 1 Flashcards
Terms #1-63
THE COLONIAL PERIOD #1
1
Time: 1491-1754
The Colonial Period spans from the Spanish discovery of the New World by Columbus to the beginning of the French and Indian War in 1754. Four European nations established colonies and competed for influence in America: Spain, England, France, and the Netherlands. European contact and colonization established the Columbian Exchange and devastated Native American socities that had existed for centuries. American colonial society developed as a unique mix of European, Native American, and African elements.
Three-Sister Farming #2
2
Time: Began as early as 1000 C.E.
What: The North American Indians employed a system of growing maize, beans, and squash together in order to obtain the most agricultural yield. This “companion planting” technique is thought to have been fueled and protected by all of the Three Sister Sprits (one respective of each crop) (nsuok.edu) (AmericanPageant).
Conquistadores #3
3
Time: The 1500s (C.E.)
What: The Spanish military adventurers who traveled across the Americas, from, “Colorado to Argentina” were revered as the Conquistadores. Eventually, these named carnage bringers conquered Aztec (Hernán Cortés contributing) and Incan (Francisco Pizzaro contributing) empires, leaving death and destruction behind throughout their conquests (worldhistory.org) (AmericanPageant).
Columbian Exchange #4
4
Time: After 1492 C.E.
What: When goods, crops, and diseases traveled between New and Old (the entire Eastern Hemisphere) World societies. The New world gained diseases that the Indians had no immunity to, whereas the European sailors brought the Old World syphilis (which caused much social chaos). The Old World also experienced an influx in new foods and was highly impacted by quinine (an effective malaria treatment). During mainly the 1500s to the 1800s, an increase of death in the localized people of the New World prompted the deportation of over 12 million Africans (as more people were wanted for labor) (Scholar.Harvard.edu) (AmericanPageant).
Encomienda System #5
5
Time: Received Royal Approval from the Spanish Empire in 1503 C.E.
What: The Spanish Government’s enacted policy to give indigenous Indian people/leaders to Europeans. This brought benefit to the Spanish peoples as they wanted the Indian tribes in the West Indies and on the North American Mainland, “subdue{d}”. This brought benefit to the Europeans as they gained free labor to work their lands. This supposedly gave benefit to the Indians as they were to be militarily protected by the Europeans and given the opportunity to be converted to Christianity, but it oft ended up in harsh punishments and unfair treatment of the Indians and has been considered slavery (even though it was not called that at the time) (worldhistory.org) (AmericanPageant).
Mestizos #6
6
Time: Around and after the Mid-1500s C.E.
What: People that of mixed Indian and European descent (while nowadays it can refer to someone of mixed descent in general). After Hernán Cortés overtook the city of Tenochtitlán in 1519, a, “hybrid civilization, part European, part Mexica, Maya, Olmec, Toltec, and other variants” formed. The term was, then normally used to describe children of wedlock, making it hard for those children to gain a prominent foothold in society without their heritage being questioned and ridiculed (neh.gov) (AmericanPageant).
Jamestown #7
7
Time: (Founded in) 1607 C.E.
What: The first English settlement in North America that was permanent. Founded by the Virginia Company, the settlement was surrounded by water on three sides, was far enough inland for the residents to be able to defend against Spanish attacks, and also was not inhabited by those native to North America. The 104 Englishmen who arrived began to build a fort in Jamestown, with a President and council members already planned for the area. However, disease and starvation plagued the area, killing off most until a new fleet of ships arrived in 1610 with a Lord Delaware to govern Jamestown and a plan for harvest (nps.gov) (AmericanPageant).
House of Burgesses #8
8
Time: 1643 through 1776 C.E.
What: A government system of elected representatives that helped to lead Virginia by establishing orders and communicating relations with other areas. The establishment came to the forefront of Virginia when Governor Sir William Berkeley encouraged and prompted the use of a separate house (from the other Council members) for the burgesses and parliamentary rights for the members of the House. It later became Virginia’s, “primary political institution”. The House mostly housed members of the gentry class as its members, but sought to help a variety of citizens. Some important laws they passed encompassed restricting prominent landowner/county justices of the peace/clerk power and addressing high taxes (encyclopediavirginia.org) (AmericanPageant).
Headright System #9
9
Time: November 18th, 1618 through May, 1779 C.E.
What: A system used by Virginian tobacco colonists in which they would receive 50 acres of land for every indentured servant they paid the fare of to pass to the New World. This system was enacted so that more indentured servants would be imported into the tobacco colonies. However, the Headright System was oft exploited by a small amount of the Virginian colonists, as they found ways to gain the land that the Headright System provided without paying for an indentured servant. This created large amounts of land being owned by one family, taking away land from other colonists or immigrants (lva.virginia.gov) (AmericanPageant).
Plymouth Colony (Separatists) #10
10
Time: Founded in 1620 C.E.
