UNITED STATES

HISTORYUNIT II: THE AMERICAN

REVOLUTION (1763-1783)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

At what point during 1763-1776 did the British colonists develop an American “character” or “identity”?

What are the fundamental ideals and characteristics of this American “character” or “identity”?

THE BRITISH AND COLONIAL RELATIONSHIP

Anglo-French Wars King William’s War (1689-1697) Queen Anne’s War (1701-1713) King George’s War (1744-1734) The French-Indian War—Seven Year’s War

(1754-1763) struggle for dominance between the two most

powerful nations control of markets and raw materials Native Americans caught in the middle

THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR (1754-1763)

British PM William Pitt’s polices: colonial militia under control of the British

military impressments of colonials into the British army seizure of colonial food and other supplies forced quartering of British troops in colonial

homes

PEACE OF PARIS (1763) France cedes Canada to Britain

France cedes the Mississippi River Valley to Great Britain

Britain returns Caribbean holdings to France

France cedes New Orleans and all land west of the Mississippi River to the Spanish

RESULTS OF THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR

British resentment toward the colonies inept colonial military leadership lack of colonial financial support for the war

effort colonial trade with France during the war

colonial resentment toward the British government application of British authority after years of

self-governance

RESULTS OF THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR

beginnings of the “American” identity created extensive contact between colonists

from different regions

new conflict with Indians in the west western Indian tribes were now subjects of

the British Empire

POSTWAR CHANGES IN BRITISH COLONIAL POLICY

Economic changes in Britain pre-1760’s—British use colonies for trade and

commercial opportunity post-1760’s—British North American doubled in size as

the result of the war (what to do with it?) rapid settlement and development? keep the land for hunting and trapping? avoid further conflict with Native Americans?

Geography the thirteen colonies only a small part of the British

Empire 100,000 Native Americans between Appalachians and

MS river now under British rule

PRIME MINSTER GRENVILLE’S FINANCIAL PROGRAM

British reality: staggering war debts British attitudes:

colonies had not paid their fair share for the war effort colonies were not paying a fair share for their

defense reintegrate colonies into mercantilist system

colonies supply raw materials for British industry colonies do not produce finished goods that

compete with British industry all colonial products must be shipped via Britain

Navigation Acts (1660’s)

CHALLENGES FACING GRENVILLE

Frontier/Native American Problem: Britain--control expansion and avoid costs of

frontier protection Proclamation of 1763 colonists cannot expand west of the

Appalachian Mountains puts Western land, trade, and agriculture under

British control largely ignored by colonists

GRENVILLE’S FINANCIAL POLICIES

Sugar Act (1764) eliminate the illegal sugar trade between the

colonies and French/Spanish West Indies primarily impacted New England merchants and

shippers

Currency Act (1764) prohibited colonial assemblies from printing money hurt Southern farmers by diminishing their access to

credit/loans

GRENVILLE’S FINANCIAL POLICIES

Stamp Act (1765) imposed a direct tax on practically every form of

printed document designed to raise revenue from the colonies impacted almost every colonist

Quartering Act (1765) required the colonies to provide housing for

British troops in public buildings

COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE 1 (1765-1766)

Political Propaganda (May 1765) Virginia House of Burgesses Patrick Henry: “no taxation without

representation” pass the “Virginia Resolutions” protesting the

Grenville program

Political Action (1765) Sons of Liberty (Boston)

terrorized British stamp agents and burned stamps

COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE 1 (1765-1766)

Political Organization (October 1765-NYC) Stamp Act Congress

delegates from nine colonies petitioned the King and Parliament

colonists could only be taxed through their provincial assemblies

Economic Action (1765) merchants from NY, Philadelphia, and Boston

boycott all English goods proved the most effective means of resistance

PATRICK HENRY

RESULTS OF COLONIAL RESISTANCE

repeal of the Stamp Act (March 1766) Grenville replaced as prime minister Declaratory Act (1766)

declared Parliamentary authority over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”

Britain gave up on its attempts at direct taxation of the colonists

PRIME MINISTER TOWNSHEND’S POLICIES (1766-1769)

Grenville’s taxation program had been too direct and provocative

utilizes internal taxes to raise revenue without offending the colonistsRevenue Act of 1767

import taxes on a wide variety of commonly used British goods

PRIME MINISTER TOWNSHEND’S POLICIES (1766-1769)

New York Restraining Act (1767) forbid the governor of New York from signing any

law until the colonial assembly complied with the Quartering Act

Reorganization of the Customs Service (1767) replaced colonial customs officials with those

loyal the Britain sends British troops to enforce and protect

COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE II (1767-1774)

Economic Action: 1767 Non-Importation Agreements (New York,

Philadelphia, Boston, Charleston) created a lucrative smuggling trade

Boston Massacre (March 1770) British soldiers wound five and kill five colonists emotionalizes colonial resentment of British troops colonial propaganda against the British

Sam Adams, Mercy Otis Warren

THE BOSTON MASSACRE

COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE II (1767-1774)

Political Organization Committees of Correspondence

communication between colonial leadership

Political Action Tea Act (1773)

gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies

Boston Tea Party (December 1773)

