Chapter 5 (13th) Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution 1. Conquest by the Cradle 1. In 1775, there were 32 British colonies in North America. 1. Only 13 of these colonies revolted in the American Revolution. 2. Canada and Jamaica were wealthier than the original 13. 3. All of the colonies were growing like weeds. 2. In 1775, there were 2.5 million people in the 13 colonies. 3. Their average age was about 16 (due mainly to having several children). 4. The vast majority (95%) of the Americans were crammed east of the Allegheny Mountains. By 1775, a few had settled in Tennessee and Kentucky. 5. 90% of the Americans lived in rural areas and were therefore mostly farmers. 2. A Mingling of the Races 1. Colonial America was mostly English by origin, but other ethnicities were also present. 2. Germans made up 6% of the population (150,000 in number by 1775). 1. The Germans were mostly Protestant (usually Lutheran). 2. They were called Pennsylvania Dutcha perversion of Deutsch or German. 3. Scots-Irish made up 7% of the population (175,000 in number). 1. Back across the ocean, these strong-willed folks had been transplanted into Northern Ireland. But, they banged heads with the Catholic Irish there and never felt at home. So, they emigrated to America. 2. They typically moved inland in America up to the Appalachian foothills. They squatted on the land and bickered with Indians and whites over ownership. 3. The Paxton Boys led a march/revolt in 1764. Like Nathaniel Bacon of 100 years prior, they were frustrated over not being able to get land. 4. The Scots-Irish were a hot-headed, but hardy people. 5. When the War for Independence began, many became revolutionaries. 4. 5% were from various European ethnicities: French Huguenots, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish, the Swiss, or Scots-Highlanders. 1. Even early on, the Americans were taking on a mosaic of races and ethnicities. Therefore, other nations had a hard time pinning down exactly what it meant to be an American. 3. The Structure of the Colonial Society 1. Unlike Europe, where the classes were locked, America was a land of opportunity. 1. Hard work might see anyone rise from rags to riches. 2. Despite opportunity in America, class differences did emerge with wealthy planter-farmers, clergymen, government officials, and merchants wielding most of the authority. 2. Wars brought more riches to merchants. 1. As well as creating riches, these wars created widows and orphans who eventually turned to charity for support. 3. In the South, a firm social pyramid emerged containing 1. The immensely rich plantation owners (planters) had many slaves (though these were few). 2. Yeoman farmers, or small farmers, owned their land and, maybe, a few slaves. 3. Landless whites who owned no land and either worked for a landowner or rented land to farm. 4. Indentured servants of America were the paupers and the criminals sent to the New World. Some of them were actually unfortunate victims of Britains unfair laws and did become respectable citizens. This group was dwindling though by the 1700s, thanks to Bacons Rebellion and the move away from indentured servant labor and toward slavery.

5. Black slaves were at the bottom of the social ladder with no rights or hopes up moving up or even gaining freedom. Slavery became a divisive issue because some colonies didnt want slaves while others needed them, and therefore vetoed any bill banning the importation of slaves. 4. Clerics, Physicians, and Jurists 1. The clergy (or priests) were the most respected group in colonial days. They had less power in 1775 than in earlier days, but still held high esteem. 2. Physicians (or doctors) were usually not looked upon with much respect. Many were little more than witch-doctors as the science of the day was little or nothing. 1. A favorite treatment was bleedingthought to let out the bad blood. 2. Plagues were common and deadly. 1. Smallpox struck 1 in 5 people (including George Washington) even though a basic inoculation had been formed in 1721. 2. The clergy and doctors sometimes chose to not intervene with smallpox treatmentto do so would be to intervene in Gods will. 3. Lawyers were looked upon with scornas being hucksters or scoundrels. 1. Criminals often would represent themselves in court rather than get a lawyer. 2. As the revolution neared, the usefulness of lawyers to get things done started to become apparent. 5. Workaday America This content copyright 2010 by WikiNotes.wikidot.com 1. Agriculture was the dominant industry, by far, in colonial America. 1. In the Chesapeake of Maryland and Virginia, tobacco was the staple. 2. In the Middle Colonies (bread colonies), wheat was the staple. New York exported 80,000 barrels of flour annually. 2. Fishing (and whaling) was prosperous, especially in New England. The Grand Banks off Newfoundland had immense numbers of cod. 3. Trade began to flourish. 1. Yankee merchants were active and known as hard dealers. 2. The Triangular Trade was in operation. In it, a ship would depart (1) New England with rum and go to the (2) west coast of Africa and trade the rum for African slaves. Then, it would go to (3) the West Indies and exchange the slaves for molasses (for rum), which itd sell to New England once it returned there. 4. Manufacturing was not as important. There were a wide variety of small enterprises though. 1. Good laborers were hard to find and prized once they were found. 2. Lumbering was probably the top manufacturing industry. 3. Naval stores, (or turpentine, pine tar, and pitch) were used to build and repair the British navy. The British crown sometimes reserved the best American trees to be used as British mastseven though there were countless other trees, this bothered the Americans. 5. The Molasses Act, 1733, a tax on West Indies molasses was a shock to Americans. This wouldve undercut the prosperity of the Triangular Trade (rum being made from molasses). 1. Americans turned to bribes smuggling to work around the act. So, the Molasses Act wasnt a big problem after all. 6. However, it did foreshadow more taxes and more troubles to come, later in the 1760s. 6. Horsepower and Sailpower 1. Roads were scarce and pitifully poor. Until the 1700s, they didnt even connect major cities. Thus, travel was sluggish. 1. Roads were dust bowls in the summer and mud bogs in the winter. 2. For example, it took Ben Franklin 9 days to go from Boston to Philadelphia while traveling by sailboat, rowboat, and foot. 2. Travel by water, either along the coast or via rivers, was common and useful. 3. Taverns sprang up along roadways and any intersections. They served multiple uses: inns for a nights sleep, places to hear news/gossip from out-of-town, and a place to get a refreshing beverage, of course.

4. A crude mail system emerged. The mail traveled slowly, and sometimes was read by bored or curious letter carriers. 7. Dominant Denominations 1. In 1775, there were 2 established churches or churches that received tax money: the Anglican and the Congregational. Surprisingly, a large portion of Americans didnt worship in a church, however. 2. The Anglican Church (the Church of England) became the official faith in Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, and part of New York. 1. The Anglican brand of religion was more worldly than Puritanical New England. 2. Sermons were shorter and hellfire was less hot. 3. The College of William and Mary was founded to train clergy in 1693. 4. Anglicans did not have an American bishop to ordain the American clergymen. The idea of starting an American bishopric was violently opposed by nonAnglicans as the Revolution drew close. 3. The Congregational Church grew out of the Puritan church. It was established in each New England colony except Rhode Island. 1. Presbyterianism, a kin of Congregationalism, was common but never an official religion. 2. Religion, which used to be the burning issue in New England, was beginning to take a backseat to politics. 8. The Great Awakening 1. As religious passion began to decline and new, liberal ideas began to water down old time religion, many felt it was time for a revivalthe Great Awakening. This was Americas 1st big religious movement. It tried to bring the people back to fundamental Christianity and save souls. 2. Jonathan Edwards was a leading preacher. 1. He said salvation comes not through good works, but through Gods grace (what you dont earn). 2. He painted vivid pictures of hell. His most famous sermon was Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God and preached that hell was paved with the skulls of unbaptized children. 3. George Whitefield was another great preacher during the Awakening. 1. Whitefield was an amazing speakerhe brought people to tears, cheers, convulsions, and to the offering plates. 2. His style of preaching was to strike the emotions, to hit em in the heart, rather than in the head so to speak. 3. His goal was to strike at sinners, have them repent (ask forgiveness), and turn their faith to Christ. 4. These preachers were called the New Lights. The Old Lights (Anglicans, and traditional Congregationalists and Presbyterians) didnt like the drama in this style. 1. The Baptist faith grew in numbers, however, as they embraced the New Light style of preaching. 2. New Light universities sprang up: Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, and Dartmouth. 3. New Lights encouraged a new wave of missionary work amongst the Indians. 5. The Great Awakening was Americas first mass movement. It brought Americans together largely without regard to class and united them with a common history and experience. 9. Schools and Colleges 1. New England placed the most value on education. This was the case since colleges trained the clergymen. 1. In the other colonies, time was spent farming and working, not wasted on schooling. 2. Still, there were fairly good elementary and secondary schools in all of the colonies. These schools were for the rich, and mostly for boys. 2. The topics of study: the classics (Greek and Latin) and religion. Reason was out, dogma was in.