What: The Colony was founded in Massachusetts by Separatists; people who came from England wanting to establish their own society and societal laws. The plans made by the Separatists for their new colony became known as the Mayflower Compact, “America’s first legal document of democratic governance in the New World”. Plymouth was a large force in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, heading the Puritan religion for a time. Later, however, Boston overtook the power that Plymouth once had, but Plymouth still remained a large hub for production and trade (majorly seen in the mid/late 1800s) (achp.gov).
Massachusetts Bay Colony (Puritans) #11
11
Time: 1630 through 1691 C.E.
What: A Colony that was founded by non-separating Puritans that became the largest English settlement in New England and influenced the later foundation of the USA. Puritans- a religious group that sought to “purify” the Anglican Church from Catholic influences- opposed both the Church and Crown of England and chose to leave for North America. With the help of a Puritan lawyer named John Winthrop, the Puritans moved their colony center to Boston. Several wars broke out between the Puritans and the Native Americans of the region, but the colony survived and- when compared to modern day areas- covered parts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire at its fullest extent (worldhistory.org).
“City upon a hill” (John Winthrop) #12
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Time: Spoken in 1630 C.E.
What: A phrase said in John Winthrop’s speech to his fellow Puritans while heading to found the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it refers to how he believed the greatness of the Massachusetts Bay Colony would be something that others would always be able to see. In the speech, he spoke that God would provide shared power in many people, justice for the right and wrong, and that there would be a sense of brotherhood between all citizens (americanyawp.com).
New England Town Meetings #13
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Time: (First Meeting in) 1633 C.E.
What: Meetings in which citizens from the town (who were registered voters) came together to discuss issues and actively create and pass laws about them. They are one of the only accounts of what has been called, “the purest form of democracy”, as no secondary party votes on behalf of a population- the population just votes themselves. They have been noted as only being effective for populations of a few hundred or less. The first meeting was held in Dorchester, Massachusetts, with meetings alluding to these original ones still continuing today (community.weber.edu) (concordmonitor.com).
Iroquois Confederacy #14
14
Time: Late 1500s C.E.
What: A group of five tribal nations- those being the Oneidas, the Senecas, the Mohawks, the Cayugas, and the Onondagas- established in the Mohawk Valley (present day New York) so that they would be united and able to make decisions benefitting them all. While each tribe in the confederacy still got to keep their own practices and government types (for internal conflicts), the Iroquois Confederacy as a whole had a Grand Council which would face larger problems that dealt with the nations as a whole (hardensauneeconfederacy.com) (AmericanPageant).
Pennsylvania Colony (Quakers) #15
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Time: The Charter of Pennsylvania was signed on March 4th, 1681 C.E.
What: A colony given to a man named William Penn by King Charles II. Penn had asked for the land (which would become safe haven of sorts) for his fellow Quakers- a religious group that opposed war, oaths, and rituals- as a payment for prior aid. After he was granted the land, he eventually moved in (with some struggle between the royals of England and the Native Americans inhabiting the land), and the Quakers sought to establish peace with the local Lenape, signing the treaty of Shackamaxon in 1682. Relations only soured after, though, as more and more native land was unjustly utilized by the heirs of Penn (history.com).
King Philip’s War #16
16
Time: 1675 through 1676 C.E.
What: A war between King Phillip’s Wampanoag nation (later joined by Algonquian warriors) and the new European settlers (specifically in the Plymouth colony) about conflicts with the new English settlements on Native American land. It has been known as, “the bloodiest war per capita in U.S. history”. While King Phillip and his followers had the advantage for much of the war, their power began to weaken towards the end of it and, after King Phillip died, the war mostly ended and a Treaty was signed in 1678. Hundreds of colonists and thousands of Indians were killed, with tribes such as the Narragansett and Wampanoag being decimated. The war greatly decreased Native American resistance in southern New England and- even though the westward migration of English settlements was slowed for several decades- paved way for additional English settlements to be built (history.com) (AmericanPageant).
Bacon’s Rebellion #17
17
Time: 1676 C.E.
What: A rebellion by the back-country farmers and indentured servants of Virginia against Governor William Berkley refusing to provide protection for these farmers and servants again Indian attacks. Led by Nathaniel Bacon, a man who wanted to remove all Native Americans from Virginia, he organized his own military of indentured servants and enslaved black people (who could fight in exchange for freedom). Bacon’s militia opposed Governor Berkley (who thought opposing the Native Americans in such a way would only unite them) and burned down Jamestown. Although the rebellion fell apart in less than a year, it prompted wariness from wealthy planters about the prospect of united white and black indentured servants and slaves and it began increased struggles between impoverished settlers and elite planters (facinghistory.org) (AmericanPageant).
Pueblo Revolt/Popé’s Rebellion #18
18
Time: 1680 C.E.
