Birth of the American Republic

1. Birth of the American Republic Mr. Divett

2. Britain Becomes a Global Power Britain became a global power because: • Location made trade easy to control • Friendly toward business • Few trade restrictions • Often won European conflicts • Monopolized slave trade • Expanded territories locally

3. George III • 60-year reign began in 1760 • English born • Wanted to: • Reclaim lost territory • End Whig domination • Appoint his own ministers • Dissolve the cabinet system

4. George III

5. Colonies • There were many colonies in North America • These stretched along the east coast • They became profitable • Who can name the original 13 colonies?

6. Original 13 Colonies

7. The Navigation Acts • Parliament passed the Navigation Acts in the 1600s • A series of acts passed starting in 1651 • These acts required: • All European goods to pass through England first • All goods be transported on English ships • Colonial goods be shipped only to England

8. The Navigation Acts • Were poorly enforced • Led to resentment towards England • Also led to rampant smuggling

9. Colonies in 1700s • More diverse population than England • Social distinctions were fuzzy • Colonists felt entitled to British Rights

10. Taxes • Britain was broke from Seven Years’ War and French and Indian War • Sugar Act 1764- import taxes • Stamp Act 1765- taxes on paper items • “Taxation without representation”

11. Rebellion of Colonists • Boston Massacre • March 1770 • Five died

12. Boston Tea Party

13. Continental Congress • Representatives from each colony met • This included John Adams and George Washington

14. Continental Congress

15. Revolutionary War • Started April 1775 at Lexington and Concord • Preceded by Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride

16. Revolutionary War

17. Congress Calls Army • The Continental Army • George Washington was the commander

18. Second Continental Congress • Voted to declare independence from Britain • Reflected John Locke’s ideas • Penned by Thomas Jefferson

19. Declaration of Independence • Detailed grievances against Britain • Offered right to alter or abolish unjust governments • Popular sovereignty- government power comes from the people • Adopted on July 4, 1776

20. Declaration of Independence

22. War Continues • Things did not look good for colonists. They were: • Outnumbered • Outskilled • Outfunded • Outstrategized

23. Colonist’s Advantages • Home court advantage • Determination • Good leader

24. British Advantages • They offered freedom to slaves who fought the colonists • They made alliances with natives

25. Support • French back the colonists (against their rivals) after the victory at Saratoga in 1777 • Spain and Netherlands also supported them

27. Winter at Valley Forge

28. End of War • French blockaded Chesapeake Bay • British surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781 • Treaty of Paris formally recognized independence of USA

29. Chesapeake Bay

30. Treaty of Paris

31. Constitution • The Articles of Confederation were first in 1787 • James Madison and Benjamin Franklin helped right them • The Constitution followed in 1789 • It made the USA a federal republic, or a government with power divided between federal government and states

32. Constitution • This created a system of checks and balances • The founding fathers drew heavily from the teachings of enlightened thinkers Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau

33. Checks and Balances