3. The mood at school was serious and somber. Discipline was fast and harsh. 4. The influences of the church was considerable, but waning 1. In New England, the top priority of colleges was still to train men for the ministry. 2. By 1750, there was a movement from dead to live languages. 3. Ben Franklin helped start the University of Pennsylvania, the first nondenominational university. 10.Provincial Culture 1. Work and worry (farming and fear of Indians) left little time for recreation. What little time was leftover, was spent on religion, not wasted on arts and literature. 2. Painting was looked upon as a waste of time. 1. John Trumbull was discouraged in painting by his father. He still went to Europe to be trained in art. 2. Charles Willson Peale became best-known for portraits of George Washington. He also was curator of a museum, a taxidermist of birds, and a dentist. 3. Benjamin West and John Singleton Copley traveled to Europe where artists were respected and could make a living (unlike in America). 3. Architecture in America was (a) transplanted from Europe and (b) focused on the practical rather than stylish. 1. The log cabin (from Sweden) was simple, frontier-friendly, cheap, and cozy. 2. The Georgian style began around 1720 and became popular in towns with its red brickssolid and well insulated. 4. Colonial literature was sparse. Americans wasted little time writing and focused on working. 1. Phillis Wheatleys poetry was notable. She was a slave girl with no formal education. But, she did travel to England and get a book of poetry published. These accomplishments were amazing considering her many obstacles. 2. Ben Franklin's Poor Richards Almanack was immensely popularread more than anything except the Bible. It tells something about Americansthey frowned on literature but loved the practical sayings and advice of an almanac. 1. Franklins exploits with experiments (like the kite flying incident) and his acute observations helped further the budding sciences. 11.Pioneer Presses 1. Reading wasnt common in colonial Americabooks were too expensive, thus, libraries were scarce. 2. Pamphlets were more common. As the revolution drew near, printers hand-cranked pamphlets. These were popular ways to keep on top of current events. 3. John Peter Zenger was a printer in New York. 1. He printed unflattering things about the governor of New York. Zenger was arrested for seditious libel. 2. But, his lawyer Alexander Hamilton argued, what hed printed was true, and therefore, not libel. 3. Zenger won, but more importantly, it was a landmark case for the freedom of the press. 12.The Great Game of Politics 1. By 1775, eight colonies had royal governors whod been appointed by the king. Three colonies had governors selected by proprietors. 2. Nearly each colony had a two-house legislature. 1. The upper house was chosen by either royal officials or by the colonys proprietor. 2. The lower house was filled by election by the people. 3. Most governors were effective. 1. A few were corrupt. One Lord Cornbury, Queen Annes cousin, was named the New York and New Jersey governor. He was a drunkard, spendthrift, grafter, embezzler, religious bigot, and cross-dressing fool. 4. The right to vote was expanding.

1. It was still limited to white males only, but to more white males. 2. But, the land requirement was gone. Land was so plentiful that it didnt really limit voters anyway. 13.Colonial Folkways 1. Life for most Americans was tough, with few comforts. 1. Churches had no heat (no fireplace). 2. Homes didnt have running water or indoor plumbing (wells and outhouses were used). 3. There was no garbage disposal system. 2. Still, Americans werent without amusements. 1. Work and play mixed during house or barn-raisings, quilting bees, husking bees, flaxing bees, apple parings, and the like. 2. Southerners enjoyed stage plays, card playing, horse racing, cockfighting, and fox hunting. 3. Lotteries were accepted, even by the clergy, because they were used to raise money for the church or colleges. 4. Holidays were celebrated across the colonies. New Englanders frowned on Christmas, however, as being too aligned with the Pope. 14.Makers of America: The Scots-Irish 1. The Scots had a hard time back in Britain. They were poor but heavily taxed by the English. This added to a long list of reasons the Scots disliked the English. 2. Fed up, the Scots moved to Ulster, in Ireland. But, the Irish didnt want the Scots there either. So, the Scots packed up and moved to America. 3. As if they wanted to distance themselves from Britain as far as possible, the Scots moved into and spread along the Appalachian piedmont region. 1. Pennsylvania was a hot spot since tolerance was high there. 4. The Scots-Irish were tough, independent, ruddy peopleperfect for frontier life, blazing new lands, and building America out of the forests. 5. Though independent-minded, religion tied the Scots-Irish together. They were Protestant, usually of the Presbyterian denomination. 6. Their disdain for England also bonded them. This fact became of great use when the Revolution broke out. The Scots-Irish were passionately against England and for independence. Chapter 6 (13th) The Duel for North America 1. France Finds a Foothold in Canada 1. France got a late start in colonizing America (like England and Holland). 1. French were tardy due because during the 16th century they suffered foreign wars and issues at home. 1. To help ease Catholic-Protestant feuding, the Edict of Nantes (1598) was issued. It granted religious toleration to theHuguenots (French Protestants). 2. King Louis XIV took an active interest in Frances lands overseashe wanted more. 3. So, the French landed in the St. Lawrence River in what is todays Quebec. 1. Samuel de Champlain was the leader of the expedition and Father of New France. 2. Champlain was on good terms with the local Huron Indians. He helped the Huron defeat their enemy, the Iroquois. 3. His alliance with the Huron would become a problem later with the British in the French and Indian War. 4. New France didnt have loads of immigrants (as did New England). 1. The French peasants were too poor to get themselves across the ocean. 2. The Huguenots were not permitted to emigrate.

2. New France Fans Out 1. New France was built on the beaver skin trade. 1. Young beaver trappers (coureurs de bois or runners of the woods) paddled canoes into trapping lands, worked with the Indians, and hauled out their beaver skins for sale. 1. They were also known as voyageurs. 2. Place-names were left behind like Baton Rouge (red stick), Terre Haute (high land), Des Moines (the monks), and Grand Teton (big breast). 3. Their Indian friends were decimated by the whites diseases. 4. The beaver population eventually began to run thin. 2. Catholic missionaries tried to convert Indians to Christianity. 3. New France grew. 1. Detroit (the City of Straits) was founded in 1701 by Antoine Cadillac to help fend off the English from moving into the Ohio Valley. 2. Louisiana was founded by Robert de La Salle in 1682. It reached from the headwaters of the Mississippi River down to the Gulf of Mexico. 3. The fertile lands of Illinois were New Frances breadbasket. There they had forts and trading posts at Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes. 3. The Clash of Empires 1. England got into some mini-wars in the 1700s with various other nations. Bottom line: it was England vs. France/Spain; England won. 1. King Williams War and Queen Annes War 1. The French coureurs de bois and the British colonists. Both sides recruited Indian allies. 2. Both sides agreed that America wasn't worth risking regular troops. 3. Pro-France Indians ransacked Schenectady, New York, and Deerfield, Mass. 4. The British failed to take Quebec and Montreal, but did temporarily seize Port Royal. 5. The English won the war and a peace treaty was signed at Utrecht (1713) 1. It gave the British Acadia (renamed as Nova Scotia), Newfoundland, and Hudson Bay. 2. It pinned the French down to the settlements along the St. Lawrence River. 3. It gave the British trading rights with Spanish Florida. 2. The War of Jenkinss Ear 1. A Spanish commander cut off an English Captain Jenkins' ear. 2. The war was small and played out in the Caribbean and the buffer colony of Georgia. 3. It merged with the larger War of Austrian Succession and became known as King George's War. 4. The British invaded Ft. Louisbourg (guarding the entrance to New France) and took it. 5. The peace treaty gave Louisbourg back to the French. The English were outraged. 4. George Washington Inaugurates War with France 1. The British, French, and Spanish were in mini-wars, on and off. The Ohio Valley would be the battleground (and prize) for the decisive war (the French and Indian War). 1. The land was sandwiched between British and French colonies. Where's the border? was the question. 2. The land was very fertile and therefore very valuable. 2. The French set out to lay claim to the Ohio Valley by building Ft. Duqeusne (at today's Pittsburgh). 1. In response to the fort, the British sent 21 year old Major George Washington and troops.

2. Washington got into a skirmish, built Ft. Necessity, fought guerilla-style, and was forced to surrender after 10 hours. 3. Back in Nova Scotia, the British evicted the French Acadians. They migrated as far south as New Orleans and became known as the "Cajuns." 4. After a wrist-slapping, he was allowed to march away. But, the French and Indian War had begun. 5. Global War and Colonial Disunity 1. Though the players were the same, the French and Indian War was different from the othersit'd begun in America. 2. The French and Indian War was called the Seven Years' War back in Europe. 1. In America, it was England/American colonists/some Indian tribes vs. France/French colonists/more Indian tribes. 2. The belligerents were England/America/Prussia vs. France/Spain/Austria/Russia. 3. Frederick the Great of Prussia (Germany), though outnumbered, held off the French, Austrian, and Russian armies. 3. Many Americans sought strength in unity. To unite or not was a hot topic however. 1. 7 of the 13 colonies met (1754) at the Albany Congress in Albany, NY. 2. There, Ben Franklin led the delegates toward unity. 1. His famous "Join or Die" cartoon of a disjointed snake (symbolizing the colonies) illustrated his point. 2. His plan eventually failed though, because the colonies were reluctant to give up their sovereignty or power. Still, it was a big step toward unityone that'd be repeated later on. 6. Braddock's Blundering and Its Aftermath 1. After Washington's failure, the British sent Gen. Edward Braddock to roust out the French at Ft. Duquesne. 1. Braddock's men were ambushed en route to the battle and nearly wiped out. Braddock himself was killed. Only Washington's men using "Indian tactics" (guerilla fighting) prevented a total catastrophe. 2. Clearly, a new style of fighting was needed in America (not the European style of fighting in an open field with lines of troops). 2. A rash of Indian uprisings spread across America from frontier Pennsylvania to North Carolina. Rewards were offered to whites for Indian scalps. 3. British defeats mounted as they tried unsuccessfully to take wilderness posts. 7. Pitts Palms of Victory This content copyright 2010 by WikiNotes.wikidot.com 1. Just as things were going terribly for the British, a strong leader stepped up in William Pitt, the "Great Commoner" who became the "Organizer of Victory." 2. Pitt made some changes in the war 1. He took the focus off of the French West Indies (this sapped British resources). 2. He put the focus on Quebec and Montreal (since they controlled the supply routes into New France). 3. He replaced old, cautious officers with young, daring officers. 3. Pitt's plan worked. 1. Ft. Louisbourg fell in 1758. This was like cutting the root and letting the vine wither because all French supplies funneled past Louisbourg. 2. James Wolfe, handsome at 32 years old, scored a major victory at the Battle of Quebec. 1. Quebec was considered impenetrable with its bluffs. But, Wolfe's men snuck up the cliffs, then surprised and defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham. Both Wolfe and his French counterpart Marquis de Montcalm were killed in the battle. 2. The Battle of Quebec was a red letter event in British and American history. 3. After Montreal fell to the British in 1760, it was all but over. 4. The Treaty of Paris, 1763 was a crushing defeat for France and victory for Britain.

