The American Revolution

1. The American Revolution 1775-1783

2. Imperial Competition • During the early 18th century, there was a major competition between the French and British over colonial territory. • The British had established 13 colonies along the Appalachian Mountains, and the French had settled parts of Canada, and along the Mississippi River. • France also had claimed much of the land in Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as parts of Virginia. • With the two countries fighting for colonial power, it would come to conflict during the French and Indian War.

3. Effect of Mercantilism on Imperial Competition • With the concept of Mercantilism, where every country is trying to produce and export for its own good, France and Great Britain rush for land. • British colonists move west creating more conflict with the Native Americans. • In 1754 the tension between the groups is escalated

4. EOCT Question • The rush among European powers to establish colonies in the Americas can BEST be described as • A. an attempt to create regional cooperation and unity • B. an extension of military and economic rivalries • C. a desire to learn about other cultures • D. an effort to spread Christianity around the world

5. Navigation Act Effects on Colonial Expansion • Great Britain used these to prevent trade from going through other countries. • The colonists see this as Britain placing restrictions on their economic practices and begin smuggling goods to other countries. • Great Britain will arrest any sailors caught smuggling goods, and will convict them of crimes against the crown. • This creates conflict between the colonists, and with the French.

6. The French and Indian War 1754

8. French and Indian War • When the colonists began moving westward they continually ran into conflict with the Natives and the French. • Cause: France had established a series of forts along the borders of the original 13 colonies to trade fur with the Natives (Natives favored the French) • Cause: At the same time Robert Dinwiddie (gov. of VA) was granting land to his colonists in the Ohio Valley • Cause: George Washington was sent to one disputed territory, Fort Duquesne (du Kane), near modern day Pittsburg

9. French and Indian War • Washington takes over the small army and decides to build Fort Necessity, to stop the French from advancing. • Washington eventually has to surrender the fort and leave the Ohio Valley. • These conflicts are going to boil over and cause the French and Indian War. • The war would rage on for nine years until both sides (and Spain) sign the Treaty of Paris 1763.

11. Treaty of Paris 1763 • In the Treaty of Paris 1763 there were several agreements laid out most of which expanded British territory. • Effect: France gave up its claim in Canada and all lands east of the Mississippi River except for New Orleans(New France). • Effect: Spain, an ally of France, gave up Florida to the British. • Effect: Treaty ended the war but the French and Indian War became part of a much larger conflict in Europe, the Seven Years War.

12. Results of the Treat of Paris • Colonists become angry with the provisions laid out in the Treaty of Paris. • Effect: Many colonists lost respect for the British Army seeing it as ill-prepared to fight on American terrain. • Effect: The cost of the war put Great Britain in debt. • Effect: Great Britain felt the colonies needed to help pay for the debt, Britain felt the need to control the colonies, Britain began to tax the colonies

13. The Road to revolution

14. Proclamation of 1763 • In order to maintain a close watch over the colonies, the King needed to prevent them from moving too far west. The king also wanted to avoid another conflict with the French or the Natives. • Proclamation of 1763 stated that the colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.

16. Effect of Proclamation of 1763 • The colonists resent this decision. • Many colonists ignore the king’s decision and continue to move westward. • 10,000 British soldiers are brought in to protect and secure the western boundary of the colonies. • Now, a new source of revenue was needed to fortify the colonies.

17. Paying for the French and Indian War/Seven Years War • In order to pay the debt the British had incurred, they turn to the colonies. • The British implement several acts that charge taxes on many of the goods the colonists need, and on some they don’t need. • Currency Act of 1764: made it illegal for the colonies to coin/print their own money. • Sugar Act of 1764: The act reduced a tax that had been placed on molasses, but added a new one on textiles, wines, coffee, and sugar. • Stamp Act in 1765: This law required that a stamp be placed on all legal documents, leases, licenses, deeds, newspapers, playing cards, and even dice; Stamp Act Congress

18. More Acts/Taxes • Along with the Stamp Act, Parliament also passed the Quartering Act of 1765which stated that colonists must provide housing and supplies needed by the British soldiers stationed in the colonies. • Colonial opposition to the taxes is strong.

19. “No taxation without representation” • The colonists said that it was illegal to tax them because they had no representation. • The British Parliament repeals the Stamp Act, but the same day passes the Declaratory Act – stated Parliament could impose laws on colonies represented or not. • This angers many of the colonists and several groups start to form against the acts/taxes.

