The American Revolution

The American Revolution Chapter 6 Section 4

Main Ideas • Enlightenment ideas helped spur the American colonies to shed British rule and create a new nation. • The revolution created a republic, the United States of America, that became a model for many nations of the world.

Introduction • The Glorious Revolution gave England a constitutional monarchy. • Laws limited King’s power. • Philosophes, such as Voltaire, considered England’s government the most progressive in Europe. • Did the colonists agree? • Tyranny • Overthrow the government & create their own nation

Britain and Its American Colonies • 1600s-1700s – British settlement along the eastern shore of North America. • George III – King of Great Britain in 1760 • Colonies were successfully growing • Population had grown from 250,000 to 2,150,000 between 1700 and 1740 • Economically, the colonies thrived on trade with Europe.

Colonists’ Identity • By the mid-1700s, colonists had been living in America for 150 years. • Were they citizens of their colony or of Great Britain? • Colonists saw themselves as less British and more as Virginians or Pennsylvanians. • Each colony had its own government and much independence. • However, colonists were still British subjects and had to obey British laws.

Navigation Act • 1651 – British Parliament passed the Navigation Act. • This trade law prevented colonists from selling their most valuable products to any country except Great Britain. • Colonists had to pay high taxes on French and Dutch imports.

Britain’s Policies • Britain’s policies benefited both the colonies and Britain. • Britain bought raw materials from colonies at a low price. • Manufactured the materials and sold the goods back to the colonies. • Despite the trade restrictions, the colonies thrived. • All good things must come to an end…

Americans Win Independence • 1754 – War broke out between the English & French on the American continent. • What was this conflict called? • French and Indian War • Why was it called this? • French had many Indian allies • War ended in 1763 • Britain seized nearly all of the French land.

War’s Over. Now what? • Wars cost a lot of money. • Britain wanted colonies to pay for war because they benefited, too. • 1765 - Parliament passed the Stamp Act. • Colonists had to pay a tax to have an official stamp put on wills, deeds, newspapers and other printed material.

Response to Stamp Act • Colonists were outraged! • Never before had they paid taxes directly to the British government. • Colonial lawyers argued that the stamp tax violated their natural rights. • Accused government of “taxation without representation.” • Colonists had no representation in Parliament.

Growing Hostility Leads to War • Over the next decade, hostilities increased. • Some favored independence. • 1773 – in a protest to an import tax on tea, colonists dumped a large amount of British tea into the Boston Harbor. • King George III, was infuriated by the Boston Tea Party. • Closed the port of Boston.

First Continental Congress • The harsh tactics of Britain made some colonists furious. • 1774 – representatives from every colony except Georgia gathered in Philadelphia to form the First Continental Congress. • Protested the treatment of Boston. • King paid little attention to their complaints. • Decided to form the Second Continental Congress.

Second Continental Congress • 1775 – British soldiers and America militiamen exchanged gunfire in Lexington, Massachusetts. • Second Continental Congress voted to raise an army and organize for battle under the command of George Washington. • The American Revolution began.

The Influence of Enlightenment • Colonial leaders used Enlightenment ideas to justify independence. • Colonists asked for the same political rights as the people of Britain. • King refused. • Colonists felt justified in rebelling against a tyrant who broke the social contract. • Whose idea was the social contract?

Declaration of Independence • July 1776 – Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence. • Written by Thomas Jefferson • Based on ideas of Locke & the Enlightenment • Argued for natural rights.

Contents of the DOI • Locke had asserted that people had the right to rebel against an unjust ruler. • Therefore, the DOI listed George III’s abuses. • Ended by declaring the colonies’ separation from Britain.

Success for the Colonists • British did not agree with the DOI. • Led to war. • Colonies won.

Reasons for Success • 1. Americans had a stronger motivation for fighting. • 2. Overconfident British generals made several mistakes. • 3. Americans had time on their side. • British were fighting an overseas war. • 3,000 miles away from home • Very expensive • British finally called for peace.

French Enter the War • Louis XVI of France wasn’t concerned with the ideals of the American Revolution. • He did, however, want to weaken his rival, Britain. • 1781 – 9,500 Americans & 7,800 French trapped a British army commanded by Lord Cornwallis. • Cornwallis surrendered.

Americans Create a Republic • After declaring independence, states realized the need for a national government. • All 13 states ratified the constitution in 1781. • Plan for a government = Articles of Confederation • Articles suggested a republic. • Citizens rule through elected representatives.

A Weak National Government • Purposely created a weak national government, so that states would have most control. • No executive or judicial branches. • States had one vote in Congress. • Congress could: declare war, enter into treaties & coin money • Congress could not: collect taxes or regulate trade. • 9 of 13 states had to ratify new laws.

Limits on National Government • Limits produced many problems. • National government needed money to operate, but it had to be requested from the states. • Several states issued their own money. • Even placed tariffs on goods from neighboring states.

A New Constitution • Colonial leaders finally recognized the need for a strong national government. • 1787 – Congress approved a Constitutional Convention to revise the AOC. • Delegates were familiar with the ideas of Locke, Montesquieu and Rousseau.

Creating a New Government • Who should be represented in Congress? • How many representatives should each state have? • Some compromises, some new approaches to governing. • Used the ideas from the Enlightenment.

The Federal System • Delegates distrusted a powerful central government. • Established three separate branches: • Legislative, Executive & Judicial • Used a system of checks and balances. • Presidential veto • Congressional override with 2/3 vote • Federal System: Power is divided between states and nation.

The Bill of Rights • September 17, 1787 - Delegates signed a new constitution. • In order for it to become law, 9 out of 13 states had to ratify it. • Supporters of the Constitution = Federalists. • They argued in The Federalist Papers that the new government would provide a balance between powers.

Anti-Federalists • Anti-Federalists did not support the Constitution. • They felt it gave the central government too much power. • They pushed for a bill of rights to protect citizens’ rights. • The Federalists agreed to adding a bill of rights, to get it approved.

Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10) • 1st - freedoms of press, religion, speech, assembly and petition • 2nd - Right to bear arms • 3rd - People are not required to quarter soldiers • 4th - Search and seizure • 5th - Due process • 6th - Trial by jury • 7th - Trial by jury in civil cases • 8th - Prohibits excessive bail or punishment • 9th - Declares rights not mentioned to people • 10th - Powers not given to national government belong to the states

The American Revolution