American History I Unit Two

A New Nation

Causes of the American Revolution

• Video Clip

EQ: What were the causes of the independence movement in colonial

America?• 1689-1754 France and Great Britain went to war on four occasions in order to

become the dominate nation in Europe• Each of these conflicts started in Europe and spilled over to the colonies in

America• 1754 last conflict- French and Indian War• Area of dispute was the Ohio Valley- • French used the Ohio River to travel from Lake Ontario to the Mississippi River

and down to Louisiana• British land speculators wanted the area to sell to setters for a profit• French built a series of forts in the Ohio Valley to stop the British from claiming

the area• Governor of Virginia built a British fort in western Pennsylvania- French took the

fort before construction was complete and then built Fort Duquesne on the site• A young George Washington was sent with a force to expel the French

• Washington’s troops marched to the Ohio River in the spring of 1754- ran into French troops at Great Meadows

• Short battle, Washington retreated, built a stockade – Ft. Necessity- month later larger French force made Washington surrender

• Conflict between French and British turned into a world war

• 22-year old Washington becomes a hero for courageous attempt to stop the French

• Prior to the war- British officials urged the colonies to work together – prepare for the war

• Wanted colonists to enter into alliance with the Iroquois (controlled western New York- French would need to pass thru the region to reach the Ohio River)

• Delegates from 7 colonies met with Iroquois leaders at Albany, New York, June 1754

• Albany Conference- Iroquois refused alliance but did state they would remain neutral

• Colonies agreed Britain should name a supreme commander of all British troops in the colonies

• Issued Albany Plan of Union- committee led by Ben Franklin- proposed colonies unite to form a central government- colonies rejected the plan

• Albany Plan illustrated an attempt by colonial leaders to join together for their common defense

• 1755, General Edward Braddock arrived in Virginia- 1,400 troops- joined with 450 militiamen

• Braddock appointed Lt. Colonel G. Washington to serve as his aide• Braddock marched west to attack Ft. Duquesne• Braddock’s troops ambushed by French and Indian forces- Braddock killed- British

panic• Washington saved the force from disaster- under fire- rallied the men and organized a

retreat• Success of the ambush prompted the Delaware to attack British settlers in western

Pennsylvania• For two years, French and Indian War took place along the frontier• 1756 the fighting spread over to Europe- Seven Years War• Slowly the British fleet cut off supplies and reinforcements to the colonies from France• Iroquois, realized British were gaining momentum- pressured the Delaware to end

attacks on British settlers

• French losing support of Native allies- outnumbered• 1759, British fleet under General James Wolfe sailed to Quebec- capital of

New France- defeated French troops protecting the city• British seized Quebec, took control of New France• Fighting continued outside of North America• Spanish joined French in 1761- Britain took Spain’s colonies in Cuba and

Philippines• Treaty of Paris- 1763- ended war- French lost power in North America-

retained a few small islands• All French territory east of the Mississippi River except New Orleans was

given to the British• Spain gave Florida to Britain in exchange for Cuba and the Philippines• To pay Spain for losses, France signed a separate treaty giving the Spanish

control of New Orleans and French territory west of the Mississippi

• Proclamation of 1763- Spring 1763, Pontiac chief of the Ottawa went to war against British troops

• United several native nations, Ottawa, Delaware, Seneca, and Shawnee- attacked forts in the frontier, burned several towns

• British troops put down the uprising-• Pontiac’s War was not a surprise for British officials- had expected trouble

since 1758- reports of settlers moving into western Pennsylvania in violation of colony’s treaty with Native Americans

• British leaders did not want to take on the expense of another war- many British officials were shareholders in fur trading companies- war would disrupt trade

• Solution- limit western settlement• October, 1763 King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763• Line north to south along the Appalachian Mts. colonists could not settle

west of the line without government permission• Farmers and land speculators unhappy- wanted access to land

• Tax policies• 1763 George Grenville, new Prime Minister of Britain and first lord of the

Treasury• Grenville had to limit debt and pay 10,000 British troops stationed in North

America• Grenville knew colonial merchants were engaged in smuggling, evaded customs

duties• Grenville got Parliament to pass laws allowing smugglers to be tried at a vice-

admiralty court in Halifax, Nova Scotia• Colonial juries were sympathetic to smugglers• Vice-admiralty courts were run by naval officers• No juries- did not have to follow English Common Law- admiralty cases involved

property not people• Colonists objected to having to go to Nova Scotia to prove legality of their

property

• John Hancock, made rich by the sugar trade, smuggled molasses from French colonies in Caribbean- tried in vice-admiralty court- defended by John Adams

• Adams argued the use of vice-admiralty courts denied colonists rights as British citizens

• Sugar Act• Grenville, American Revenue Act, 1764- known as Sugar Act• Raised tax rate on imports of raw sugar and molasses- new taxes on silk, wine, coffee,

pimento, and indigo• Colonial merchants complained to Parliament- Sugar Act hurt trade• Colonists angry- violation of traditional English rights- property seized presumed illegal

until proven legal- seizures took place without due process (proper court procedure)- in some cases prevent lawsuits by merchants whose goods had been seized improperly

• Pamphlets circulated in the colonies protesting the Sugar Act• James Otis argued that Parliament could impose taxes to regulate trade, taxing

Americans to pay for British programs was different, colonies had no representation in Parliament

• Otis’s arguments led to “No Taxation Without Representation”• Sugar Act remained in effect- Grenville passed the Currency Act 1764 slow inflation,

banned the use of paper money in the colonies (paper money lost value)• Colonial farmers and artisans liked paper money because it lost value quickly

• Use paper money to repay loans- money had less value when loan repaid than when the money was borrowed- loans easier to repay

• Stamp Act• Grenville, Sugar Act not enough revenue to cover Britain’s expenses in

America• Asked Parliament to pass the Stamp Act• March 1765- taxed printed materials- newspapers, pamphlets, posters,

wills, mortgages, deeds, licenses, diplomas, playing cards• This was not a tax on trade, it was a direct tax- first direct tax levied by

Parliament on the colonists• Stamp Act generated debate in the colonies, spring 1765• Patrick Henry’s speeches led to the Virginia House of Burgesses to pass

resolutions declaring Virginians were entitled to rights as British citizens and could only be taxed by their own representatives

• Other colonies passed similar resolutions

• Summer 1765- sons of liberty organized demonstrations- intimidated stamp distributors

• August, Boston, effigies hung to represent several British officials- including the stamp agent of Boston

• October, 1765 9 colonies sent representatives to the Stamp Act Congress- issued a Declaration of Rights and Grievances, drafted by John Dickinson

• Declared taxation depended upon representation, only body to tax was the colonial representatives not Parliament

• Also petitioned King George III for relief and asked Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act

• Stamp Act in effect November 1, 1765• Colonial response; ignored the law- boycott of British goods• Substituted goods available in US for British goods• New York, 200 merchants signed nonimportation agreements• Not to buy British made goods until the Stamp Act was repealed

• Boycott hurt British merchants• Thousands of British workers lost jobs• Merchants could not collect monies owed them

from the colonies• Protests in England and the colonies-

Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766• To assert authority, Parliament passed the

Declaratory Act- Parliament had the power to make laws for the colonies

• Townshend Acts• England experienced financial problems• Protests in England made Parliament lower property taxes- still had to pay for

troops in America• 1767, Charles Townshend, chancellor of the Exchanger introduced new taxes• Townshend Acts- Revenue Act, customs duties on glass, lead, paper, paint,

and tea imported by colonies• Violators tried in vice-admiralty courts- no juries, did not follow common law• Allowed officials to take private property under certain circumstances

without following due process• Revenue Act authorized writs of assistance- general search warrant- customs

officials could enter any location during the day to look for smuggling activity

• Colonists upset with Townshend Acts• Winter 1767-1768 John Dickinson published essays, Letters From a Farmer in

Pennsylvania• Reasserted colonial assemblies elected by colonists held the right to tax• Called for colonists to bound together to form one body politic to resist Townshend

Acts• Month after Dickinson’s first essay published- Massachusetts assembly began

organized resistance against Britain• Sam Adams with James Otis February 1768 drafted a circular letter to be circulated to

other colonies criticizing the Townshend Acts• British demanded Massachusetts withdraw the letter- Massachusetts assembly

refused• British government ordered the assembly of Massachusetts dissolved• August 1768 Boston and New York merchants signed nonimportation agreements- not

import goods from Britain• Philadelphia merchants joined boycott

• May 1769 Virginia House of Burgesses passed Virginia Resolves- on the House of Burgesses could tax Virginians