1. France was kicked out of North America completely. This meant Britain got Canada and the land all the way to the Mississippi River. 2. France was allowed to keep sugar plantations in the West Indies and 2 islands in the St. Lawrence for fishing purposes. 3. France was forced to give the Louisiana (including New Orleans) territory to Spain. 8. Restless Colonists 1. These wars and victories had effects 1. The British & colonists were confident after their victories. 2. The notion that British regulars were invincible was shattered (Ie. Braddock's loss). 3. Friction emerged between the uppity British and colonial "boors." This foreshadowed trouble. 1. The British wouldn't recognize any American above the rank of captain. 2. Americans thought of themselves as equals to British. 4. The Brits distrusted the Americans. Some Americans had traded with enemy ports in the West Indies; this had prompted Britain to forbid New England exports. 5. Other Americans didn't want to fight, but wanted full British privileges. They only fought when Pitt offered reimbursement. 6. One major benefit of the war was the realization of much in common. The colonies had been reluctant to unite, but now were surprise to realize that they shared things: language, traditions, and ideals. The colonies were bonding. 9. Wars Fateful Aftermath 1. With the war over, American colonists roamed freewithout worry of France, and to a large degree, of England. 1. The French took solace in their loss by figuring, "If we lost a great empire, maybe England will one day lose theirs." 2. Spain was also crippled. Florida had been a headache because of Indian troubles and runaway slaves, but Spain had been defeated. England was now in control. 2. The Indians recognized their weakened position. 1. Ottawa chief Pontiac led a violent uprising in the Ohio valley. 2. He had some success initially, but the British were ruthless and destroyed his people. One infamous tactic was to give the Indians blankets laced with smallpox. 3. This opened the trans-Appalachians to the English. Daniel Boone trekked across the mountains and led settlers into Tennessee and Kentucky. 4. London suddenly issued the Proclamation Line of 1763. 1. This line was the Appalachian Mountains. 2. It said whites were not permitted to cross and settle west of the Appalachian Mountains; that was Indian land. 3. The purpose of the proclamation was to resolve the Indian issue with the "out-of-bounds" line. But, the colonists cried foul asking, "Didn't we just fight a war to win this land?!" 4. In 1765, 1,000 wagons left Salisbury, NC to head "up west" despite the proclamation. 5. The British, puffed up with victory, were becoming annoyed at the unruly and unappreciative Americans. Trouble was brewing. 10.Makers of America: The French 1. King Louis XIV dreamed of a French Empire in North America. Losses in 1713 and especially in 1763 ended that dream. 2. The Acadians were some of the first French to be rooted out of their homes. 1. These folks were from Acadia, the place that was changed to Nova Scotia. 2. The British had demanded allegiance to Britain, or leave. The Acadians left. 3. The scattered but largely went down to the bayous around New Orleans. They brought/developed a unique culture that came to be called the "Cajuns"

They brought Roman Catholicism with them. They raised sugar cane and sweet potatoes. They spoke a French dialect. They began to intermarry with the Spanish, French, and Germans. The Cajun culture is a mix of a lot of cultures thrown together in a mixing pot and stirred together. 6. The Cajuns were very isolated until the 1930s. Gov. Huey Long started building bridges that linked up the bayous and the people. 3. After the French and Indian War (1763) Quebec citizens began emigrating to New England. Their motivation was lack of food in Quebec. 1. These folks hoped to return to Canada. 2. They kept their religion (Catholicism) and their language (French). 3. Even still, English is spoken today by the Cajuns and French-Canadians in America. 4. Quebec remains today as the strongest testament of France in North America. 1. The French language is on road signs, in classrooms, courts, and markets. Chapter 7 (13th) The Road to Revolution 1. The Deep Roots of Revolution 1. It could be said that the American Revolution started long before 1775back to when colonists first came to America. They essentially revolted from England and moved to America. 2. And, those American colonists were growing independent. 1. Crossing the ocean took 6 to 8 weeks, one way. 2. The Americans felt separated from England; they felt as though they were the cutting edge of the British Empire. 3. The Americans were developing their own brand of politics. 1. The Americans were embracing republicanism, that is a society where citizens elect representatives to govern for them. 2. The "radical Whigs" of England influenced American thinking. They criticized how the king would appoint relatives to positions, accept bribes, or such corruption. These were a threat to liberty. 2. Mercantilism and Colonial Grievances 1. The British colonies began haphazardly by various groups. Only Georgia was started by the British government. 2. Still, Britain had an overall economic ideology in the form of mercantilism. 1. In mercantilism, a nation's wealth and power is measured by its treasury of gold or silver. 2. Thus, gold was sought after either by (a) finding or digging it, (b) stealing or winning it, or (c) earning it by exporting more than importing (by obtaining a "favorable balance of trade"). 1. A favorable balance of trade was easier if a country had colonies. The colonies supplied raw materials to the mother country and also buy the finished products. 2. This setup meant America was being used for England's benefit in the form of ships, naval stores, lumber, tobacco, sugar, etc. 3. Mercantilism placed restrictions on economic activity. 1. The Navigation Laws, first passed in 1650, set rules to carry out mercantilist ideas. 1. These laws said American goods could only be shipped on British ships (the Americans would rather go with thecheapest shipper, like the Dutch).

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2. These laws said goods heading from Europe to America had to stop in England first to pay duties. This jacked up the price for the Americans. 3. Enumerated goods could only be shipped to England (Americans wanted to ship to the highest bidder). 2. To ensure British monopoly in certain areas, Americans were restricted in what they could produce (wool and beaver hats were off limits). 3. The Americans' hard money was constantly being funneled to England. Many turned to barter instead. Eventually the colonies printed paper money which quickly became worthless. 4. The Privy Council in Britain could void American laws. Although it was ruled rather sparingly (only 469 times out of 8,563 laws), the principle bothered the Americans. 3. The Merits and Menace of Mercantilism 1. The merits of mercantilism 1. The Navigation Laws were despised by Americans but weren't enforced (until 1763). This non-enforcement was called "salutary neglect" and effectively let the Americans do their own thing for a century. 1. Salutary neglect was the result of wide geography, British apathy, and American smuggling. John Hancock made a fortune and was called the "King of Smugglers." 2. Tobacco merchants were restricted to selling within the British Empire, but they did have a monopoly there. 3. The Americans enjoyed the free protection of the powerful British Army and Navy. 2. The menace of mercantilism 1. Mercantilism hindered America's economic growth. Worse, it was to keep America in a state perpetually subordinate to England. 2. The Americans felt exploited and humiliated by the system, unable to come of age as a people. 3. Teddy Roosevelt later commented that revolution broke out because Britain failed to recognize an emerging nation when it saw one. 4. The Stamp Tax Uproar 1. In 1763, with the Seven Years' War over (French and Indian War), Britain had the largest debt in the world. 1/2 of the debt came via the wars in America. 2. By 1763, the stage was set for a change in BritishAmerican relations. For America, the good ol' days were over and a laundry-list of acts and events were to follow 1. Prime Minister George Grenville suggested enforcement of the much-ignored Navigation Acts. 2. Parliament passed the Sugar Act (1764), a tax on sugar. This was the first tax on Americans for raising revenue. Americans protested, the tax was lowered, and things calmed. 3. The Quartering Act (1765) required colonists to provide food and quarter for British troops. This law was detested. 4. Also in 1765, the Stamp Act was passed. This caused something of a firestorm of protest. 1. The act's stated purpose was to raise money to support a new military force to protect the colonies. Grenville considered the tax fair Americans would be paying for their own protection. Brits were paying twice as much for a similar tax, the Americans could also ante up. 2. This act required using either stamped paper or affixing a stamp that showed payment of the tax. 1. The stamp was required on nearly everything on paper, from legal documents down to newspapers and playing cards.

