Test 1 Flashcards
The American Revolution dates
(1775-1783)
majority of population density was___
in the north
7 years war/F/I war
global conflict, going on for a while
f/i war part that takes place in NA
f/i war
◦ 1754-1763 France and england fighting over land in NA
main point for imperial rivalries
• western frontier of british NA (ohio valley)
who was involved in the ohio valley disputes?
ohio valley involved french, british, indians, settlers
what groups did the french settlers consist of?
consisted of young fur traders and catholic clergy
what helped the french settlers establish good relations with the Indians?
trade
British settlers occupations and significance
◦ english protestant farmers and had to cut down trees to farm, pissing off F/I bc animals are going to be gone
Sides of F/I war
‣ Indians join F in war against colonies/Britain
Indian style fighting
guerilla
middle ground villages
tribes lived with traders and missionaries
what had Indians figured out by 18c?
direct military confrontations meant suicide and any european alliance was dangerous
what was the Indian strategy during F/I war? (military tactics)
played british and french off each other in ohio valley
what other settlers wanted Ohio valley?
scotch, irish, german, virginians wanted the valley
Who was the Ohio valley given to? How much?
◦ 1/2mil acres were given to ohio company
‣ including robert dinwiddie (royal govt) and lees, carters, george washington.
What did the Ohio Company grant lead to?
‣ grant sparked french to boost presence in area.
what sparked the war?
◦ company’s demand for french recognition of its land sparked seven years war (known as french and indian war)
France/Britain both looking to ___ from ____
expand into the same place–France from Canada, Britain from colonies
what was good about the ohio valley
access to Mississippi river
Washington’s debut
21 yr old battle of jumenville glen
battle of jumenville glen
• 1754 ordered to protect british fort near pittsburgh and met a french unit and fought in first battle
casualties jumenville glen america
GW lost 1/3 of men
fort dusquene
french built fort where british claimed land and sparks war
what did these territorial scuffles turn to and when? what did everyone do?
turned to war in 1756 and they both looked for allies in the tribes–french found them
who was winning at first (7yr)? what changed?
- french were winning at first–better resources and troops, drove them back
* tide turned 1757–william pitt took control and funded them
What city did Britain take from France in 1759?
Quebec
how did the war end?
w french defeat at battle of quebec and signing of treaty of paris
treaty of paris
◦ written in 1763
◦ B got canada and land east of mississippi river
◦ F got sugar islands guadeloupe and martinique
◦ spain gave fluoride for philippines and cuba (seized by B during war) and got Louisiana from F
spain’s involvement in 7yr war
‣ Spain had teamed up w France to stop colonies/Britain
‣ Spain and F-Catholic, England–protestant (religious war)
what did the treaty damage in PA
quaker rule in PA and ruined tribe accommodations there
West PA during war
◦ govt declared war on delaware, raised militia, offered bouty for Indian scalps,
◦ ton of quaker govt people resigned
What happened to PA in 1760?
‣ 1760–PA’s holy experiment ended, along with Penn’s promise of friendship and amity
◦ dec 1763 during P’s rebellion, party of 50 majority S-I immigrants from Paxton did….
destroyed indian village conestoga,
‣ massacring 1/2 dozen men, women, children who lived there under PA govt protection.
‣ marched Philly in Feb 1764 wanting to attack moravian indians nearby
What did the Paxton immigrants’ actions lead to?
‣ govt ordered expulsion of indian population.
Colonies main weakness
not unified
Albany plan of union 1764
◦ B Franklin outbreak of war–grand council, delegates from each colony, levy taxes and deal with indian relations and common defense,
◦ rejected by colonial assemblies and never sent on
GB financial problems
◦ cost of governing + defending Britain’s vast empire made Bs most heavily taxed in world
◦ Britain struggled w heavy debts and taxes while colonies prospering (who were annoyed by lack of representation)
direct representation
elected delegates from YOU
virtual representation
represented by default
• British North America in 1763
‣ Canada ‣ American Colonies ‣ Ohio ‣ Mississippi River Valleys ‣ Florida ◦ 200,000 Indians lived in territory west of Appalachian Mountains
• Pontiac’s Rebellion: 1763 background
‣ french departure in E NA after FI war eliminated balanced power diplomacy with the Indian groups.
• indian mindset–domination=loss of freedom; french had given it away w/o asking.
