America Declares Independence

Unit 2, Lesson 2

Essential Idea

• Tension between Britain and the colonies led to America declaring independence.

Tension Grows

• “Round Three”• Colonial Action:• Gaspee Affair- colonists

attacked and burned a British ship that captured smugglers

• Committees of correspondence- colonies set up groups to communicate about British activities

• The committees unified the colonies, shaped public opinion, and coordinated resisting the British

The Tea Act• British Action:

• Tea Act- this lowered the tax on British tea, making it cheaper than the non-British tea colonists smuggled

Boston Tea Party

• Colonial Response:• Colonists were mad and felt forced to buy British tea• Boston Tea Party- In 1773, colonists, disguised as Indians, dumped 342

chests of tea into the Boston Harbor• Samuel Adams publically defended the action and may have participated • The “Tea Party”

Coercive/ Intolerable Acts

• British Action:• King George III was

furious and Parliament decided to punish the colonies

• Coercive Acts- England shut down Boston Harbor, stopped allowing elections, and expanded the Quartering Act

• More British troops were sent to the colonies to keep order, raising tension

Also called the “Intolerable Acts”

Colonial Response:• Colonists were

furious, calling the new laws the “Intolerable Acts”

• Committees of correspondence called for colonies to send delegates to a colonial congress to discuss what to do next

• Coercive/Intolerable Acts (start at 0:35)

First Continental Congress

Colonial Action:• First Continental Congress-

met in Philadelphia to discuss a response to the Intolerable Acts

• The delegates did NOT want independence yet, just restoration of their rights

• Declaration of Rights and Grievances- condemned Coercive (Intolerable) Acts, announced boycotts, but expressed loyalty to the king

• Colonial militias began to form, some known as the “minutemen”

The King is Angry

British Response:

• King George III was furious and declared the colonies in rebellion

• Additional British troops were sent to Massachusetts to suppress defiance

• The First Continental Congress

Lexington and Concord

• British Action:• British General Thomas

Gage sent troops to Concord to capture militia supplies and “rebel ring leaders” Samuel Adams and John Hancock

• Colonial Response: • Paul Revere and others

made famous “midnight rides” ahead of the troops, warning the “British are coming”

• Minutemen intercepted British troops at Lexington and eight minutemen died

“Shot Heard ‘round the World”

• This “shot heard ‘round the world” is considered by many the start of the American Revolution

• At Concord, 400 minutemen attacked and chased the British back to Boston, killing 99 troops

• Local militias surrounded the British in Boston

• The Shot Heard Round the World

Second Continental Congress

Colonial Action:• Second Continental Congress- met

again in Philadelphia, “adopted” the militias as the Continental Army, and named George Washington as commander

• Second Continental Congress Meets

• The Congress still did not want independence and tried to reconcile with England despite the fighting

• Olive Branch Petition- the Congress maintained loyalty to the king and asked to end hostilities with this last ditch effort

Battle of Bunker Hill

Battle of Bunker Hill:• British troops tried to

capture a hill outside Boston where the Continental Army was

• The Army did severe damage to Britain, the strongest military in the world, but retreated after running out of supplies

Peace?

Consequences:• This both boosted

American confidence and infuriated King George III

• The king rejected the Olive Branch Petition and declared the colonies in open rebellion

• Battle of Bunker Hill

Thomas Paine and Common Sense

• Even in 1776, most colonists hesitated on independence

• Thomas Paine- wrote “Common Sense,” pushing for independence

• “Common Sense” was influenced by the Enlightenment ideas on natural rights and compact theory

Common Sense

• Paine said Britain violated colonists’ natural rights and thus was an illegitimate government

• Republic- Paine’s idea of government, where power comes from the people through elections, not a king

• The idea of independence became more popular

• Common Sense

Declaration of IndependenceIndependence:• In Congress,

future president John Adams vocally pushed for independence

• July 4, 1776-Congress declared its decision (made July 2nd) to become independent from Britain

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson:• Wrote Declaration of

Independence, claiming that “all men are created equal” and had natural rights

• Jefferson, like Paine, said England had broken its “compact” with the colonies

• The colonies became the United States of America and the American Revolution officially began

• Declaration of Independence

All Men Created Equal?

