AMERICAN

REVOLUTION

A5

7.9.19

Underlying Causes of the Revolution?

Underlying Causes of the Revolution?

Self-government – “Home rule”

– internal affairs

– “no taxation w/o representation”, gov by consent of gov’d

Protect “liberty” – freedoms

Protect basic rights – “Natural rts”, “inalienable”

– D of I: equality; L, L, & PH; gov by consent of gov’d

British changes & subsequent inflexibility

– George III & Tories

Financial interest – more control by some elites ???

Focus Questions

1. Why did the American colonies decide to seek independence from Britain?

2. How did the colonies win their war for independence?

3. To what extent did the American Revolution fundamentally changeAmerican governments, society and the economy during the period 1775 to 1800? (How revolutionary was the American Revolution?)

DECISION FOR

INDEPENDENCE

DECISION FOR INDEPENDENCE

Second Continental Congress(May 1775-May 1781)

purpose

public opinion

Continental Army

G. Washington

Olive Branch Petition

British Response– Prohibitory Act

Role in revolutionOlive Branch PetitionGeorge Washington assumes

command of Continental Army,

July 1775

Patriot and

Loyalist

Strongholds

DECISION FOR

INDEPENDENCE: Jan. 1776

Common Sense

Hessian soldiers

Thomas Paine

George Washington's copy of Common Sense

(Boston Athenaeum)

DECISION FOR INDEPENDENCE

Decision for independence– Reasons

Declaration of Independence

Foundational beliefs

DECISION FOR INDEPENDENCE

Significance of Declaration of Independence

Radical for time - equality; inherent rights; gov’t served people– Yet merely arg that attempting to protect existing rights and freedoms

treason – Franklin “We must all hang together or assuredly we shall all hang separately”

Clear position for rebellious colonists, forcing others to choose rebellion or declare as Loyalists.

Directed to other nations: paved way for eventual French aid

Inspired later liberation movements– Helped inspire Fr Rev Dec of Rts of man

– “All men created equal” later basis for anti-slavery and other liberation movements

– Anti-colonial inspiration – eg Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh

WAR FOR

INDEPENDENCE

Focus Question

How did the colonies win their war

for independence?

BRITAIN AMERICANS

Advantages ? ?

Disadvantages ? ?

Revolution: Strengths & Weaknesses

BRITAIN AMERICANS

Advantages ? ?

Disadvantages ? ?

Strengths & Weaknesses

War for

Independence

The First Phase:

New England, 1775-

1776

2nd Phase:

War

in the

North

1776-1777

3rd Phase:

The War in

the South,

1778-1781

Britain at War: The Global Context, 1778-1783

British Government Expenses on

Armed Forces Throughout the World

(in thousands of pounds), 1775-1782

TREATY OF PARIS (1783)

1) Independence - Britain formally recognized the

independence of the U.S.

2) Boundaries - Great Lakes on the North,

Mississippi River on the West, Florida on the South.

(no access to the Gulf of Mexico)

3) Loyalists - No further persecution, restitution for

confiscated property "recommended" to states.

4) Fishing access - in “Grand Banks” (off e. Canada)

North America after the Treaty of Paris, 1783

WAR &

SOCIETY

Focus Question

To what extent did the American

Revolution fundamentally change

American governments, society and the

economy during the period 1775 to 1800?

How revolutionary was the American Revolution?

Was it a:

(1) War for Colonial Liberation vs.

(2) restructuring of society, government & economy

POLITICAL EFFECTS

Independence – “states”

New state governments– written constitutions

– separation of power (branches)

– executive vs. legislature

– voting

– bills of rights

Confederation

Radical political ideas

Boundaries

Economic Effects

trade with Britain

inflation: worst US history

– British blockade

– Speculation and profiteering

during war

– paper money: Congress & states

state debts

distaste for taxes

– further weakened Congress'

ability to act

Wholesale Price Index: 1770-1789

Exports & Imports:

1768-1783

Society: Loyalists

About 20%– royal appointments

and many Anglican

clergymen

– Many non-English

wealth

conservative

Loyalist Strongholds

Society: Women

equality?

during war

voting

“Republican

motherhood”

New Jersey woman voting in 1807 picture

Society: African

Americans

equality?

slavery

gradual vs. instant abolition

Importation– Banned by all states

Manumission– All states removed

barriers ex. SC & GA

– Virginia between 1782 and 1790, as many as 10,000 blacks were freed

The Status of Slavery,

1800

Early Emancipation in the North

Distribution of

the Slave

Population,

1790

Distribution of

the Slave

Population, 1830

Indian Land

Cessions:

1768-1799

Society: Native Americans

SOCIETY: Equality

Outward signs of equality: dress, manner of speech, way they dealt with one another in public places

Property laws: primogeniture & entail ended

Titles of nobility – outlawed in state constitutions

No major social redistribution of wealth

New governments were more responsive to public opinion

Redistricting to better reflect settlement in back country

Society: Religion

Freedom of religion

End to state support of religion?

Anglican Church – Episcopal church

SOCIETY: New National Spirit

Nationalism was a result of independence

By mid 18th century colonists had begun to think of themselves as a separate society distinct from Britain

Local ties remained predominant

Nationalism arose from– common sacrifices

– war caused many people to move from place to place

– practical problems in wake of war that demanded common solutions brought them together

– economic developments had unifying effect

– Fostered by common heroes: Franklin, Washington

CONFEDERATION

Focus Question

To what degree did the Articles of

Confederation provide an effective

form of government?

– Consider the following: the ideology

and goals of the Revolution, economic

conditions, foreign relations, Western

lands, etc.

Confederation

Articles of Confederation

Structure of Government

Amendment

Commerce

Taxation & Funding

Reflection of

Revolutionary Ideology

& Goals The United States in 1787

Confederation

1. Economic

Disputes Taxation

Trade

Depression

Shay’s Rebellion

Advance of settlement to 1790

Confederation

2. Foreign Affairs• Revolution, treaty

• British forts

• Spain

3. Western Lands

State claims

Land Ordinance of 1785

Northwest Ordinance (1787)

Western Land Claims

Land Division in the Northwest Territory

Settlers’

Ohio,

After 1785

Confederation

Annapolis Convention(1786)

Constitutional Convention

(May 1787)

Sources

Liberty! The American Revolution (PBS) -

http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/index.html

Brinkley 10th ed

Thomson Wadsworth Image Bank -

http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/image_ban

k_US/1769_1804.html

America: Pathways to the Present

Henretta, America’s History 5e -

http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/mapcentral

Divine, America Past & Present 7e

Faragher, Out of Many, 3rd Ed.;

http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_faragher_outofmany_ap/

Susan Pojer historyteacher.net