Revolution & New Republic: Forging a New Nation

Revolution & New Republic: Forging a New Nation Creating a New Nation 1775–1788

Common Threads >> Which political theories did the American colonists use to justify their revolution, and how did they adapt those theories over the course of the next decades in the light of their experiences? >> What does Britain’s failure to defeat the colonies tell us about the limits of empire? >> How did the doctrine of equality take on a life of its own? >> To what extent has the conflict between the Federalists and the Antifederalists continued to shape American history? >> In which ways was the American Revolution democratic? Not democratic?

Steps Toward Revolution & War • Coercive Acts, 1774, aka “Intolerable Acts” for colonists • Closed Port of Boston • Exerted control of MA govt. • Trials in Britain for offenders • New Quartering Act – in private homes • Quebec Act – gave Ohio region to Quebec, allowed Quebec to remain Catholic (former French colony) – preferential treatment of loyal Canadians • Occupation of Boston by British Troops • Led to 1st Continental Congress, 1774 • All colonies except Georgia • Boycotted trade with Britain • Declaration of Rights (of freeborn British subjects, not independence) • Agreed to meet again next year • Committees of Correspondence formed

Republicanism • The colonists developed ideas of republicanism as they protested the British acts • Main ideas? How similar or different than previously held political beliefs? • Fear of power, political, monarchy • How govt is run?: popular rule, individual can make political decisions • Economic independence = political independence

Creating a New Nation1775–1788 • Overview • The War Begins • Winning the Revolution • The Challenge of the Revolution • Creating a New National Government

Creating a New Nation1775–1788 • The War Begins • The First Battles • Congress Takes the Lead • Military Ardor • Declaring Independence • Creating a National Government • Creating State Governments

The War Begins “Despite… signs of impending conflict, no one anticipated eight years of warfare that would make the colonies a single nation under a centralized government.” • The First Battles • Concord and Lexington, 19 April 1775 • Congress Takes the Lead • What were range of attitudes—radical to conservative—among the delegates of the 2nd Continental Congress with regard to war against Britain? • What events pushed moderate delegates to adopt the radical position? • Military Ardor • The Continental Army and the Quebec campaign Summer 1775

Lexington & Concord, April 1775 Results: MA militia occupied Boston Battles in Boston British tried to seize American arms & head off revolution

Congress Took the Lead • 2nd Continental Congress • Emphasis on unity between states and leaders – uniting radicals and moderates • Military preparedness – Continental Army formed under Washington’s leadership • Attack Canada to force British to give up • Petition king one more time • Rejected by King George who declared colonists to be in “an open and avowed Rebellion”

Declaring Independence • Major Questions: • What pivotal role did Thomas Paine’s Common Sense (January 1776) on the Declaration in July? • Fiery language in pamphlets, circulated throughout the colonies • Strongly for independence, inevitable • Questions power and relationships that had formerly been “common sense” • Appeal to the people, popular revolt • Why did Thomas Jefferson insist, years later, that there was nothing original about the Declaration? • Borrowed a lot of the wording, language of Enlightenment • What were the major contributions of these 2 documents to political theory?

T. Paine’s Common Sense, 1776 Main ideas?:

Declaration of Independence, 1776 • Main ideas?: • Equality • Liberty • Pursuit of happiness • Rights, individual • Right to form and be part of govt./decisions • Right of people to revolution, revolt to form better government • List of grievances

The War Begins: Creating Governments • Creating a National Government • “Although both the public and the state governments acted as if Congress were a legitimate national government, it actually had no more authority over the states than they were willing to give it, and it had none whatsoever over the people.” • Articles of Confederation - weak central govt., not ratified until 1781 • Creating State Governments • “In 1776, all attention was focused on state governments, where the new ideas about liberty, equality, and government were put into practice.” • New political ideas, concepts were worked out in state legislatures • Varied from radical democratic to more conservative • Ideals and realities of state governments affected later Constitutional Convention – what worked, what didn’t, what was best for people, what was best for stability?

Creating a New Nation1775–1788 • Winning the Revolution: Fighting the War • Competing Strategies • The British on the Offensive: 1776 • A Slow War: 1777–1781 • Securing a Place in the World

Major Fact: The British entered the war with clear advantages in population, wealth, and power, but with a flawed premise about how the war could be won.

Different Strategies • British: • Belief in invincibility • Belief in regular troops vs. untrained Americans • Hope of isolating New England • Focused on NY and Middle Colonies • Defeat Continental Army there • Capture major ports – was successful at this • Failures: to fully fund or support war; to fight on American turf; to fight guerilla war; to demoralize American public; to ever fully defeat Washington’s army • Hiring Indians and Hessians

Different Strategies • Americans: • Believed they could quickly and easily win war – wrong • Early military victories at Quebec would force British surrender – wrong • Washington – avoid major defeats, wear out British over time • Get French support in war – force British into “world war”

Battles in NY & Middle Colonies, 1776-1777: British occupation of NYC Pushed Washington to NJ and PA Xmas Eve, 1776 – W’s nighttime attack and victory at Trenton and Princeton Maintained ragged army despite hard- ships to fight another day

Winning the Revolution: War in the South • Major Questions: • Was the American Revolution a civil war? • Why or why not? • Who were the true revolutionaries in the south? • Whose version of revolution won? Lost?