• Britain dissolved the House of Burgesses- G. Washington, Patrick Henry, T. Jefferson called assembly members into convention- passed nonimportation law stopped sale of British goods in Virginia

• Boycott spread, Americans stopped drinking British tea, buying British cloth

• Women’s groups, Daughters of Liberty spun own cloth- called homespun

• Wearing homespun became sign of patriotism• Sons of Liberty encouraged people to join boycotts- 1769 colonial

imports from Britain declined dramatically from 1768 levels

• British response to “no taxation without representation”

• Virtual Representation,• - colonists were English citizens• -English citizens elected members of

Parliament• -colonists were represented in Parliament

Boston Massacre

• Video clip

• Fall 1768, more violence in Boston• 1,000 British troops (redcoats) in Boston• Crowds jeered and harassed the British troops• March 5, 1770- crowd of colonists taunted and threw snowballs at British troops

guarding the customs house• Troops fired on the colonists, five died, six wounded- first colonist to die was

Cripus Attucks (of Native and African descendent)• Shootings called the Boston Massacre• Colonial newspapers made it appear the British were tyrants, willing to kill those

who stood up for their rights• News of the events in Boston spread quickly• Could have set off a revolution- few weeks after the Boston Massacre Parliament

repealed most of the Townshend Acts, kept one tax on tea to maintain right to tax colonists- allowed colonial assemblies to resume meeting

• Temporary peace in Colonial America

• Townshend Acts repealed, smuggling resumed• British stationed customs ships along the east coast to intercept smugglers• The Gaspee off the coast of Rhode Island• Rhode Islanders despised the commander of the Gaspee due to search of

ships without a warrant- sent crew ashore to take food without payment• June, 1772 the Gaspee ran aground, 150 colonists seized the ship and set it

afire• British response, commission sent to investigate with the authority to take

suspects to Great Britain for trial • Colonists were angry, violation of right to a trial by jury of peers, Rhode

Island’s assembly sent the king a letter and asked to other colonies for help

• March, 1773 Virginia House of Burgesses received the letter from Rhode Island, T. Jefferson suggested each colony create a committee of correspondence to open communication with the other colonies about British actions

• Committees of correspondence helped unify the colonies and shape public opinion

• Helped colonial leaders coordinate resistance plans

• Boston Tea Party• May, 1773- Lord North Prime Minister of England- major error- to help the

British East India Company which was struggling financially- corrupt management and wars in India- taxes on tea encourage colonial merchants to smuggle in cheaper Dutch tea

• British East India Company had 17 million pounds of tea in warehouses- had to sell quickly

• Parliament passed the Tea Act 1773- refunded 4/5thd of the taxes the company had to pay to ship tea to the colonies- left only the Townshend Act in place

• East India tea could be sold at lower prices than smuggled tea Dutch tea• Allowed East India Company to sell directly to shopkeepers- bypassed

American merchants who distributed the tea

• American merchants feared they were being forced out of the market for tea• October 1773 East India Company shipped 1,253 chests of tea to Boston, New York,

Philadelphia, and Charles Town• Committees of correspondence decided the tea must not be unloaded from ships• First shipment arrived in New York and Philadelphia- colonists forced East India agents

to return home with the tea• Charles Town, customs officers took the tea and stored it in a local warehouse,

remained there unsold• Boston- December 17,1773- the night before customs officials were to bring the tea

ashore- group of 150 men gathered at the Boston dock• George Hewes, struggling shoemaker, among the group- despised the British for

questioning him on the street and nonpayment for shoes- witnessed Boston Massacre- dislike became political

• Put soot on his face, joined the group- boarded the ships and destroyed the tea• Several thousand cheered the actions as 342 chests of tea went into Boston Harbor• Men were dressed as Native Americans, many knew their identities

• Sam Adams and John Hancock were among the group that boarded the ship• Coercive Acts, Boston Tea Party last straw for King George III- informed Lord

North, concessions had made matters worse• Spring 1774, Parliament passed four new laws known as the Coercive Acts• Laws were to punish Massachusetts and end colonial challenge to British

authority• 1st act, Boston Port Act- closed the port until the city paid for the tea• 2nd act, Massachusetts Government Act, required all council members,

judges, and sheriffs in Massachusetts to appointed by the governor, not elected- banned town meetings

• 3rd act, Administration of Justice Act, governor could transfer trials of British soldiers and officials to Britain to protect them from American juries

• 4th act, Quartering Act, local officials required to provide lodging for British soldiers, in private homes if necessary

• Enforcement of acts- 2,000 British troops moved to New England, General Thomas Gage appointed new governor of Massachusetts

• Coercive Acts violated traditional English rights- right to trial by jury of peers, right not to have troops quartered in one’s home, king was not to keep a standing army in peacetime without the consent of Parliament

• Parliament had authorized troops, colonists felt own local assemblies had to grant consent as well

• July, 1774- Quebec Act- governor and council appointed by the king would govern Quebec- also added Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana, Wisconsin to Quebec- colonists moving west would fall under royal control with no ability to elect assemblies

• Quebec followed the Coercive Acts- implied British trying to take control of colonial governments

• Colonies heard of harsh treatment of Massachusetts- sympathy and outrage• Coercive Acts and Quebec Act together known as the Intolerable Acts

EQ: How did the colonies prepare for war with Great Britain?

• First Continental Congress• May 1774 Virginia House of Burgesses declared arrival of British troops in Boston a

“military invasion”• Virginia’s governor (royal) dissolved the House of Burgesses, members went to a

local tavern and issued a resolution, colonies suspend trade with Britain- send delegates to a colonial congress to discuss options

• Patrick Henry ready for war- “I know not what course others may take, but for me, give me liberty or give me death”

• New York, Rhode Island had made calls for a congress of colonies• Committees of correspondence coordinated the different proposals, September 5,

1774 First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia• 55 delegates represented 12 of 13 colonies- Florida, Georgia, Quebec did not attend• Delegates- wide range of views- moderates opposed Intolerable Acts saw

compromise as the solution• Radicals- time for war

• First Continental Congress endorsed the Suffolk Resolves- prepared by citizens in Boston and Suffolk County, Massachusetts

• Colonists not obey Coercive Acts• Arm themselves• Stop buying British goods• While discussion took place- Congress learned of the suspension of the

Massachusetts assembly• Congress issued the Declaration of Rights and Grievances- expressed

loyalty to the King, condemned the Coercive Acts, stated the colonies would form nonimportation assocation

• Delegates approved Continental Association- plan for every county and town to form committees to enforce the boycott of British goods

• Agreed to meet for a Second Continental Congress in May of 1775 if the situation had not improved

• October, 1774• The suspended Massachusetts assembly organized the Massachusetts

Provincial Congress in defiance of the British• The Provincial Congress created the Committee of Safety led by John

Hancock- power to call up the militia• Hancock now challenged the power of General Gage• Militias began to drill and practice marksmanship• Concord created a unit of men trained and ready to “stand at a minute’s

warning in case of alarm”• Minutemen• Summer and fall of 1774- British control of colonies weakened as colonists

created provincial congresses and militias raided depots for ammunition and gunpowder

• Actions angered British

• Loyalists and Patriots• Colonists had to make a decision- stay loyal to the king or support the

independence movement• Many were loyal to the king- believed British law should be obeyed• Supporters of the king called Tories or Loyalists• Loyalists were in every colony and in all social classes• Government officials, Anglican ministers, merchants, landowners, backcountry

farmers ( saw king as their protector from planters and merchants who controlled local government)

• Other side- saw king as a tyrant- abuser of rights- called Patriots or Whigs• Patriots represented a large cross section of colonial society- artisans, farmers,

merchants, planters, lawyers, urban workers• Patriots had a strong following in New England and Virginia• Most loyalists lived in Georgia, Carolinas, New York• Political differences divided communities and some families

• American Revolution a war between the British and the colonists and a civil war between loyalists and patriots

• Prior to the Revolution- patriots brutally enforced the boycott of British goods

• Tarred and feathered loyalists- disrupted Loyalist meetings

• Loyalists fought back- not as many by number and not as well organized

• It is possible the majority of the colonists did not support either side- were caught in the middle

• Lexington and Concord• April, 1775- General Gage was ordered to arrest the Massachusetts Provincial

Congress- even if it meant an armed conflict• Gage did not know where the Provincial Congress was meeting- decided instead to

take the militia’s supply depot at Concord• April 18, 1775 700 British troops marched on Concord- the march took them through

Lexington• Patriot leaders sent William Dawes and Paul Revere to sound the alarm- made it to