What: Being known as the, “only successful Native uprising against a colonizing power in North America”, the Rebellion was a stand by the Pueblos people against Spanish religious, economic, and political practices imposed upon them. The revolt was led by Po’pay of Ohkay Owingeh, and ended up keeping the Spanish out of New Mexico for 12 years. Due to the revolt, the heritage, language, religion, and sovereignty of the Pueblos people was preserved (indianpueblo.org) (AmericanPageant).
Middle Passage #19
19
Time: The 1500s through the 1800s C.E.
What: A passage that slaves had to travel and endure when going between Africa and the colonies. Approximately 12 million enslaved Africans were transported to countries (mainly Brazil, the Caribbean, and North America) by way of the Middle Passage. The voyage on the Middle Passage lasted approximately 80 days, with most living areas being in unventilated, packed in rooms without sufficient water or food resources. Around 15% of people crossing the Middle passage died (nps.gov) (AmericanPageant).
Navigation Laws #20
20
Time: First law passed in 1651 C.E.
What: A set of laws that limited importation of goods in English and colonial ports. They stated that only English ships could trade in these ports and that all ships going to the colonies must pass through English inspection first. These laws were, “designed to support English shipbuilding and restrict trade competition”, and led to taxes on sugar, molasses, and tobacco. This was aimed at the Dutch (as the laws greatly decreased their trade), leading to the Anglo-Dutch war in 1652. The laws also led to further resentment of the English by the colonists, fueling revolution later on (digitalhistory.uh.edu) (ncpedia.org) (AmericanPageant).
Barbados Slave Code #21
21
Time: 1661 through 1667 C.E.
What: The first formal statute governing about how slaves could be treated, which noted upon punishments for offending slaves but did not note upon punishments for the mistreatment of slaves (which led to a vast amount of mistreatment of slaves without any backlash). The new Governer Walrond, having already been denied at one council, was able to convince another council to pass the Barbados Slave Code in addition to a code pertaining to servants. The Barbados Slave Code influenced many southern plantation societies in North America to adopt similar codes in the 1600s and 1700s. (slaverylawpower.org) (AmericanPageant).
First Great Awakening #22
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Time: The 1730s through the 1740s C.E.
What: A religious movement that emphasized feeling and reasoning from scriptures in a time where the Enlightenment- a movement centered around fact and logic- was in full swing. Religious leaders during this movement (notably Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and David Brainard, among others) sought to, “awaken the Christian faith and return to a religion that was relevant to the people of the day” by preaching about salvation and an emotional connection with God. The First Great Awakening caused a divide in New England and the colonies, with those following the ways of the Awakening called “New Lights” while those that followed the ways of the traditional church called “Old Lights” (history.com).
Stono Rebellion #23
23
Time: September 9th, 1739 C.E.
What: The, “largest uprising of enslaved people in the British mainland colonies prior to the American Revolution”, the Stono Rebellion was a day-long battle for freedom of slaves in the Carolinas. Starting out with twenty Black Carolinians meeting near Stono River, they took weapons and ammunition from Hutcheson’s store and killed white opponents (notably saving one white slave owner who was, “kind to his slaves”). Along their path, they gained more black recruits (gathering about sixty to 100 people) and burned down property. Later that day, a group of planters stopped the rebellion by killing about forty of the Black Carolinians (with about twenty white Carolinians being killed). The uprising prompted harsher codes for slaves to be enforced and a standstill on slave imports, while the uprising also stood as a symbol of the hunger for freedom (loc.gov).
Salutary Neglect #24
24
Time: 1688 through 1763 C.E.
What: Spanning from the Glorious Revolution to the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, it was an unofficial policy that allowed for less control of England over colonial trade while also meagerly enforcing the Navigation Laws. Enacted by Prime Minister Robert Walpole in the hopes of focusing more on making England a stronger world power, it actually allowed the colonies to distance themselves from Britain in both political and economical aspects, creating a foundation for the American Revolution (encyclopediavirginia.org).
Benjamin Franklin #25
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Time: Alive January 17th, 1706 through April 17th, 1790 C.E.
Who: Franklin has been argued as one of the most prominent figures of the early Americas. Even without much of a formal education, Franklin went on to own the Pennsylvania Gazette and run his own publishing company, create astounding discoveries revolving around electricity (the lightning rod), advancements for public life in numerous areas, become the first U.S. Postmaster General, laid the groundwork for the Articles of Confederation, served as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, helped to draft the Declaration of Independence, and helped negotiate and draft the 1783 Treaty of Paris, among many other accomplishments. He did, however, own slaves and gained financial benefit from the slave trade. Late in his life he wrote about his opposition to slavery, contrasting from his earlier years (history.com) (pennandslaveryproject.org).
Phillis Wheatley #26
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Time: Alive around 1753 through December 5th, 1784 C.E.
