People, Places and Events in American History

People, Places and Eventsin American History http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/explorer.html

French and Indian War A war fought in North America from 1754 to 1763. The British and American colonists fought in the war against the French and their Native American allies, hence the American name for the war. After the war, the British emerged as a strong European power. The Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended the war and France gave all its land east of the Mississippi River Great Britain.

Proclamation of 1763 Despite his previous promise to award western lands to all colonial militiamen who fought in the French and Indian War, after the war King George III issued the Proclamation Line of 1763 prohibiting all settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Sugar Act George Grenville, British Prime Minister, was in charge of increasing revenue for Great Britain after the French and Indian War. Because of the French and Indian War was so costly to the British, they passed the 1764 Sugar Act. This put a three-cent tax on all molasses and sugar imported by the colonies from the French and West indies. The British were determine to enforce the Sugar Act. They sent inspectors to search warehouses and homes. Rewards were offered by the British to citizens who reported smuggling these products. When a smuggler was arrested, the judge who found him guilty received an award. The colonists and merchants objected to taxation without representation. This was one of the first instances in which colonists wanted a say in how much they were taxed. This is a port and behind it is a molasses plant.

Declaratory Acts Following angry protest by colonists, Parliament eventually conceded and repealed the Stamp Act in 1766. Quietly, however, Parliament also passed the Declaratory Act to reserve Britain's right to govern and “bind” the colonies whenever and however it deemed necessary. The Declaratory Act proved far more damaging than the Stamp Act had ever been, because it emboldened Britain to feel that it could pass strict legislation freely, with few repercussions. It was during the aftermath of the Declaratory Act, from 1766 to 1773, that colonial resistance to the Crown intensified and became quite violent.

Growing Conflict Between Britain and America British Action Colonial Protest Colonists protest; some ignore the law. Colonists raise cry of “no taxation without representation” and boycott British products. Colonial assemblies pass resolutions. Colonists boycott British products. Sons of Liberty attack Stamp Agents. Stamp Act Congress sends Declaration of Rights and Grievances to Parliament. Boycott of British goods Boycott ended; New York refuses to enforce Quartering Act. Colonists ignore Declaratory Act. Colonial assemblies pass resolutions challenging Parliament’s right to tax them. Colonists boycott British products. Sons of Liberty enforce boycotts. 1763—Proclamation of 1763 forbids colonial settlement west of the Appalachians. 1764—Sugar Act cuts in half the import duty on foreign molasses but enforces law strictly. 1765—Quartering Act requires colonists to furnish food and lodging for British troops. 1765—Stamp Act passed 1766—Repeal of Stamp Act. Parliament passes Declaratory Act stating it rights to tax the colonists. 1767—Townshend Acts impose duties on paper, tea, lead, and other items.

Taxation without Representation In protest, the American public began to cry out against “taxation without representation.” In reality, most colonists weren't seriously calling for representation in Parliament; a few minor representatives in Parliament likely would have been too politically weak to accomplish anything substantive for the colonies. Rather, the slogan was symbolic and voiced the colonists' distaste for paying taxes they hadn't themselves legislated.

Quartering Act In 1765, Parliament passed the Quartering Act, which required residents of some colonies to feed and house British soldiers serving in America. This act outraged colonists. British Soldiers Plundering an American Colonist's Home under the Quartering Act

Townsend Acts The Townshend Acts 1767, British legislation intended to raise revenue, tighten customs enforcement, and assert imperial authority in America, were sponsored by Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend. They levied import duties on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. Its purpose was to provide salaries for some colonial officials so that the provincial assemblies could not coerce them by withholding wages. Americans protested the additional taxes with boycotts and violence--including "tar and feathering.” This led Parliament to altered the Acts in 1770. Taxes on all items except tea were repealed. The tea tax was retained because it brought in more money and to show Americans that Parliament still had the right to tax them.

