The American Revolution

NOTES

OBJECTIVE(S):

• What changed the relationship between the mother country and the Colonies?

• How did the colonists justify their defiance and demands for independence?

• Why did the Colonists win?• Why did the colonists create the Articles

of Confederation as they did and what mistake(s) did they make?

I.I. CausesCausesA.A. The colonies were The colonies were

exploited by exploited by Britain’s Britain’s mercantilist mercantilist policies.policies.

1.1. Private companies—not Private companies—not the British government—the British government—settled the Thirteen settled the Thirteen Colonies. These companies Colonies. These companies purchased charters from purchased charters from the King of England to the King of England to establish colonies in North establish colonies in North America.America.

2.2. These colonies—such as Jamestown in These colonies—such as Jamestown in Virginia, the Plymouth community in Virginia, the Plymouth community in New England, and the Dutch colony of New England, and the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in New York (which New Amsterdam in New York (which was eventually absorbed by the British was eventually absorbed by the British and renamed)—were essentially and renamed)—were essentially established as businesses for the established as businesses for the purpose of making a profit. purpose of making a profit.

3.3. Mercantilist Mercantilist policies governed policies governed all decision about all decision about the colonies. the colonies.

a.a. Mercantilism is the economic Mercantilism is the economic doctrine followed by European doctrine followed by European countries from the end of feudalism countries from the end of feudalism into the eighteenth centuries (when into the eighteenth centuries (when laissez faire economics replaced it as laissez faire economics replaced it as the popular theory). Mercantilists the popular theory). Mercantilists held that a nation's wealth consisted held that a nation's wealth consisted primarily in the amount of gold and primarily in the amount of gold and silver in its treasury.silver in its treasury.

b.b. Accordingly, mercantilist Accordingly, mercantilist governments imposed governments imposed extensive restrictions on their extensive restrictions on their economies to ensure a economies to ensure a favorable balance of trade favorable balance of trade (which is when a country (which is when a country exports more than it imports). exports more than it imports).

c.c. Mercantilism led to the Mercantilism led to the establishment of colonies, establishment of colonies, which were established for the which were established for the sole reason of increasing the sole reason of increasing the mother country’s wealth. mother country’s wealth. These colonies were These colonies were investments.investments.

d.d. Mother countries put severe restrictions on Mother countries put severe restrictions on who their colonies could trade with, giving who their colonies could trade with, giving the mother country a monopoly. They also the mother country a monopoly. They also were prohibited from manufacturing were prohibited from manufacturing finished products with their raw materials. finished products with their raw materials. All of their raw materials had to be sent All of their raw materials had to be sent back to the mother country to be turned back to the mother country to be turned into manufactured goods, which would be into manufactured goods, which would be sold back to the colony at a higher price.sold back to the colony at a higher price.

Mother Mother CountryCountryColonyColony

Raw materials: Raw materials: tobacco, wood, tobacco, wood, molasses, cottonmolasses, cotton

Finished products: Finished products: cigarettes, chairs, cigarettes, chairs, rum, clothingrum, clothing

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MercantilismMercantilism

e.e. The Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies became a chief source for became a chief source for key raw materials for the key raw materials for the British—such as molasses, British—such as molasses, tobacco, and, later, cotton—tobacco, and, later, cotton—as England began the as England began the process of industrialization.process of industrialization.

B.B. The colonies had a tradition The colonies had a tradition of self rule and when Britain of self rule and when Britain attempted to exert more attempted to exert more control of them, including control of them, including trying to collect taxes from trying to collect taxes from them, the colonists felt they them, the colonists felt they were wronged.were wronged.

1.1. The colonies—because The colonies—because they were established by they were established by British companies and not British companies and not the government—had the government—had grown to expect to be grown to expect to be allowed to rule allowed to rule themselves.themselves.

a.a. The Virginia House of The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first Burgesses was the first representative government in representative government in the colonies. Its members the colonies. Its members included men elected by included men elected by residents to help make residents to help make decisions concerning the decisions concerning the colony.colony.

b.b. Mayflower Compact was an agreement Mayflower Compact was an agreement reached by the Pilgrims on the ship the reached by the Pilgrims on the ship the Mayflower in 1620, just before they Mayflower in 1620, just before they landed at Plymouth Rock. The landed at Plymouth Rock. The Mayflower Compact bound them to live Mayflower Compact bound them to live in a civil society according to their own in a civil society according to their own laws. It remained the fundamental law laws. It remained the fundamental law of their colony of Plymouth until the of their colony of Plymouth until the colony was absorbed into colony was absorbed into Massachusetts in the late seventeenth Massachusetts in the late seventeenth century.century.

c.c. In the northeast, the In the northeast, the tradition of New England tradition of New England town meetings began in town meetings began in colonial times. All members colonial times. All members of small towns would gather of small towns would gather to discuss and make laws. to discuss and make laws.

d.d. The Fundamental The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut Orders of Connecticut (1638) set up the (1638) set up the government for the government for the colony in that state. colony in that state. This was the first This was the first written constitution.written constitution.