Who: The first African American and third American woman to publish a book of poems, Phillis Wheatley became known for her inspiring literature and opposition of slavery. Born in Gambia, Africa but captured and brought to America in 1761, she was educated by her owners- the Wheatley family- in Greek, Latin, and English languages as well as astronomy and geography. She published her first poem in 1767, and published a book of poems in 1773. Her inspirations seem to have derived from those she studied (notably Alexander Pope and Thomas Gray) as well as her African Heritage. The latter can be seen through her elegies. She also incorporated religion into her works, causing her to gain even more fame during her time. She believed that slavery was the issue that, “prevented the colonists from achieving true heroism” and consistently wrote of liberty and freedom (womenshistory.org).
REVOLUTIONARY ERA #27
27
Time: 1754 through 1783 C.E.
What: During the Revolutionary Era, the American colonists united to resist the oppressive actions of the British government. Britain’s attempt to control the colonies and the colonists’ commitment to self-government led to American’s declamation of independent nationhood in 1776 and the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). This period ends with the American victory and the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783. Revolutionary ideals led to new forms of government and also challenged traditional class structure and slavery.
French and Indian War #28
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Time: 1756 through 1763 C.E.
What: A war where the British, Anglo-American colonists, and the Iroquois Confederacy faced off against the French and the Native allies of the French. The war began as both the French and the British wanted to extend their territory in frontier regions. During the war, the French captured Minorca in the Mediterranean whereas the British defeated French troops in India and also conquered Canada. The French and Indian War sparked the Seven-Years’ War, which ended in the British defeat of the Spanish and the French, the Treaty of Paris (in which Britain gained Spanish Florida and all French territory east of the Mississippi in North America causing the expulsion of French people from those areas), and harsh taxes being imposed by the British to pay for the war (history.state.gov) (AmericanPageant).
Proclamation Line of 1763 #29
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Time: Established in 1763 C.E.
What: A boundary demarcated in the Appalachian Mountains at the Eastern Continental divide, the British Parliament prohibiting Anglo-Americans from settling past this border (and, hence, settle onto land recently acquired from the French). Due to fear of another Pontiac’s Rebellion conflict in addition to not wanting Anglo-Americans to become economically independent of Britain, the boundary was enacted. This Proclamation Line, however, only increased tensions between the British and the Anglo-Americans as many of the latter believed that the British were trying to restrict financial profit to repay personal debts from the prior war, this all adding to later rebellion (mountvernon.org) (AmericanPageant).
Pontiac’s Rebellion #30
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Time: 1763 through 1765 C.E.
What: An armed rebellion that occured between the British Empire and the Algonquian, Muskogean, Iroquonian, and Siouan-Speaking Native Americans in North America. The rebellion occured due to increased anger at the British colonizaiton of Native American land and diminishmet of Native American soverignienty, with Ottawa cheif Pontiac sparking the rebellion in order to drive the British out of Ohio Country. It began in the Great Lakes and the Ohio River Valley, but soon spread as far as the Illinois Country and Virginia. While the Native Americans raided and demolished several British areas, the war soon ended due to British distribution of disease infected blankets to the Native Americans, French aid to the Native Americans failing to supply, and the assurance of more rights. So, the British promised to, “conform to Native understandings of their alliances and recognize Indigenous soverignty”, with American colonists- generally not fond of the Native Americans- being frustrated by the change by the British (mountvernon.org) (American Pageant).
Stamp Act #31
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Time: Passed on March 22nd, 1765 C.E.
What: An act made by the British Parliament that forced the Anglo-Americans to pay a tax on paper, playing cards, and documents, among other things, in order to pay for the British troops that were positioned in the colonies during the Seven Year’s war. The tax, however, was only payable in British sterling (a material hard for American colonists to obtain) and was not approved by colonial legislatures. Those who did not pay the tax could face harsh consequences by the British. The Stamp Act led to the colonist saying of, “no taxation without representation” and further prompted retaliations and rebellion (in spite of institutions such as a Stamp Act Congress) against the British (gilderlehrman.org) (AmericanPageant).
Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty #32
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Time: Formed in 1766 C.E.
What: The Sons of Liberty were patriotic groups expanding across many colonies that centered around rebelling against the Stamp act and distributed nonimportation agreements. They used direct retaliatory actions and violence to refute British taxes and tax collectors. Notably, Patrick Henry of the Sons of Liberty shouted, “Give me liberty or give me death!” to a gathering in Virginia. The Daughters of Liberty were also patriotic groups that also organized nonimportation agreements, in addition to refuting the British taxes in many ways. They were not violent in their conduct, but instead participated in tasks such as extra spinning so as to not need British imports, banning British Tea from meetings, not wearing British lace or ribbons, or not associating with a man who did not also support the rights of American colonists against British taxation (battlefields.org) (AmericanPageant).
Boston Massacre #33
33
Time: March 5th, 1770 C.E.