SAM ADAMS

MERCY OTIS WARREN

THE BOSTON TEA PARTY

BRITISH RESPONSE TO COLONIAL RESISTANCE

the British decide to make an example out of Massachusetts Intolerable Acts (1774)

closed port of Boston until colonists paid the East India Company for the tea

allowed the army to quarter troops on civilian property

overturned the Massachusetts colonial charter

BRITISH RESPONSE TO COLONIAL RESISTANCE

Quebec Act (1774) extended Quebec province to the Ohio River cut off the land claims of other colonies, like

Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York

CONTINUED COLONIAL RESISTANCE (1774-1775)

solidified radical sentiment in Massachusetts brought the colonies together in open defiance royal governor disbands colonial assemblies

(summer 1774) Massachusetts sets up a Provincial Congress in

Concord created armed force of “minutemen” established payment of taxes collected military supplies in Concord

CONTINUED COLONIAL RESISTANCE (1774-1775)

The First Continental Congress (September 5, 1774)

56 delegates from 12 colonies endorsed a statement of grievances against

the British demanded British regulation of commerce

along pre-1763 policies non-importation, non-exportation, and non-

consumption agreements

STEPS TOWARD REVOLUTION

January 1775—British forces destroy the arms and supplies being stockpiled

in Concord arrest radical leaders (John Hancock, Sam

Adams)Battle of Lexington/Concord (April 1775) Paul Revere/William Dawes night ride British forced to flee back to Boston

LEXINGTON AND CONCORD

BURNING THE GASPEE

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS (MAY 1775)

agree to support the war effort, but disagree on war goals: Extremists: war for full independence from

Britain Moderates: war as a negotiating tool Undecided: looking for a middle ground

Actions: established a Continental Army under command

of George Washington of Virginia Send the Olive Branch Petition to the King

LAST STEPS TO REVOLUTIONBattle of Bunker Hill (June 16-17, 1775) 1,000 British killed and 92 officers—370 colonists

Olive Branch Petition reaffirmed colonial loyalty to the crown colonial choice:

“unconditional submission to the tyranny of irritated ministers” or “resistance by force”

King George refuses to read it and issues a formal proclamation of rebellion

turned much colonial leadership and population toward independence

IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION

Political: colonial political experience had developed in ways

fundamentally different than Great Britain: direct vs. virtual representation

issue of sovereignty unitary (British)

King and Parliament hold complete authority over England and the British Empire

divided (colonists) Parliament legislates for England and the British Empire,

and colonial legislatures make laws for individual colonies

IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION

Literary The Bible

examples of resistance to tyranny suggests a right of rebellion against unjust

government or leadership John Locke—Two Treatises on Civil

Government “compact theory” of government government by people’s consent “right to revolution”

IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION

IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION

Thomas Paine—Common Sense (January 1776)

reconciliation with Britain was impossible the English system inherently corrupt

monarchy, nobility, heredity monarchy as a form of government is

corrupt and tyrannical

PATRICK HENRY: “GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH”Speech to the Virginia House of Burgess (March

1775) British behavior offered not evidence of hope for

compromise colonists must fight for independence

to preserve individual liberty colonists will win because God is on their side

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

written by Thomas Jefferson, edited by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin

Impact of the Declaration confirmed state of war against Britain defined American political culture and the reason for

the rebellion preservation of natural rights:

“all men are created equal” “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” government by the consent of the governed right of the people to “alter or abolish”

THOMAS JEFFERSON

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

JOHN ADAMS

CHALLENGES OF WINNING INDEPENDENCE

Creating a National Government the Continental Congress had no formal power

over the states it had no authority over the people (no consent) created a confederation of states with a written

constitution (Articles of Confederation)

Creating State Governments states did not have legitimate governments 1775-1780—all 13 colonies adopted new,

written constitutions

REVOLUTIONARY WAR (1776-1783)

British advantages: absolute military superiority population more than 4x of the colonies fully industrialized with resources of an empireBritish disadvantages: significant opposition at home lack of a clear victory strategy doubled government debt high desertion rate

REVOLUTIONARY WAR (1776-1783)

American advantages unity of cause and ideology “home field” advantageAmerican disadvantages Supply

no industrial base Finance

Continental Congress lacked authority to tax the states or the people

war bonds paper money foreign loan

REVOLUTIONARY WAR (1776-1783)

Recruitment soldiers recruited by the state governments enlistments only last one year Congress could not provide necessary

supplies and armaments militia served on their own consent and could

leave at any time

GEORGE WASHINGTON

GEORGE WASHINGTON

THE FIGHTING

STAGE 1 (1776-1778) fighting takes place in the North and mid-Atlantic states Washington’s primary goal is to field and army and

prevent it from being destroyed France recognizes the US and declares war on Britain

STAGE 2 (1778-1781) British move activities to the South

stronger loyalist support overestimated the number and commitment of

loyalists Creates logistical issues

VALLEY FORGE

CROSSING THE DELAWARE

TREATY OF PARIS

Treaty of Paris (September 3, 1783) British recognize American independence borders—the land between the Canada and Florida,

and the MS River and the Atlantic Ocean Mississippi River was open to American and British

ships