Lexington to warn that the British were coming• Dr. Samuel Prescott headed for Concord- British stopped Revere and Dawes- Prescott

made it and warned Concord• April 19, 1775 British troops arrived in Lexington- saw 70 minutemen lined up on the

village green• British marched onto the field- ordered minutemen to disperse• Minutemen backed away from British troops- shot fired- British fired on the

minutemen, killed 8 wounded 10

• British moved on to Concord- most of the military supplies had been moved

• Crossing the North Bridge- British encountered 400 colonial militia• Battle occurred, British forced to retreat• British marched back to Boston- militia and farmers shot at the British

from behind barns, houses, trees, stone walls• Arriving at Boston the British had lost 99 men,, 174 wounded• Colonists lost 49 militia and 46 wounded• News of the conflict spread across the colonies- militia from all over

New England arrived to fight the British- May 1775 the militia had surrounded Boston- trapping the British

• Shot heard round the world, first time an armed rebellion had taken place in a British colony

• Second Continental Congress• Met in Philadelphia two weeks after Lexington and Concord• Issues;• -defense- “adopted” the militia army surrounding Boston- named it the

Continental Army• -June 15, 1775 named George Washington to command the new army• Before Washington assumed command, British landed reinforcements in Boston• British moved to surround the hills north of Boston• With advance warning- militia moved first, June 16, 1775 militia dug in on Breed’s

Hill near Bunker Hill- started construction of a fort at the top of the hill• General Gage sent 2,200 British troops to take the hill• Legend has it that American commander William Prescott told troops “do not fire

until you see the whites of their eyes”• British within 50 yards Americans opened fire- stopped to British attempts to take

the hill- Americans forced to retreat upon running out of ammunition

• Battle of Bunker Hill• Battle known as the Battle of Bunker Hill built

American confidence- colonial militia could stand up to one of the world’s strongest militaries

• British had 1,000 casualties in the battle• General Gage resigned and was replaced by

General William Howe-Boston became a stalemate- British troops encircled by the colonial militia

• Declaring independence• Fighting took place in the summer of 1775• Colonists divided on declaring independence• Majority of the Second Continental Congress wanted the right to self-

government but not break with England• By 1776 opinion had changed- Britain’s refusal to compromise led many patriot

leader call for independence• July 1775 siege of Boston continued- Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch

Petition to King George III• Written by John Dickinson- stated the colonies still loyal to the king and asked

him to call off hostilities and resolve the problems peacefully• Radical delegates of Congress convinced them to order an attack on British

troops in Quebec- hoped the French in Quebec would rebel and join in fighting British

• American forces took Montreal, but French would not rebel

• Attack on Quebec showed British there was no hope for a peaceful solution

• Olive Branch Petition arrived in England- King George III refused to read it- proclaimed the colonies now open and avowed enemies ordered military to put down rebellion in America

• No compromise- Continental Congress began to act like an official government

• Sent delegates to negotiate with the Native Americans and establish a postal system, Continental Navy, and Marine Corps

• March 1776 Continental Navy raided the Bahamas and began seizing British merchant ships

• Revolution began, Governor Dunmore of Virginia organized two loyalist armies to aid British troops in Virginia

• One was made up of white loyalists and the other enslaved Africans• Dunmore promised the African slaves enslaved by rebels would be freed if they

fought for the loyalists• This action in regards to slavery led many southern planters to turn to the

independence movement, otherwise might lose land and labor force• Planters increased effort to raise large Patriot army• December 1775- Patriot troops attacked and defeated Dunmore’s forces near

Norfolk- British pulled soldiers out of Virginia- left Patriots in control• N.C., Patriot troops defeated loyalist troops at the Battle of Moore’s Creek,

February 1776• British moved to take Charles Town, city militia repelled the attack• Fighting in the south- Washington ordered his troops to take the hills south of

Boston

• Americans took hills by surprise- surrounded Boston- British navy evacuated British troops- Boston under the control of the patriots

• British not backing down- December 1775 King George III issued the Prohibitory Act- shut down trade with colonies- ordered a naval blockade- British expanded army- recruited mercenaries- Germany Hessians

• Common Sense• War continued- many moved to a declaration of independence• January 1776 Thomas Paine published Common Sense- until Paine’s publication most

colonists blamed Parliament not the King• Paine attack George III- Parliament did not act without the King’s support• Paine argued monarchies had been set up by seizing power from the people- King

George was a tyrant and it was time to declare independence• This was propaganda, an attempt to influence public opinion• 3months of the publication over 100,000 copies sold• G. Washington noted “Common Sense is working a powerful change in the minds of

men”• Provincial congresses and legislatures told delegates to the Continental Congress to

vote for independence• July, 1776 committee made up of Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston,

and Thomas Jefferson submitted a d ocument (drafted by Jefferson)to the Congress

• Explained why it was time for independence• July 4, 1776 Continental Congress issued the

Declaration of Independence• Colonies now moving to become the United

States of America • American Revolution officially began

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

• Preamble;• Statement of what is going to happen- goals of

the declaration• Dissolve the political bands which had

connected them with another• Assume powers of the earth, separate and

equal station to which laws of nature and nature’s God entitle them

• Declaration of natural rights;• Self-evident truths; all men are created equal,

endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; life, liberty, and property

• Governments are made by men, gain powers from the consent of the governed

• Government becomes destructive of these ends, the right of the people to institute a new government

EQ: HOW DID THE COLONISTS DEFEAT GREAT BRITAIN?

• Continental Congress voted for independence, British troops landed in New York Harbor

• Mid August, 1776- 32,000 British troops commanded by General William Howe

• British believed the rebellion would be short livedBritish troops disciplined, well trained, well equipped

• Continental Army, inexperienced and ill equipped• Over 230,000 men served in the Continental Army rarely over

20,000 served at any time• Many deserted, refused to reenlist when terms expired• Some left to return home to farms at planting and harvesting

time

• List of Grievances;• He has………• List of complaints against the British government and King George

III in particular• Resolution of Independence by the United States;• Declare colonies free and independent states• No allegiance to the British crown- all political connections

dissolved• Powers of independent states; levy war, conclude peace, contract

alliances, establish commerce, all other acts which independent states have the right to do

• Pledge to each other our lives, fortunes, and scared honor

• War hard to pay for• Continental Congress had no power to tax• Continental Congress did issue paper money; “Continentals” not backed by gold or

silver- became worthless • Robert Morris, wealthy Pennsylvania merchant and banker- pledged large amounts

of money for the war• Morris set up a method of buying supplies and uniforms, arranged foreign loans,

got Congress to create the Bank of North America to finance military• British had to fight both Continental Army and local militias• Militias poorly trained, fought differently, did not line up for battle, hid behind

trees and walls and ambushed British troops and supply wagons• Guerrilla warfare• British faced division at home, merchants, some Parliament members opposed the

war- British needed quick cheap victory before Parliament turned against the war- Patriots need not win just hold on until British grew tried of paying for the war

• Balance of Power in Europe, French, Dutch, Spanish ready to take advantage of British problems

• British had to use troops to protect colonies on other continents• Balance of power made it possible that the Patriots could find an ally• British had to win fast- had to convince Americans that the cause was hopeless- allow safe

surrender without being charged with treason• General Howe had a two part strategy;• -1. sent large contingent of troops to take New York City- separate New England from the

South- show Americans no chance for victory• -2. diplomacy; invited delegates from the Continental Congress to a peace conference-

promised if rebels laid down arms, swore loyalty to king, would be pardoned• Americans saw Howe no authority to negotiate, refused to continue talks• Northern Battles; Congress asked Washington to defend New York City- New York fall

without a fight, hurt American morale- Washington moved troops to Long Island, Continental Army attacked by British summer of 1776- many soldiers ran away- 1,500 wounded or killed- British slow to advance, allowed remainder of the Continental Army to retreat to Manhattan-

• -Manhattan, joined with the rest of Washington’s army defending New York-Washington let New York fall when British advanced- British used New York as headquarters for the rest of the war

• Washington sent Captain Nathan Hale to spy on the British- disguised as a Dutch school teacher- British found him out and hanged Hale- last words “ I regret I have but one life to lose for my country”

• Washington moved troops to White Plains, N.Y.• October 1776, Battle of White Plains- British forced another retreat by Washington-

British then moved on Philadelphia where the Continental Congress was meeting instead of pursuing Washington – Washington had to move fast to get ahead of British

• -Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, help improve morale- reminded Americans that “the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph”