The Boston Massacre Bostonians, required to house the soldiers in their own homes, resented their presence greatly. Tensions mounted until March 5, 1770, when a mob of angry Bostonians began throwing rocks and sticks at the British troops who were occupying the city. The troops shot several members of the crowd, killing five. Patriots throughout the colonies dubbed the incident a “massacre” and used it to fuel anti-British sentiment. To prevent serious disorder, Britain dispatched 4,000 troops to Boston in 1768—the soldiers' presence in the city only made the situation worse.

Boston Tea Party An incident that took place on December 16, 1773, when a band of 60 men led by the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Native Americans and destroyed chests of tea aboard ships in the harbor. The Tea Party prompted the passage of the Intolerable Acts to punish Bostonians and make them pay for the destroyed tea.

Boston Tea Party Document

The Intolerable Acts The Boston Tea Party had mixed results: some Americans hailed the Bostonians as heroes, while others condemned them as radicals. Parliament, very displeased, passed the Coercive Acts in 1774 in an effort to punish the colonists and restore order. Colonists quickly renamed these acts the Intolerable Acts.

First Continental Congress A meeting convened in Philadelphia in late 1774 that brought together delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies (Georgia abstained) in order to protest the Intolerable Acts. Colonial leaders stood united against these and other British acts and begged Parliament and King George III to repeal them. The Congress also created an association to organize and supervise a boycott on all British goods. Although the delegates did not request home rule or desire independence, they believed that the colonies should be given more power to legislate themselves. This is the Carpenter's Hall, which was used by the local carpenter's guild. It was the site for the First Continental Congress in 1774.

Loyalists Loyalists were about 1/3 of the colonists and did not support the Declaration of Independence. They believed the colonies should stay loyal or faithful to the king. The Sons of Liberty tarring and featherings a tax collector underneath the Liberty Tree

Patriots At the time the Declaration of Independence was written, about 1/3 of the colonists wanted independence. They were called Patriots. They agreed with ideas and arguments in the Declaration of Independence. The Sons of Liberty were Patriots. Betsy Ross joined the Fighting Quakers after her husband died. Unlike the traditional Quakers these were for the war--Patriots One of the most well-known Patriots of the Revolutionary War was Patrick Henry (1736-1799) whose legendary words, "Give me liberty or give me death," motivated the colonists into supporting the Revolutionary War.

Mercy Otis Warren Mercy Otis Warren was born in 1728 into a family of all boys, and there were many of them. She was born in Massachusetts. Mercy became a Patriot writer, and she wrote plays, poems and lots of other writings that supported independence. She used her writing to display her ideas. Her ideas and writings convinced many people in Massachusetts to become Patriots. Of all the people writing to support the patriotic cause, Mercy Otis Warren was the only woman who published plays, books, and poetry. “Our situation is truly delicate & critical. On the one hand we are in need of a strong federal government founded on principles of the colonies. On the other we have struggled for liberty & made costly sacrifices at her shrine and there are still many among us who revere her name to much to relinquish (beyond a certain medium) the rights of man for the dignity of government.” Mercy Otis Warren

Thomas Jefferson Virginian planter and lawyer who eventually became president of the United States. Jefferson was invaluable to the revolutionary cause. In 1776, he drafted the Declaration of Independence, which justified American independence from Britain. Later, he served as the first secretary of state under President George Washington and as vice president to John Adams. Jefferson then was elected president himself in 1800 and 1804.

Declaration of Independence On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced a resolution in the Second Continental Congress that said, “These United colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” A committee of 5--Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman and Thomas Jefferson-- were selected to write a formal declaration explaining the reasons for independence. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author. Jefferson kept the Declaration relatively short and to explain why the colonists wanted to be free. The document that he wrote describes the basic principles (beliefs or rules) about how to behave.

Declaration of IndependenceBasic ideas about people and government • All people are created equal • They are born with certain inalienable rights that no one take away • Life • Liberty • Pursuit of happiness • The purpose of government is to protect these rights.

Declaration of IndependenceWhy they had a right to be free from British rule • Power of the government comes from the consent of the people • If a government violates the rights of its people, they can change the government or get rid of it and create a new one.