2. Many questioned why a large military was even needed sincethe enemy (French) had just been ousted. Unless, of course, the purpose of the military was to lord over the colonists. 3. To a large degree, it was the principle of these acts that irked the colonists, more so than the acts themselves. 1. Local government/rule seemed under attack. 2. The Sugar and Stamp Acts would be tried in admiralty courts (courts set up and run by England). In these courts, defendants were guilty until proven innocent and there were no trials by a jury of peers. 3. The notion of "taxation without representation" arose. 1. Grenville dismissed "taxation without representation" and said the colonists actually were represented via "virtual representation," figuring Parliament represents the British Empire, to which America is a member, and therefore America is represented in Parliament. 2. The Americans weren't convinced by this "U-turn logic." 5. Forced Repeal the Stamp Act This content copyright 2010 by WikiNotes.wikidot.com 1. Protest against the Stamp Act got organized. A Stamp Act Congress was called and convened in New York City to plan objection to the act. 1. 9 of the 13 colonies met. Americans were slowly uniting (only 7 of 13 colonies had met at the Albany Congress during the French and Indian War). 2. Protest could be divided into 2 types, informal and formal 1. Informal protest took place in the streets. 1. Colonists boycotted British goods, either going without or making their own. 2. The Sons and Daughters of Liberty showed their disapproval of tax collectors by tarring-and-feathering them, riding them out of town on a rail, stoning and burning effigies (dummies) of the tax collectors, and sometimes ransacked officials' homes. 2. Formal protest was less dramatic and used pen-and-paper. 1. Non-importation agreements were signed by many Americans as pledges to boycott British goods. 2. The Stamp Act Congress also wrote Parliament, listed a "Declaration of Rights and Grievances" (foreshadowing the Declaration of Independence), and called for repeal of the Stamp Act. 3. When the act was set to go into effect, there were no tax collectors to carry it out. Americans never paid one cent under the Stamp Act. 2. The opposition led Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act (1766). 1. American colonists cheered; they even erected a leaden statue of George III in New York City. 2. But, Parliament also issued the Declatory Act (1766) declaring that London still ruled over the American colonies and could "bind" the colonies "in all cases whatsoever." This was foreshadowing more acts, and conflict, to come. 6. The Townshend Tea Tax and the Boston Massacre 1. "Champagne Charley" Townshend initiated and got the passage of the Townshend Acts (1767) which taxed paper, lead, paint, and tea. 2. These were "indirect taxes", unlike the "direct" Stamp Act (meaning the tax was hidden in the price of the good, not paid directly to the government). 3. Despite being a hidden tax, it was the principle that bothered the colonists. They protested again, but with less passion since (a) the tax was small, (b) it was indeed hidden, and (c) smugglers found ways around it.

4. A bit jumpy, the British took action against protest. 1. In 1767, the New York legislature was suspended for failing to comply with the Quartering Act. 2. British troops were sent to Boston to keep order and enforce British laws. 1. On March 5, 1770, the Boston Massacre occurred. A colonial crowd of about 60 were milling about and taunting/threatening about 10 British redcoats. Things escalated until the British soldiers opened fire, killing or wounding 11 Americans. 1. Crispus Attucks was one of the first to die. He was a black man and former slave. He became a symbol and rallying cry for freedom (he'd risen from slave, to free man, to martyr who stood up to Britain in the name of liberty). 2. In the later trial, John Adams (future president) was the defense attorney and 2 redcoats were found guilty (manslaughter, released after a brand on the hand). 7. The Seditious Committees of Correspondence 1. The status in the early 1770s was that the Townshend Acts had not produced revenue; they had produced a near-rebellion. 2. King George III was nonplussed over events. He was 32 years old, of good morals, but power hungry and a poor ruler. 1. Worse, he surrounded himself with "yes-men" and the manipulative prime minister Lord North. 2. Lord North eventually gave in to repeal of the Townshend duties, except for tea, just to retain the point that Parliament had the right to tax. 3. To Samuel Adams, this was not enough. The tea tax was the most disliked one, and again, the principle (taxation without representation) was the problem. 1. Sam Adams was a red-blooded patriotpassionate and hot-blooded. 2. He used his "trained mob" as his muscle. 3. His main contribution was the establishment of the "committees of correspondence". These committees were really nothing but a letter-writing network with the goal of exchanging news/info and organizing and keeping resistance. 1. These committees started in Boston, but soon grew to all the colonies. 2. They eventually would grow into the first American congresses (the leaders were the men in the network). 8. Tea Brewing in Boston 1. The British East India Company was in financial trouble by 1773. It had 17 million pounds of unsold tea. 2. London decided to help the company by giving it monopoly rights to sell tea in America. This would have actually lowered the price of tea. 3. Still, the American colonists were not happy about the tea situation. They thought the British were trying to sneak a tax in under a low price. It was the principle of taxation without representation that was bothersome. 1. The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773. 1. Samuel Adams was the ringleader. After a "meeting" at the Green Dragon Tavern, protesters dressed up like Indians, then went to the harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. 2. Reactions to the tea party were mixed. Patriotic types cheered it as standing up to the British in the name of freedom. Conservatives criticized the actions as one step above lawlessness and anarchy. 9. Parliament Passes the Intolerable Acts 1. The British reaction was clear. in 1774, Parliament passed the Repressive Acts which came to be called the Intolerable Acts in America. They were to punish America, Boston especially. 1. The Boston Port Act shut down Boston harbor. This was a huge financial blow to the colonies.

2. The Massachusetts charter was revoked. 3. Other acts limited Americans right to assemble and rule themselves. 4. Certain crimes by Brits in America were to be tried in England by English jurors, not in America by American jurors. 2. The Quebec Act was also passed in 1774. It was forward-thinking, but ill-timed. 1. The act's goal was to benefit French-Canadians who now lived in British America. Each part of the act had a reason the Americans disliked it. 2. The French were guaranteed Catholicism as okay. (Americans saw this as a threat to Protestantism and an extension of the pope's power). 3. The French could have trials without juries as they were accustomed. (Americans saw this as foreshadowing the removal of trials-by-jury altogether). 4. The French were allowed to stay in the Ohio Valley. (Americans, despite beating the French in the war, were not allowed to move there per the Proclamation Line of 1763). 10.Bloodshed 1. The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia from September to October of 1774. 1. 12 of the 13 colonies were present (Georgia absent). 2. The congress did not desire independence, but did (a) draw up a list of grievances (which were ignored by London) and (b) wrote a Declaration of Rights. 3. Plans were made to convene again in 1775 if the situation didn't change. 2. The "Shot Heard 'Round the World" in Lexington (April 1775) started the American Revolution. 1. British soldiers left Boston headed to Concord to capture weapons and troublemakers John Hancock and Sam Adams. 2. Massachusetts "Minutemen" met the troops on the Lexington green where the first shots were fired. 3. After stopping the British at the North Bridge in Concord, the British turned back. The minutemen struck at the British from behind rocks and trees (Indianstyle) the whole way back, killing 1/2 of the redcoats. 4. With Lexington, the American Revolution had begun. 11.Imperial Strength and Weaknesses 1. Britain had great advantages. 1. They had (a) 7.5 million people to America's 2 million, (b) a powerful navy, and (c) wealth in hard money. 2. With their money, they also hired Hessians (German mercenary soldiers). These troops were added to about 50,000 British regulars who were welltrained, well-equipped. Also, there were an estimated 50,000 Loyalist Americans. 2. Britain had a few disadvantages. 1. There were international troubles: (a) problems in Ireland required the attention of British troops and (b) France was just waiting for a chance to get back at England. 2. Many British didn't wish to fight and kill the Americans. William Pitt even removed his son from the army on this point. 3. British officers were not the best, the men were mistreated, the war was to be fought an ocean away, and supplies would often run low. 12.American Pluses and Minuses 1. The Americans had only a few advantages, but they proved to be worthy ones. 1. Leadership for America was terrific with George Washington as general and Ben Franklin as diplomat. 2. France lent aid, secretly at first and then openly. Support came in the form of money, guns, supplies, and then troops and a navy. 1. Marquis de Lafayette, 19 years old, was the most famous of the French officers.

3. The Americans fought only on the defensive meaning they just had to hold theland. The British had to actually conquer land. 4. The typical American soldier was more accustomed to the country and straightshooting. 5. They felt they were fighting for a causefreedom. The British fought because they were ordered to do so. 6. Geography proved to be perhaps the largest advantage for the Americans. The British were 3,000 miles away, had to conquer a vast country, and there was no central capital in American on which to focus their attacks. The Americans employed a "drawn game"fight, backup, live to fight another day, and therefore not lose! 2. America had real disadvantages. 1. The people were split into three groups: Patriots, moderates, and Loyalists (AKA Tories). 2. There were sectional rivalries evidenced by the appointment of military officers. 3. The lack of money was a real problem. America printed "Continental" paper money, which quickly became worthless. 4. America's financial help would come from France, but they'd have to deal with the powerful British naval blockade. 5. America had essentially no navy at all. 6. On paper, America should not win the war. 13.A Thin Line of Heroes 1. The American army struggled throughout the war in many respects 1. Supplies were scarce: clothing, wool, wagons, etc. And worse, money was scarce meaning these things couldn't just be purchased. 2. Training was quick, spotty, and often poor. Desertion was common. 1. Training was greatly improved by Baron von Steuben a Prussian drillmaster who whipped the American soldiers into shape. 2. African-Americans also served and fought in the war. 1. At the war's outset, blacks were sometimes barred from service. By the end of the war, over 5,000 African-Americans served. 2. Blacks also fought for the British. This was especially appealing because Lord Dunmore (royal governor of Virginia) announced freedom for any slave that agreed to fight for the British. 1. 1,400 blacks were relocated to either Jamaica, Nova Scotia, or England after the war. 3. Apathy and division within America hurt the fight for the cause. 1. Many people lived so remotely that they had no interest in a war with a nation an ocean away. This seemed to have no bearing on a frontier farmer grubbing stumps out of the forest and raising crops to feed himself. 2. Merchants liked to sell to the British because the Brits paid in gold, not worthless paper money. 3. The American Revolution was a "minority war" in the sense that it was only because a select few threw themselves into the cause with passion that the Americans won. Chapter 8 (13th) America Secedes from the Empire 1. Congress Drafts George Washington 1. 20,000 fired-up militiamen swarmed the Boston area following the first shots at Lexington and Concord. The British redcoats were outnumbered. 2. Meanwhile, the Second Continental Congress met in May 1775 in Philadelphia to address the worsening situation. As with the first Congress, calmer minds prevailed