• Winter set in as both armies approached Philadelphia- British went into winter camps in New Jersey- 1700s armies did not fight in winter due to weather and lack of food supplies

• -Washington planned a winter attack- crossed the Delaware River, attacked British at Trenton, 2,400 men in a sleet storm- killed or wounded 1,000 British

• Days after Trenton Washington scattered three British regiments near Princeton

• Washington then went into hills of northern New Jersey for the winter• British General John Burgoyne based in Quebec had a plan to cut New England

off from the rest of the colonies• Three-pronged attack on New York• -1. take a large force south from Montreal• -2. another force move from Montreal up the St. Lawrence River to Lake Ontario,

head east into New York• -3. third force led by General Howe, march north from New York City- three

forces meet near Albany and march east into New England• British did not coordinate attacks- when Burgoyne marched south, Howe

already moved 13,000 men by ship to Maryland and attacked Philadelphia• Howe thought by taking Philadelphia and the Continental Congress would cripple

the Revolution and convince Loyalists to rise up and take Pennsylvania

• Howe had military success, political failure• Defeated Washington at Brandywine Creek- took

Philadelphia, Continental Congress escaped, no Loyalist uprising occurred

• Howe failed to destroy the Continental Army-• Washington set up winter camp at Valley Forge- cold and

food shortages, killed almost 2,500 men• Washington joined at Valley Forge by military officers the

Marquis de Lafayette and Baron Friedrich von Steuben, helped Washington improve discipline and boost morale despite hard conditions

• Battle of Saratoga, Burgoyne unaware Howe had headed south to take Philadelphia, headed south from Quebec in June 1777 with 8,000 troops to New York, 900 troops under Colonel Barry St. Ledger headed down the St. Lawrence River to Lake Ontario- joined with over 1,000 Iroquois- headed east to Albany

• Iroquois allied with the British- hoped to keep Americans off Iroquois land• Burgoyne took Fort Ticonderoga, Congress relieved the American

commander and replaced him with General Horatio Gates• Burgoyne had to deal with trees felled across roads, lack of food and cattle

in the region, taken by American troops to cut off British supply of food• British and Iroquois marched east from Lake Ontario- ambushed by militia,

driven back by American troops led by General Benedict Arnold

• Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga, New York• Surrounded by American forces, three times the size of the British forces• Oct. 17, 1777 Burgoyne surrender to General Gates, over 5,000 British soldiers taken

prisoner• Victory at Saratoga, turning point in the war• Helped morale, French were convinced to commit troops to help the Americans• Spain and France had been secretly sending arms and supplies to the U.S. before

Saratoga• Congress wanted France to send troops- September 1776 Congress sent B. Franklin,

Arthur Lee, and Silas Deane to France to ask for troops• French not willing until they thought Americans could win• Victory at Saratoga convinced France to enter war against Britain• February, 1778 U.S. signed two treaties, first treaty, France first nation to recognize U.S.

as an independent nation, second treaty, alliance between U.S. and France• June, 1778 Britain and France at war,• 1779 Spain entered the war but as an ally of France, not the U.S.

• War in the West• 1778 Patriot George Rogers Clark- 175 troops down the Ohio River,

took several towns• February 1779 British surrendered- Americans controlled region• Clark fighting British in West, Chief Joseph Brant with four Iroquois

nations joined the British- July 1778 British and Iroquois attacked western Pennsylvania- burned towns, killed over 200 militia

• Summer of 1779 American troops defeated British and Iroquois in western New York- destroyed the power of the Iroquois

• Revolution began, Shawnee, Delaware, Mohawk got the Cherokee to attack settlers in Virginia and North Carolina to drive them off Cherokee land- American militia overpowered the Cherokee, by 1780 militia had burned hundreds of Cherokee towns

• Naval battles• American ships attacked British merchant ships• Congress issued letters of marque to private ship owners to

authorized to attack British merchant ships- end of war millions of dollars of cargo seized by Americans- hurt British trade and economy

• John Paul Jones, American naval officer, commanded the Bonhomme Richard, sailed near Britain September 1779- came upon British merchant ships protected by the Serapis and Countess of Scarborough British sank Jones’ ship- British asked Jones to surrender, reply “ I have not yet begun to fight”- tied his ship to the Serapis to prevent it from sinking, battle lasted three hours, British surrendered

• After the defeat at Saratoga Howe replaced by Sir Henry Clinton• Clinton ordered British out of Philadelphia and return to New

York City- gather all forces to begin new campaign• Washington ordered his troops at Valley Forge to intercept

British• Battle on Monmouth- largest battle of Revolution- ended in a

stalemate- first time American troops able to stand against British regulars in battle –boost in morale

• Clinton was ordered to start a southern campaign where loyalist numbers were the greatest

• Also take south to disrupt American trade in tobacco and rice• British with the help of Loyalists hoped to hold the south

• December, 1778- 3,500 British troops took Savannah, Georgia• Controlled Georgia backcountry and returned royal governor to power• Next moved on Charles Town, South Carolina- largest city in the South• 14,000 British troops attacked Charles Town• Surrounded the city- trapped American forces- May 12, 1780 5,500 Americans taken

prisoner- greatest American defeat in the war• After the fall of Charles Town, Clinton returned to New York, left Lord Cornwallis in

command- Continental Congress sent General Horatio Gates to destroy British supply depot at Camden, South Carolina- Gates failed

• Battle of Kings Mountain – British moved to control Carolina backcountry after the Battle of Camden- many settlers were Loyalists and agreed to fight for Britain- British cavalry officers Banastre Tarleton and Patrick Ferguson led Loyalist forces- troops infamous for brutality

• Ferguson tried to take Appalachian region- “over-mountain men” created a militia- destroyed Ferguson’s troops at Kings Mountain- Oct. 7, 1780- turning point of the war in the south

• Southern farmers unhappy with British treatment formed own forces

• American commander Nathaniel Greene in the South- planned to wear down British in battle while militia destroyed British supplies

• Greene used hit and run tactics against British camps and supply wagons

• Francis Marion “Swamp Fox” led a famous unit • Greene’s strategy worked- by late 1781 British

controlled little of the South- just Savannah, Charles Town, and Wilmington

• Yorktown- April, 1781 Cornwallis marched into Virginia- needed to break American control of Virginia to prevent troops and supplies from going south- French troops on way to America- little time left to win the war- British had to take Virginia

• In Virginia Cornwallis joined with forces controlled by Benedict Arnold- Arnold former American commander had sold military information to the British- committed treason- fled to British controlled New York- given command of British forces and sent to Virginia

• Arnold and Cornwallis’ combined forces began to take Virginia- little American resistance until June, 1781- General Anthony Wayne led a large American force- Cornwallis outnumbered and too far inland for supplies retreated to the Virginia coast at Yorktown

• The retreat created an opening for American and French forces• 6,000 French troops arrived n 1780- Washington planned to march on New York City• Headed to New York City- French General Rochambeau learned a French fleet under

the command of Admiral de Grasse was headed north from the Caribbean• Washington changed plans- with Rochambeau marched to Yorktown

• de Grasse moved into the Chesapeake Bay near Yorktown- cut off supplies to Cornwallis and prevented escape by water

• September 28, 1781 American and French forces surrounded Yorktown- started to bombard city

• Oct. 14, 1781 Washington’s aide Alexander Hamilton led an attack and captured important British defensive positions

• Oct. 17, 1781 Cornwallis began to negotiate surrender- Oct. 19, 1781 8,000 British soldiers marched out of Yorktown and surrendered

• Treaty of Paris• -Lord North learns of the Cornwallis surrender realized war was

over• March, 1782 Parliament voted to begin peace talks• John Adams, B. Franklin, and John Jay represented the U.S.• Treaty of Paris signed September 3, 1783• -U.S. and independent nation- western border was the Mississippi

River• -Britain gave Spain back Florida• -France got colonies in Africa and the Caribbean they had lost to

the British in 1763• November 24, 1783 last British troops left New York City

EQ: How did the Revolution affect American Society?