Declaration of IndependenceComplaints against the British King These complaints are based on the idea that government should protect the rights of the people and serve the common good. • He refused to approve laws made by the colonists that were necessary for common good. • He closed the colonists’ legislatures when the opposed his violation of the rights of the people. 3. He kept a standing army in the colonies even though there was no war. 4. He stopped the colonists’ trade with other countries 5. He taxed the colonists without representation (consent) 6. He took away the colonists right to a trial by jury.

Advantages and DisadvantagesPreparations for War

Roles in the Warmen, women, white colonists, free and enslaved African Americans, and Native Americans

Who Supported to War? Men When the Revolutionary War began, Britain made a costly and fatal error in assuming that opposition to British policies came only from a core group of rabble-rousing ringleaders such as Washington, Jefferson, and the Adams cousins. The British believed that if they arrested these men, the revolt would collapse. However, a significant majority of Americans disliked British rule. Historians estimate that the majority of eligible American men served at some point in the Continental Army, the militias, or both. Women Many American women supported the war effort as well as nurses, attendants, cooks, and even spies on the battlefields. Others, such as the famous “Molly Pitcher” (a woman named Mary Hays McCauley, who fought in her husband's place) and Deborah Sampson (who disguised herself as a man) saw action in battle. As more husbands and fathers left home to fight, more wives and mothers took to managing the farms and businesses. A majority of women helped by making yarn and homespun necessities such as socks and underwear, both to send to militiamen and to support the boycott of British goods.

Who Supported to War? Native Americans They were fearful of future American expansion into their lands and the majority chose to support Britain. In particular, the influential Mohawk chief Joseph Brant convinced the Iroquois tribes to support the British. As a result of his efforts and others, thousands of Iroquois, Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, and other warriors joined forces with the British and raided American arsenals and settlements along the western frontier. This proved to be a fatal one decision. Most believed that the British were a sure bet and that the rebellious colonies stood almost no chance of winning. The ultimate British surrender was a huge loss for Native Americans: white settlers were already pushing westward, and after the war, they felt justified in their taking of native lands.

Who Supported to War?African Americans Blacks, too, generally supported the British because an American victory would only keep them in bondage. Although roughly 5,000 blacks did serve in militias for the United States, most who had the opportunity chose to flee to British and Loyalist areas that promised freedom from slavery. Consequently, colonies both north and south lost tens of thousands of slaves. To some degree, blacks fared better after the war than before. Faced with the somewhat embarrassing predicament of supporting the premise that “all men are created equal,” as stated in the Declaration of Independence, while at the same time practicing human bondage, many states, such as Vermont, eventually abolished slavery. Other states legislated more gradual forms of emancipation. As a result, the number of free blacks in the United States skyrocketed into the tens of thousands by the end of the century. Slavery was by no means a dead institution (as the early 1800s proved), but these liberal decisions made during the war were significant steps forward on the road to equality.

Battle of Lexington and Concord“The shot heard around the world” ”Don’t fire unless fired upon” Two battles, fought on April 19, 1775, that opened the Revolutionary War. When British troops engaged a small group of colonial militiamen in the small towns of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, the militiamen fought back and eventually forced the British to retreat, harrying the redcoats on the route back to Boston using guerrilla tactics. more unlikely. The battle sent shockwaves throughout the colonies and the world, as it was astonishing that farmers were able to beat the British forces. This battle marked a significant turning point because open military conflict made reconciliation between Britain and the colonies all the more unlikely.

Thomas Paine “These are the times that try men’s souls.” He was a famous writer whose words greatly influenced the leaders of the American Revolution. Born in England, he became friends with Benjamin Franklin who encouraged him to go to America. He wrote and published the pamphlet “Common Sense" which demanded complete independence from Great Britain. It also stated a strong case against the monarchy and inherited privilege. It was the most widely distributed pamphlet in American history at that time - popular with the highly educated as well as the common man. After “Common Sense," he published a series of pamphlets called "The Crisis," which begins with the words, "These are the times that try men's souls." Washington read these pamphlets to his troops, which gave them great encouragement during the hardest times of the war.