• Many groups after the revolution were not treated equally

• Blacks:• Blacks remained slaves in southern

states until the Civil War• After the Civil War, blacks were

denied rights by the government until the 1960s

• Women:• Women were denied many rights

and did not get the right to vote (suffrage) until 1920

A Tough Task for Patriots

Loyalists:• Remained loyal to Britain• How many?• Almost a third of colonists • Location: Mostly New York and lower

South• Patriots:• Favored independence from Britain• How many?• Only about 40% of colonists • Location: Mostly in New England and

Virginia • Civil War:• Part of the American Revolution was

civil war between Loyalists and Patriots• Patriots were NOT in the majority and

victory was NOT likely

The American Revolution

Unit 2, Lesson 3

Essential Idea

• Though victory was unlikely, America won the Revolutionary War with key victories at the Battles of Saratoga, Kings Mountain, and Yorktown.

British Advantages

• British Advantages:• Much larger population• Stronger government to conduct war• Stronger economy and more money• Strongest and most disciplined military in the world

British Disadvantages• British Disadvantages:• Overextended, trying to control too much of the world at

once• English support for war was weak

British Disadvantages

• Fighting offensive war, no “home field” advantage

• America was a large area, hard to control

Colonial Advantages

• Colonial Advantages:• Superior military leadership • Fighting defensive war, had “home field” • Patriots’ support was high, felt they were fighting for their rights

Colonial Advantages

• Guerrilla warfare-sometimes fought with hidden ambushes, not lining up like the British

• France eventually helped America

• Did not have to win, just outlast Britain until they were tired of the war

Colonial Disadvantages• Much weaker, less organized military• Weak government and economy that struggled to support

military• On paper, Britain should have won

Fighting in the North• Battle of Long Island:• Washington’s army was defeated and forced to retreat• British General William Howe captured New York City• The Continental Army’s morale was low and Washington needed a way to

boost it

Washington Crosses the Delaware• On Christmas of 1776, Washington led troops

secretly across the Delaware River into New Jersey

Boosted Morale • Washington won

two victories in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton

• Washington Crosses the Delaware

• Washington’s leadership kept morale up (for now) and kept soldiers from quitting

Britain’s Strategy to Win the War• Initial British strategy:• Cut New England off from the rest of the

colonies• Troops under John Burgoyne in British-owned

Canada would move south • Troops under Howe in New York City would

move north to meet Burgoyne • They would meet in Albany and then invade

New England• Why New England?• Most colonists and Patriots that wanted

independence lived here and would be isolated

• The Northern Strategy• Why it failed:• Howe decided to capture Philadelphia

instead• Burgoyne was stopped at the Battle of

Saratoga

Britain Takes Philadelphia• Howe in Philadelphia:• Howe’s troops moved to

Philadelphia to capture the Congress

• Howe thought the revolution would fall apart without its government

• Washington failed to stop Howe, but the Congress escaped and survived

• Howe occupied Philadelphia and took the winter off to enjoy the city

Winter Sets In

• Washington in Valley Forge:

• Endured the harsh winter outside Philadelphia in Valley Forge

Valley Forge • Washington and other officers drilled and disciplined the soldiers to boost

morale • After the winter, Washington’s men were stronger and able to win the

Battle of Yorktown • Valley Forge

Battle of Saratoga

• Battle of Saratoga:

• This battle was the turning point in the North

• American forces stopped Burgoyne, ending Britain’s campaign to cut off New England

• This helped convince France to join America against Britain, providing vital help

• Battle of Saratoga

Fighting in the South

Britain’s New Strategy:

• Focus on controlling the South, where most loyalists were

• Britain wanted to at least keep the Southand maybe use it to invade the North

Charles Town (Charleston)

Fighting in the Carolinas:• Britain captured Charleston and brutally invaded South Carolina • British General Charles Cornwallis was put in charge of conquering

the Carolinas’ countryside• British troops freed many slaves, making the South unstable• Britain Invades the South

The “Fighting Quaker”

Nathanael Greene:• American General

Nathanael Greene wanted to turn southern support against Britain

• Greene baited Cornwallis’ troops to chase his men across the countryside using “hit and run” attacks

• Low on supplies, Cornwallis’ troops plundered southern homes

Britain Loses the Southern Population

• Greene lost every battle, but won because he turned the South against Britain and wore out Cornwallis’ troops

• Britain only controlled a few major cities in the South but could not control the vast countryside in between

• America’s Southern Strategy: Lose Battles but Win the War

Battle of Yorktown• Cornwallis marched to Yorktown, on the coast of Virginia, to wait for resupply from the

British navy• Cornwallis assumed Britain’s strong navy still controlled the ocean• Washington rushed his army south to capture the land around Yorktown• The French navy captured the coast at Yorktown, preventing Cornwallis’ resupply and escape

Cornwallis Surrenders• Surrounded, Cornwallis and his 8,000 troops

surrendered • The Battle of Yorktown caused Britain to declare

the war over

Treaty of Paris (1783)

• The War EndsTreaty:• Treaty of Paris of 1783• Terms:• Ended the American

Revolution• Britain recognized the

United States as a new nation

• Battle of Yorktown and Independence

• The United States owned land all the way west to the Mississippi River

Revolution Aftermath and the Articles of Confederation

Unit 2, Lesson 4

Essential Idea

• As the United States formed its identity, the Articles of Confederation attempted to provide a new government.