Winning the Revolution • Most of the American population lived in rural areas: • “The war ultimately became a struggle for the support of this unpoliticized, local-minded population.” • British could only maintain control of area if they kept troops there • When they left, civil war raged between Patriots and Loyalists • A Slow War: 1777–1781 • The Battle of Saratoga (Oct. 1777) upset British strategy • Prevented British advance in New York • Convinced the French to aid the American cause: • Tied the British down in other parts of the world • $$$$$$ for Americans to fight the war

Winning the Revolution: War in the South • British invaded GA in 1778, SC in 1780 • Attempted to live off of land, defeat local patriots • Harassed by local militias, small Cont. Army, which both used guerilla tactics • Civil war in the countryside: plundering, murder, theft between neighbors • British forced out of deep south (except for major ports)

War in the South: Lord Dunmore & Slave’s Revolution • Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation, 1775: slaves who fought for British would earn freedom • Text of document • Thousands of slaves left plantations to aid the British • Whose Revolution? For whose benefit? • Were ideals of liberty, freedom, and equality real? • Failure of Dunmore’s strategy: • Not consistent British war strategy or idealism, just expediency to try and win • Forced many moderates or even Loyalists to side with Americans b/c they feared losing slaves and power • Link to further info. on Dunmore’s Proclamation and slaves during the Revolution

End of the War, 1781-1783 • British General Cornwallis cornered at Yorktown in 1781 • Surrendered on October 19, 1781 • Treaty of Paris, 1783 • Granted U.S. independence from Britain • Territory from Appalachians west to Miss. River, north to Great Lakes • No trade with British territories, however • No benefits or concessions for Loyalists • British Indian allies sold out – lost territory, no formal rights under new U.S. govt.

The Challenge of the Revolution “Radicals and moderates had compromised to begin and win the Revolution, yet there were significant disagreements between them that resurfaced once the fighting ended.” • 1st Challenge: The Departure of the Loyalists • Loyalists – up to 80,000 – left the colonies • U.S. lost wealth and elite • Benefits: Opening for new elite • Benefits: Enhanced the democratizing tendencies of the Revolution – no strong monarchical or conservative Americans

Challenge: Economic Inequality • Economic scramble after the war: creation of new haves and have-nots • Land speculators rushed to buy up good land • Price inflation for land and consumer goods • New lands: taken from Indians; expansion of slavery • Deflated currency (printed too much money during and after war) – people couldn’t buy anything or pay off debts • Some states raised taxes to pay off debts, further angering farmers and lower classes

Radical Democracy on Local Level • Use of language and ideals of revolution by the poor and farmers • Many state constitutions were radically democratic: unicameral legislatures (PA), weak executive, much debate on popular issues • Mobs and riots in towns and cities – demanded cheaper goods and food • Local farmers’ mobs in NY state attacked landlords and refused to pay rents • Shays Rebellion, 1786 (MA) – local farmers refused to pay debts, armed rebellion, • Whiskey Rebellion, 1793 (PA) – poor farmers made and sold whiskey in frontier settlements – way to make $ and pay debts (discretionary income) • These examples of popular uprisings and local power forced many U.S. leaders to question the necessary power of federal vs. state/local govt.

Challenge: Revolution for Whom? • Many people – beyond white males - tried to apply the language and ideals of the Revolution to their own situations • They challenged the status quo – not just British power • How did the Revolution affect and inspire women?: • Can Women Be Citizens? • Women contributed to the American Revolution • Altered views of their “place” in America • Challenged laws on property, vote, citizenship • Abigail Adams: “Remember the Ladies”

Challenge: Slavery and Freedom? • Slavery & slaves challenged Americans to live up to revolutionary ideas • Fought for freedom during Revolution (on the British side primarily) • Some whites, particularly in northern states, less enmeshed in slave economies, began to question morality, ethics, and politics of slavery • Gradual emancipation laws in northern states • Northwest Ordinance, 1787: new nw territories can become states, but no slavery • Some southern masters freed slaves, but most used new political and economic power to reinforce the institution in the south • Increasing regional differences in attitudes towards slavery, exhibited during the Constitutional Convention

Creating a New Nation1775–1788 • Creating a New National Government • A Crippled Congress • Writing a New Constitution • Ratifying the Constitution: Politics • Ratifying the Constitution: Ideas • Postscript: The Legacy of the Revolution

The Constitution: Major Points • Revolution didn’t end with the war • Continued into battles over Republic • Constitutional Founding is complicated history • Competing ideals for Revolution and Republic: What would they mean? • Many different factors • Official founders didn’t always agree: conflicts, compromises • Founders responded and reacted to others • Left many things unanswered

Videos on the Constitution If you are interested: • Dartmouth Conference/Presentations, “Why Does America Have the Constitution of 1787?”: New Historical Perspectives • C-SPAN, Joseph Ellis • C-SPAN, Jack Rakove • Video Lesson 5 in Blackboard

Creating a New National Government “This split between moderate nationalists and radical localists culminated in the battle over the Constitution….” • A Crippled Congress • What problems did nationalists see with the federal government as authorized by the Articles of Confederation? • Writing a New Constitution • Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 • Who participated in the Convention? • How was it conducted? • Why was the issue of representation so difficult to resolve? • How was it resolved?

