StudyDeposit

Search

SearchSearch

Recent Notes

Recent Notes

Unit 3 Notes

Apr 18, 202411 min read

Overview

  • French and Indian War
    • Tensions over the Ohio River Valley
    • The British and French worried about the others encroachment
    • The British lost initially
    • Congress of representatives for frontier defense and expansion
    • Albany Plan Of Union
      • Mount a more coordinated effort for the war effort
      • However, the plan was too costly
      • Future Revolutionary Congress
    • British won the war in 1763
      • France was ousted from North America
      • British more than doubled their land holdings
      • Colonists began expanding West, causing Native tensions
  • Aftermath
    • Royal Proclamation of 1763
      • Prevented colonists from taking land in the Ohio River Valley, west of the Appalachian Mountains
      • The colonists were angry because they shed their blood for this land
    • War was very expensive
      • The British issued taxes to the colonies
    • British used to largely allowed the colonists to manage their own affairs
    • Salutary Neglect
      • Gave the colonists a sense of independence from Britain
      • Over
    • Stricter enforcement of the Navigation Acts
    • Quartering Act 1765
      • Imperial troops stayed to enforce the new laws
      • The colonists had to feed and house the soldiers
    • Sugar Act
      • Taxes of coffee, wine, etc.
      • Taxes on molasses
    • Stamp Act
      • Paper items were taxed
      • Caused tension because the colonists were suffering from unemployment
    • Virtual Representation
      • Members of Parliament represented all classes of citizens, not locality
      • Not very convincing to the colonists because they had local representation
    • Sons and Daughters of Liberty sought to repeal the Stamp Act
    • Stamp Act Congress to repeal the Stamp Act
      • Did so as loyal subjects
      • Not a bid for independence, rather the full rights of British citizens
      • Parliament repealed the Stamp Act and Sugar Act afterwards since riots and danger to tax collectors
    • Taxation without representation is tyranny
    • Declaratory Act
      • The British can impose any laws to the Colonies
    • Townshend Acts
      • Levied taxes on imports to the Colonies
      • Caused highly organized protests from all Americans
      • Boycott British goods
      • Women were important to create self-sufficiency
    • Boston Massacre
      • People harassed British soldiers
      • Shots went off that caused 11 wounded and 4 dead
      • However, 6/8 soldiers were not wrong
      • Caused colonist uproar
    • Boston Tea Party
      • Response to the Tea Act that let British company buy and ship tea to the Colonies
      • About 50 colonists disguised as American Indians dumped tea into the harbor
      • Caused the Coercive Acts
        • Closed the harbor until the tea was paid for
        • Let Britain dominate the affairs of the Colonies
        • These acts were also called the Intolerable Acts
    • News of tyranny caused the spread of Patriots and organization
    • Continental Congress
      • Everyone agreed that the Colonies needed to resist British Parliament
      • Independence was not on the horizon
      • Influenced greatly by the Age of Enlightenment
        • Natural Rights
        • Social Contract
        • Separation of Powers
      • Still debating after the war started
        • Independence from Britain was the only way their nation could survive
      • Composed of the Elite, not the common citizens
    • Common Sense Pamphlet
      • Independence from Britain was necessary using the Enlightenment and the Bible
      • Caused a majority of colonists that independence was necessary
    • Declaration of Independence
      • Full of Enlightenment ideals
      • Adopted on July 2nd 1776 and made public on July 4th 1776
    • Sizable Loyalists that wanted to stay loyal to Britain
  • American Revolution
    • Continental Army
      • George Washington as general
      • Started off very bad
      • Many humiliating defeats by Britain
      • Victory in the Battle of Saratoga convinced the French to ally with the Americans
      • French sent guns and ships
      • British didn’t have the resources
      • After the defeat in the Battle of Yorktown caused the British to surrender
  • American Victory
    • Articles of Confederation
      • Borrowed from state legislation model
      • 1781, states had ratified the document as the Constitution of the United States
      • All power to the Legislative
      • Very little power to tax
    • States had their own constitutions and governments
    • Northwest Ordinance of 1787
      • Plan for how unformed territory can become states
      • Abolished slavery in the Northwest Territory
    • Lots of American debt that couldn’t be relieved by the Federal government
    • Shays’ Rebellion
      • Shays was a farmer in Massachusetts
      • Gathered a group to arm themselves
      • Collapsed quickly
      • Showed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation
    • Constitutional Convention
    • American Culture
    • American Politics
      • Washington first president and Adams first vice president
      • Washington established different departments like state, war, etc.
      • Alexander Hamilton as first secretary of treasury
        • Drew a plan for the Federal government to pay of debt
        • Consolidated debt to bind the nation together
        • National Bank
          • The Constitution says there was no bank
          • Necessary and Proper Clause
            • Congress can make any law that is necessary
            • Bank is needed since Congress dealt in commerce
          • Passed
      • Washington and Hamilton were federalists
        • Remained neutral during the French Revolution
      • Whiskey Rebellion
        • Hamilton had a tax on whiskey
        • As a result, attacked tax collectors
        • Washington had state militias to crush the rebellion
        • Enraged those who hated the Federalists
      • Democratic-Republican Party
        • Thought there was Federal overreach
      • Washington’s Farewell Address
        • Warned against political parties
        • Warned against foreign alliances
        • Largely ignored
      • John Adams second president
        • War broke out between Britain and France
        • XYZ affair
          • France seized American trade ships
          • Delegates sent to France but the Frenchmen demanded bribes
          • Outrage by the Americans
        • Alien and Sedition Acts
          • Made it easy to deport any non-citizen of the United States
          • Against the immigrants that opposed the government
          • Democratic Republics said this was Federal overreach
        • Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
          • Made by Democratic Republicans
          • Any law passed by the Federal government can be nullified by the state
      • United States, Britain, Spain, and American Indians
      • Slavery
        • Northern states had a rapid growth of free blacks
        • Some states granted free blacks the right to vote
        • African Methodists Episocal Church
        • South made it impossible to free slaves
          • Established slavery towards the West