• Pontiac’s Rebellion: basics
- Alliance of Indians led by Pontiac (Ottawa war leader) attacked and beat British
* Only Fort Pitt, Niagara and Detroit remained under GB control• Britain regains control of Ohio Valley in 1764 •
• Pontiac’s Rebellion attack
◦ after french defeat in 1763, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes launched revolt against GB.
How did Britain regain control of Ohio Valley in 1764
◦ by sending blankets with smallpox to Indians – and sending 10,000 troops to protect colonists
◦ British wanted Americans to help pay for army
• Proclamation of 1763
To keep peace with Indians Britain orders no settlement in new territory
◦ Wanted land between Appalachian and Mississippi as a barrier between Indians and English colonies
Why did Proclamation of 1763 cause tension?
GB trying to avoid conflict but colonies want western resources and land
colonies argument against Proclamation of 1763
‣ Colonists have already claimed some of the land and they did fight in the war but nooooo
‣ Most were farmers
‣ Political rights were tied to land ownership
‣ Americans angered by restrictions on settlement
‣ Colonists needed land for wealth
• Sugar Act 1764
◦ Sugar Act: tax on all sugar/molasses coming to America from anywhere BUT GB
‣ Also taxed coffee, wine, textiles
sugar act focus and result
discourage colonials from smuggling nonGB goods to avoid Parliament taxes
‣ reduced smuggling
‣ disrupted colony economy by increasing cost of imported items
• reduced exports to nonGB markets
sugar act response
‣ colonials protested act primarily bc economic impact, secondary political
◦ first time in history “NTWT” is seen
◦ response to sugar act: spite
‣ organized boycott of luxury GB goods
‣ 50 merchants agreed to boycott, began self-sufficiency production
• especially fabric
sugar act goal
◦ goal: raise reve to help deal w military cost of protecting colonies; beginning in 1764 GB govt tries to tax colonies to help
british necessity for sugar act
◦ Chancellor of Exchequer (Treasury) Grenville needed to raise money for wars Britain had fought against France
‣ Colonists had benefitted from wars (Wars eliminated French, Spanish, Dutch and Indian threats on land and sea)
• Pitt had borrowed a ton for F/I war
•
◦ Sugar Act reduced duty put in place in Molasses Act
◦ Grenville planned to enforce it unlike Molasses which was ignored
• Stamp Act (March 1765)
◦ Required a tax be paid on all pieces of paper
‣ Needed to be stamped to prove tax was paid
stamp act consequences for refusing/evading
• Could be fined or jailed for refusing or evading tax
stamp act significance
• first internal (direct) tax
◦ Paid directly by colonists
◦ Colonists didn’t mind external taxes but resented internal taxes
• Stamp Act response
◦ response: outrage, protests, street violence, boycotts
◦ united to make a stamp act congress to declare grievances
‣ Declaration of rights and grievances
• claim: unfair cause no representation
• Stamp Act repealed
◦ parliament repealed SA exactly a year later
◦ Navigation Acts
‣ Grenville wanted to regulate trade in expanded empire
‣ Decided to enforce Navigation Acts which had been ignored as part of salutary neglect
‣ Would punish smugglers and strengthen royal Admiralty Courts
◦ American Reaction
‣ Americans did not want to lose their rights as Englishmen
‣ Boycotts began against British businesses
• Would not resume buying British goods until Stamp Act repealed
‣ Sons of Liberty formed
• Secret organization to terrorize tax collectors
• Many tax collectors resigned
◦ Stamp Act Congress (October 1765)
‣ 9 of 13 colonies sent representatives to New York
‣ Demand repeal of Sugar and Stamp Acts
‣ Protested increased power of Admiralty Courts
◦ Effects of American protests
‣ 13% reduction in trade between Britain and America
‣ British merchants wanted law repealed
‣ Benjamin Franklin warned House of Commons that laws could lead to rebellion
◦ Declaratory Act (March 1766)
‣ Britain repealed Stamp Act
‣ Act also said Parliament had right to make laws for Americans in “all cases whatsoever”
• Townshend Acts (1767)
◦ Benjamin Franklin argued Americans opposed internal taxes, would support external Proposed taxes on imported items lead, glass, paint, tea
internal v external taxes
‣ Internal taxes
• made within the colony paid by purchaser on products made within the colony
‣ External taxes
• would be tariffs on items imported into colony
• Townshend Acts (1767) details
‣ Reorganized customs service for collecting taxes
‣ Ordered New York governor to veto New York
‣ Assembly laws until NY started giving supplies to British troops
• British tax collectors were corrupt
Townshend Acts reaction
◦ Reaction: Boston boycott
‣ homespun clothing
‣ self sufficiency
‣ simple american resistance
◦ Americans Response
‣ Americans stopped trade with Britain
‣ 40% drop in trade between America and Britain
‣ Britain sent troops to America in response to protests
• Boston Massacre (March 1770) spark
◦ rioting bc GB took a ship that violated trade regulations
◦ got pissed and threw ice at soldiers
‣ GB soldier panicked and fired into crowd
• Boston Massacre (March 1770) results
◦ escalated into armed confrontation leaving 5 Bostonians dead
‣ coincidence: Parliament repealed Townshend Act same day
◦ first killed was Crispus Attucks
‣ sailor of Indian-white-African ancestry
• Boston Massacre (March 1770) trial + news
◦ commanding officer + 8 soldiers trial in Massachusetts
‣ 2 convicted of manslaughter
‣ “Paul Revere, a silversmith and engraver, helped to stir up anger against the
British army by producing a widely circulated print of the Boston Massacre.”