• American leaders created a republic – the power to rule lies with the citizens who are able to vote

• Power is exercised by elected officials responsible to the citizens- must govern according to laws or a constitution

• Europeans saw the republic as radical• Americans liked it over other forms of government• Ideal republic- all citizens are equal under the law regardless of wealth or social status-

contradicted traditional beliefs about slavery, women voting or owning property, and some families being “better” than others

• Republican ideas changed American society after the war• Before the Revolution began, Americans wanted state constitutions written- government

power over the people should be limited• John Adams and others feared democracy would endanger a republican government and

lead to tyranny• Adams’ democracy = majority rule• Founders afraid of a pure democracy, minority groups would not have rights protected- poor

might vote to take everything from the rich

• Adams pushed for checks and balances in order to prevent any group from becoming strong enough to take rights from the minority

• A mixed government was preferred by Adams- a separation of powers 1. executive branch, 2. legislative branch, 3. judicial branch- all independent of the other- legislature should be bicameral- 2-house legislature- senate to represent people of property and an assembly to protect the rights of common people

• Virginia Constitution, 1776- New York Constitution 1777- Massachusetts Constitution 1780 all established an elected governor, senate, assembly- by 1790 most of the states had created similar governments

• Many states added a list of rights to their constitutions• 1776 George Mason, Virginia Declaration of Rights- freedom of speech, religion, right to bear

arms, right to trial by jury- stopped the state from searching homes without a warrant or taking property without court action

• Expansion of voting rights – people of all classes fought together- increased belief in equality- all men fighting for same cause and risked death for same ideas, all deserved the right to vote for leaders

• War weakened feelings of deference toward the upper class – war had shown artisans and farmers they were equal to the rich they fought beside

• These ideas of equality were part of the new state constitutions-made it easier for men to get the right to vote- in many states any white male who paid taxes could vote whether he owned property or not

• Elected officials did have to own minimum amount of property- less than before Revolution• Veterans were given grants of land for military service- increased number of eligible people to

hold office

• North before the Revolution over 80% of elected officials were rich, 10 years after the war a little over 33% of officeholders were rich

• South, property requirements kept rich in power- number did drop from 90% of all officeholders before the war to 70% after the war

• Freedom of religion – war changed relationship of church and state• Revolution leaders feared the power of the church, backed by government, make

people worship a certain way• Baptists led movement to stop taxes to support the Anglican Church• Governor T. Jefferson, Virginia, wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom-

passed the Virginia legislature due to efforts by James Madison in 1786• -Virginia no longer had an official church• -state could not collect taxes for churches• This ideas spread slowly- Massachusetts constitution allowed for taxation to

support churches- Quakers and Baptists allowed to assign their taxes to support own churches not the Congregational Churches- did abolish religious taxes in 1833

• The new Nation was founded on the principles of freedom and equality• These principles did not apply to women or African Americans• Women played an important role in the war- helped at home and on the battlefield• Men away at war, some women took over running the farm• Some traveled with the armies- cooked, washed, nursed the wounded• Women served as spies and couriers- some joined the fighting- Deborah Sampson of

Massachusetts fought in the Continental Army dressed like a man used the name Robert Shurtleff- Margaret Corbin followed husband to battle, upon his death took his place at the cannon until battle ended (Molly Pitcher)

• Post war- Americans looked revolutionary thinking, women made gains• -easier to get a divorce• -greater access to education• 1779 Judith Sargent Murray wrote On the Equality of Sexes – argued women as

intelligent as men, lacked education needed to achieve more in life• Post Revolution- number of schools for women created- number of women who could

read and write increased

• Thousands of African American slaves freed as a result of the Revolution

• British seized many African Americans and shipped them to the Caribbean to work on plantations- but did free other slaves for military service

• American planters freed slaves who would fight the British• -G. Washington allowed slaves to join the Continental

Army- urged state militias to admit African Americans and offer freedom to all who served

• Roughly 5,000 African Americans served in militias and Continental Army

• Post Revolution- some thought slavery and ideals of liberty and equality did not go hand in hand

• Opposition to slavery had been growing before the Revolution- especially in the Northern and Middle States- during the war emancipation became a major issue

• Northern states began to take steps to ban slavery- Vermont 1777- 1780 Pennsylvania freed all children born enslaved at age 28- Rhode Island law in 1784 all men born thereafter would be freed at age 21, enslaved women at age 18- New York 1799 freed enslaved men born in that year or later at age 28 and women at age 25

• Ending slavery in the North was gradual- took several decades- showed slavery could be ended

• African Americans victims of discrimination even when emancipated• Got the worst jobs- digging, carrying, sweeping• Free African Americans faced voting restrictions, segregation, possibility of

kidnapping to the South to be enslaved• Freedom did offer choices- could move to cities to find jobs, also able to work in

occupations that earlier they could not- artist, minister

• Some African Americans achieved wealth and status- discrimination encouraged them to create own unique culture

• Religion important role in African American culture- own style of worship- 1816 African American church leaders formed the first independent African American denomination- African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)

• South- relied on slave labor to fuel agricultural economy• Southern leaders no interest in ending slavery• 1782 Virginia passed a law encouraging manumission- free

slaves voluntarily- especially those who fought in Revolution- about 10,000 slaves obtained freedom-most remained enslaved

• The end of the Revolution changed life drastically for Loyalists –support for British caused them to be shunned by former friends- state governments sometimes took their property

• not willing to live under new government and at times fearful for lives- Loyalists fled the U.S.

• Some went to Great Britain or British West Indies, most moved to British North America- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or near Niagara Falls- part of Quebec, 1791 made the separate colony of Upper Canada- today it is the province of Ontario

• Americans had to decide what to do with Loyalist property• North Carolina patriots took Loyalist land• New York took Loyalist land and goods • Massachusetts Constitution 1780 extended rights of life, liberty, and property to

Loyalists and gave land seized form departing Loyalists to their agents or relatives who stayed

• American Culture, victory over British united Americans and created strong nationalist feelings• -Americans in all states had battled a common enemy- soldiers from all over the nation had

fought side by side in each other’s states• -stories of Revolution and it’s heroes encouraged Americans to think of themselves as

belonging to the same group• American Painters, Revolution led to artistic creativity- John Trumbull and Charles Wilson

Peale and others- paintings contributed to American identity- Trumbull served in Continental Army, aide to Washington- best known paintings, depiction of battles and important events in Revolution- Peale fought at Trenton and Princeton, survived winter at Valley Forge, known for portraits of Washington and other Patriot leaders

• Education changes, founders of the nation saw educated public as critical to success of the new republic

• Jefferson, education keystone to the arch of government• State constitutions provided for government funded universities• 1795 University of North Carolina first state university in the nation• Elementary schools started and American centered style of teaching- taught republican ideas

and history of the struggle for independence

• Noah Webster, Connecticut teacher- Americans needed own education system based on own culture, 1783 wrote textbook A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, which included The American Spelling Book, textbook used by teachers for over 100 years- still in print today

• Webster best known for his American Dictionary of the English Language published 1828- regularized American English- underscored its differences from British English

• American leaders built a national identity separate form Great Britain – turned to creation of a government to promote ideals and beliefs that had been fought for

EQ: Why was a stronger government needed?

• Prior to independence the Continental Congress realized the need to unite the colonies under a central government

• November, 1777 Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (first constitution)

• A loose union of states under the authority of Congress• Articles of Confederation created a very weak central government• States did not wish to give up independence/power to a strong

central government that might become abusive• Under the Confederation government; once a year, each state

would choose delegates to send to the capital city- referred to as Congress was the government- no executive or judicial branches

• Congress could: declare war, raise armies, sign treaties• No power to tax and could not regulate trade• No power to tax/regulate trade, Congress depended on state governments to

fund the government• Congress could raise money by selling western lands• To sell land and bring in settlers Congress passed the Land Ordinance of 1785

to survey western lands- arranged land into townships, six miles square• Township divided into 36 sections of one mile square• 1795 Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance- set the requirements for

governing western territories- created a new territory north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River- would be divided into 3-5 states

• Congress selected a governor of the territory, secretary, and three judges• 5,000 adult white male citizens settled in the area they could elect territorial

legislature

• Population 60,000 the territory could apply for statehood• Northwest Ordinance guaranteed rights to people in the area- freedom of

religion, property rights, right to a jury trial• No slavery or involuntary servitude in the territory• Slavery excluded in the Northwest Territory- US expanded, division between

Southern slave states and Northern free states• Congress tried to promote trade- post Revolutionary War Britain cut America out

of trade with British West Indies- could trade with Britain but only goods from one state, cargo could not come from multiple states

• Representatives of Congress negotiated trade agreements with Holland, Prussia, and Sweden

• Treaty already in effect with France allowed trade with French colonies in the Caribbean

• By 1790 trade of the US greater than the trade of the colonies prior to the Revolution

• Accomplishments of Congress• Northwest Ordinance• Land Ordinance• Commercial treaties

• 1760s boycotts allowed artisans and manufacturers to fill domestic demand

• Post war, British merchants flooded American markets with cheap British goods- drove American artisans out of business