and there was no vote (yet) for independence. The plan was to stay with the king (with some changes). Leaving no stone unturned, their actions took the direction of both pursuing peace and preparing for war. Their actions were to 1. Re-send a second list of grievances to the king. Hopes were that he'd have a change of heart and change his ways. 2. Took measures to raise money for an army and navy. 3. Appointed George Washington as general of the continental army. 1. Washington had never been promoted higher than a colonel, but he looked the part and would instill confidence and boost morale. 2. Washington was of the highest character: patient, courageous, selfdisciplined, fair, and religious. 3. He accepted no pay but kept an expense account instead of over $100,000. 2. Bunker Hill and Hessian Hirelings 1. The war's early-going was contradictory. On one hand, the colonists were still pledging loyalty to the king. On the other hand, they were taking up arms against the crown. 2. The war's pace quickly stepped up. 1. In May 1775 Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold led the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont in surprise victories over the redcoats atFt. Ticonderoga and Crown Point. 1. The importance of this raid lay in the fact that the colonists captured much-needed cannons and gunpowder. 2. In June 1775 the Americans too Bunker Hill in Boston. The British launched a foolish frontal assault and eventually won a Pyrrhic victory, but the American troops fought well and proved to themselves that they could go toe-to-toe with British regulars. 3. Still, the Continental Congress sought peace and reconciliation with the king. They sent the "Olive Branch Petition" to London. Itpledged loyalty and asked for peace. After Bunker Hill, King George III had decided peace was out. 4. George III took action by (a) formerly declaring the colonies in rebellion and (b) hiring thousands of German soldiers (called "Hessians" by the Americans) to fight the war. 3. The Abortive Conquest of Canada 1. The redcoats burnt Falmouth (Portland), Maine (Oct. 1775). 2. Meanwhile, the Americans decided to attack Canada. This proved to be a mistake because 1. The Americans misjudged the French Canadians, thinking the French hated the British and would revolt too. 2. The Americans had argued they were only defending their land. In Canada, they were trying to win colony #14. 3. The Americans lost. 1. Gen. Richard Montgomery marched north along the Lake Champlain route toward Quebec, and was met by Benedict Arnoldand men, weary from the grueling trip. In the battle (Dec. 1775), Montgomery would be killed, Arnold wounded, and their men scattered. 2. Arnold and his men had to retreat up the St. Lawrence River. The French-Canadians were in no mood to welcome the Americans. 3. By 1776, Americans still held onto the desire to stay with England, but events began to occur quickly 1. The English burnt Norfolk, VA (Jan. 1776). 2. The British were forced out of Boston in March (it's still celebrated as "Evacuation Day"). 3. The colonists won two southern battles: (a) Feb. at Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina versus 1,500 loyalists and (b) June versus an attacking English fleet at Charleston harbor. 4. Thomas Paine Preaches Common Sense 1. The events of early 1776 were making Americans reconsider their loyalty to the king.

2. Then came Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense that urged Americanindependence. 1. He argued that in the physical world, the smaller body never ruled the larger one. 2. He had no respect for the king and called him the "Royal Brute of Great Britain." 3. Paine wrote plainly and convincingly and said the time had come to break away, it was just common sense. 5. Paine and the Idea of Republicanism This content copyright 2010 by WikiNotes.wikidot.com 1. Common Sense was radical in 2 ways: (a) it called for independence and (b) it called for building a republic, something that'd never been done. 1. A republic is a government where the people elect representatives to rule for them. Power rests with the people (and their votes). 2. The ancient Greeks and even the British had a form of a republic yet had differences (Greek cities were small and Britain had a halfrepublic with the king). The American republic would be the largest ever, and therefore the first for a nation. 3. Paine's idea of a republic were well-liked by Americans. 1. The prior acts by the king were certainly not popularcasting him off their backs sounded great. 2. The Americans, New Englanders especially, had long been practicing some form of self-government. 2. Some Americans were skeptical of turning power over to the people. They felt the people were unable to rule and wanted a "natural aristocracy" to run the government. This group was generally from the wealthier, more conservative classes. 6. Jeffersons Explanation of Independence 1. The 2nd Continental Congress decided on independence. 1. Richard Henry Lee made a motion for independence on June 7, 1776. It passed on July 2, 1776. 2. A formal statement of America's independence was needed though. 1. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. 1. The declaration was written in a grand style. 2. It could be broken down into four parts: (1) a preamble or introduction, (2) a statement of rights, (3) a list of grievances, and (4) a statement of separation. 3. The "statement of rights" (based on John Locke's "natural rights") might be the most important. It included "unalienable rights" (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) and that "all men are created equal." 3. The Declaration made things clear: (a) the Americans were no longer loyal to the king but were rebels, (b) it opened the door for foreign help, and (c) the Americans had to win the war else face punishment for treason (death). 7. Patriots and Loyalists 1. Americans were not united in the revolution. Generally, there were 4 groups 1. Patriots (also called "Whigs") supported the war for independence. 2. About 16% were Loyalists (also called "Tories") and supported the British. 3. Moderates were in the middle and on the fence. These people might have sympathies with the rebels but still hold hope that America could stay with Britain without war. This group had been the largest, but dwindled as events unfolded and Common Sensecame out. 4. The apathetic (or people that just didn't care) because they felt politics either way had no bearing on their lives. Notably, there were also "profiteers" who sold whatever they could to whomever they could just to make money. 2. The British could only hold areas where they could maintain a massive military presence (the coastline). The rebels did well on the interior or backwoods of the

country. Rebels also harassed the British with guerrilla tactics when the redcoats tried to march into the frontier. 3. A typical Loyalist (Tory) 1. Loyalists were usually from conservative families. Families were split by the war however, such as Ben Franklin opposing his illegitimate son William, New Jersey's last royal governor. 2. Loyalists were usually from richer, aristocratic families, such as in Charleston, SC. 3. Loyalists were strong in the areas that the Anglican Church was strong (the South). They were weaker in areas that Congregationalism and Presbyterianism was strong (New England). 4. A typical Patriot 1. Patriots were generally from the younger generation, such as ringleaders Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry. 2. Patriots largely lived in areas where the Anglican Church (Church of England) was weak. The Patriots were Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist, or Methodist. 3. Patriots, generally, were inland and away from the coast (since the coast and harbors were the links back to England). 8. The Loyalist Exodus 1. Before the Declaration of Independence, harassment of the Loyalists was rather mild tarring-and-feathering and the like. 2. After the Declaration, the Americans stepped up their efforts aimed at Loyalists who were considered traitors. 1. Loyalists were "roughed up," imprisoned, and a few were hanged. 2. Most Loyalists (about 80,000) got out of town. This meant leaving behind everything they owned. Their lands were quickly confiscated by the Americans and sold to raise money for the war. 3. An estimated 50,000 Loyalists served the British in the war as soldiers. They also spied and incited the Indians. Despite their contributions to the king's side, the British under-used these Loyalists. 9. General Washington at Bay 1. After evacuating Boston, the British tuned to New York as their base of operations. 1. A huge British fleet arrived at New York. 2. Gen. Washington's 18,000 men were outnumbered and in trouble. Losses followed in the summer of 1776 1. Washington and men were pushed off of Long Island (avoiding nearcapture when a fog bank rolled in). 2. He lost in Brooklyn, Harlem Heights, and White Plains before turning southward. 3. He "set up camp" in Pennsylvania, along the Delaware River, for the winter. Things looked grim. 3. But, Washington had a couple of more tricks up his sleeve. 1. On December 26, 1776, he crossed the icy Delaware River and surprised the Hessian soldiers at Trenton. 1. This was a key battle in that (a) it was America's first victory and (b) it boosted morale. 2. A second victory was scored one week later. Troops left their campfires burning as a ruse and won at Princeton. 1. Now, the Americans could settle in for the winter on a positive note. Though the colonists were not doing great, the British had not won. 10.Burgoynes Blundering Invasion 1. During the winter, London came up with a second plan to defeat the colonists. It was a more detailed plan. It's focus would be in New England and it's goal would be to divide the colonies. The plan had 3 parts