◦ John Adams defended soldiers at trial and they were acquitted of murder
◦ Sam Adams described event as massacre by bloodthirsty soldiers
• Britain Backs Down
◦ Prime Minister Lord North orders all Townshend Acts repealed except Tea Tax
‣ Was left to prove Britain had right to tax colonists
◦ Committees of Correspondence
◦ Committees of Correspondence
‣ Were created to keep communication within and between colonies about British actions
‣ Increased cooperation between colonies
triangular trade
slaves from africa to Americas, raw materials to Europe, manufactured to africa
• triangular trade system course of slavery
◦ slaves arrow middle passage
‣ 7.7mil of them
‣ 1/5 of 2.3 million living in english colonies were african
‣ voyage across atlantic, terrible experience
• africans branded, beaten, diseased, committed suicide by jumping off ship,
• 1/5 died on way
• most slaves went to brazil or w indies–high death rate on sugar plantations
‣ slavery the norm
dejure v defacto
• dejure v defacto ◦ dejure ‣ what law says ◦ deficit ‣ what really happens
Tea Act (1773)
◦ The East India Company, a giant trading monopoly, governed
recently acquired British possessions in India.
‣ granted monopoly on American tea trade
‣ believed a plot to drive companies out of business; tea symbolized GB tyranny ‣ British government, now headed by Frederick Lord North, offered the company a
series of rebates and tax exemptions.
tea act background
◦ ton of wealthy british investors
◦ price of stock in the company rising sharply
and then collapsing
◦ rescue effort-
‣ -GB govt markets Chinese tea in NA • could dump low-priced tea on the American market, undercutting both established merchants and Smugglers.
‣ many colonists insisted that to pay it on this large new body of imports would acknowledge Britain’s right to tax the colonies
economic problem w tea act
• Eliminated colonial middleman
Boston Tea Party (12-16-1773)
‣ December 16, 1773, a group of colonists disguised as Indians boarded three
ships at anchor in Boston Harbor and threw more than 300 chests of tea into the
water.
‣ The event became known as the Boston Tea Party.
• The loss to the East India Company was $1 million in today’s money.
◦ king george furious, encouraged parliament to punish colonies
• Intolerable (Coercive) Acts (1774)
‣ Closed the port of Boston,
‣ Increased military influence in Boston
‣ tried to Force Bostonians to make restitution for Boston Tea Party
‣ Restructured the government in Massachusetts,
‣ Provided greater protection for British officials charged with crimes while performing their duties,
‣ Revised an earlier act forcing colonists to provide housing for British troops in the colonies, ‣ Rewarded the loyal colony of Quebec by reestablishing its borders and granting it land in the Ohio Country at the expense of other colonies.
• Intolerable (Coercive) Acts background
◦ five laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774, which prompted the calling of the First Continental Congress.
‣ response to recent colonial actions flaunting British authority
‣ designed to punish boston
‣ by Britain referred to the legislation collectively as the Coercive Acts or the Restraining Acts.
how did coercive acts restructure the government in Massachusetts
Banned town meetings
Reduced power of colonial assembly
how did coercive acts provide greater protection for British officials charged with crimes
Royal officials and soldiers would be tried in England for their crimes
◦ Quartering of troops (Quartering Act)
‣
British soldiers would live in American homes
What prompted the calling of the First Continental Congress on September 5, 1774?