• States fought back against British trade practices- restricted British imports- states did not all impose the same taxes on imported products- British took goods to states with lower taxes or less restrictions

• British goods in US sent overland to states that attempted to keep them out

• Articles of Confederation would not let Congress to regulate trade

• States set up customs posts on borders to stop British goods from coming in

• States taxed each other’s goods to raise revenue• NY taxed firewood from Connecticut, and cabbage from NJ• NJ charged NY for a lighthouse on NJ side of the Hudson

River• Each state acted as an independent nation- threatened

unity of US• The Articles of Confederation made it difficult for Congress

to address foreign policy problems

• Problems with Britain• -before the Revolution Southern planters borrowed money

from British lenders- Treaty of Paris required the states to allow British creditors to recover debts by suing in American courts

• -Congress no power to make states comply• -many states restricted Britain’s ability to collect debts• -when British made it to American courts, judges and juries

sided with American debtors• -U.S. had also agreed states would return property to Loyalists

lost during the war• -Congress no power to force states to return property

• -Britain retaliated by refusing to evacuate forts along the American frontier as specified by the Treaty of Paris

• -British troops in forts from south of the Great Lakes into American territory

• -Congress no ability to solve foreign policy problems

• -no power to tax to make repayments- or pay for an army to force the British to leave American soil

• Problems with Spain• -after the war Spain’s support ended• -Spain saw the U.S. as a rival that wanted to claim more land in North America

that Spain claimed• -first dispute- border between Spanish Florida and Georgia• -to pressure U.S. to accept border that Spain desired- Spanish would not let

Americans deposit goods on Spanish territory at the mouth of the Mississippi River- hurt frontier farmers who used the Mississippi to ship goods to market

• -Congress had no leverage to force Spain to change policy• -only could get Spain to agree to a trade treaty, in exchange for the U.S. to

withdraw demands for navigation rights on the Mississippi River• -proposed treaty angered Southern residents- believed the Northern states had

given in on the issue to help Northern merchants increase trade with Spain

• -no Southern support- treaty could not pass• -dispute over the border of Georgia and use of

the Mississippi River were unresolved• -limited power of Congress under the Articles

of Confederation stopped a diplomatic solution to problems

• Economic Crisis• -Americans in poor financial state• -Revolutionary War ended- decline of trade with Britain- U.S.

entered a recession• -farmers hit hard by recession• -not earning as much money as they once did• -had to borrow to get money to put the next crop in the

ground• -many farmers had mortgages to pay• To pay for war states issued bonds as way to borrow money

from wealthy merchants and planters

• War over- people holding bonds wanted to be paid in gold and silver• -to pay debts states raised taxes-farmers and others in debt urged

states to issue paper money• Wanted paper money available to farmers through government

loans on farm mortgages• -paper money not backed by specie- people did not trust it- inflation

began• -debtors would be able to pay debts using paper money that lost

value- pay off debts easier• -lenders opposed the use of paper money- would not receive true

amount that they were owed• -1785 seven states issued paper money

• -Rhode Island- paper money worthless, merchants refused to accept it- mob rioted against merchants

• -assemble of Rhode Island passed a law to force the acceptance of paper money- anyone who refused was arrested and fined

• -violence in Rhode Island demonstrated two things to American leaders

• -1. a mob had forced the Rhode Island assembly to force wealthy creditors to accept worthless money

• - a government properly designed was needed, or people would use the power of government to steal from the wealthy

• -2. a strong central government was needed to take on the nation’s debt and stabilize the currency

• Shays’ Rebellion• -a rebellion in Massachusetts, 1786• -Massachusetts raised taxes instead of issuing paper money to pay of its

debts• -taxes hurt farmers- poor farmers in the western part of the state• -recession worsened, many farmers could not pay debts- not pay lost farms• -angry farmers in Western Massachusetts rebelled late August, 1786• -closed county courthouses to stop farm foreclosures• -marched to the state supreme court• Daniel Shays, former captain in the Continental Army, bankrupt farmer,

emerged as a leader of the rebellion• -Jan. 1787- Shays and 1,200 farmers headed to the state arsenal to take

weapons before marching on Boston

• Governor of Massachusetts sent a force commanded by General Benjamin Lincoln to defend the arsenal

• -before Lincoln and troops arrived Shays attacked- militia defending arsenal opened fire

• -four farmers killed- rest scattered• -Lincoln arrived the next day and rebellion ended• -fears of rebellion were present and hard to forget• -people with income and status saw the rebellion,

inflation, and unstable currency as signs the republic was at risk

• -feared state legislatures would become more democratic and responsive to the poor- weaken property rights and vote to take property from the wealthy

• -General Henry Knox- aide to G. Washington concluded “What is to afford our security against the violence of lawless men? Our government must be braced, changed, or altered to secure our lives and property”.

• -these concerns led many people, artisans, merchants, creditors, to argue for stronger central government

• -several members of Congress called for the states to correct “such defects as may be discovered to exist in the present government”

• Confederation Congress’s inability to deal with conditions that may have led to rebellion, as well as problems with trade and diplomacy led strength to the argument

EQ: Why were some in favor of a stronger government?

• Political and economic problems in 1787 concerned American leaders• Fears were that the new nation could not survive without a strong central

government• Supporters of a strong central government = nationalists• Nationalists included; B. Franklin, G. Washington, John Adams, and Robert

Morris• Most outspoken nationalist was James Madison• Madison, member of the Va. assembly, head of the state commerce

committee- knew about trade problems with other states and Britain• Saw a need for a strong national government• 1786 Madison convinced Virginia to call a convention of all states to talk

about trade issues and taxation- were to meet in Annapolis, Md. only delegates from 5 states attended- not enough to make any decisions- the delegates did discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• New York nationalist Alexander Hamilton recommended Congress call a convention

• Congress not really interested in calling a convention- Shays’ Rebellion changed their minds

• February 1787 Congress called a convention for the sole purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation

• 12 out of 13 states sent delegates (Rhode Island did not) to the Constitutional Convention

• May, 1787-Philadelphia Statehouse• Had to balance the rights of the states with the need for

stronger central government

• The Framers of the Constitution• -55 delegates in attendance• -distinguished leaders in America• -majority were lawyers• -others were planters, merchants• -experienced in colonial governments, state

government, national government• -7 had served as state governors• -39 members of Congress• -8 were signers of the Declaration of Independence

• Virginia’s G. Washington chosen as presiding officer• B. Franklin from Pennsylvania- 81- had others read his

speeches- provided assistance to younger colleagues, experience and humor helped during debate

• Alexander Hamilton from N.Y.• Roger Sherman from Connecticut• James Madison from Virginia kept a journal of the debates-

his records the best source of info about the events in the convention

• Meetings closed to the public- ensure honest and open discussion free from outside political pressure

• Virginia Plan• -Virginia delegation came with a detailed plan of

government• -Edmund Randolph introduced the plan • -a national government ought to be established,

consisting of a supreme legislature, executive, and judiciary

• -proposed getting rid of the Articles of Confederation- create a new national government with the power to make laws that the states must observe- ability to generate revenue thru taxation

• -bicameral legislature- two houses• -lower house members elected by voters in each state• -upper house members named by state government, but

elected by the lower house• -both houses, number of representatives based on the

population of the state• -large states would have greater voting power in both houses

than the small states- benefitted Virginia and Massachusetts• -Convention delegates accepted the division of government

into executive, legislative, and judicial branches- smaller states objected to representation based on population- feared larger states could outvote them

• New Jersey Plan• -William Patterson presented a counter plan• -did not do away with the Articles of Confederation-

modified them to make the central government stronger• -Congress would be unicameral- one house- Congress- each

state represented equally- it would have the power to tax and regulate commerce

• After debate on June 19, 1787 the delegates voted to proceed with the Virginia Plan

• -this vote moved past the original purpose of the Convention- to revise the Articles of Confederation

EQ: How did compromise play a role in creating the new government?

• Geographic division created conflict within the Constitutional Convention

• Small states feared a government in which larger states held the political power’

• Northern and Southern states were divided over the issue of slavery and the new constitution

• Compromise was needed in order to move forward with a new constitution

• By July 1787 it appeared the convention was going to disperse without a new constitution

• Small states demanded all states have an equal vote in Congress• Delegates from larger states threatened to walk out• A committee was formed to work on a compromise plan• Delegates who were committed to one side or the other were

not on the committee• Members were the undecided or those open to change- B.

