The Creation of NationUnit 2: Standards 3,4,5

Rivals for an Empire: French and Indian War•France vs. England•Aka- The Seven Years War (French and

Indian War had to do with N. America)•Reason for French and Indian War-

French colonized Ohio Valley Region, which stalled western expansion by the British

•Most colonists favored England because they still saw themselves as British

continued•France- had less than 100,000 colonists

▫Used colony for fur trading▫Had good relations with natives

•British- had roughly 1,000,000 colonists▫Wanted to expand▫Had diverse economy- agriculture to

manufactured goods

Britain Defeats an Old Enemy

•England granted 200,00 acres to Virginia planters in the Ohio Valley (where the French were located)

•Virginia sent a militia (led by George Washington) to kick the French out

•French defeated militia•This was the beginning of the F & I War

continued•France won most of the early battles (1754-

1756) with help from the Natives (used guerilla tactics)

•England regained composure, switched generals (William Pitt)▫England captured Quebec, which led to other

successful victories▫England won the War

The Albany Plan•Proposed by Benjamin Franklin

•Each colony would keep its own constitution, while grand council would deal with military issues, Native American relations, and western settlement.

•Was never approved•First attempt to unite the colonies

Treaty of Paris (1763)

•England received all land east of the Mississippi River

•England received Florida from Spain (ally of the French)

•Spain took control of New Orleans (previously held by the French)

Proclamation of 1763• Natives in the Ohio Valley

feared British takeover▫ They attacked several forts

in the area• British gave two smallpox-

infected blankets to local chiefs, which quickly decimated the local natives

• To avoid further conflicts with natives, Britain enacted the Proclamation of 1763-▫ Banned all settlement west

of the Appalachian Mountains

▫ But, the colonists continued to settle west anyways

The Colonies and Britain Grow Apart

• During the war British troops searched property, with no reason, to find smuggled goods (obviously angered the colonists)

• British troops were stationed in colonies to “protect” them from any violence by the Natives or French- problem- colonists saw this as a threat to them

• “War Costs $$$$$”- somebody has to pay for it (colonists)▫First act- Sugar Act 1764- placed taxes on

imported goods, tried smuggling cases in a higher court, lowered the tax on molasses (hoping the colonists would buy more)

Stamp Act 1765• In order to pay for the F & I

War, Britain looked at their colonies to fund it▫ Stamp Act- colonists had to

purchase special stamped paper for every legal document, license, newspaper, pamphlet, etc. (also dice and playing cards!)

▫ This hurt the New England colonists the most

Stamp Act• In Boston, they created a secret alliance

known as the Sons and Daughters of Liberty▫One member, Samuel Adams, became

extremely powerful in the political world▫They harassed and threatened stamp officials▫In Virginia, the congress stated that only the

Virginian government could impose taxes on their residents

• Women boycotted British goods, gave up imported goods and clothing, some published pamphlets supporting the resistance.

continued•Colonial representatives got together to

create the Stamp Act Congress▫Issued a Declaration of Rights and

Grievances to the British Parliament This act worked Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, But….. They issued the Declaratory Act

Said that Parliament had full right to make any laws concerning the colonies

Townshend Acts•Originally created by Charles Townshend

(parliament)▫Indirect taxes on import goods coming into

the colonies such as glass, lead, paint, and paper

▫It also included a tax on tea (most popular drink)

▫Response- “TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION” Colonial leaders called for a boycott on these

goods

Boston Massacre•British soldiers who were stationed in New

England tried to get other part time jobs•Colonists were angry with this because

there was already a job shortage•On March 5, 1770, colonial workers

formed a mob in front of the Customs Office in Boston to taunt the guards

•Workers began throwing objects at the soldiers, and the soldiers reacted by firing their guns▫Result- 5 dead

Boston Tea Party

• British East India Company had a monopoly on tea imports ▫ Colonists boycotted

company• Tea Act- Company sold tea

tax free (colonial tea sellers still had the tax)

• Disguised Boston citizens dumped 9 tons of Tea from 3 British ships into the harbor (dressed like natives)

Intolerable Acts (1774)•This is what the colonists called these

acts•Shut down the Boston harbor until the

damaged tea was paid for•Quartering Act- British soldiers would be

given food and housing in residential homes

•Thomas Gage (British commander) was appointed new governor of Mass. ▫Placed Boston under martial law

Committees of Correspondence•British Parliament looked for any

colonists who resisted the Acts, and brought them back to England for trial

•Response- Colonists cried out for liberties▫Set up the committee of correspondence to

keep all colonies updated on current events (communication network)

1st Continental Congress(1774)• 56 delegates from 12

colonies met in Philadelphia▫ Excluding Georgia

• Supported the protests in Mass.