What: A massacre where British soldiers fired guns into a crowd of, “volatile Bostonians”, killing five people and wounding six. After the British had been undermining/fighting with colonists and local Bostonians for several years, groups of the Boston locals set out one night with the goal of causing an, “irreversible action” by the British sentries. On King Street, a group of colonists berated a British sentry named Private White with insults and threw objects at him, until he had reinforcements (notably Captain Thomas Preston) and a shot was fired. Chaos erupted after this, with the deaths ensuing and the British soldiers being put into jail. The Massacre led to even further hostility of the British by the colonists as they mourned for those they had lost (nps.gov) (American Pageant).
Boston Tea Party #34
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Time: December 16th, 1773 C.E.
What: A protest by the American colonists that occurred at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston against the British East India company. As the company had recently received a monopoly over tea trade and the colonists were angered at the British control that was being imposed over them and their tea imports, a group of American colonists disguised as Indians dumped 342 chests of the British tea into Boston Harbor. The event was seen as, “the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonies” and caused the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts to be passed by British Parliament. It did, though, add kindling to the flame rebellion in many colonists, most (such as John Adams) feeling great pride in the Bostonians’ action (while a few, such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, were not fond of the proceedings) (history.com) (AmericanPageant).
Intolerable (Coercive) Acts #35
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Time: Passed in 1774 C.E.
What: Four laws passed by the British Parliament as a punishment for the Boston Tea Party. These laws were the Boston Port Act (making it so that the Royal Navy could stop trade in the Boston port unless given direct permission by Britain), the Massachusetts Government Act (making it so that the Massachusetts council was appointed by the Crown and that other members of the legal system could be appointed, causing the judicial system of the colony to be corrupted), the Act for the Impartial Administration of Justice (allowing the Crown-elected governor to move a court case to British jurisdiction and eliminating, “the right to a fair trial by one’s peers”), and the Quartering Act (giving high-ranking military officials the right to demand better accommodations for troops, not specifically in colonists’ houses but still at the colonists’ expense). The Quebec Act could also be considered a part of the Intolerable Acts, this allowing for Quebec to expand and the religion of the Church of Rome to be practiced. The Acts prompted the First Continental Congress to take place and for the colonists’ to enact a boycott of all British goods, furthering the slope to war (mountvernon.org) (AmericanPageant).
First Continental Congress #36
36
Time: September 5th through October 26th, 1774 C.E.
What: A colonist meeting in which representatives of twelve of the thirteen colonies discussed a response to the Intolerable Acts. The convention was located in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with delegates being elected through the respective systems of their colonies, housing members such as John Adams, George Washington, and Samuel Adams with the president of the Congress being Peyton Randolph (of Virginia). The Continental Congress ordered certain Massachusetts citizens not to obey the Intolerable Acts, and, notably more importantly, created The Continental Association which banned the importation of all British imports and, at a later date, exports (mountvernon.org) (AmericanPageant).
Second Continental Congress #37
37
Time: May 1775 through 1781 C.E.
What: A reconvening of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in response to British uprising and an impending war. The Continental Army was created, with George Washington chosen as the supreme commander and money began to be printed to pay for the supplies. Even though several members did want to be free of the English, many only wanted pacified relations and sent a peace treaty to King George III. This treaty, however, was rejected and George III sent mercenaries to deal blows in the colonies. So, as more and more were set on independence, the members of the Continental Congress drafted what was to be the guidelines of their new country, that being a formal declaration of independence (ushistory.org) (AmericanPageant).
Common Sense (Thomas Paine) #38
38
Time: Published in January, 1776 C.E.
What: A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine- a recent English immigrant that moved to the Americas- that urged colonists to fight for independence when many were undecided about what the dealings with England would proceed as. The pamphlet, read by many in America, urged for an establishment of a republican government (and has been noted to have had a, “radical democratic spirit”) and discussed the abhorrences of a monarchy. It prompted many colonists to want independence (constitutioncenter.org) (AmericanPageant).
Republicanism #39
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Time: Enacted in America in 1787 C.E.
What: “Based on the principle of popular sovereignty”, a governing method in which freedom and representation were upheld as core values. Republicanism in America consisted of self-rule by American citizens themselves while still having systems of government that kept each other in balance (such as seen with the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, etc.). Drawing inspiration from Republicanism in Ancient Greece, the American system refuted mob violence and, at points, has been noted to have used to refute slavery. The Republic of America has been known to have six qualities, those being that it is a natural-rights, democratic, extended, commercial, federal, and compound republic (constitutingamerica.org) (AmericanPageant).
Abigail Adams, “Remember the ladies” #40
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Time: March 31st, 1776 C.E.
What: A quote from a letter that Abigail Adams sent to her husband, John Adams, as he was participating in the Continental Congress and making decision about what America was going to be. In her letter, she urged for the rights of women and spoke of the atrocities that men would exhibit if allowed, threatening to act if women were not justly represented. This letter notes some of the first discussion of equal gender rights in America, arguing for what was not to come for over 100 years (blogs.loc.gov).
Declaration of Independence #41
41
Time: Signed on July 4th, 1776 C.E.