1. Col. Barry St. Leger would move from Lake Erie eastward along the MohawkRiver. 2. Gen. Burgoyne would descend from Montreal southward on Lake Champlain. 3. Gen. Howe would drive men northward from New York up the Albany River. They'd all 3 meet at Albany, NY . 2. On paper, it was a good plan. In reality, it had problems. 1. Benedict Arnold was the first problem. He and his men had lingered around after their defeat in Quebec. The British tried to take Lake Champlain but Arnold threw together a rag-tag flotilla. His flotilla was wiped out, but he bought critical time by delaying the British attack to the following spring. 2. The second problem was the terrain. Burgoyne could draw lines on a map easily, but marching thousands of troops through upstate New York was not so easy. His men bogged down and supplies ran low. 3. The third problem was that St. Leger's detachment lost at Oriskany and was turned back. One third of the plan was out right there. 4. The final problem was that Gen. Howe had other plans. He decided to scratch the master-plan and do his own thing. He headed south (not north) to engage Gen. Washington in Philadelphia. 3. Meanwhile, back in Pennsylvania 1. Howe beat Washington in battles at Brandywine Creek and at Germantown. 2. Washington's troops camped for the winter at Valley Forge. Morale was very low with bitter cold, low rations, and high desertion. On the plus side, Prussian drillmaster Baron von Steuben whipped the troops into shape during that winter. They were changing from rag-tag militia to professional soldiers. 3. Gen. Howe settled into Philadelphia for the winter with his mistress to enjoy the city-life. Ben Franklin quipped that Howe hadn't captured Philadelphia, but that Philadelphia had captured Howe. 4. The Battle of Saratoga was perhaps the most critical battle of the war. 1. Burgoyne's 7,000 troops arrived at the site of the planned battle tired and weary. He was alone, the other 2/3 of the plan didn't arrive. 2. He had no choice but to surrender on Oct. 17, 1777. 3. Saratoga was the turning point in the war because (a) it was truly a major victory in military terms, (b) it gave a huge boost to colonial morale, and (c) most importantly, it convinced France that America might actually have a chance to win and to openly aid America. 11.Revolution in Diplomacy? 1. A political marriage was ripeAmerican needed help and France was eager to exact revenge on Britain. 2. The Continental Congress sent delegates to France. They were guided by a "Model Treaty" that sought "1. No political connection. 2. No military connection. 3. Only a commercial connection." 1. Ben Franklin played the diplomacy game by wearing simple gray clothes and a coonskin cap to supposedly exemplify a raw new America. 3. After the surprising loss at Saratoga, the ballgame was different. 1. London was in the giving mood. They offered to give the colonists everything they desired, except independence. 2. Paris was in a friendly mood. Ben Franklin played France's fears of the English, hinting that America and England might actually get back together. 1. Franklin got a deal done. In a Franco-American Treaty (1778) (a) France formally joined America in the war and (b)recognized American independence, but (c) also pledged to a military alliance (going against the Model Treaty and something America would come to regret). 2. This was America's first example of idealistic principles being overruled by practicalities of a situation. 12.The Colonial War Becomes a Wider War 1. Like a spider web, the war networked and grew, mostly aligned against England.

1. In 1778, England and France went to war. 2. In 1779, Holland and Spain joined the war against England. The French/Spanish navy outnumbered the British. 3. In 1780, Russia (led by Catherine the Great) formed the "Armed Neutrality" which linked up the neutral nations in a grudge against England. Countries were present from Russia, to South America, the Caribbean, and Asia. 2. The Americans had managed to keep the war going up to 1778 and now England was against the ropes. The struggle in America was becoming secondary. 3. Strategy was also changed by France's joining the war. 1. Perhaps the greatest military asset the French gave America was its navy. 2. The British naval blockade was now not to be taken for granted. To shorten supply lines, the British evacuated Philadelphia to focus on New York. 1. The Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey took place as the redcoats left Philly. It was scorching-hot (sunstroke was common), an indecisive battle, and moved Gen. Washington's to New York as well. 13.Blow and Counterblow 1. 6,000 French soldiers arrived in Newport, RI under command of Comte de Rochambeau. Though here on friendly terms, there were sometimes scuffles between American and French soldiers. They eventually starting getting along. 2. Morale took a big hit when Benedict Arnold traded sides to the British. 1. Arnold felt underappreciated in America and sought a higher rank and money from England. 2. He planned to sell out the stronghold at West Point but the plan was foiled at the last minute. Washington asked, "Whom can we trust now?" 3. Meanwhile, the British planned to attack the South. 1. The Brits settled into Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC to prepare for the battles. 2. The war turned ugly here. The Americans fought guerilla style, thrashing at British supply lines. The most famous was Francis Marion (the "Swamp Fox") who'd attack then disappear with his men into the swamps. 1. Neighbors on opposing sides fought each other as well in ruthless engagements. 3. Battles ran through the Carolinas. The redcoats won at Camden over Horatio Gates (the American hero at Saratoga). Then the Americans won at King's Mountain and at Cowpens. 1. American Gen. Nathaneal Greene (the "Fighting Quaker") employed a strategy of delay where he stood, fought, retreated, and kept sucking Gen. Charles Cornwallis deeper into enemy territory. Greene eventually exhausted Cornwallis' troops. 14.The Land Frontier and the Sea Frontier 1. 1777 was called "the bloody year" on the frontier when the British paid Indians for scalps. 1. Indian tribes chose sides, the Oneida and Tuscarora with the Americans, but most sided with the English. 2. Chief Joseph Brant savagely attacked American settlements. He was a convert to Anglicanism and struck at Pennsylvania and New York for two years until stopped in 1779. 3. In 1779, the 4 pro-British tribes of the Iroquois were forced to sign the Treaty of Ft. Stanwix. This was the first AmericanIndian treaty, and in it, the Indians forfeited most of their land. 2. The American west was busy during the war. 1. People still moved there. Kentucky towns were named after the revolution: Lexington (after the battle) and Louisville (after the French king). 2. Frontiersman George Rogers Clark decided to surprise attack the British forts scattered throughout the west.

1. He floated down the Ohio River and quickly took forts at Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes. 2. Many believe that Clark's actions helped win land all the way west to the Mississippi River (instead of just to the Appalachian Mtns.). 3. The fight on water took two forms 1. The upstart American navy was laying its own foundation. It never really competed with the British navy, but harassed their shipping lines. John Paul Jones was the most well-known naval leader. 2. Privateers were essentially legal pirates and made an even larger dent in the British navy. These were privately owned boats/ships that fought for hire. Their motives were patriotism and profit. They would capture British ships and pirate whatever they could take. 15.Yorktown and the Final Curtain 1. Just before the decisive victory of the war, America was struggling. 1. Inflation ran rampant and it was announced that debts would only be partially repaid at the rate of 2.5 cents on the dollar. 2. Morale sunk and any notion of unity sunk. 2. Meanwhile, things were pointing to the Chesapeake Bay. 1. Cornwallis moved his men there to get more supplies via the British navy. 2. The French navy however, moved in and sealed off the Bay. 3. Gen. Washington and Rochambeau saw the chance and moved their troops in to seal off the peninsula. 1. At Yorktown, Cornwallis was trapped and surrendered. This was the final major battle. 3. Lord North exclaimed "Oh God! It's all over! It's all over!" when he heard the news. 4. But, fighting still trickled on for over a year. 16.Peace at Paris 1. The English had been fighting and taking losses in India, the West Indies, the island of Minorca in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Rock of Gibraltar, and America, of course. They were tired of war. 2. The Americans sent a peace-seeking delegation to Paris in Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. 1. The three were told to not make a separate peace with England but to always consult first with France. John Jay was suspicious of France however. 1. France wanted America independent, but also weak, ideally cooped up east of the Allegheny Mountains. 2. Jay secretly contacted London to seek peace. The British quickly worked out a deal behind France's back. 3. The Treaty of Paris, 1783 ended the American Revolution. Its terms were 1. England recognized American independence all the way to the Mississippi River. 2. America retained some fishing rights in Newfoundland. 3. The American Loyalists were to be treated fairly and Congress was to recommend to the states that the land that had been taken from the Loyalists was to be returned. (The lands never did return to the Loyalists though). 17.A New Nation Legitimized 1. America did better than might be expected in the outcome of the war. 1. Even though George Rogers Clark had won victories west of the Appalachians, they were somewhat small victories. Still, Britain was trying to woo America away from France. For this reason, Britain ceded a considerable quantity of land. 2. Also, it happened that the pro-American Whigs were in control of Parliament at the time of the treaty. 2. France cautiously gave their approval to the treaty. 3. Without question, the stars were shining of America. 18.Makers of America: The Loyalists

1. The American Loyalists normally came from well-educated, conservative stock. They worried that a clean break from England would cause America to spiral into anarchy or mob-rule. 1. Many Loyalists were Brits who'd settled in America just after the Seven Years' War. They weren't ready to completely toss their home country away. 2. There were thousands of black Loyalists. 1. Many signed on with the British army in hopes of gaining freedom. 2. Some were betrayed by this promise. In one instance, Cornwallis left 4,000 slaves in Virginia. In a worse instance, a shipload of blacks expecting to sail to freedom instead sailed back into slavery. 3. Other blacks moved to England but they often struggled to fit in and gain acceptance. 3. The American view of the Loyalists was not flattering. 1. Loyalists were viewed as traitors to America (just as the Americans were viewed as traitors to the crown). 1. They were arrested, exiled, their property confiscated, and rights taken away. Some 80,000 Loyalists simply left America. 2. There were "success stories." 1. Hugh Gaine, a New York printer, re-established his business and eventually won government printing contracts. 2. Most Loyalists simply readjusted themselves and survived. They usually became supporters of the Federalist party that wished for a stronger central government. This was their transition from English to American. Chapter 9 (13th) The Confederation and the Constitution 1. The Pursuit of Equality 1. American Revolution was not a sudden radical change. Rather it was an accelerated evolution. 2. Separation of church and state began. The "high-church" Anglican Church was disestablished (it stopped receiving tax money) although the Congregational Church continued is established status. The Anglican Church also became known as the Episcopal Churchin order to distance itself from its English roots. 1. To a large degree, life went on as usualwork, church, play. 2. A change occurred in that with 80,000 Loyalists gone, a large chunk of the conservative wing was absent. 3. "Equality" was the buzzword of the day. 1. With many conservatives gone, the door was opened for more equality-minded folks to rule. 2. Commoners wanted to be called "Mr." and "Mrs.", titles once reserved for the elite. 3. Slavery and equality were obviously at odds with one another. The beginnings of the anti-slavery movement were gaining steam. 1. The Continental Congress of 1774 had called for the abolition of slavery. 2. The Quakers founded the first abolition society in 1775, the world's first. 3. Caught up in the equality movement, some slave owners were moved to free their slaves. 4. Women gained little by the equality movement. There were small steps however 1. A few women served in the war disguised as men. 2. The New Jersey constitution permitted women to vote for a while. 3. The notion of "republican motherhood" developed and gave the ladies a great deal of importance. The idea went that the women raised the children and therefore held great power and responsibility with the future of the republic in their hands.

