A Nation Is Born1750-1800

Enlightment or

Age of Reason

Characteristics:-Valued reason over faith-Believed people were by nature good-Reason could further human progress

French and Indian War

• Occurred before American Revolution

-1754-1763• The war was named the French and

Indian War because Native Americans participated in the battle.

-YET: Indians fought on both sides

British Control

• King George imposed taxes upon the colonies to raise funds that would pay for the war.

-Stamp Act-Townshead Act-Tea Act

Stamp Act of 1765

• The colonists react negatively:-beat up stamp

distributors-burnt stamps

• Stamps had to be adhered on 54 common items, including:

-wills, legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets,

and playing cards

Townshead Act of 1767

• Taxed:-paper, paint, glass,

lead, and tea• Eventually led to the Boston

Massacre.– 5 fatalities– Heightened Colonist’s

dissatisfaction– Parliament repealed the Act

Tea Act

• Gave an English company a monopoly on the tea market in the colonies.

• Colonists reaction: The Boston Tea Party

Coercive Acts

• The Coercive Acts were a result of the Boston Tea Party.

• Shut down Boston’s port.• Stopped all annual town meetings.• British troops were allowed to reside

in colonists’ homes.Colonists dubbed the

Intolerable Acts

April 19, 1775

• A day in American history called:“The shot heard around the world”

• Left 8 Americans dead

• The American Revolution had begun.

After the Revolution

• Articles of Confederation constructed the “league of friends”.

• Development of Constitution and Bill of Rights

• George Washington elected as President of the United States

Aphorisms:

• What is an Aphorism?-A brief saying

embodying a moral, a concise statement of a principal or precept given in pointed words.

Example: Haste makes waste.