Franklin headed the committee• Roger Sherman presented a plan which became the basis of

compromise for the committee- Connecticut Compromise or Great Compromise

• Bicameral legislature- lower house representation based on population and the upper house representation would be equal

• Voters would elect members of the House of Representatives and state legislatures would choose Senators

• Slavery and Compromise• -Franklin’s committee recommended one member of the House of

Representatives for every 40,000 people in population within a state• -this split the delegates from the North and the South• -delegates from the South wanted to count slaves in the population count =

more representatives in the House• -delegates from the North said no- slaves were considered property and

did not have the right to vote• -North- if slaves counted for representation, then they should be counted

for taxation

• Solution- 3/5ths Compromise• -five slaves = 3 free people in counting population of a state

for representation and taxation• Southerners also afraid a strong national government

would impose a tax on the export of farm products and ban the import of slaves

• Southern delegates wanted assurance that the new constitution would not interfere with the slave trade and would limit Congress’ power to regulate trade

• Northern delegates realized merchants and artisans needed a government that could control foreign imports

• Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise• -Congress could not tax exports• -Congress could not ban the slave trade until1808- or impose taxes on the

importation of slaves• Great Compromise, 3/5ths Compromise, Commerce and Slave Trade

Compromise ended most of the disputes between state delegations• The convention could focus on details of how the new government would

operate• Mid-September, 1787 the constitution was complete• 39 delegates signed the document, thought it an improvement over the

Articles of Confederation• September 20, 1787 the constitution was sent to Congress for approval• Congress sent the constitution to the states for ratification- 9 out of 13 were

needed for the Constitution to take effect

EQ: Why did some support the Constitution and why were some

opposed?• -the constitution was based on popular sovereignty-

rule by the people• -the Constitution did not create a direct democracy-

it created a representative democracy- elected officials represented the voice of the people

• -Constitution created a federal system- divided governmental power between federal (national) government and state government

-Constitution created a separation of powers between three branches of government

-Congress- two house legislature- make laws-Executive Branch- President- enforces laws made by

Congress-Judicial Branch- federal courts, interprets federal law,

renders judgment in cases involving federal law-no person may serve in more than one branch at the

same time

• Checks and Balances• -a system to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful• Each branch has ability to limit the power of the other two• President, propose legislation, appoint judges, put down

rebellions, veto or reject acts of Congress- commander in chief of the armed forces

• President may veto acts of Congress, Congress can override the veto with a 2/3rds vote in both houses of Congress- Senate can approve or reject Presidential appointments, and treaties

• Congress has the power to impeach- formally accuse a government official of misconduct, and remove from office

• Judicial Branch- hear all cases arising under federal law and the Constitution- President nominates judges, Senate must confirm or reject nominees- federal judges serve for life, leaves them independent from the executive and legislative branches

• Amending the Constitution• -framers created a clear system for amending the Constitution- the process is

difficult to prevent unneeded changes• -amendment process is two steps• 1. proposal- by 2/3rds vote of both houses of Congress, or 2/3rds of the states

can call a constitutional convention• 2. ratification- approved by 3/4ths of the state legislatures or by conventions in

3/4ths of the states• Washington on the success of the Convention- “little short of a miracle”• John Adams- “the single greatest effort of national deliberation that the world

had ever seen”

• 9 states had to ratify the Constitution before it could go into effect• Americans were divided over if the Constitution should be ratified• Debate in state legislatures, mass meetings, newspapers and daily

conversation• Supporters of ratification = federalists- emphasized the creation of a

federal system• Power divided between the central government and regional

governments• -federalists included large landowners- wanted property protected by

strong central government• -merchants and artisans supported the federalists- Confederation

Congress could not regulate trade which hurt this group- effective government could tax foreign goods to protect American business

• Farmers in coastal regions and along rivers supported the Constitution- so did farmers who shipped goods across state lines- depended on trade, tired of the different tariffs and duties imposed by states- strong central government to consistently regulate trade

• Anti-Federalists- opposed the Constitution• Not against federalism- saw a need for a national government-

issue was would state or national government be supreme• Anti-Federalists; John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry

Lee, George Clinton (governor of N.Y.), Edmund Randolph and George Mason who attended Constitutional Convention turned against the Constitution because it did not include a Bill of Rights

• Sam Adams also opposed to Constitution – thought it endangered the independence of the states

• Many western farmers were Anti-Federalists- lived far from coast were self-sufficient and did not trust the rich and powerful- many in debt and saw the Constitution as a way for wealthy creditors to get rid of paper money

• The Federalist • The Anti-Federalist campaign was negative-

Federalists presented a concrete program to meet national problems

• Anti-Federalists complained of no Bill of Rights, did not offer an alternative

• Federalist better organized- most of the newspapers supported the new Constitution

• Federalists presented a convincing case in speeches, pamphlets, and debates at state conventions

• Federalist arguments were summarized in The Federalist, a series of essays (85) written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton- used a joint pen name of Publius- published essays in New York newspapers in late 1787 and early 1788

• -essays explained how the new Constitution worked and why it was needed

• Judges, lawyers, legislators, and historians today use The Federalist to help them understand what the original Framers intended

• Ratification battle• -as state ratifying conventions started- Federalist knew they held

majorities in some states- but would be a close vote in other states• -Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York would be close• -first conventions December 1787 and January 1788- Delaware,

Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut quickly ratified the Constitution

• -Massachusetts, Anti-Federalists held the majority when the convention met in January, 1788-opponents Governor John Hancock and Sam Adams- signers of the Declaration of Independence would not support the Constitution unless Federalist guaranteed that Congress would never infringe on the liberty of the press, or rights of people to keep own arms, or subject people to unreasonable search and seizure of persons, papers or property

• Federalists promised to attach a bill of rights if the Constitution was ratified- also would support amendments that would reserve powers for the states that were not specifically granted to the federal government

• -Federalist concessions and support of artisans persuaded Sam Adams to vote for the Constitution- John Hancock and his supporters changed sides when Federalists hinted they would support him for President- in Massachusetts 187 convention members voted for and 168 voted against

• -end of June, 1788 Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire had ratified – Federalists had the minimum number of states needed to put the Constitution in effect

• Virginia and New York had not ratified• -needed these two large states in order for the new

government to succeed• -Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, George Mason

and other Anti-Federalists opposed ratification- similar arguments as Sam Adams

• -George Washington and James Madison argued for ratification to Virginia convention- Madison’s promise to add bill of rights enabled Federalists to win

• Promise of bill of rights- governor Edmund Randolph supported Constitution- did not sign Constitution at the Convention because it lacked a bill of rights

• -89 for, 79 against• New York- 2/3rds of ratifying convention members including

governor George Clinton were Anti-Federalists- Alexander Hamilton led Federalist debate- new government would not threaten liberty- Constitution was written to limit the growth of tyranny

• Federalists delayed final vote until news arrived that New Hampshire and Virginia had ratified- new government in effect- if New York refused they would be on the outside looking in

• New York City told the convention the city would secede and independently join the U.S.

• Vote 30 for, 27 against• July 1788 all states but N.C. and Rhode Island had

ratified- only needed 9 states to start the new government, mid September 1788 Confederation Congress set a timetable for the election of the new government

• March 4, 1789 was the date of the first session of the new Congress

• N.C. and Rhode Island ratified after the new government was in place

• N.C. waited until the Bill of Rights had been proposed and ratified in November 1789

• Rhode Island did not want to lose independence did not ratify until May 1790 and the vote then was 34 for, 32 against

• U.S. had new government- not sure if it would be better than the government under the Articles of Confederation- American people were confident due to G. Washington serving as first president

• Influences on the Framers• Montesquieu- Enlightenment Period- separation of powers• Adam Smith- Wealth of Nations, 1776- read by James

Madison and Alexander Hamilton• -Smith outlined the basic principles of economics- people

left alone would work for their own self-interest- guided by an invisible hand to use resources efficiently = laissez-faire economics- “to let alone” government should not interfere in the marketplace= basic principle of a market economy – government role is to ensure free competition

EQ: How does the Constitution and the Bill of Rights protect the citizens?