2. Constitution Making in the States 1. The 1776 Continental Congress called for each colony to write their own constitution and thus move from colony to state. 2. Massachusetts gave America a "Constitutional Convention." It was a special meeting where the constitution was written, sent to the people for ratification (vote of approval), and could then only be changed by another Constitutional Convention. 3. Many of the new constitutions shared similarities 1. They were written documents and thus unchanging without a formal process. Being written, they were not based on a king's whims or on court decisions and common law which may change with the current winds. 2. They reflected fundamental law. That is to say, they often dealt more in generalities and less in specifics which could be handled by specific laws passed by a state legislature. 3. Many had a bill of rights. 4. Many specified annual elections of legislators (this was out of the desire to keep power with the people and from the fear that rulers in power too long grow comfortable and corrupted). 5. They established weak executive and judicial branches. Again, this was out of the desire to keep power with the people, not with a governor or judges. Thomas Jefferson had warned that "173 despots [in a legislature] would surely be as oppressive as one (a despot is a dictator)." 1. The legislative branch was often given nearly all of the power. 4. New state capitals emerged. Many of these new capitals moved westward, or inland, following the westward migration of people. Examples are Manchester, NH; Albany, NY; Charlottesville, VA; Raleigh, NC; Columbia, SC; and Atlanta, GA. 3. Economic Crosscurrents 1. Economic changes occurred after the war, but not to a revolutionary degree. 2. Much of the Loyalist land had been seized and wound up in the hands of the poor. The Loyalists didn't see themselves beheaded however, as happened a few years later in the French Revolution. 3. The myriad of goods and trade that used to come from England stopped. This both hurt and helped America. It hurt in the short run since England was America's top trade partner. It helped in the long run by forcing American industry to get started. 1. This beginning of industry is not to be over-stated however. Americans were still by a large margin of around 90%, mostly farmers. 2. Another benefit of losing trade with England was that America was now open to trade with any other country she wished. 1. Trade began with the Baltic region of Northern Europe and with China, led by the Empress of China hauling the herb ginseng. 4. Despite the good, the infant America had serious economic troubles. 1. A haughty crowd of war profiteers had been established which wasn't good for "economic morale." 2. The war had run up a large debt and inflation. 3. There was a large class of poor, the stability of the Loyalist class had been shaken, and the new rich were flashy and not trusted. 4. A Shaky Start Toward Union This content copyright 2010 by WikiNotes.wikidot.com 1. There were obstacles to building the nation. 1. Tearing down a nation was easy; but to build a new one and run it was much more difficult. 2. Unity existed largely only on paper. There was a deep desire by many states to keep to themselves rather than join a union that would rule over them. 3. The spirits of patriotism, freedom, and independence all worked against unity rather than for it. 2. England waged something of an economic war. 1. The Brits began to flood the American market with goods at slashed prices. 2. This struck hard at the infantile American industries that couldn't compete price-wise.

3. America did have a few things going for it in terms of unity. 1. The 13 colonies did share roughly the same type of state governments and a rich and similar political tradition. 2. America was blessed with leaders of the highest quality like Washington, Adams, Madison, Jefferson, and Hamilton. 5. Creating a Confederation 1. The new states chose a confederation as their first governmenta loose union of states where a federal and state level exist, yet the state level retains the most sovereignty to rule as they saw fit. 1. As an example, many states minted their own money and set up their own taxes on imports. (These differences later proved to be problematic). 2. The Articles of Confederation (1777) became the United States' first government. All 13 states needed to approve the articles for them to begin. 3. A snag in the approval process came up with the western lands and the question of who owned them. 1. Virginia and New York (and others) had large claims from earlier years over the lands west of the Appalachians. 2. To make matters worse, many of these claims overlapped one another. Which state would own the land? 3. Maryland had no land west of the mountains and thought it unfair that some states would get the new lands and be able to profit from them. Hadn't Maryland fought the war just as Virginia had? they reasoned. Maryland withheld their vote. 4. The compromise that came about said no state would own the land but the new U.S. would. 1. Eventually, New York backed off on its claim and Virginia did too. 1. Congress promised to use the western lands for the good of the "common benefit." Eventually, this would become theNorthwest Ordinance where these lands were divided and sold cheaply. 2. All 13 states had ratified it by 1781 when Maryland did so and it went into effect. 3. This situation also became an important bond of unity for the infant nation. 6. The Articles of the Confederation: Americas First Constitution 1. The main thing to know regarding the Articles is that it set up a very weak government. This was not by accident, but by plan. The reason a weak government was desired was simply to avoid a strong national government that would take away unalienable rights or abuse its power (i.e. England). The weaknesses included 1. There was no executive branch (this would be too much like a king). 2. Congress was weak. Its members were elected annually, a 2/3 vote was needed on important issues, a unanimous vote was needed for amendments (these meant Congress members couldn't get comfortable in office and would have a hard time passing laws). 3. Congress had restrictions. It couldn't raise a military. It couldn't levy taxes. It couldn't regulate commerce. 1. The inability to regulate taxes and commerce led states to form their own tax laws and print their own money. This situation became crippling to the nation as a whole. 2. The Articles of Confederation did provide some benefits 1. It did take the next step toward national unity and a step toward forming the U.S. Constitution. Oddly, it did this by being so weak and showing what was needed in the new constitution. 2. They were a necessary intermediary between complete state independence and the U.S. Constitution. With the Articles in the middle, many states would never have made that jump. 7. Landmarks in Land Laws 1. The Land Ordinance of 1785 answered the question, "How will the new lands in the Ohio Valley be divided up?"

1. This law surveyed the lands and divided it into squares to be sold. 1. A section was 1 mile by 1 mile (1 sq. mile, or 640 acres). A township was 6 miles by 6 miles (36 sq. miles, or 36 sections). Each section was numbered and could be sub-divided for sale. 2. Section #16 was reserved for a school. Either the school was built there or its proceeds went to pay for the school. This measure was a landmark for public education in the U.S. 2. The standard going-price for land was $1 per acre. 2. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 answered the question, How will new states be made once people move out there? 1. This law said the territory-to-statehood process would go through stages 1. Stage 1 the land was a territory meaning it was simply land owned by the U.S. 2. Stage 2 call it "application status". Once a territory got 60,000 inhabitants they could write a state constitution then send it to Congress for approval. 3. Stage 3 statehood (if Congress approved the constitution). 2. This process laid out by the Northwest Ordinance worked very well for many years and for many states to join the nation. 8. The Worlds Ugly Duckling 1. As a new nation, America struggled in its relations with other countries. 2. Relations with England had several issues 1. There was no trade with England. The British would not repeal the Navigation Laws with their restrictions believing America would crawl back to trade on British terms anyway. 1. The only British "trade" came via American smugglers who were up to their old ways. 2. The British were up to trickery along the American frontier. 1. The British connived with disgruntled Ethan Allen and brothers to possibly get Vermont back to England. 2. Though they were supposed to leave, the British retained several trade posts along the American frontier. They said this was to reclaim losses to Loyalists, but 3. More likely, the posts were to be bases to stir up Indian discontent against the Americans. 3. There were issues with Spain 1. The Spanish closed off the mouth of the Mississippi River. This was a serious threat to the trans-Appalachian states which needed the river to export goods. 2. The Spanish laid claim to parts of Florida (today's Mississippi and Alabama). 3. The Spanish also stirred up the Indians against the Americans. 4. There were issues with France 1. The French were not as friendly now that England had been humbled. The French wanted their debts paid by America. 5. There were issues in North Africa 1. North African pirates, notably the Dey of Algiers, robbed American ships. The British had paid tribute (or "bully money") and America had enjoyed that coverage. On her own, America was too weak to fight and too poor to pay. This was an embarrassment. 9. The Horrid Specter of Anarchy 1. In a confederation (like the Articles) states are free to do as they please. Things quickly got out of hand. 1. States feuded over boundaries. 2. States taxed other states. 3. States printed their own paper money. 2. Shays' Rebellion (1786) rocked the nation with a wake-up call. 1. Daniel Shays was disgruntled over difficulties involving farmland mortgages. (Notably, the inability to get land is the same motivation for rebellion as