Impact of War on SocietyImpact of War:• The ideals of equality and

freedom became more popular• These ideals were limited for

women, blacks, and loyalists• Impact of War on Women:• Women took care of farms and

businesses while men fought, and a few fought themselves

• Women felt more empowered and pushed for more equality with men

• Abigail Adams- wife of future President John Adams, asked him to “remember the ladies” during the revolution

• Women’s Role in America?

Impact on Blacks Impact of War on Blacks:• Before the war, slavery existed in all colonies• Many people felt slavery did not fit the ideals of equality and freedom• After the war, slavery was eliminated in all northern states, but discrimination

continued• Slavery continued in southern states, where it was vital to the agricultural

economy

The Loyalist Exodus

Impact of War on Loyalists:

• Loyalists were discriminated against

• Loyalist Exodus- around 100,000 loyalists left America, mostly to Canada

New Political Ideas• 1. America created a republic, where power came from people through

elections• 2. Many states created written constitutions that included branches of

government and lists of rights• 3. Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom- first law that separated church

and state government and allowed religious freedom

Articles of Confederation

• Articles of Confederation:

• Created during first year of American Revolution

• First written plan of government for the United States

• Government Structure:

• One branch of government, the legislative branch

Government under the Articles

• Congress was unicameral (one house) and each state had one representative

• No executive branch to enforce laws, no judicial branch to interpret laws

• Laws and amendments were almost impossible to pass

• The federal (central) government was VERY WEAK, giving most power to states

Why Weak Federal Government?• Why weak?• Many Americans did

not want a strong federal government

• They worried a strong federal government could become oppressive and give rise to another king

• Americans wanted as much freedom as possible

Strengths and Successes of AOCStrength:• Power to declare war and raise an army• Success:• America was able to win the American Revolution and become independent

Strengths and Success of the AOC

Strength:• Congress could

control the western territories

• Success:• Northwest Ordinance

of 1787- set up a system for settling the Northwest Territory and turning it into states

• Northwest Ordinance

A Country of Slavery or Freedom?

• This law banned slavery in the Northwest Territory • This meant the country would be divided between slave and free states as

it expanded• Slavery’s role in westward expansion caused tension and contributed to

the Civil War

Weaknesses and Failures of the AOC

Weakness:• Weak federal governmentFailures:• Foreign countries did not

respect the United States• Britain continued to occupy

forts in the Northwest Territory

• Spain disputed borders with America and claimed the Mississippi River, which southerners needed for trade

• Congress was too weak to fix either situation

Weaknesses and Failures of the AOC

Weakness:

• No power to regulate trade or print money

Failures:

• States printed their own money

• States competed with each other and taxed each others’ trade (tariffs)

• States did not cooperate economically, creating disunion

Weaknesses and Failures of the AOCWeakness:• No power to taxFailures:• Could not afford to pay back war debts• Could not afford an army to deal with other countries or rebellions• Could not afford to build infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc.) to help states trade• States took care of themselves, often with high taxes

Shays’ Rebellion

Causes:• Massachusetts

raised taxes to a high rate to pay its debts

• Western backcountry farmers were hurt by the tax and many lost their farms

Shays’ Rebellion

Shays’ Rebellion:• Farmers wanted lower

taxes and an end to farm foreclosures and attacked courts

• Daniel Shays led 1,200 farmers to a federal arsenal to steal weapons and march to Boston

• The Massachusetts militia stopped the rebellion

Shays’ RebellionConsequences:• Shays’ Rebellion exposed

the WEAKNESS of the Articles of Confederation

• There was a threat of rebellions all over the country

• Congress could not raise an army to address this threat

• Congress could not stop the financial problems that led to rebellions

• Problems Under the Articles

Revise the Articles?• Revision?• The Articles of Confederation were TOO WEAK• Congress authorized the Philadelphia Convention, later called the Constitutional

Convention, to REVISE the Articles• The convention ended up REPLACING the Articles with the Constitution