2.2. Before the French and Indian Before the French and Indian War, Parliament and the King War, Parliament and the King allowed the colonists to do allowed the colonists to do what they wanted. After the what they wanted. After the war, they started to take more war, they started to take more control over the colonies, which control over the colonies, which upset the colonists.upset the colonists.

a.a. Parliament followed an Parliament followed an unwritten policy of salutary unwritten policy of salutary neglect—lack of strict neglect—lack of strict enforcement of Parliamentary enforcement of Parliamentary laws in the colonies—because it laws in the colonies—because it was believed that the colonies was believed that the colonies would thrive without regulation would thrive without regulation (an early example of laissez (an early example of laissez faire capitalism).faire capitalism).

b.b. After Britain gained French After Britain gained French territory east of the Mississippi territory east of the Mississippi River Valley in the French and River Valley in the French and Indian War (the Seven Year’s Indian War (the Seven Year’s War in European history), King War in European history), King George III issued the George III issued the Proclamation of 1763. Proclamation of 1763.

1)1) The Proclamation The Proclamation established the established the Proclamation Line, Proclamation Line, prohibiting settlement prohibiting settlement west of the Appalachian west of the Appalachian Mountains.Mountains.

2)2) Many colonists, eager to get Many colonists, eager to get a jump on claiming the new a jump on claiming the new land acquired by the crown, land acquired by the crown, settled there anyway. The settled there anyway. The British evicted these settlers British evicted these settlers and moved them back east.and moved them back east.

3)3) To the colonists, the British To the colonists, the British were changing the rules after were changing the rules after the game started. If they didn’t the game started. If they didn’t care to enforce these rules care to enforce these rules before, it wasn’t fair that they before, it wasn’t fair that they enforce them now. The enforce them now. The colonists said the government colonists said the government was in violation of salutary was in violation of salutary neglect.neglect.

3.3. Until the French and Until the French and Indian War, the Indian War, the colonies had not colonies had not been taxed by been taxed by British Parliament.British Parliament.

a.a. To entice people to To entice people to take the risk to moving take the risk to moving to the New World, to the New World, Parliament did not tax Parliament did not tax colonists.colonists.

b.b. The French and Indian War (part The French and Indian War (part of Europe’s Seven Years War of Europe’s Seven Years War between Britain and France) put between Britain and France) put the British in debt. Since they the British in debt. Since they fought the war protecting the fought the war protecting the colonists from the French, colonists from the French, Parliament decided that the Parliament decided that the colonists needed to pay their fair colonists needed to pay their fair share and levied taxes on the share and levied taxes on the colonies for the first time.colonies for the first time.

1)1) One of the first major taxes One of the first major taxes was the Stamp Act. It taxed was the Stamp Act. It taxed all paper products. all paper products.

(a)(a) Colonial reaction to the tax Colonial reaction to the tax was fierce. In addition to acts was fierce. In addition to acts of terrorism (tarring and of terrorism (tarring and feathering, for example), the feathering, for example), the colonist boycotted the items colonist boycotted the items taxed.taxed.

(b)(b) Parliament was forced to Parliament was forced to repeal the tax.repeal the tax.

2)2) The Townshend Acts were the The Townshend Acts were the next attempt to collect taxes next attempt to collect taxes from the colonies. Among this from the colonies. Among this set of tax laws was the famous set of tax laws was the famous tax on tea. The colonists tax on tea. The colonists reacted just as violently.reacted just as violently.

(a)(a) During the tension caused by the During the tension caused by the Townshend Acts, the Boston Townshend Acts, the Boston Massacre occurred. When a mob Massacre occurred. When a mob of angry colonists taunted soldiers of angry colonists taunted soldiers at the Customs House in Boston, at the Customs House in Boston, the guards fired upon the crowd, the guards fired upon the crowd, killing five. The event was used to killing five. The event was used to rally more colonists against the rally more colonists against the British.British.

(b)(b) In an attempt to calm down the ease In an attempt to calm down the ease situation in Boston, the British pulled situation in Boston, the British pulled all troops out of the city.all troops out of the city.

(c)(c) With no troops protecting the city, With no troops protecting the city, revel leaders organized the Boston revel leaders organized the Boston Tea Party. Three quarters of a million Tea Party. Three quarters of a million dollars of tea was dumped into dollars of tea was dumped into Boston harbor as a protest of what Boston harbor as a protest of what the colonists believed was an unfair the colonists believed was an unfair tax.tax.