Battle of Saratoga British general John Burgoyne earned the nickname "Gentleman Johnny" for his love of leisure and his tendency to throw parties between battles. His surrender to American forces at the Battle of Saratoga marked a turning point in the Revolutionary War. A 1777 British defeat that was a major turning point in the Revolutionary War— The defeat allowed Ben Franklin to convince the French to ally themselves with the United States and enter the war against Britain. France, eager to weaken the British, began to send supplies, money, and troops to help the Continental Army.

Winter at Valley Forge Winter of 1777-1778 In Pennsylvania the Continental Army suffered worst time of the war. 2,500 men died of starvation, cold, and disease. With the British Army secure in Philadelphia, the American army settled into winter quarters at Valley Forge. It was a winter of hardship and suffering for the troops. It was also a winter of training, in which the American troops were taught how to be professional soldiers.

Battle of Yorktown Virginia, 1781 Marked the end of the Revolution Fortified by the Franco-American Alliance, the Americans maintained an impasse with the British until 1781, when the Americans laid siege to a large encampment of British forces under Lord Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. Scattered battles persisted until 1783, but the British, weary of the stalemate, decided to negotiate peace. This was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.

Treaty of Paris 1783Ends American Revolution The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1782 by American representatives Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and John Jay. It was ratified on April 17, 1783. It officially recognized American independence. Terms of the Treaty • Britain recognized the independent nation of the United States of America. • Britain agreed to remove all of its troops from America. • The treaty set new borders for the United States including all land from the Great Lakes on the north to Florida on the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. • The United States agreed to allow British troops still in America to leave. • The United States agreed to pay all existing debts owed to Britain. • The United States agreed not to persecute loyalists still in America, and allow those that left America to return.

How Americans Won the War

Second Continental Congress The day that the Second Continental Congress met, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had captured Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain in New York. On May 15, 1776, they decided to completely break from Great Britain. They organized the American Continental Army On June 14, 1776, they appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief of the army They organized the militia of the colonies called the American Continental Army On June 14, 1776, they appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief of the army He was elected unanimously George Washington knew that this army would face great difficulty. He later wrote that Americans were"not then organized as a nation, or known as a people upon the earth. We had no preparation. Money, the nerve of war, was wanting." Great Britain was the most powerful nation on earth. The Second Continental Congress was one of the most important government meetings in the history of the United States of America. It wrote and signed The Declaration of Independence. At the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock wrote his name first and biggest on the Declaration of Independence. He said, "The British ministry can read that name without spectacles; let them double their reward." He was talking about the reward offered by King George III offered a reward to anyone who could capture one of the Sons of Liberty, especially Samuel Adams and John Hancock.

This was the first plan of government for the United States. The Articles set up a loose union of states with equal powers. We call such a union a confederation. Articles of Confederation The Founding Fathers faced two problems when they wrote the Articles: People feared a strong national government People feared some states would have more power than others. 3 Solutions to people’s fears: Set up a weak national government with limited powers. Power to Congress but limited—no president Each state had one vote in Congress-- Had to have approval of states to do anything important

What was accomplished under the Articles of Confederation? • Kept the states together during the war against Great Britain • Winning the war for independence • Making peace treaty with Great Britain • Preventing each state from conducting its own foreign affairs, making treaties, and declaring war Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? The primary answer to the question was that the federal government was given important responsibilities but no real power. The federal government was relatively weak because most of the law making power was given to the states.

King George III Anyone who does not agree with me is a traitor and a scoundrel! King of Great Britain during the American Revolution. George III inherited the throne at the age of twelve. He ruled Britain throughout the Seven Years' War, the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812. After the conclusion of the French and Indian War, his popularity declined in the American colonies. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson vilifies George III and argues that his neglect and misuse of the American colonies justified their revolution.

Lord North Lord North (1732-1792), originally Frederick North, held many elite British offices before becoming Prime Minister in 1770. North maintained that post until the British defeat at Yorktown in 1781, after which he resigned his post. North extended Parliament's version of an "olive branch" in early 1775, when the English government offered to desist from taxing any colony that made adequate provisions to support its civil and military government. But then Parliament proceeded to pass laws restraining trade and fisheries in New England, and later in all the colonies. North's "olive branch" offer did not succeed and the first shots of the war were fired a few months later at Lexington and Concord.