Articles of Confederation: Problems? Lack of unity among states States had power Couldn’t make decisions Currency, taxation Money for trade; defense; roads Money to support western expansion Creating national economy

Federalists and Anti-Federalists What’s the difference?

Enter the Time Machine • The year is 1787 • The Revolutionary War is over, and the United States of America is now on its own to decide how to rule itself • Being a new country isn’t easy: • The states disagree about what kind of government they want • The framers disagree about what kind of government they want • People are becoming frustrated and rebelling against the current government

Enter the Constitution At the Constitutional Convention, representatives from each state (except Rhode Island) began to write a list of rules to replace the weak Articles of Confederation Most delegates wanted a strong national government However, they also wanted to have strong local governments and individual rights Other major conflicts?:

Compromises • What were the major compromises/ settlements of the Constitutional Convention? • VA Plan – separate powers, checks and balances • On representation: House (pop.); Senate (equal) • Slaves?: 3/5 Compromise • 1808 first time to end slave trade • Bill of Rights • After much debate, the Constitution was finally signed in September 1787 • It was then sent to the states to be approved

Enter the Anti-Federalists • The Anti-Federalists: • A variety of people under a big umbrella: • Radical democrats, debtor farmers, urban artisans • Some framers who thought the Constitution gave the government too much power • They argued that states or locals should have more power because they were closer to the people…what could a national government possibly know about state and city problems? • Also, there was no Bill of Rights – nothing that said what people can and cannot do • Those opposed set out to campaign against the Constitution, arguing that it would create a government with so much power, it would just be like having a king again

So…Do You Agree? • What do you think… • What’s better for the people – a strong national government or something else? • Benefits or problems with either vision? • Do we really need a Bill of Rights? • At this point…would you vote to approve the Constitution as it is? • Why or why not?

Enter the Federalists • The Federalists supported the Constitution as it was. • After all, it was decided upon by representatives from each state • The Constitution had a strong sense of CHECKS AND BALANCES, or a balance of power between the three branches of the national government and the local and state governments – Why? • The Federalists wrote the “Federalist Papers” to encourage states to approve the Constitution • What were the Federalists’ main arguments?

So…Do You Agree? • What do you think… • Would you agree or disagree with Federalist arguments? • Should democracy/the people be distrusted? • Does the people’s power (legislature) need to be checked? • Does the national government work fine the way it is? • Do we really need a Bill of Rights if everything is so well done in the Constitution? • At this point…would you vote to approve the Constitution as it is?

Enter the “Fight” • The Constitution required 9 of the 13 states to approve it in order for it to become law • Both sides (the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists) tried to convince people their side was correct • Good site on Constitutional Debates • State-by-state votes • After great debate, the states finally ratified the Constitution…only if there was a Bill of Rights

Enter the Bill of Rights While Federalists didn’t think it was really necessary, they agreed to add a Bill of Rights so that both sides would be happy The rights would be added as amendments…meaning they were seen as “official changes, corrections, or additions” The Bill of Rights were based upon the constitutions developed by the states There were a total of ten amendments added…and they became known as “The Bill of Rights,” ratified in 1791

Who Was Right? • Which side had the best argument…the Federalists or the Anti-Federalists? • Why? • Does the Constitution really need a Bill of Rights? Why or why not? • If you were alive back in 1787, how would you vote? • How would your status, class, economic interests, regional position, or other factors, have affected your position?

Creating a New Nation1775–1788 • Revisiting the Common Threads >> Which political theories did the American colonists use to justify their revolution, and how did they adapt those theories over the course of the next decades in the light of their experiences? >> What does Britain’s failure to defeat the colonies tell us about the limits of empire? >> How did the doctrine of equality take on a life of its own? >> To what extent has the conflict between the Federalists and the Antifederalists continued to shape American history? >> In which ways was the American Revolution democratic? Not democratic?

Major Themes in U.S. History Ideals and Contradictions

Major U.S. Ideals Freedom Liberty Equality Self-determination Democracy Progress On the right side of history = fundamentally good

U.S. Ideals in Action: The Declaration of Independence, 1776 “We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;…”

U.S. Ideals in Action: The Constitution Constitution, Preamble: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”

Revolution & New Republic: Forging a New Nation