The Revolution and the Constitution Flashcards
2nd Continental Congress 1775
All 13 colonies. Haven’t declared war. Continued with the boycotts. Sign petitions, more grievances. Continue to field the army. Choose George Washington to lead them. He’s Virginian, so it gathers more support from Virginia and the southern colonies. Unites Massachusetts with the south.
Ticonderoga May 1775 + Bunker Hill, June 1775
Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen get a garrison of weapons in Ticonderoga. Bunker hill happens at Breed’s hill. Minute men stationed outside of Boston and have the high ground. British sent their men up the hill and they shoot them all down over and over until they’re out of ammunition. British win the battle, but was a costly victory to the British.
Reluctant Revolutionaries
Olive Branch Petition July 5, 1775
Last ditch attempt at peace with Britain. Revert back to the way it was, work it out. But the king has already decided theirs not turning back. Print the declaration of the causes and necessity of taking up arms, explaining why they’re gathering their weapons. King rejects petition and hires hessian mercenaries. England passes Prohibitory act, allowing a naval blockade around US.
Reluctant Revolutionaries
Why hesitant
English have 9 million while Us has 2.5. Decentralized, have no taxes, only paper money. britain had large navy, army, mercenaries and loyalists. Us has no manufacturing.
The Spirit of 76
Common Sense
Thomas Paine. Uses every day language so everybody could understand it. Passed through local pubs, and turns the tide. States the king has acted like a tyrant and treated them like a parent. People can rule themselves without a king, rules for a republic. A king is holding back the 13 colonies. Calls for independence.
The Spirit of 76
Declaration of Independence 1776 -
Natural Rights
Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Sherman, and Livingston played a part. It justified rebellion with reasons. makes a promise that they have the right to life liberty and property. Are created equal, becomes the spirit of 76.
The Spirit of 76
Declaration of Independence 1776 -
Purpose of Government
Loyalists are gone, the top layer of society. The top layer becomes the liberal minded people.
The Spirit of 76
Declaration of Independence 1776 -
People’s Relationship with the Governemnt
They had the right to remove anybody from office.
The Spirit of 76
Women and the Revolution -
Women’s Support of the Revolution
Planting, farming, boycotts, homespun, run businesses and farms when husbands are away. Women should have a voice.
The Spirit of 76
Women and the Revolution -
Republican Motherhood
Teach the next generation of how to act in a republic.
The Spirit of 76
African Americans and the Revolution-
African support and Opposition
10-15 blacks fought at Lexington and bunker hill. North, there were 5,000 to 8,000 playing a part in the war. Rode island founded the black battalion. Some are actively fighting from the beginning to the battle at Yorktown. For the British in 1775, Virginia’s Ethiopian Regiment fought for the British, were escaped slaves who were offered their freedom.
The Spirit of 76
African Americans and the Revolution-
Early Abolition
Created first Anti-Slavery society in 1775, with Ben Franklin. Push for the slave trade to be ended. Congress under the 2nd continental congress passes some gradual emancipation laws. Put age brackets on some of these states where slave owners numbers are higher. It slows down because there is contention over slave debate. need southern states to unite. Don’t fight to abolish the slavery and leave it to states.
The Spirit of 76
New State Governments-
State Capitals
To show the concern further west, many state capitals all moved west as a way to show more democracy, not dictated by the eastern elite.
The Spirit of 76
New State Governments-
Primogeniture laws
Laws begin to be removed, looked at as old world and is wiped away, no inherited hieritocracy
The Spirit of 76
New State Governments-
Property Requirements to Vote
Many of the new states reduce the property requirements which is more democratic.
The Spirit of 76
New State Governments-
branches of State Governments
Strength lies with the legislative branch, so they have weak executives and judicial branches.
Taking Sides in the War
Patriots
Liberals, New Englanders, Wealthy Southern planters, Scots-irish. New England had always had a strong history of self government. Planters wanted to trade with whoever they wished. Scots-Irish already hated the English.
Taking Sides in the War
Loyalists
Taking side of the king. Royal employees, older people, Anglicans in the south, and NY aristocrats. Quakers didn’t want to fight, they were pacifists. Slaves were sometimes promised freedom or rewards for fighting against the colonists with them.
Taking Sides in the War
Treatment of Loyalists
Face harassment, loss of property. Many flee to Canada and England. Some stay to fight or spy. Make up 1/3 of population
New York and New Jersey 1776
Delaware, Trenton, and Princeton is where the minute men trek to. Lift the moral of the troops because of their victory.
Saratoga 1777
Burgoyne and Howe
Burgoyne and Howe plan to meet. Howe hunkers down in Pennsylvania during the winter. US men are able to defeat Burgoyne’s army. This is when France allies with the US.
Valley Forge 1777-1778
Valley forge is very dark time. Have no money, resources. Army dwindles, many desert, and their service is up. Some get sick. People starve. Baron von Steuben help train the continental army and they’re successful. They’re a well drill and well trained army.
International Impact of the Revolution
France
France wants joint peace treaty. But Franklin and Jay don’t include them since they want their land back. They get the Ohio River Valley instead of the French.