John Adams A prominent Boston lawyer who first became famous for defending the British soldiers accused of murdering five civilians in the Boston Massacre. Adams was a delegate from Massachusetts in the Continental Congresses, where he rejected proposals for reconciliation with Britain. He served as vice president to George Washington and was president of the United States from 1797 to 1801.

Samuel Adams Samuel Adams was a fierce patriot, passionate, rebellious and rabble-rousing. He was an intelligent man, whose ideas are woven into the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He was a founder and leader of the Boston Sons of Liberty, which included Paul Revere and his second cousin John Adams (who later became the second President). The Sons were semi-secret groups that existed throughout the colonies with little or no central organization, and were known as radicals; they were among the earliest advocates of independence.

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere On the night of April 18/April 19, 1775, when Paul Revere and William Dawes were instructed by Dr. Joseph Warren to ride from Boston to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the movements of the British Army, which was beginning a march from Boston to Lexington, ostensibly to arrest Hancock and Adams and seize the weapons stores in Concord.

Ben Franklin A Philadelphia printer, inventor, and patriot. Franklin drew the famous “Join or Die” political cartoon for the Albany Congress. He was also a delegate for the Second Continental Congress and a member of the committee responsible for helping to draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Patrick Henry A radical colonist famous for his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. Henry openly advocated rebellion against the Crown in the years prior to the Revolutionary War. Loyalist accused him of treason.

George Washington A Virginia planter and militia officer who eventually became the first president of the United States. Washington participated in the first engagement of the French and Indian War in 1754 and later became commander in chief of the American forces during the Revolutionary War. In 1789, he became president of the United States. Although Washington actually lost most of the military battles he fought, his leadership skills were unparalleled and were integral to the creation of the United States.

Marquis de Lafayette Lafayette was a 19 year old officer in the French Royal Army in 1775, when he first learned of the American Revolution. He was so inspired by the rebellion of the colonists against the British that he left France to serve in the Continental Army saying that, “the welfare of America is intimately connected with the happiness of all mankind.” He served without pay. He soon developed a close friendship with General Washington. Lafayette, a Major-General, was at Yorktown in 1781 with General George Washington when the British surrendered Washington Marquis de Lafayette Valley Forge Winter Camp

Hessians The Hessians were mercenary soldiers-for-hire brought to America from Germany to fight for the British during the American Revolution. As in most armies of the eighteenth century, the men were mainly recruits, debtors, or had been forced into the army; some were also petty criminals. Pay was low; some soldiers apparently received nothing but their daily food. Some Hessian units were respected for their discipline and excellent military skills. Hessians made up about one-quarter of the British forces in the Revolution. Battle of Trenton

Lord Cornwallis Lord Cornwallis is best remembered as one of the leading British generals in the American War of Independence. His surrender in 1781 to a combined American and French force led by General Washington at the Siege of Yorktown ended significant hostilities in North America. Cornwallis, apparently not wanting to face Washington, claimed to be ill on the day of the surrender, and sent another officer in his place. Battle of Camden Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown

Northwest Ordinance of 1787 An ordinance is an order or law made by a government. This government order was a plan for adding new states. It allow people living in the Northwest Territories—the land between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes and the Ohio River—to organize their own governments. When a territory had a large enough population, it could join the Union as equals of the original states, not colonies. They had to provide land for public schools and slavery was unlawful

Shays’ Rebellion Dramatic event in Massachusetts that convinced people of the need for a strong central government Many farmers could not trade their products in other states or countries. They couldn’t pay their bills and lost their farms or went to prison as a result. People protested the unfairness. In November 1786 more than 1000 angry farmers led by Daniel Shays were ready to fight the Massachusetts government. They tried to take weapons the arsenal in Springfield to use, but the State troops stopped Shays’ rebellion. The rebellion frightened many property owners who feared similar problems might arise in their states Shays Rebellion shut down the courts to prevent the government from taking their property and jailing them.

People, Places and Events in American History