(d)(d) As a result, the Parliament decided that it As a result, the Parliament decided that it needed to regain control of the colonies needed to regain control of the colonies and prepares for a crackdown.and prepares for a crackdown.

(1)(1) Parliament passed a series of harsh Parliament passed a series of harsh laws known as the Intolerable Acts to laws known as the Intolerable Acts to punish the colonies. They declared punish the colonies. They declared martial law in Boston. Designed to martial law in Boston. Designed to make them get in line, they instead make them get in line, they instead make more colonist think that make more colonist think that separation might be necessary.separation might be necessary.

(2)(2) The First Continental Congress The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to discuss met in Philadelphia to discuss how to deal with these latest how to deal with these latest abuses of the British. The abuses of the British. The discussion turns from discussion turns from reconciliation to separation reconciliation to separation from Great Britain. The from Great Britain. The decision to raise an army from decision to raise an army from state militias is made.state militias is made.

II.II. The Revolutionary War (1775-1783)The Revolutionary War (1775-1783)

A.A. The conflict between the British The conflict between the British troop and colonial militia—troop and colonial militia—nicknamed Minutemen—nicknamed Minutemen—happened at the New England happened at the New England towns of Lexington and Concord, towns of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the the first battles of the Revolutionary War.Revolutionary War.

B.B. The Declaration of IndependenceThe Declaration of Independence

1.1. The Second Continental The Second Continental Congress adopted and official Congress adopted and official document outlining the document outlining the reasons for separation from reasons for separation from Great Britain. Written by Great Britain. Written by Thomas Jefferson, the Thomas Jefferson, the document is strongly document is strongly influenced for the ideas of the influenced for the ideas of the Enlightenment.Enlightenment.

1)1) The Declaration states that all The Declaration states that all people have Natural Rights people have Natural Rights (“all men are created equal”).(“all men are created equal”).

2)2) It then says that governments It then says that governments are created to protect these are created to protect these rights, a concept called the rights, a concept called the Social Contract theory of Social Contract theory of government.government.

3)3) If a government doesn’t protect If a government doesn’t protect these rights, the Social Contract these rights, the Social Contract also explained, the people have also explained, the people have the right to revolt against that the right to revolt against that government.government.

4)4) Since King George III and Since King George III and Parliament had violated the social Parliament had violated the social contract, the colonists were contract, the colonists were declaring themselves declaring themselves independent.independent.

2.2. The British didn’t accept the The British didn’t accept the Declaration and the Declaration and the Revolutionary War was fought Revolutionary War was fought as they tried to regain control as they tried to regain control of their colony. Their efforts of their colony. Their efforts proved unsuccessful. In 1783, proved unsuccessful. In 1783, the British—tired of the costly the British—tired of the costly war—conceded defeat and the war—conceded defeat and the colonies were independent.colonies were independent.

III.III. The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation

A.A. Now that the colonies were Now that the colonies were independent, a new government had independent, a new government had to be formed. Not wanting to suffer to be formed. Not wanting to suffer from the same problems they faced from the same problems they faced under King George III and Parliament’s under King George III and Parliament’s rule, they attempted to create a new rule, they attempted to create a new government nothing like the one they government nothing like the one they just broke away form. This new just broke away form. This new government, however, proved to be government, however, proved to be too weak to be effective and suffered too weak to be effective and suffered from many problems, such as:from many problems, such as:

1.1. The Articles of The Articles of Confederation had no chief Confederation had no chief executive. Worried about a executive. Worried about a strong leader abusing strong leader abusing power, they instead created power, they instead created a government with no a government with no leader.leader.

2.2. Representation was another issue Representation was another issue because in the unicameral (one because in the unicameral (one house) legislature, each state had a house) legislature, each state had a vote on all issues. This meant that vote on all issues. This meant that small states had as much say as large small states had as much say as large states. Also, it took a two-thirds states. Also, it took a two-thirds majority to pass a law. It is often majority to pass a law. It is often difficult to get a “super-majority” to difficult to get a “super-majority” to pass a law and almost impossible to pass a law and almost impossible to get a unanimous vote to amend the get a unanimous vote to amend the Articles.Articles.

3.3. The national government The national government could not collect taxes or could not collect taxes or coin money. Only state coin money. Only state governments were governments were allowed to, meaning that allowed to, meaning that they all had their own they all had their own currency.currency.

4.4. The Articles gave too much The Articles gave too much power to the states and had power to the states and had no way to settle disputes no way to settle disputes between them. For between them. For instance, they lacked a instance, they lacked a national court system. national court system. Disputes between states Disputes between states had nowhere to be heard.had nowhere to be heard.