Key Concept 1

British attempts to assert more control over colonies led to a colonial independence movement.

After the French and Indian War, the British began consolidating their holdings in North America to stave off the instability and debt caused by the war. The British ended Salutary Neglect over the colonies and began enforcing trade and tax acts over the Colonies with the British army. The Colonies attempted to repeal many tax acts to repair relations with the British and establish a compromise. However, despite the immediate loosening of laws, Parliament denied Colonial representation and continued legislation that the Colonies viewed as tyrannical. As a result, ideas of independence began spreading throughout the Colonies.

  • The Royal Proclamation of 1763 prevented colonists from taking land in the Ohio River Valley, west of the Appalachian Mountains.
  • The Quartering Act 1765 allowed Imperial troops to stay and enforce the new laws. The colonists had to feed and house the soldiers.
  • The Intolerable Acts saw Britain dominate the affairs of the Colonies, reducing their autonomy and quelling defiance.
  • The Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Act forced British taxes on Colonial trade and goods.
  • The Stamp Act Congress petitioned to repeal the Stamp Act, claiming that Taxation Without Representation was tyranny.
  • The Declaratory Act allowed the British to impose any laws to the Colonies.
  • Organized groups gathered in the Colonies to resist further British tyranny. The Continental Congress of 1774 began debating how the Colonies should react.
  • With the Enlightenment and the Common Sense Pamphlet, thoughts of independence spread throughout the Colonies.

Key Concept 2

The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired a new form of government.

The Enlightenment ideals of Natural Rights, Social Contract, and Separation of Powers influenced the creation of a democratic government for the United States. In addition, existing state loyalties and culture transformed the government into one that managed sovereign states.

  • The Continental Congress was heavily influenced by the works of Enlightenment thinkers during their formation as the United States government.
  • After the American Revolution, the Continental Congress drafted the Articles of Confederation to create the new Federal Government. The Articles of Confederation formed a government that retained little power over states, placed power into the Legislative branch, no provisions were made for a national army, and the Federal government had little power to tax.

