“A NEW NATION IS BORN”

…the road to revolution

1215- The Magna Carta 1215- The Magna Carta was createdwas created

– FIRST document to limit the power of the King!

– Created an:• ordered gov’t.ordered gov’t. -organized

relationship between the people & gov’t.

• limited gov’t.limited gov’t. -idea that gov’t. is not all-powerful and that individuals have certain rights

• representative gov’t.representative gov’t. -idea that gov’t. should serve the will of the people

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/after-800-years-magna-carta-auctioned-for-24m/2007/12/19/1197740375859.html

1607- The first colony, Virginia, 1607- The first colony, Virginia, was founded was founded

• Each colony established on a written grant of authority from the king (called a CHARTER).

• There were 3 types of colonies:– ROYAL-– PROPRIETARY-– CHARTER-

http://teachers.usd497.org/aadams/typecolonies.htm

• If the king allowed all colonies to be governed like charter colonies, would there have been a revolution???

Closest to the king

Most Freedom

1754-1763- The French and Indian 1754-1763- The French and Indian WarWar

• War cost $$$$... which resulted in heavy taxes for the colonists.

• The amount of taxes upset the colonist, but they were more angry with the fact that they had no “say” in deciding the taxes… the had no representation in parliament

1760- 1760- King George III King George III takes the throne takes the throne

• Initially welcomed

• Heavy-handed… soon became considered an AUTOCRAT !

• Eventually goes mad!!!

1765- Stamp Act passed 1765- Stamp Act passed

and Stamp Act and Stamp Act Congress formed Congress formed

• The Stamp Act was a new set of high taxes on paper goods.

• The Stamp Act Congress was a group of representatives from various colonies

that gathered to discuss a response to the Stamp Act.

1770- Boston Massacre1770- Boston Massacre

• British soldiers fire on a group of unarmed American colonists during a riot in Boston, killing five men.

• The incident, dubbed the Boston Massacre, heightens anti-British feelings in the 13 colonies.

1773- Boston Tea Party1773- Boston Tea Party • A group of Bostonians, some

disguised as Native Americans, board British ships carrying chests of tea and dump the contents into Boston Harbor.

• A protest against the Tea Act, a widely resented duty on tea.

First Continental Congress ConvenesFirst Continental Congress Convenes• A response to the harsh treatment after the

Boston Tea Party– The idea of such a meeting was proposed a year earlier by

Ben Franklin, but failed to gain much support until now .

• Twelve of the 13 colonies sent delegates- all but Georgia. – GA was facing attacks from the restive Creek on their

borders and desperately needed the support of regular British soldiers.

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSFoN6kkkF8&feature=PlayList&p=4FE28A54267F6A92&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=60

• The Congress composed a Declaration of Rights and Grievances.– A statement of American complaints.

It was addressed to King George III, to whom the delegates remained loyal.

1774- Intolerable Acts1774- Intolerable Acts• A new set of strict laws passed by the

British parliament to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party (the last straw!!!).

• This cartoon protested the Intolerable Acts. The British Prime Minister (Lord North) is shown forcing the American colonies in the form of a native woman to drink down the Intolerable Acts (tea). Her arms are restrained by Lord Chief Justice Mansfield, and Lord Sandwich, a notorious libertine, is shown looking up her dress while he holds down her feet. Britannia, in the background, is weeping for her subjects. This was distributed in the American Colonies by Paul Revere.

1775- Second Continental 1775- Second Continental Congress Congress

• Fighting had already begun.

• The second meeting of delegates from each colony, trying to decide what to do about the harsh treatment of the king.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1BSnxc5Bfk&feature=PlayList&p=6D3061DB6F4FBFFE&index=12

• Managed thewar effort.

1776- Declaration of 1776- Declaration of Independence was Independence was written written

• The members of the Second Continental Congress write a proclamation of independence from Great Britain.– LAST RESORT!!!– http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=nrvpZxMfKaU&feature=PlayList&p=D1BD326480D5EDCF&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=30

• Afterwards, the colonies each write their own constitutions and become independent states.

1777- The Articles of 1777- The Articles of Confederation was Confederation was

writtenwritten

•The first constitution of the United States, written by the Continental Congress.

•Because of their experience with Great Britain, the 13 states feared a powerful central government, so the states were given as much independence as possible and limited the functions of the federal government.

1786- Shays’ Rebellion1786- Shays’ Rebellion

•Shays’ Rebellion was an uprising of Massachusetts farmers.

(caused by excessive land taxation, high legal costs, and economic depression following the American Revolution)

•Revealed weaknesses under the Articles of Confederation and helped lead to adoption of the Constitution of the United States.

1787- U.S. 1787- U.S. Constitution is Constitution is writtenwritten

• Delegates meet in Philadelphia to fix the weak Articles of Confederation.

• What will be the result???

1788/1789- U.S. Constitution takes 1788/1789- U.S. Constitution takes effect effect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L2o9mx5SCs