american revolution

when and where did the american revolution take place?

1775 - 1783, east coast of america

what was the american revolution?

an ideological and political revolution

what was the result of the american revolution?

north american colonies won political independence -> formed the united states of america

what was the internal political factor leading to the american revolution?

• british colonies firmly controlled colonies

• e.g. appointment of colonial governors, approval of laws passed by assemblies

• limited degree of self-governance -> attempt to overthrow British rule

what was the internal economic factor leading to the american revolution?

• british officials thought colonies should pay war costs -> introduced new taxes (sugar act, stamp act, townshend acts)

• "taxation without representation is tyranny" -> resentment started growing in American colonies

how did european revolutions inspire the american revolution?

• dutch war of independence: spain was forced to recognize netherlands' independence

• british glorious revolution: foundation for drafting constitution of the usa

what ideas of the enlightenment encouraged the american revolution?

• basic human rights/freedoms

• equality before the law, rule of law

• democracy, liberty, popular sovereignty

describe the course of the american revolution.

before

1. boston tea party

2. first continental congress

during

1. battle of lexington

2. second continental congress

3. declaration of independence

4. battle of yorktown

describe the boston tea party.

• british troops in boston had shot and killed people prior

• govt allowed duty-free trade to colonies, actual intent was to favor their own trade

• americans boarded british ships & poured 300 boxes of tea into the sea

describe the first continental congress.

• colony representatives met for the first continental congress

• the british refused to abolish the unreasonable taxation -> colonies set up their own military

describe the battle of lexington.

• official start of the revolution

• british troops started a fight with american militas

describe the second continental congress.

• congress approved the re-organization of militas as the continental army

• george washington appointed as commander-in-chief

describe the declaration of independence.

• declared the independence of 13 colonies

• formed an independent nation in the name of the "united states of america"

describe the battle of yorktown.

• with assistance from france, spain & the netherlands,

• the american army defeated the british in yorktown

• british army surrendered, agreed to have a peace negotation

what were the reasons for the westward movement?

• "manifest destiny": expanding to the whole north america

• overpopulation

• white people believed god gave them a mission to spread christianity & liberty to the west

what were the methods for the westward movement?

• purchase

• war & annexation

• treaty

• migration

what policies encouraged the westward movement?

• land ordinance of 1785, homestead act of 1862 etc.

• allowed govt to sell land in the west at a low price to satisfy farmers

• people farm for a number of years -> gain permanent ownership of the land

how did the westward movement impact the development of transportation?

• land: first federal highway (cumberland road)

• water: first canal connecting east & west coast (erie canal)

• railway: first railroad linking iowa & california (us transcontinental railroad)

how did the westward movement impact the development of new industries?

• california gold rush: gold mines discovered in california -> many people came -> san francisco area development

• expensive material mines were discovered in the west -> industrialization up

• the west became center of us textile & steel industry -> raw materials for car manufacturing in the east

• attracting immigrants from european countries -> cheap labor force

how did the westward movement create conflicts with american indians?

• exiling american indians: signing indian removal act -> taking away american indians' land ownership, forcing them to migrate

• wars with american indians: large-scale persecution, monitoring by govt in assigned reservations afterward

what was the isolation tradition of the us?

• us geographically separated from european old world

• initially not strong compared to european powers

• adopt isolationism: refuse alliance, avoid getting into european conflicts

how did the intervention of european powers in america lead to the creation of the monroe doctrine?

• many latin america countries gained independence

• congress of vienna aimed to intervene in the americas

• monroe doctrine: protect the us and latin america from being aggressed

what were the main principles of the monroe doctrine?

• no country might establish new colonies in america

• european powers intervening in latin america will be considered as a direct threat, would be revenged

• us would not intervene in european colonies or affairs

what were the impacts of the monroe doctrine?

• promoting territorial expansion: us should speed up territorial expansion to protect north america from europe -> capture of mexican capital

• including latin america in sphere of influence: doctrine successful, latin american countries kept independent -> excuse for us to intervene in latin america

• consolidating isolationism: us kept promise, staying neutral in wwi beginning -> avoid huge casualties