20. Townshend Acts • In 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts. • This placed a tax on glass, paper, lead, paint, and tea. • Great Britain alsorequired that each of these items be purchased from Great Britain, not colonists.

21. Response to Townshend Act • Tensions run high in the colonies. • The colonists participate in a widespread boycott of British products. • More British troops sent to control colony • Boston is one of the major port cities that is under a lot of stress. This eventually leads to the Boston Massacre. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsDY5yywvUk

22. Tea Act/Boston Tea Party • In 1773 The British Parliament passed the Tea Actwhich gave the East India Company complete control of tea trading and placed a tax on tea. • In response the colonists orchestrated the Boston Tea Party. • Fifty men disguised as Native Americans dumped 90,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. • Samuel Adams (founder of the Sons of Liberty) led the group of men.

23. Coercive Acts of 1774 • In response to the Boston Tea Party the British pass the Coercive Acts(Intolerable Acts). • This closed Boston Harbor, revoked parts of Massachusetts Charter, imposed British control over town govt, imposed a new Quartering Act, and took away land by expanding the Canadian border.

24. Committees of Correspondence • Formed to establish communication btw. patriots • **They made sure that colonists remained discontent with British rule** • This group led actions such as the Boston Tea Party, and others to boycott British goods. • The Sons and Daughters of Liberty were both committees of correspondence.

25. Sons and Daughters of Liberty • These two groups begin to spring up all around the colonies to support boycotts of taxes/acts. • The Sons of Liberty often use violence to intimidate any merchant or royal officer who might otherwise obey the British laws. • The Daughters of Liberty begin to make American made products in response to the British acts/taxes.

26. Boston Massacre • Occurred March 5, 1770. • Protestors were out in the streets yelling at British Soldiers. • Br. soldiers fired on a group of colonists, killing 5 of them • The Sons of Liberty used this as propaganda, to get people involved in the war effort.

27. Getting Ready for War • September 1774 delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies(Georgia did not send one), met together as the First Continental Congress. • In a statement to the king, stated that they had a right to be represented; since they were not they should govern themselves • They agreed to halt trade with Great Britain. • They also expanded the militia of citizen soldiers, minutemen, who were supposed to be ready to fight at any minute. • The British saw the colonists as no match for the Royal Army • General Thomas Gage was ordered to confront the colonial militia. • In doing so he was to arrest all involved, take away arms and ammunition, and capture those considered to be involved with the Sons of Liberty.

28. Thomas Paine/Common Sense • In January 1776, Thomas Paine, a friend of Benjamin Franklin and a recent immigrant to Penn., published a pamphlet entitled Common Sense. • Argued the Atlantic Ocean was too wide to allow Britain to rule America, and that if Britain were America’s “mother country,” that made Britain’s actions all the worse because no mother would treat her children so badly. • These words persuade colonists to fight for independence, but breaking with Britain will be hard for some to do.

29. EOCT Questions • What effect did the Townshend Acts have on the colonies? • A. they willingly paid taxes because they were loyal to Britain • B. they sent delegates to Parliament to negotiate the tax rates • C. They boycotted English goods as a way to protest the taxes • D. They allowed for the taxing of English goods but protested the tax on tea

30. EOCT • What followed the Boston Tea Party? • A. The free flow of trade between the colonies and other countries • B. Harsh restrictions on colonial liberties and trade • C. Increased self-government in New England • D. The removal of British troops from the colonies

31. EOCT • In response to the Coercive Acts, the First Continental Congress • A. Agreed to an increased presence of British troops • B. Halted trade with Britain • C. Agreed to Parliament’s conditions • D. Took no action

32. The American Revolution

33. Battles of Lexington and Concord • On April 18, 1775, British troops set out for Concord, Mass. to seize arms and ammunition • Shots were fired at nearby Lexington, and eight minutemen were left dead (this was “the shot heard ‘round the world”) • The British moved on to Concord, where they destroyed a small amount of gunpowder. • Minutemen, lining the forest road, killed 73 British and wounded 200. This marks the beginning of the American Revolution.

