olive branch petition
sent by 2nd continental congress to king George 3 as last attempt to prevent war from being declared; declared loyalty to king and blamed parliament for all problems
rejected
lead to independence
**battle of bunker hill
Colonists created encampment and drilled soldiers
Troops sent out to clear guys on the hill
British authorities believes colonists would run away after seeing battle
British advance up the hill and won
Takes victory
Common Sense 1776
advocated for independence of colonies, critical of the king
Trenton and Princeton
crossed Delaware river
Washington defeated hessian mercenaries at Trenton
set stage for future victory at Princeton
boosted morale for american troops
important for revolution
Saratoga (NY)
turning point in revolutionary war
french aided american victory against british
furthered hope for independence
gained France as ally
Nathanael Greene
general during revolutionary war
strategically trained continental army
Yorktown
last major battle of American Revolution
George Washington moved American and French forces south to join Marquis de Lafayette
defeated Lord Cornwallis
virginia
Treaty of Paris, 1783
ended american revolution
defined us border
opened up Mississippi river to navigation from US citizens and Great Britain
formally recognized US as independent nation
articles of confederation
first constitution of US
established confederation of states
weak central government
weak power
states own their own power
Statute of Religious Liberty
statement of freedom and conscious and the principle of separation of church and state
by Thomas Jefferson in Virginia
Land Ordinance 1784
Divided Northwest into 10 districts
District could petition for statehood when population equaled population of least populous existing state
outlawed slavery in these territories
Land Ordinance of 1785
Method for surveying land
Land divided into townships
Land Ordinance 1787
Northwest territory
Land will eventually be divided into 3 â 5 territories
Guaranteed Freedom of Religion and trial by jury to residents
Prohibited slavery in northwest territory
Edmund Randolph
introduced Virginia plan to constitutional convention which said:
Representation based on population
Lower houses elects upper house
Bicameral legislature (two chambers)
Whiskey Rebellion (western Pennsylvania)
Farmers upset with taxes on liquor bc they relied on it for their income, refused to pay tax
Leaders convicted of treason, pardoned
Alexander Hamilton and Washington thought it was important to put this down
Daniel Shays
rebellion in western Massachusettsâs
Abused tax collectors
Burned down court houses
Back country farmers, many revolutionary war veterans, economically insecure
March to Boston to be âheardâ
Refuse to pay taxes
Full scale rebellion breaks out
Private army hires 3,000 man militia to take shays rebellion down
Underfund federal government canât respond
Highlights need for stronger Federal government
Great Compromise
bicameral legislature
Representation in lower house based on \n population
in upper house each state represented \n equally
Upper house chosen by state legislatures
William Patterson
helped draft Judiciary Act of 1789
created New Jersey Plan (small states)
Unicameral legislature (one house)
each state represented equally
Bill of Rights
Designed to protect individual states rights
10th amendment an important states rights amendment
Federalists
John Adams (president)
Thomas Pickney (V.P.)
Federalist Legislation
Alien act: makes it difficult for immigrants to enter U.S.
Naturalization Act: Makes it difficult to become U.S. citizen
Sedition Act: made it illegal to publish or make speeches against govt.
Election of 1800 â
Federalists
John Adams (president)
Charles C. Pickney (V.P.)
favored ratification , believed in a strong central government
Alexander Hamilton
Strong central government
Strong commercial economy
Wealthy and powerful in control
John Adams
first vice president, second president
signed Declaration of Independence
Anti-Federalists
stronger state government
opposed to us constitution
opposed ratification
scared of federal power being too much
patrick henry
daniel adams
Judiciary Act of 1789
established judicial courts
Supreme court (6 members)
13 Federal District Courts
3 Federal Circuit Courts
10th Amendment
designed to limit power of federal government and protect authority of state
alexander Hamilton
leader in revolution
first secretary treasury under Washington
strong federal government
national bank
James Madison
father of constitution
4th president
introduced separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances to the constitution
Neutrality Act in 1794
told US citizens to stay out of European affairs
more specifically great Britain and france
Puts strain on relationship with France
thomas jefferson
principle author of declaration of independence
oversaw lousianana purchase
lewis and clarke
John Jay
played role in revolution
served as first chief justice of supreme court
governor of NY
helped negotiate treaty of Paris
âJay Treaty of 1794â helped great britain and us relations
established courts authorities
republicans
Thomas Jefferson (president) and James Madison
formed to oppose federalist party
Aaron Burr (V.P.)
Concerned about individual rights, states rights
Concerned about too much political and economic power in too few hands
Also called democratic-republicans or Jeffersonian Republicans