International Impact of the Revolution
Haiti
Fighting the War
Yorktown 1781
British looking to be re-supplied in Peninsula. French fleet shows up instead, so Cornwallis is caught between French navy and Continental army. British Army surrenders, last major battle.
Fighting the War
Treaty of Paris 1783
Us has to be independently recognized. America gains land out west. England will vacate forts in Ohio. Shared fishing rights off the Grand Banks. Americans say they will return loyalist property and will repay debts to British merchants.
Impact of War on Natives
Natives in the Ohio River Valley
Natives don’t have any political rights under the constitution in 1795. not all in one big tribe. Treaty of Greenville 1795 doesn’t apply to all of the native tribes in the area.
Impact of War on Natives
Chief Little Turtle
Miami Tribe and Chief Little turtle organize to attack us settlers in the region.
Impact of War on Natives
Battle of Fallen Timbers 1795
Natives have to deal with the US. Same region in the Ohio River valley. Want to stop the spread west. Their military strength puts an end to the native resistance, and they are forced to sign the Treaty of Greenville.
Articles of Confederation
Branches of Government
No executive or judicial branch, speaks to how much distain they had for a strong king and judicial system. Any laws cannot be enforced. Each state gets 1 vote, thought that larger states should have more of a say. Important legislation, need 9/13 to amend Articles. Have no power to raise an army, enforce taxes, created a weak government.
Articles of Confederation
Domestic Problems - Taxation
Cannot generate revenue, so they can’t get laons from other countries.
Articles of Confederation
Domestic Problems - Interstate Commerce
Boundaries create issues. Each state taxing other states for goods. Articles of confederation has no regulation between interstate trade.
Articles of Confederation
Shays Rebellion 1786
Farmers being asked to pay more taxes, state chooses how much people are being taxed. Farmers in Massachusetts need to export a lot of their food, and now they can’t sell their products. Farmers are upset about foreclosures on their farms. Some men rise up in arms and start shutting down the ports. Continental Congress says they can’t raise an army. Not strong enough.
Articles of Confederation
Foreign Problems - Loans
French gave them money and loans and they want their money back, especially after not being included in the Treaty of Paris.
Articles of Confederation
Foreign Problems - Piracy
Attacking in the Mediterranean. No longer have the British flag, not being paid off. Not looking great for the government.
Articles of Confederation
Foreign Problems - Western Lands
Leads to things like Shay’s rebellion, foreclosures on land because taxes are rising.
Articles of Confederation
Foreign Problems - New Orleans
Need the right of deposit in New Orleans down the Mississippi. Have a problem with Spain.
Articles of Confederation
Foreign Problems - British Imports
Cuts off trade with British West indies, which affects the merchants. They dump cheap goods on the shores of the US and so now colonial merchants aren’t getting money. States want cheap goods.
Constitutional Convention
New Jersey Plan
Comes from Hamilton’s idea to alter the articles after the Annapolis convention fail. Calls for unicameral legislature with equal representation, 1 vote per state
Constitutional Convention
Virginia Plan
Plan was the revise the Articles. It was held in secrecy. Calls for bicameral legislature with 2 houses. Proportional representation to their population.
Constitutional Convention
Great Compromise
Comes from the Connecticut plan. Bicameral legislature. It has the Senate with two senators = equal representation. House of Representatives is proportional to their population. Tax bills can only start in the house, so the house representatives are always up for re-election because they’re closest to the people.
Constitutional Convention
3/5 Compromise
Southern states wanted to count their slaves as people in order to get more power in the house of representatives. Northerners are against this, this would give the southerners too much power compared to states with no slaves. A slave is worth 3/5ths of a person.
Constitutional Convention
Limits of Slave Trade
Spirit of 76 says that all men are created equal, and they should have those same rights. It would be outlawed in 20 years from the time the Constitution is signed. One of the reasons the south is ok with this is because the population of slaves would increase because of natural population growth.
Constitutional Convention
Powers of the Legislative Branch
State legislature used to be able to choose senators. Serve in the senate for 6 year term. Judges are appointed for life.
Constitutional Convention
Powers of the Executive Branch
Don’t want somebody who looks like a king. He leads the nations army, chief legislature, who can veto, he can appoint officials and name his cabinet, and conduct foreign policy, dealing with treaties. He can be impeached. Senate must confirm treaties. There are checks and balances. Cannot declare war. up to congress. Four year term, cannot serve for life.
Ratification
Anti-federalists and their concerns
People didn’t like the idea of having a standing army. Scared they had a strong legislative branch. They had the right tax, declare war borrow money, issue patents, regulate trade, and have elastic clause. Could make any law they deem necessary or proper. Fear of a new tyranny. Argues against federalist papers that the country was too big to be controlled by one person.
Ratification
Federalists
Well-organized - had helped right the document. They were well educated, coastal merchants, and wealthy who were involved in Shay’s rebellion. George Washington, Ben Franklin, Madison, Jay, Hamilton.
Ratification
Anti-federalists
They were debtors, back country farmers, poorly educated, state’s righters, local politicians. Adams, Henry, Hancock, Paine, Henry Lee. These guys are patriots and fear that the government has too much power.