• If the Intolerable Acts were not repealed, they would also cease exports to Britain

• They also agreed to set up another convention if demands weren’t met

1st battles• Minutemen (civilian

soldiers in New England) were put on full alert and began stockpiling supplies

• Paul Revere rode to find John Hancock and Samuel Adams to warn them that British soldiers were looking for them

• British soldiers attacked at Lexington, killing 8 civilians

• At Concord, the British took overwhelming losses. Over 200 killed.

2nd Continental Congress (1775)•Some delegates wanted to break from the

British, while others wanted to reconcile the problem

•Formed the Continental Army with George Washington as the Commander in Chief

•Authorized the printing of paper money to pay the troops

•Organized a committee to deal with foreign relations

2nd Continental Congress

•Devised the Olive Branch Petition-▫Final formal attempt to reconcile problems

with King George III He rejected it

2nd Continental Congress (1776)•Declaration of Independence•Congress urged each colony to form its

own gov’t•Thomas Jefferson became the author

using John Locke’s natural rights (life, liberty, property)

•Gov’t derives their powers through the consent of the governed

•Gave the right for the people to alter or abolish the gov’t if it wasn’t working

•Declared their independence from Britain

continued

•At first, Jefferson attacked idea of slavery, but he realized that certain southern colonies would vote against declaration

•July 2, 1776- delegates voted unanimously •July 4, 1776- formally adopted the

Declaration of Independence

Common Sense• Pamphlet written by

Thomas Paine• Time had come for

colonists to proclaim the colonies independent of Britain

• It was America’s destiny• Sold nearly 500,000

copies• Integral in getting the

word out to the people

Americans Choose Sides

•Not everyone agreed with the Declaration of Independence

•Loyalists- colonists who sided with Britain•Patriots- colonists who wanted

independence

George Washington- Grew up in Virginia

- Father died when he was a boy

- Raised by his older brother

- Self-Educated

• His estate was called Mt. Vernon

• And it overlooks the Potomac River

- Washington was a skilled surveyor and planter

- He owned about 300 slaves and operated a fully-functioning plantation

- He experimented with new farming techniques, such as crop rotation

- He was a member of the upper class but was towards the bottom of it.

George Washington- During the French and Indian War, sparked the

fighting at Ft. Necessity

- Displayed leadership in defeat at Ft. Duquesne

- Almost shot 6 times

- Gained valuable military experience and leadership skills

- Took over the army at the start of the Revolution after Bunker Hill

- Led an untrained, underpaid, starving army to defeat the most powerful empire in the world

- Men respected him and wanted to fight for him

- Brilliantly outsmarted Cornwallis at Yorktown

Crossing the Delaware (Winter 1776)• On Christmas night,

Washington and 2,400 soldiers rowed across the Delaware River and then marched (9 miles) to Trenton

• Attacked a garrison held by mercenaries (most were drunk) and were victorious

• Defeated 1,200 Brits at Princeton

French Alliance• At Saratoga (northern NY), British troops were

surrounded (October 1777)• Saratoga victory changed the tide in the war-

France recognized American Independence and signed an alliance.

• American troops waited of French aid during the winter of 1778 at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. 2,000 out of the 10,000 soldiers died that winter. Washington provided leadership and got his troops through that bitter winter.

European Allies Shift the Balance•Friedrich von Steuben- a Prussian captain

volunteered his services to Washington to help train the soldiers (1778)

•Marquis de Lafayette- French aristocrat that helped lobby the French government in aiding the colonists

•Benjamin Franklin- ambassador to France, went to France in Dec of 1776 to ask for aid, and signed Treaty of Alliance in 1778 which promised military support.

