The American Revolution and Confederation, 1774-1787

The American Revolution and Confederation, 1774-1787

First Continental Congress • September 5, 1774 • Delegates from 12 colonies met [no Georgia] in Philadelphia • Called in response to passage of Coercive/Intolerable Acts • Agreed to boycott British goods • Petitioned King George III for redress of grievances • Agreed to meet again if Coercive Acts were not repealed • Urged colonies to set up and train militias

Lexington and Concord • April 19, 1775 • First battle of the American Revolution • British were searching out rebels and weapons • Colonial victory!

Second continental Congress • May 1775 delegates met again in Philadelphia • As the Congress opened British troops attacked American fortifications on Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill [Boston] • John Adams called for the creation of a continental army in the “defense of American liberty” • He also nominated George Washington to lead it

Olive Branch Petition • Colonists were divided in their support for King George III • One side blamed him for supporting oppressive legislation and ordering military involvement • The other side hoped that he might mediate the conflict with Parliament • In July 1775, John Dickinson [who believed war with Britain would be a mistake] persuaded Congress to send the Olive Branch Petition, pleading with the king to negotiate

Common Sense • January 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense • In this pamphlet he called for independence from Britain and the creation of a republican form of government • “A government of our own is our natural right, ‘tis time to part.”

Declaration of Independence • As the independence movement spread, many Loyalists and anti-independence moderates withdrew from the congress • This led to the next step for Patriots: approving the Declaration of Independence [July 4, 1776] • Thomas Jefferson, the main author, justified independence by vilifying George III

Declaration of independence • Jefferson proclaimed a series of self-evident truths: • All men are created equal • All men possess unalienable rights [life, liberty, pursuit of happiness] • The government derives its power from the people and can be rightly overthrown if it “becomes destructive of these ends” • He linked individual liberty with popular sovereignty [ultimate power lands in the hands of the electorate]

Loyalist Strongholds

Washington’s Headaches • Only 1/3 of the colonists were in favor of a war for independence [the other third were Loyalists, and the final third were neutral]. • State/colony loyalties. • Congress couldn’t tax to raise money for the Continental Army. • Poor training [until the arrival of Baron von Steuben.

Military Strategies The Americans The British • Break the colonies in half by getting between the No. & the So. • Blockade the ports to prevent the flow of goods and supplies from an ally. • “Divide and Conquer”  use the Loyalists. • Attrition (make the British fight a long war) • Guerrilla warfare tactics (you don’t have to win every battle - just wear the British down / attack and run) • Make an alliance with one of Britain’s enemies.

Saratoga: “Turning Point” of the War? A modern-day re-enactment

The Southern Strategy [1780-1781]

Britain’s “Southern Strategy” • Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South. • Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving. • The British win a number of small victories, but cannot convert the countryside to their cause [similar to U. S. failures in Vietnam!]

The Battle of Yorktown (1781) Count de Rochambeau AdmiralDe Grasse

Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown: Painted by John Trumbull, 1797

North America After theTreaty of Paris, 1783

Articles of Confederation Government: 1781-1789

Weaknesses of theArticles of Confederation • A unicameral Congress [9 of 13 votes to pass a law]. • 13 out of 13 to amend (change). • Representatives were frequently absent. • Could not tax or raise armies. • No executive or judicial branches.

State Constitutions • Most had strong governors with veto power. • Most had bicameral legislatures. • Property required for voting. • Some had universal white male suffrage. • Most had bills of rights. • Many had a continuation of state-established religions while others disestablished religion.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • One of the major accomplishments of the Confederation Congress! • Statehood achieved in three stages: • Congress appointed judges & a governor to govern the territory. • When population reached 5,000 adult male landowners  elect territorial legislature. • When population reached 60,000  elect delegates to a state constitutional convention.

Shays’s Rebellion • 1787: Massachusetts farmer Daniel Shays leads an uprising of farmers against high state taxes; finally put down by Massachusetts state militia • Importance: demonstrated that a stronger central government was needed

The American Revolution and Confederation, 1774-1787