◦ further ammunition for a growing radical element in the colonies
FCC
‣ demand colonial rights against British harsh treatment
‣ issues declaration of rights
• affirms loyalty to Crown
• disputes Parliament’s right to tax them
‣ passes Articles of Associations
• called for boycott if Coercive Acts not repealed
‣ agreed to meet in year if problems persist
• Rebellion in Boston
◦ Massachusetts Patriots gathered guns and ammunition, stored major stockpile in Concord 20 m from Boston.
◦ 4/18/1775 British force of 800 move out of Boston to seize these weapons–• Small towns outside Boston, • Minutemen meet Redcoats in a very briefskirmish
• Starts the war
• Olive Branch Petition
◦ 2nd continental congress – peaceful petition ◦ Representatives from New England are more involved because that’s where the violence is happening
◦ Massachusetts against
◦ Quaker idea to avoid fighting at all costs, so OBP
‣ we are gonna raise Continental army just in case king rejects this
• Quakers=
type of pacifist Christians that keep the peace
◦ 2nd continental congress
peaceful petition
‣ first meeting was May 10, 1775,
First strike
• Hearing that the British troops were planning to invade New York, the colonists decided to strike first.
◦ General George Washington reached Boston in July 1775 and attacked Boston in March 1776
◦
January 1776- important piece of writing
Thomas Paine writes Common Sense
• Common Sense:
◦ Thomas Paine January 10, 1776
• Common Sense: significance
‣ Convinced even George Washington there was no going back
‣ Ultimately leads to the Colonies declaring independence
‣ First Public call for independence
‣ Mass audience
‣ Clear case for independence
‣ Blamed British rule for every colonial problem
‣ Blunt language
‣ Read aloud so even the illiterate had access
• Common Sense: ◦ Key Ideas:
‣ Independence: Ultimately leads to the Declaration of Independence
‣ Republic: Power comes from the people, not a monarch
‣ Island vs Continent: In no universe does the smaller rule the larger
‣ Colonists no longer British: Many different peoples with very different experiences than those in Britain
‣ European Entanglements: Britain’s fights with France and Spain impinge on colonial business
‣ Distance: Ruling from so far is not effective
• Dec of Independence
◦ Becomes US of A
◦ They had had individual constitutions for each state
• 2nd CC
• The delegates at the Second Continental Congress debated one central issue: should the colonies declare themselves independent, or should they stay under British rule.
◦ Said it has to be unanimous
• NY abstains bc NY meetings could never be on anything
• Mother country separation unheard of
◦ vote happens on 3rd, signed 7/4/1776
◦ author–Jefferson
◦ 4 sections
◦ New govt is The Articles of Confederation
Dec of In: ◦ 4 sections
‣ Preamble–intro
‣ rights–life, liberty, happiness
‣ grievances
‣ declaration
The Articles of Confederation
• federal=central=national govt • referred to as "rope of sand" ‣ confederation--group of states united under weak central govt • One house legislature • each state one vote in congress ◦ congress = legislature • states feared a strong central govt • ONLY unanimous vote of states could change the articles ‣ problems w articles of confederation •
The Articles of Confederation problems
each state has their own constitution and now they’ve been going new territory to the west with no government
• Debt- Congress had borrowed nearly $60 million from European governments during the war
• Inflation
◦ a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money.
• Shays’ Rebellion
◦ Daniel Shays Massachusetts farmer
‣ a lot of farmers borrowed $ during war to grow more crops to sell more to supply army and get into debt and massachusetts threatens to take away farms and Daniel Shays + group goes and attacks govt to rebel against Massachusetts
• Massachusetts militia had to scramble
The Articles of Confederation weaknesses
No ability to tax No national currency No national court system No executive branch No power to regulate trade
Need all states to agree to change the Articles of Confederation; One vote per state regardless of population
GB Strengths
Experience, good military, funds, indians, Hessian (German mercenaries), great navy
America strengths
home court, passion, french alliance, intangible advantages, good generals, geography, validity of claim, guerilla warfare
GB Weaknesses
guest court, difficult objective, american sympathizers, expensive war, red coats, lines, distances
America weaknesses
lack of experience, ragtag military, $, discord among ranks, shitty navy
mercantilism–
economic theory that the colonies exist for financial benefit of GB
• Bunker hill
◦ first major battle of the revolution
◦ - Fought on breed’s hill -
◦ British victory but many casualties
‣ Casualties = injured/dead/missing
• Battle of Trenton
◦ Washington crosses Delaware
◦ Christmas Night, 1776–Surprise Attack on drunk, hungover Hessians
◦ Huge American victory
Loyalist v patriots
◦ Loyalist–loyal to crown/Torrey
◦ Patriot-rebel
no taxation wo representation
The colonies were governed by Parliament along with the rest of Great Britain, but were separated from Britain itself. This meant that the colonies would have to follow laws (in this case, pay taxes,) without any interaction with the law-makers.
