The Great Awakening

• In the 1730’s and 1740’s a religious movement led by John Edwards took place in the colonies

• Book learning not as important, it is what is in the heart

• This idea inspires democratic feelings

•People could challenge authority

•American colonists were willing to challenge

the authority of the British

American Revolution

Post French and Indian War

• England defeats France-France is booted from America.

• England is in debt. Wants colonists to help pay for war.

• England issues Proclamation Line of 1763.– Colonists cannot move west

Quartering Act 1765

Colonists were to house British soldiers and provide fuel, candles, and transportation for troops.

“You have got to be kidding!”

“Why are you doing this? You are trying to control us!”

Stamp Act 1765

• Colonists must pay a tax on most printed material:

• Marriage licenses

• Newspapers

• Cards

• Documents

NO WAY! We are not going to pay for your war!

BOYCOTT! Sons of Liberty!

Townshend Acts 1767

• Small indirect taxes on glass, lead, paper, and tea

Ummm…you can’t trick us. We know that

the tax is there!…. BOYCOTT

Boston Massacre 1770

• A mob of colonists harass British troops who are guarding a Custom’s House

• Troops open fire on the colonists

• 5 colonists are killed including Crispus Attucks

Colonists enraged….British troops are

removed

Boston Tea Party 1773

• Britain has a monopoly on tea

• Colonists don’t like being controlled by Britain

Sons of Liberty protest…..dress up as Native

Americans and dump the teas in the harbor!

Intolerable Acts 1773

• Britain’s response to the tea party– Closed the port of Boston– Imposed military rule in Massachusetts– Wanted Boston to pay for the tea

Colonists begin storing arms!

First Continental Congress 1774

• Colonists agree to work together to protect their rights

• 12 of the 13 colonies form the CC to present their complaints-Olive Branch Petition

• Boycott all trade with England

Lexington and Concord 1775

• Parliament rejects petition

• British troops march to nearby Lexington and Concord-they plan to take the arms supply and arrest war party leaders

• Shots are fired at Lexington

• British troops march onto Concord

WAR IS ON!

Why America Was Able to Win

1. They had a reason to fight.

2. George Washington kept the army together.

3. France and Spain helped the colonists

4. Americans used surprise attacks.

5. Britain gave up.

Influence

• The American Revolution inspired the French to revolt against their king, Louis XVI

• Peasants and middle class paid heavy taxes and the nobles paid none

• The French wanted to guarantee rights like that in our Constitution

•Americans rallied around the French

•They supported the Marquis de Lafayette who was a leading reformer

(During the American Revolution, Lafayette had fought side by side with George Washington

New Government

• Because of their fear of a king, the new country set up a loose confederation of states (Articles of Confederation)

• The central government was not strong• The Articles of Confederation needed to be

re-written= The Constitution• The Federalists supported the Constitution

and a need for a strong government

• In order to show support for the Constitution, the federalists, (John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison) wrote a series of essays titled, The Federalist Papers

• These essays argued that the Constitution gave the government authority to function effectively-

The Constitution allowed for a strong central government and it would also protect the rights of the individual states