Financing the War

•Congress borrowed money by selling bonds to Americans

•Printed paper money (aka Continentals)•As they printed more and more money,

inflation became a huge issue•Americans had a weak navy, so they had

to smuggle goods in from Europe

British Move South• Charles Cornwallis-

British General • Captured Charleston,

South Carolina and had several other victories in NC and SC

• Several African-Americans joined the British forces because of Colonial slavery

British surrender at Yorktown (1781)•French and American forces combined

(17,000 troops) on land and attacked the British at Yorktown (VA), which is on the coast

•French navy bombarded the British from the water

•After three weeks of siege, Cornwallis finally surrendered

Peace at Last

•September 1783- The Treaty of Paris was signed:▫Britain recognized American Independence▫Defined its borders (Ocean to Miss. River;

Florida to Canada)▫France received land in Canada

•Next up…. The Challenge of creating a Government

Articles of Confederation• Had two levels of

government, state and federal, that shared powers.

• Government was known as a confederation, or alliance.

• Federal government could declare war, make pace, sign treaties, borrow money, establish a postal service, and deal with Native Americans.

• Federal government did not have an executive branch to carry out the laws and did not have a court system to interpret the laws or settle disputes.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation•Congress could not create or collect taxes.•Congress could not regulate interstate or

foreign trade.•Each state had only one vote in Congress,

no matter the population.•Every single state had to approve an

amendment or change to the Articles.•No executive branch.•No national court system.•13 separate states that lacked unity.

Shays’s Rebellion• Daniel Shays was a farmer

and a Revolutionary War veteran.

• He had massive debts and felt like he was the victim of too much taxation.

• Led a group of 1,200 farmers to close the local courts so that they wouldn’t lose their farms to creditors.

• The state militia had to be called out and 4 were killed.

• It highlighted the need for a stronger national government. States weren’t able to govern themselves effectively.

Constitutional Convention•In May, 1787 all of the states, except Rhode

Island, sent delegates to discuss strengthening the central government.

•One major issue was fair representation for both large and small states. The Great Compromise solved the problem. Provided a two-house Congress. Each state has equal representation in the Senate. The House of Representatives is based on state population.

•Three-Fifths Compromise- called for 3/5 of the state’s slaves to be counted as population.

Constitutional Convention•Created a form of Federalism- divided

power between the state and national government. Both levels share the power to tax, borrow money, pay debts, and establish courts.

•Separation of Powers- created the Legislative(make laws), Executive(carry out laws), and Judicial(interpret laws) branches.

•Checks and Balances- prevented one branch from dominating other branches.

Ratifying the Constitution•Ratification- Constitution had to be approved by

9 states in order to become the government.•Federalists- supported the Constitution and its

balance of power between the state and national government. Washington, Hamilton, and Madison were supporters. The Federalists was a series of essays that explained the different aspects of the Constitution.

•Antifederalists- feared a strong central government would abuse its citizens. Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams were antifederalists.

Federalists vs. Antifederalists

Alexander Hamilton Patrick Henry

Bill of Rights

• Antifederalists pushed for the Bill of Rights to protect citizens from the government.

• Federalists promised to add the Bill of Rights if the states would ratify the Constitution.

• States began ratifying the Constitution in 1787. It finally became the government in 1789.

• By 1791, the Bill of Rights (or first 10 amendments) of the Constitution had been ratified.

• First 8 amendments spell out personal liberties. The 9th and 10th limit the powers of the federal government.

First President: George Washington1789-1797• Was not interested in

being president. Wanted to retire.

• Was elected unanimously by the electoral college.

• Appointed Thomas Jefferson as secretary of state, Alexander Hamilton as secretary of treasury, and Henry Knox as secretary of war. These men became known as the president’s Cabinet.

Political Parties Form•Alexander Hamilton- strong central

government led by educated, elite citizens. Favored commerce, industry, and business. Popular in New England.

•Thomas Jefferson- favored strong state and local governments with popular participation. Favored farmer-citizens. Popular in the South and West.

•Hamilton= Federalists• Jefferson= Democratic-Republicans•George Washington hated political parties

and warned against them during his farewell address.

First Political PartiesFederalists Democratic-Republicans

Whiskey Rebellion 1794•New government began to put tariffs (taxes on

goods) into place which generated lots of money.

•Excise tax- tax on product’s manufacture, sale, or distribution. Decided to levy it on whiskey.

•Whiskey was produced by small, frontier farms. Made farmers furious. Some in PA refused to pay, beat up the federal marshal, and threatened to secede from the Union!

•The federal government quickly put down the rebellion without loss of life, showing its strength.

Second President: John Adams1797• Washington had declared

neutrality during the French Revolution.

• US had signed a treaty with Great Britain. Angered the French. Adams faced war with France.

• Jefferson was Vice President but in a different political party. Made things difficult for Adams.