Bacons Rebellion back in 1676 in Virginia. And, the desire for land was also the motivator of the Paxton Boys in Pennsylvania in 1764.) 2. He and friends staged a take-over in parts of Massachusetts. He was stopped, arrested, convicted, sentenced to death, but pardoned. 3. The importance of Shays Rebellion can't be understated. It was that the fear of such violence lived on and paranoia motivated folks to desire a stronger federal government. 3. The Articles themselves began to be questioned. 1. The problems listed above were real and seemed in no hurry to leave. 2. The idea of republican democracy where the people select rulers came into question. Could the common person really be responsible enough to rule? Or, would things simply deteriorate into a "mobocracy" like Shays' Rebellion? 3. Some people thought the Articles simply needed some strengthening to make them work. 4. The situation actually did begin to improve by 1787, especially in terms of increased trade and states cutting back on printing paper money. 10.A Convention of Demigods 1. A meeting was called in Annapolis, Maryland to strengthen the Articles. 1. They wished to mainly address the issues of money, especially commerce. 2. 9 states were invited but only 5 states arrived which was not a quorum (enough to hold a meeting). They did agree to meet again. 2. The next meeting became known as the "Constitutional Convention" when the U.S. Constitution was written. 1. 55 delegates met in Philadelphia in May of 1787. 12 of the 13 states were represented (Rhode Island wanted no part of it). 2. Their goal as laid out by Congress was "the sole and express purpose of revising" the Articles, not to pitch it out and start over (which is what they wound up doing). 3. Attendance (and non-attendance) at the meeting was of such high quality Jefferson called the delegates "demigods." They could be divided into three categories 1. DemigodsGeorge Washington (chairman), Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison. 2. Revolutionaries overseas and absent from the meetingThomas Jefferson (in France on business), John Adams (in England on business), Thomas Paine (in Europe as well). 3. Patriots who were absentJohn Hancock, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry. These men, especially Adams and Henry, were independent-minded and didn't like the idea of strengthening the government. Their specialty was tearing down governments, not building them up. 11.Patriots in Philadelphia 1. The men attending the Constitutional Convention were generally young, aristocratic, and well-educated. 2. These delegates recognized issues were at hand: the inability to maintain order, "runaway democracy" in various states, and pressure/threats from foreign nations. 3. Essentially, the problem was that the states had too much freedom or independence; the solution was to strengthen the federal government. 12.Hammering Out a Bundle of Compromises 1. Despite their plans for revision only, the Convention delegates tossed out the Articles and began writing an entirely new Constitution. 2. The most heated conflict was over the question, "How will representation in Congress be decided?" 1. The "Virginia Plan" (AKA "Large States Plan") proposed that representation would be based on a state's population. They reasoned that the more people a state has, the more representatives they should have in Congress. 2. The "New Jersey Plan" (AKA "Small States Plan") objected to Virginia saying that if Congress went solely by population, then the small states' votes

wouldn't matter since they'd simply be always out-voted. They reasoned that states are equal to one another, regardless of the quantity of people living in them, and therefore states should have an equal vote in Congress. 3. After much debate and a standstill, the "Great Compromise" was offered. It said that 1. Congress would be bicameral (have 2 houses). 2. The House of Representatives would be based on state population, following the Virginia Plan. 1. Bills pertaining to taxation would begin in the House. 3. The Senate would have 2 senators from each state making them equal, following the New Jersey Plan. 1. The Senate would approve/reject presidential treaties and appointments. 4. They agreed to have an executive branch (a president). The president would be commander-in-chief of the military, could veto legislation. But, the president (and the other branches) would be held in check through a system of checksand-balances on power. 5. The president would be elected by an Electoral College (a group of official presidential voters) rather than by the people. The people were viewed as being too ignorant to elect a president. To be fair, at that time people were less educated and news traveled slowly and without reliability so a voter likely might be ill-informed. 6. The Three-Fifths Compromise answered the question, "How will slaves be counted when determining a state's population?" 1. Southern states wanted slaves counted (to gain more votes in Congress) and Northern states did not want to count slaves (to retain more votes in Congress). The compromise agreed to count 3/5 of the slaves as part of the state's population. 7. The delegates agreed to allow states to halt slave importation after 1807. This measure showed signs of the early anti-slavery movement. But, it was something of a hollow measureby this time, slavery had become selfsufficient and slave importation wasn't really needed anyway. 13.Safeguards for Conservatism 1. The delegates all agreed that a system of checks-and-balances was needed to prevent any one branch from hording too much power. Conservatives also wanted safeguards from the "mobocracy" or mob rule. They put into place such things as 1. Federal chief justices were appointed for life, thus creating stability that conservatives liked. 2. The electoral college created a buffer between the people and the presidency. 3. Senators were elected by state legislators who were supposedly educated, not by the common people. 4. Thus, after the American Revolution, the voters actually only voted for 1/2 of 1/3 of the government (only for representatives in the House). 2. Still, at the base level, power wrested with the people. 3. By the end of the Constitutional Convention in September of 1887, 42 of the 55 delegates signed it. The others had left in protest or would not sign it. 14.The Clash of Federalists and Anti-federalists 1. Once written, the Founding Fathers faced an even tougher taskto get the Constitution ratified by the states. They knew that some states would reject it. They knew that most state legislatures would reject it. So 1. The Constitution was sent out to the state conventions where it would be evaluated and voted upon. 2. At first, there was surprise because a brand new constitution had been written. The people expected a fixed up Articles of Confederation; that was the purpose of the meeting (the convention had been held in strict secrecy). 2. Two camps emerged in the ratification debate, Federalists and Anti-Federalists. 1. The Federalists wanted the Constitution ratified.

1. They wanted a stronger central government to establish and maintain order. 2. They generally came from the more well-to-do classes, were often former Loyalists, were often property owners, typically lived in the older or coastal areas, and were often Episcopalians. 2. The Anti-Federalists did not want the Constitution ratified. 1. They believed it gave too much power to the national government. After all, wasn't that what the American Revolution had been fought over? 2. They were generally from the less-educated classes, were usually farmers, were believers in states' rights, and normally lived in the frontier areas. They were often Baptists or Methodists. 3. At their root, the Anti-Federalists felt that the Constitution had been written by and for the aristocratic folks and that it threatened people's independence and freedoms. 1. Their complaints along these lines were (a) a lack of a bill of rights, (b) the riddance of annual elections, and (c) the formation of a standing army. All of these things could be used against the people. 15.The Great Debate in the States 1. The conventions in each state needed delegates. Elections were held. 2. Four states ratified the Constitution quickly. 3. Massachusetts voted for the Constitution, but it was a tough race and a close vote. Folks like Sam Adams campaigned against the Constitution thinking it gave too much power to the federal government. 1. Massachusetts ratified it with the promise that a Bill of Rights would immediately be written and adopted. 2. Massachusetts was a critical state, kind of a "tipping point." Had the Constitution failed here, it likely would not have been ratified by the other states. 4. After three more states ratified it, it became active in June of 1788. 5. The final hold-outs were Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. 16.The Four Laggard States 1. Four states had reservations about adopting the Constitution and held out. But they eventually did ratify it mainly because after 9 states adopted it the Constitution took affect. What would the 4 laggards do, become their own countries? It wasn't practical. 2. Virginia ratified it in a close vote because New Hampshire was about to adopt the Constitution as state number 9the number needed to activate it. 3. New York decided to go with the Constitution due to (a) The Federalist Papers of John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton and (b) the realization that a future on their own was pointless. 4. Finally, North Carolina and somewhat disgruntled Rhode Island ratified the Constitution and made it unanimous. They were given considerable pressure to do so and also realized to go-it-alone was not productive. 17.A Conservative Triumph 1. Like winning the American Revolution where a few patriots had pulled off independence, ratifying the Constitution was a minority victory. This time, the minority was the conservatives. 1. The patriots were a much more liberal, perhaps radical group. It was now time for the conservatives to pull the pendulum back toward the center. 2. To ratify the Constitution, an estimated 1/4 of the adult white male population had voted for convention delegates. Most of those voters were landowners. 3. The conservatives obtained certain measures that eased their minds 1. First, a stronger government that could deal with the "mobocracy" such as Shays' Rebellion. 2. Secondly, the elite or aristocracy had built in certain safeguards to their rule such as the electoral college, permanence of judges, and indirect elections of senators. All of these things meant stabilitythe number 1 thing on their mind.

Chapter 10 (13th) Launching the New Ship of State 1. Growing Pains 1. After 12 years of government-disabling, now America had to begin nation-building. During the Revolutionary time period though, a strong distrust of government had been instilled in people. 2. The U.S. financial situation was grim. 1. Revenue was very small yet the debt was mounting due to interest. 2. Hard (metal) money was scarce and the paper money was worthless. 3. The financial situation was the number 1 problem the new nation faced. 4. Still, America was trying to create a democracy on a scale never been done before and make it fly. 3. The U.S. Constitution went into effect in 1789. 1. The population was doubling every 20 years. The largest cities in the 1790 census (in order) were Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Charleston, and Baltimore. 2. 90% of the people were rural. 5% lived west of the Appalachian Mountains. These folks lived mostly in Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio which soon became new states. New Hampshire had already become state number 14. 4. Foreigners thought the Americans were rough and crude people due to the primitive pioneer lifestyle. 2. Washington for President 1.