Lex + Concord
Boston Patriots learned about GB soldiers’ plan
◦ Main GB force arrive and Lexington, 5m from Concord, encounter armed militia
◦ Fighting STARTS BEFORE DECLARATION
◦ Shot heard round the world• Small towns outside Boston, • Minutemen meet Redcoats in a very briefskirmish
• Starts the war
• Battle of Saratoga
◦ Fall 1777, Saratoga, NY
◦ Major turning point in the war
◦ The victory of Saratoga convinced the French that the Americans could win the conflict.
◦ British wanted to separate New England heart of revolution from the other colonies then war would’ve be over but Americans are winners under Benedict Arnold
Benjamin Franklin significance
*Benjamin Franklin had one of the most important tasks of the Revolution. He was sent to France in 1777 in order to gain a formal promise of alliance against the British. The French & British had long been enemies and Franklin was beloved in France. His popularity helped him secure the Treaty of Alliance in 1778
valley forge
◦ Washington has his army camp in Pennsylvania during winter of 1777
◦ over 2k men die during this freezing winter
◦ smallpox
◦ Washington inoculates troops by taking pus from a boil and inject another person
◦ baron von steuben brought in by Washington–Prussian military officer, exed from Prussia bc he was gay, got W’s troops into shape
Lafayette
• In 1779, the assistance of a French leader, Marquis de Lafayette, helped to increase morale and push the Americans forward.
Yorktown
◦ Charles Cornwallis went to Yorktown, VA
◦ Washington and Lafayette have him surrounded by land
◦ French navy arrives for support in September of 1781
◦ October, 1781 – Lord Cornwallis surrenders to the Continental Army
◦ America wins the war
• Different treaty of Paris ends war
constitutional convention
secret meeting to replace articles of confederation–NJ or VA plan
VA plan
Proposed by James Madison
II. Called for A Legislative Branch with 2 houses
III. Number of representatives is based on each state’s population
IV. One house elected directly by the people & members of that house elect members the 2nd house
V. There will be 3 branches of government
3 branches of govt
a. Legislative – make laws
b. Executive – enforce laws
c. Judicial – interpret laws
NJ plan
I. Proposed by William Patterson
II. Called for a legislature with 1 house
III. Each state, regardless of population or size, would send the same number of representatives to Congress
IV. Small states would have the same amount of votes as larger states
Great Compromise
Roger Sherman–bicameral legislature–Upper House (Senate), equal rep of 2 per state, Lower House (House of Representatives), proportional to population
who chose senators pre constitution
at the time that the constitution was ratified the state assemblies chose the senators
3/5 compromise
● Stated ⅗ of all slaves count toward
population
● Southern States wanted slaves to
count for population
When would Constitution be official law?
after ratification
Federalists
support constitution and strong central govt
Federalist papers
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay wrote a series of opinions
Antifederalists
opposed strong central govt want a stated bill of rights
Southern economy
required slaves; agriculture based
Lex and Concord significance
Battles of Lex and Concord spark Revolutionary War, became war for American independence from Britain
What did Paul Revere NOT say
The British are coming!
France significance America Revolution
‣ France– the first county to see America as independent nation (our first ever alliance) the French started giving military aid to the United States of America after Saratoga.
grievances
refused laws, kept troops in times of peace, cut trade, taxes, no trial by jury, abandoned politically, caused direct death
New England Colonies
New Hampshire
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Rhode Island
Connecticut
Middle Colonies
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Southern Colonies
Maryland Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia
PA packet
Anonymous article urging reconciliation w Britain 1/1775
The True Interest of America Impartially stated
Pamphlet rebutting common sense–Charles Inglis–Anglican Minister
Charles Inglis impt point
France is at peace w GB and won’t risk that for us
1774 quebec act
extended quebec border to ohio river, which interfered w MA, CT, VA, NY, no representative assembly and special rights to Catholic Church