34. Bunker Hill/Breed’s Hill • Two months after Lexington/Concord, American and British troops met again at Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill(“don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes”) • Ended in the retreat of the Americans, but British forces lost 1,000 soldiers. • Is evidence to the British that this will not be an easy victory, but a long hard fought war. • The colonists have one downfall, there is still division among Loyalists (those supportive of Britain) and Patriots.

35. Colonial leadership • After skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, colonial leaders like Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams, met at the Second Continental Congress. • The congress appointed George Washington as the head of the new continental army, and adopted a provisional government linking the 13 colonies together. • On June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Lee, proposed that all connections with Great Britain be dissolved.

36. Continental Delegates/Declaration of Independence • Continental delegates were those chosen to represent their state at the Second Continental Congress. • Delegates were chosen based on political leadership qualities. • In June 1776, the delegates of the Second Continental Congress decided to declare independence from Britain. • Appointed a committee to prepare a statement outlining the reasons for separation.

37. Continental Delegates/Declaration of Independence cont. • A young delegate named Thomas Jefferson, drafted the statement. • Strongly influenced from Enlightenment ideas, Jefferson asserts the principle of egalitarianism (all men are created equal) and have natural born rights, or inalienable rights. • This document became known as the Declaration of Independence, and was adopted on July 4, 1776.

38. Ideas in Declaration • John Locke’s Social Contract Theory: Government can only be granted power through the free consent of the people (Fund. Orders of Conn.) • Jefferson argued that the people have the right to remove government if it proves to be harmful. • The colonists wanted a government that served the people, not the rulers. They believed King George III had imposed absolute tyranny. • The Crown had refused to resolve differences, and the colonists now wanted a self-governing society.

39. Ideas on Government • Jefferson also used ideas from French philosopher Charles Montesquieu. • Montesquieu’sSpirit of the Laws stated that: power in government should be divided among three equal branches (separation of powers) and that no one branch is stronger than the other (checks and balances).

40. Articles of Confederation • The ideas presented by Locke and Montesquieu, were also presented in the Articles of Confederation. • This was the first governing body in the colonies. It was in power from 1781 to 1789.

41. The Battles • General George Washington lost the critical Battle of Long Island in August 1776, and soon after had to retreat from Manhattan to New Jersey. • The soldiers were very low on supplies, and felt weak, but Washington urged the men to push on citing Thomas Payne’s The Crisis: “These are times that try men’s souls”. • In December 1776, Washington made a daring move. He surprised the British by crossing the Delaware River on Christmas Night. • The British camp was made up of Hessians (Germans hired to fight), stationed in Trenton New Jersey. • Washington’s troops would finally taste victory.

42. The Battle at Trenton • Washington took 2000 men with him across the Delaware. • They used the darkness as camouflage. • They captured over 900 Hessians without losing a soldier. • Victory gave them stronger will to fight

43. Battle of Saratoga • **Turning point in the war! • Success at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, including the surrender of 5,000 British Soldiers, proved America’s ability to fight. • Helped them gain support from more colonists, and other European countries (France) which would be crucial in defeating the British.

44. Valley Forge • Washington’s troops would endure a harsh winter in 1777-78 and almost abandoned the fight • However, with much needed training from Baron von Steuben, the army used its time to become better trained • Benjamin Franklin helped secure the French alliance who see this as an opportunity to defeat its nemesis • The Marquis de Lafayette volunteered to serve in the Continental Army on his own

45. The Southern War • Many Southerners were Tories (remained loyal to Britain, aka “Loyalists”) • The British believed the Tories would support their cause and help crush the revolution • British seized both Savannah and Charleston in the summer 1780 • British General Lord Cornwallis was ready to seize the Carolinas but was defeated • Cornwallis marched north to Yorktown, VA where he hoped to receive much needed supplies

46. Battle of Yorktown • The French saw the weakening of the British forces as an opportunity to defeat their long-time enemy, and regain control of the seas. • In 1781, along with French help, the Continental Army defeated General Cornwallis, trapping 8,000 British and Hessian soldiers at theBattle of Yorktown. • This proved to be the definitive battle of the American Revolution. • Cornwallis surrenders

47. Treaty of Paris 1783 • Signaled the end of the Revolutionary War. • Changed the political map of North America once again. • Colonists were allowed to move westward, and now bordered the Mississippi River. • Canada remained under British control, but Britain gave Florida back to Spain. • Liberty brought Americans freedom, but also new challengesbeyond what they could have ever imagined.