What: A formal document proclaiming American independence from Britain, discussing the natural rights theory, and outlining American government (and comparing it to a lesser English governing system) for the future of the country. It was drafted by the Committee of Five (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert R. Livingston, Roger Sherman, and Thomas Jefferson), but was actually written by Thomas Jefferson and then later approved by congress. The document was signed by at least one representative of each of the fourteen American colonies of the time, each signer pledging their, “lives… fortunes… and sacred honor” to each other. The declaration enabled America to ask for foreign aid, as well as inspiring other countries to fight for freedom and establish independence (billofrightsinstitute.org) (AmericanPageant).
Loyalists #42
42
Time: Division notably emerged around the 1760s C.E.
Who: Also known as “Tories”, members of the colonies that were not for the Revolution (before and during the war) and wished to remain loyal to the British Crown. Many loyalists received harsh punishments if they were to speak out about their views, being tarred and feathered, having their property burned, or even being hung. A notable loyalist includes Tomas Hutchinson, who ended up fleeing to England when the war started. Other loyalists were also some enslaved African-Americans, as they were promised freedom by the British if they left their Patriot masters. Approximately 100,000 loyalists left America before/during the war, many going to Canada (and therefore starting new cultures there) if they could not make it to England (ushistory.org) (AmericanPageant).
General George Washington #43
43
Time: Alive February 22nd, 1732 through December 14th, 1799 C.E.
Who: Born into a wealthy family, he began his professional life as a surveyor. Without any military experience, he was made a commander in chief of the Virginia militia, fought in the French and Indian War, and proceeded to resign from his military position. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, and later was named Commander in Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. One of his most famed leadership periods was during Valley Forge (winter of 1777-1778 C.E.). He then went onto fight several battles in the war, and was named a national hero once the war had ended. Hoping to return back home but instead being brought to the Constitutional Convention, he was nominated as the most qualified to become President of the new country, and he received the most votes. He returned to his home of Mount Vernon after his presidential campaign, passing away three years later (history.com).
Battle of Saratoga #44
44
Time: September 19th through October 7th, 1777 C.E.
What: A battle in which a painful British loss convinced the French to ally with America against Britain, this later helping to seal the American victory of the war. As the British General John Burgoyne marched his troops (which had already taken many losses) to Saratoga, he was met with General Horatio Gates and his soldiers, in addition to Gates’ strong defenses on Bemis Heights. The battalions fought at Freeman’s Farm, to which the British were surviving but without reinforcements, causing the surrender of Burgoyne to Gates. It has been estimated that approximately 330 American soldiers died while approximately 1,135 British soldiers died (battlefields.org).
CRITICAL PERIOD #45
45
Time: 1776 through 1789 C.E.
What: The critical peered gets its name from the fact that the system of American government had not yet been decided upon, leading to an unstable and precarious situation. The Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) proved far too weak to be effective. The Constitution strengthened federal power, while also protecting against tyranny by separating powers into three branches of government. The critical period ended when the nation ratified the Constitution in 1789.
Articles of Confederation #46
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Time: Enacted on March 1st, 1781 C.E. (and was enforced until 1789 C.E.)
What: Known as the first American Constitution, that outlined power and relations, highlighting the importance of states’ rights and a weak national Congress. It was written by John Dickinson (a member of one of the committees created by the Second Continental Congress), and upheld that each state would be independent and sovereign while only getting one vote in Congress (no matter the population). Maryland was the first state to ratify it, prompting the Congress of the Confederation to establish. The Articles of Confederation, however, did not allow the government to tax any of the states or regulate commerce, creating problems for the newly named “United States of America” as they had insufficient funds for paying back Revolutionary War debts. This prompted a new Constitution (archives.gov) (AmericanPageant).
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 #47
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Time: Adopted on July 13th, 1787 C.E.
What: A set of rules for what would become of the territory that was NorthWest of the Ohio River. Most likely written by Nathan Dane and Rufus King, it outlined that there could be no less than three but no more than five states created, that each state much follow a three-stage method in order to be admitted to the Union, and that a Bill of Rights was guaranteed and to be enacted in the state. The third point (for these new states) emphasized freedom of religion and legal rights, encouraged education, and made slavery illegal. The ordinance was adopted by the Confederation Congress (a congress working under the Articles of Confederation) (archives.gov) (AmericanPageant).
Shays’ Rebellion #48
48
Time: 1786 through 1787 C.E.
What: An armed rebellion led by Continental Army Captain Daniel Shays in response to persistent debt collectors and property foreclosures. After the Revolutionary war, many war veterans were not compensated for their service, as the American government was not established to tax its citizens for money to repay back war costs. Merchants in Europe and America, too, wanted compensation for their contributions to the war, so they began to collect debts from the Americans (especially affecting rural farmers), which many were not able to pay. Angered by this and the Massachusetts State Legislature not responding to petitions, Captain Shays led a rebellion, with his 1,500 men combating with 1,200 militiamen sent to fight him. After four of Shays’ men were killed and twenty were wounded, though, they retreated and were captured. The rebellion did prompt fears of a “mob rule” in the states, however, majorly from Revolutionary leaders (mountvernon.org) (AmericanPageant).