Key Concept 3

Migration within North America and competition over resources and trade among people and nations.

Increasing tensions between the westward settlers and American Indians prompted the government to create regulations. However, westward migration continued to cause conflict between American Settlers, American Indians, and the British, who backed the American Indians. In addition, westward migration caused conflict with Spanish North America and prompted further regulations of settlers. Among westward settlers were slaveholders who brought slaves to areas that never experienced slavery.

In addition to migrations, the United States involved itself with European affairs, such as the war between Britain and France. French ships would intercept American convoys towards Britain, causing several diplomatic incidents

  • The XYZ affair was prompted over the French seizure of American trade ships to Britain. American diplomats were sent to negotiate a settlement but were met with corrupt French diplomats that demanded bribes.
  • The Indian Trade and Intercourse Act was created to regulate relations between American settlers and American Indians. However, the act was weak and conflict continued over land and resources.
  • The Pinckney Treaty was established after tensions flared from American settlers interfering with Spanish Florida. Thus, the Pinckney Treaty was created to finalize the border between the United States and Spain.
  • Slaveholders settling west brought enslaved individuals to establish towns and cities in areas that never saw slavery before.

Terms and Concepts

British Taxation

  • Stamp Act
    • Paper items were taxed by the British government, causing tension due to colonists’ unemployment.
  • Sugar Act
    • Taxed coffee, wine, molasses, and similar items.
  • Townshend Act
    • Taxed British imports like glass, lead, paint, and tea, leading to organized protests and a boycott of British goods.
  • Tea Tax
    • The East India Company’s monopoly on tea imports to the Colonies provoked anger for cutting out colonial merchants.
  • Intolerable Acts
    • Series of acts reducing Colonial autonomy: forced fines, downgraded Massachusetts’s colonial charter, protected British officials, stationed troops in Colonies.

Key Figures

  • Benjamin Franklin
    • Helped draft the Declaration of Independence and secured critical French aid.
  • King George III
    • Lost the 13 Colonies due to controversial acts pushing them towards independence.
  • Thomas Jefferson
    • Drafted the Declaration of Independence and served in the Continental Congress.
  • George Washington
    • Commander-in-chief of Continental Army, served in Continental Congress, and became the first U.S. President.
  • John Adams
    • Continental Congress delegate critical of British taxes, secured French aid during diplomatic mission.
  • Thomas Paine
    • Authored “Common Sense,” convincing colonists of the necessity of independence.

Battles and Events

  • Boston Tea Party
    • About 50 colonists disguised as American Indians dumped tea into Boston Harbor in response to the Tea Act.
  • Battle of Saratoga
    • Major victory for Continental Army, pivotal in persuading allies (French, Spanish, Dutch) to support the cause.
  • Siege of Yorktown
    • Final battle of American Revolution, securing decisive victory for French and American troops.
  • Shays’ Rebellion
    • Farmer rebellion exposing weaknesses of Articles of Confederation.
  • Constitutional Convention
    • Held to design a new constitution, involving Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
  • Northwest Ordinance of 1787
    • Planned how territories become states, abolished slavery in Northwest Territory.

Government and Political Concepts

  • Articles of Confederation
    • Gave power to Legislative branch, limited federal taxing, retained state power.
  • Federalism
    • Advocated for stronger Federal government.
  • Separation of Powers
    • Divided power among Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches.
  • Bill of Rights
    • Added to Constitution to protect individual liberties and satisfy Anti-Federalists.
  • Federalist Papers
    • Persuasive essays supporting the Constitution.
  • ⅗ Compromise
    • Compromise on counting slaves for representation.

Political Parties and Movements

  • Federalist Party (Hamilton)
    • Supported neutrality and stronger Federal government.
  • Democratic-Republican Party (Jefferson and Madison)
    • Opposed Federal power, advocated state rights, created Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions.
  • Whiskey Rebellion
    • Rebellion against whiskey tax, highlighting tensions between Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

Graph View

Backlinks

  • No backlinks found