• Rule of law = individuals, persons, and the government shall submit to obey and be regulated by law and not arbitrary action by an individual or group- evident in stronger central government

• Preamble to the Constitution- Goals of the Government• We the People……• 1.to form a more perfect union…..• 2. establish justice……• 3. insure domestic tranquility….• 4. provide for the common defense….• 5. promote the general welfare….• 6. secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity• Power of government comes from the people

• Major principles in the Constitution1. Popular sovereignty- authority of the people- people consent to be

governed and specify the powers and rules by which they shall be governed

2. Republicanism- voters are sovereign, ultimate authority- elect representatives- representatives have the power to make laws- people are the final source of authority= limited power of government

3. Limited government- Framers limited the power of the government- restricted the government authority- Congress may pass no bills of attainder, ex post facto laws, or suspend the right to a writ of habeaus corpus- Articles 1-3 outline the structure and powers of each branch- Bill of Rights also limits government power

• 4. Federalism- states gave up some power to the national government but also kept some powers – shared powers = federalism- federal system allows people of each state to address their needs in their own way- also allows states to act together to deal with issues that affect all Americans

• -Constitution outlines three types of powers• -enumerated powers- powers stated in the Constitution- coin money,

regulate interstate and foreign trade create federal courts, declare war• -reserved powers- powers for the states- establish schools, set

marriage and divorce laws, regulate intrastate trade- reserved powers are not listed in the Constitution- 10th amendment- “ all powers not granted to the federal government nor denied to the states is reserved for the people and the states”

• -concurrent powers- shared by the state and federal government- power to tax, borrow money, provide for the public welfare, administer criminal justice

• Conflict between state and federal law is decided in a federal court- Constitution declared that it is the Supreme Law of the Land

• Article I section 8 clause 18- Congress may make all laws necessary and proper in order to carry out its stated duties- Elastic Clause, allows Congress to stretch it’s powers

• 5. Separation of Powers- 3 branches each with its own function- Executive, Legislative, Judicial

• -President nominates Judges and Senate must confirm• -citizens vote for members of Congress• -citizens indirectly vote for president and vice-president • -270 electoral votes are needed to win the office of the President• 6. Checks and Balances- each branch can check (limit) the power of the other two-

veto, override veto, nominate judges, confirm judges, declare actions of the president and laws of congress unconstitutional

• 7. Individual Rights- 1791 first ten amendments were ratified to protect basic rights of the citizens from http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa35.htmthe government = The Bill of Rights

• 1. 5 basic freedoms- speech, religion (separation of church and state, establishment clause), press, assembly, petition

• Freedom of the Press- John Peter Zenger Trial 1735• -Zenger published the New York Weekly Journal, criticized the Governor of New York William

Cosby- Cosby ordered Zenger arrested for printing libel- jury engaged in jury nullification- obvious he was guilty but the jury thought the law was wrong and refused to convict- set the stage for freedom of the press

• 2. right to bear arms in a state militia• 3. no quartering of soldiers during peacetime without the consent of the owner• 4. no unreasonable searches and seizures• 5. can not be arrested and held for capital or serious crime with an indictment by a grand jury,

bans double jeopardy, right not to self-incriminate- may not be denied life, liberty, or property without due process of law

• 6. right to a speedy public trial with a jury of peers in a criminal case- legal counsel is required even if the defendant can not afford one

• 7. right to a jury trial in a civil case• 8. bans excessive fines, bails, and punishments, forbids cruel and

unusual punishment• 9. citizens have rights which are not listed• 10. powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,

nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved for the people and the states

• 12. changed the method of electing the president and vice-president- Electoral College will vote separately for president and vice-president

• 13. bans slavery and involuntary servitude• 14. all people born and naturalized in the U.S. are citizens (former

slaves now are citizens)- all citizens are entitled to equal protection under the law

• 15. no person may be denied the right to vote on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude

-Article One-created the legislative branch-two house legislature-Senate to represent the States and the House to represent the people-office requirements- Representative- minimum age 25, 7 years a citizen, citizen of the

state they represent- term of office 2 years-Senator- minimum age 30, 9 years a citizen, citizen of the state – term of office 6 years-make laws-coin money-declare war-regulate foreign and interstate trade-naturalization-admit new states

-establish post office-provide and maintain Navy-appropriate funds- (House)-House will decide President if no electoral majoritySenate will decide V.P. if no electoral majoritySenate must approve treaties with a 2/3rds majoritySenate must confirm presidential appointees- department heads,

ambassadors, federal judgesThe House of Representatives can bring formal charges of wrong doing

or misconduct- high crimes and misdemeanors- trial- Senate is jury- 2/3rds vote needed for guilty verdict and removal from office

-no titles of nobility

• Article Two the Executive Branch• -president, vice-president, executive offices, executive departments, executive agencies- enforce

or carry out the law• -President’s Roles• -chief executive, carry out laws• -chief diplomat, president directs foreign policy, appoints ambassadors, negotiates treaties with

other nations• -commander in chief- chief of armed forces, give orders to the military and direct operations- can

not declare war- Congress holds power to declare war- president can send troops overseas for up to 60 days but must notify Congress- troops can stay longer with Congressional approval

• -chief of state- symbolic leader of all Americans, greet foreign ambassadors or leaders, visit foreign nations, honor Americans

• -legislative leader- propose laws, worked to get them passed by Congress, annual State of the Union Address, present goals for legislation in upcoming year

• President’s cabinet is made up of the heads of 15 executive departments- cabinet advises president

• Qualifications: U.S. citizen by birth, minimum age 33, resident of U.S. for 14 years• Term- 2 four year terms not to exceed 10 years

• Article III- Judicial Branch• -created the Supreme Court and inferior courts as Congress may establish• -three categories of courts• 1. District Court- original jurisdiction in criminal and civil cases under federal

law- kidnapping, federal tax evasion, claims against federal government, cases involving constitutional rights- 91 District Courts at least one in each state

• 2. Appellate Courts- hear appeals from District Courts when a review of the case is requested, usually due to a trial being unfair- verdict may be overturned, or a retrial may be ordered- 14 Court of Appeals-one for each of 12 federal districts- one military appeals court and an appellate court for the federal circuit

• 3. Supreme Court- final authority in federal court system- one chief justice and 8 associate justices- hears cases on appeal from lower courts- cases involving foreign ambassadors or disputes between states the Supreme Court would have original jurisdiction

• President appoints Supreme Court justices/federal judges for life- Senate must confirm appointments

• -Framers hope to avoid judges being pressured by citizens when making decisions

• Judicial Review- power of the judicial branch to interpret laws, not clearly defined in the Constitution- 1803 Chief Justice John Marshall made the Judicial Branch and the Supreme Court the most powerful branch of government by striking down Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789

• Rights of Citizens• -three categories of rights• 1. protection from unfair actions- Constitution and Bill of

Rights protect citizens from unfair actions by the government or the law- right to a lawyer, right to a trial by jury, protection from unreasonable search and seizure

• 2. equal treatment- all Americans, regardless of race, religion, political beliefs have the right to equal treatment under the law- cannot be denied life, liberty, or property without due process of law (government must follow procedures established by law and guaranteed by the Constitution- also entitled to equal protection of the law

• 3. basic freedoms- First Amendment- speech, religion, press, assembly, petition

• Democracy, power rests with the people- in a democratic society citizens must be able to exchange ideas freely- may criticize the government in speech, press without fear of punishment

• -rights of Americans are not limited by those listed in the Constitution- able to assert other basic rights over time and upheld in court or granted by amending the Constitution

• Limits on rights- rights are limited, must respect everyone’s rights equally- permit may be required to march or assemble- protect community so the march does not endanger others- government balances individual rights with rights of others and the community

• -most accept limits on rights to gain protection (Locke’s social contract) as long as restrictions are reasonable

• Americans have duties and responsibilities- ensures good government and protects rights

• Duties• -obey the law- laws three functions, 1. maintain order, 2. protect health, safety,

and property of citizens, 3. make it possible for people to live together peacefully

• -pay taxes- tax monies used to provide services, roads, bridges, assist needy people- Americans benefit from government services

• -defend the nation- males upon reaching age 18 must register with the selective service- if the nation needs to it may call males up for military service (draft)

• -jury duty- right to trial by jury- people must serve jury duty upon reaching age 18, large group of jurors on hand guarantees the right to a fair and speedy trial- may have to serve as a witness if called

• Attend school- (state requirement) most until age 16 = compulsory education- gain knowledge and skills needed to a good citizen

• Responsibilities- should do, not required by law• -important for society and the government• -be well informed, know what is happening- express thoughts, makes

government responsive to the people- know rights in order to preserve them• -accept responsibility for your actions, support your family• -enjoy rights but respect the rights of others-even if you disagree with them-

respect and accept others regardless of race, religion, beliefs, or other differences is essential to a democracy

• -vote- most important responsibility- reach age 18, register to vote- allows you to participate in government and guide its direction

• -voting = exercising self-government- disapprove of representatives actions, you must act and elect new people in the next election- contact representatives and let them know your thoughts, letters, telephone calls, petitions, take part in public meetings or political rallies