Constitutional Convention of 1787 #49
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Time: May through September of 1787 C.E.
What: A meeting between representatives of all the states that discussed and made adaptations to the preexisting orders of the Articles of Confederation, those old orders being insufficient to effectively run a country. During the convention, ordinances for a more powerful federal government, division of foreign affairs (and other practices) within the branches of the government (creating checks and balances), state union statuses, rights for states, and other systems meant to improve American governing were established. These rights were published in The United States Constitution, a formal document that is still followed in the present day (history.state.gov).
The Conneticut (Great) Compromise #50
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Time: July 16th, 1787 C.E.
What: A compromise (for the Virginia and New Jersey plans) that made it so that each state would have a number of members in the House of Representatives proportional to how their population size compared to other states, while the Senate would have two representatives per state, no matter the population. The compromise also outlined limits and restrictions for both the House and Senate, saying that a person must be 30 and can serve on two-year terms in the House, while a person must be 25 and can serve on six year terms in the Senate. When electing the Representatives and Senators, as well, an important note that the states always had some- if not all- input for electing the people. These systems apply in all cases (except for allowed changes in Senate cases involving money). The compromise headed the way for other compromises involving slavery and the Electoral College (senate.gov) (AmericanPageant).
The 3/5 Compromise #51
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Time: Established during the Constitutional Convention of 1787
What: A plan created earlier by James Madison but proposed again by James Wilson (of Pennsylvania) in the Continental Congress establishing that each state would count 3/5 of their slaves as part of their population (instead of, of course, counting each slave as one person) when considering appointments of Representatives, Presidential electors, and direct taxes. This was the solution to prior tax evasions and an ongoing debate between northern and southern states, each wanting more of a representation and less taxes. The 3/5 Compromise increased Southern power in the Continental Congress for a time and kept slaveholding Presidents in office for over forty-five years (digitalhistory.uh.edu).
Federalist Papers #52
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Time: Published in 1788 C.E.
What: Also known as The Federalist, a series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay (all under the pseudonym “Publius”) that were published in various New York newspapers in hopes of convincing New Yorkers to ratify the new United States Constitution. They explained specific aspects of the new constitution (in relation to the Articles of Confederation), and have been used as a guide to the authors’ intentions of the Constitution. They were first published in The New York Packet and The Independent Journal, but then spread all over New York and to several other states. It is believed that John Jay wrote five of the papers, James Madison wrote twenty nine, and Hamilton wrote fifty one (guides.loc.gov) (AmericanPageant).
Republican Motherhood #53
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Time: After the End of the American Revolution (Approximately after 1783 C.E.)
What: A value in which women of the Americas were expected to assume customary women statuses in the country, being mothers and wives that reinforced, “patriotic knowledge and fervor” within their households. In the wake of wartime crises and husbands leaving to fight, many American women were having to take over their husband’s roles, able to assume more responsibility in their own lives, and were allowed to support war efforts by taking part in protests, signing petitions, making political decisions, and more. As the war ended, however, many Americans were not happy with the new roles that the women of the Americas were taking on, instead trying to revert back to traditional roles while telling women that the best way to support their country was to enforce virtuous Republican values at home (instead of in rallies and actions, such as they had done prior) (battlefields.org) (AmericanPageant).
FEDERALIST ERA #54
54
Time: 1789 through 1801 C.E.
What: The Federalist Era is named for the party affiliation of America’s first two Presidents. George Washington (1789-1797) and John Adams (1797-1801) tried to establish the new government and set the proper course for the nation’s growth as they dealt with many foreign challenges by adhering to neutrality. Alexander Hamilton’s financial program set the course for prosperity and a powerful federal government.
President George Washington #55
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Time: April 30th, 1789 through March 15th, 1797 C.E.
Party: Not Affiliated
Events: During his time as President, Washington helped to ratify the Bill of Rights in addition to allowing five more states in to the union. He also signed the “Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation between His Britannic Majesty; and The United States of America”, a document that helped prevent war with Britain but increased tensions between America and France as well as upsetting some of Congress. Two other treaties were also signed under his presidency: Pickney’s Treaty of 1795 and the Treaty of Tripoli. As a President, Washington was known for his neutral opinion on political matters and his avoidance of conflict, this being noted to have been in part due to the knowledge that he was setting up the Presidency for the future of America (history.com).
President John Adams #56
56
Time: 1797 through 1801 C.E.
Party: Federalist
Events: Adams, during his presidency, dealt heavily with the situation between America and France, the possibility of war rising higher every second. So, he sent three commissioners to France, but- after an insulting offer in order to achieve peace be France- he began the, “X. Y. Z. fever”, rallying support against France and for himself (and the Federalist Party). Several battles occurred during his presidency, ending in the French just calling for an envoy and not a war. Political groups were also much conflicted and contrasting during his time as President, setting the stage for what would be years of internal political battles (whitehouse.gov).
Bill of Rights #57
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Time: Approved by all states (except for Virginia) in August, 1789 and approved by Virginia in December 15th, 1791 C.E.
What: Called, “one of three founding documents”, it is known as the first ten amendments in the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights focuses on specific individual rights and the rights of states to pass decisions for their own state about topics not explicitly covered in the Constitution. It was written by James Madison with the intention of increasing personal liberties and decreasing government power. Laws such as the right to Freedom of Speech, the right to Keep and Bear Arms, and the right to maintain private property (from soldiers) are examples of how this was enacted. The Bill of Rights seemed to follow the protests of the Anti-Federalists (billofrightsinstitute.org) (AmericanPageant).
Whiskey Rebellion #58
58
Time: 1794 C.E.
What: A rebellion against high taxes imposed upon, “spirits distilled within the United States, and for appropriating the same” by Americans on the frontier in Western Pennsylvania. The tax (proposed by Alexander Hamilton) was brought upon Americans as another way to resolve the Revolutionary War debt, but farmers felt it was an, “abuse of federal authority”. As the protests became violent, President George Washington gathered 12,950 United States militiamen and marched them to Pennsylvania, to which the rebellion had dispersed with the news of the oncoming militia. The event helped to show the strength of the central government, the tax being repealed and the leaders of the rebellion being pardoned but the government proving their power (mountvernon.org) (AmericanPageant).
First Bank of the United States #59
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Time: December 12th, 1791 C.E.
What: A system of money handling that would end up helping to solve America’s financial crisis’ and influence the currency system in modern day. As the United States was dealing with, “reestablishing commerce and industry, repaying war debt, restoring the value of the currency, and lowering inflation”, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton proposed the idea of the first bank and it was passed by the House, the Senate, and President George Washington. So, the first Bank of the United States opened in Philadelphia, issuing paper money, providing a place to safely keep public funds, and collecting taxes, among other functions. It became the largest corporation in the America, working with State Banks to aid in public money management. It also helped advance Westward expansion (federalreservehistory.org).
Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation #60
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Time: Issued on April 22nd, 1793 C.E.
What: A statement to the public that declared neutrality in the arising French and English conflict. This proclamation angered those that were for the French (Pro-Jeffersonians), as the French had aided in the independence of America. Also, those that were upset due to the Proclamation and restriction of action felt as though the decision was only made to help middle-class merchants. Washington issued the statement so as to assert power over the American people and to not be involved in yet another impending war (mountvernon.org) (AmericanPageant).
Washington’s Farewell Address #61
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Time: September 17th, 1796 C.E.
What: A written address published initially in the Philadelphia Daily American Advertiser that told of then-President George Washington not running for a third presidential term, written as a guideline for the future government of America. The address, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Washington himself, “set forth Washington’s defense of his administration’s record and embodied a classic statement of Federalist doctrine” as it strove to preserve and uphold the Constitution and argued for the wellbeing of the nation needing to be placed above political alignment. He placed a strong emphasis on avoiding, “permanent alliances” with other nations, saying only to make alliances when absolutely necessary (aligning with his neutral composition) (govinfo.gov)(AmericanPageant).
Treaty of Greenville (Ohio) #62
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Time: Enacted in the Summer of 1795 C.E.
What: A treaty that sought to cease violence between the Americans and the native Indians of the Great Lakes Tribes. For several years, American troops had been battling with Indian tribes of the Great Lakes throughout Western expansion, with many casualties on both sides and Indian villages being constantly attacked. With a recent brutal murder of over ninety Delaware Indians, even greater tension arising between the natives and the settlers, and the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the Americans proposed a treaty. The treaty involved the Native American tribes to give up a large portion of modern-day Ohio and other land in exchange for many goods from the Americans and was meant as a way to prevent invasions by settlers. The treaty was nullified, however, as the Americans kept expanding West (nps.gov) (nhbp-nsn.gov).
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions #63
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Time: 1798 through 1799 C.E.
What: Resolutions introduced in Virginia and Kentucky (being written by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson) that provided states the ability to regulate government power by nullifying national legislation in their own state that was seen as unconstitutional. They were created in response to dislike of the Federalist-dominated politics and usages of presidential power (like the Alien and Sedition Acts). Even though it deemed more unnecessary a system that Madison and Jefferson had endorsed in the Bill of Rights, fourteen states supported it, although it caused much disruption about the rights of states in the years to come. The resolutions did help to unite the Democratic-Republican party, a noted main goal of the creators of the resolutions. The conflict was diffused as Thomas Jefferson assumed the Presidency and they expired in March of 1801, but the resolutions stayed in the heads of Americans as they saw increasing sectional divisions emerging (monticello.org) (AmericanPageant).
