HIST 1301- Unit 2 Exam Study Guide (American Revolution and New Republic)

Salutary neglect

Policy used by British towards the colonists until the French and Indian War. Left them alone to govern themselves because thought that would benefit the colonies and stimulate commerce.

French and Indian War

1748-1763

*Rivalry between France, Britain, and various Native American tribes over land in the Ohio region

*It was one of a series of wars fought between France and England throughout the world at the time

*Battles continued on European and American fronts until Britain gained control of Canada

*It was in these conflicts that George Washington first appeared as an able military leader

Albany Plan of Union

1754

*Delegates of seven colonies met in New York to discuss plans for collective defense

*The Pennsylvanian delegate, Benjamin Franklin, proposed a plan for an intercolonial government, but the plan was rejected by the colonial legislatures as demanding too great a surrender of power

*While the other colonies showed to support for Franklin's plan, it was an important precedent for the concept of uniting in the face of a common enemy

Treaty of Paris 1763

1763

*Ended Seven Years War

*From France, Britain took Canada and some of what would become the United States east of the Mississippi River

*France lost all of its North American holdings

*Spain took the Louisiana Territory

*Treaty marked the end of salutary neglect, a relationship in which the British Parliament had somewhat ignored the colonies, allowing them to develop their character without interference

Impact of the French and Indian War on British Colonial Policy

1712-1770

*Britain set out to solve the large national debt incurred in recent conflicts

*It created a series of acts that raised taxes on American goods, leading to rebellious activities in the colonies

*Acts included the Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act (1763), Stamp Act (1765), and Quartering Act (1765)

Benjamin Franklin

1706-1790

*Was a colonial writer, scientist, diplomat, printer, and philosopher

Published the Pennsylvania Gazette and wrote Poor Richard's Almanac

*Served in the Second Continental Congress and was a drafter and signer of the Declaration of Independence

Writs of Assistance

1750s-1770s

*Court orders that authorized customs officials to conduct non-specific searches to stop colonial smuggling

*Allowed for the searching of homes, warehouses, and shops

*James Otis served as a prosecutor in a failed Massachusetts legal case; he argued that these searched were contrary to natural law

*Later, the Fourth Amendment would protect citizens against "unreasonable searched and seizures"

Proclamation of 1763

1763

*Was a result of pontiac's Rebellion, a Native American uprising against the British for their mistreatment

*Forbade white settlement west of the Appalachians to reduce friction between Native Americans and the settlers

*Stated that Native Americans owned the land on which they were residing

*Outraged colonists believed that the successful outcome of the French and Indian War should have allowed settlement in the Ohio Valley

Sugar Act

1764

*It taxed goods imported to America to raise revenue for England

Meant to assist England in recouping the debt it had taken on during the French and Indian War

*Strictly enforced, unlike the Molasses Act of 1733

*Taxed goods included imports such as wine, cloth, coffee, and silk

Quartering Act

1765

*Act that required the colonies in which British troops were stationed provide soldiers with bedding and other basic needs

*Colonists reacted negatively because they feared having a standing army in their towns, and they disliked the additional expenses it caused

*After the emergence of the United States Constitution, the Third Amendment protected citizens against the stationing of troops in their homes

Stamp Act

1765

*An internal tax, the sole purpose of which was to raise revenue

*Required Americans to use "stamped" paper for legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards, among other goods

*Revenue from this tax was to be used solely for the support of the British soldiers protecting the colonies

Declaratory Act

1766

*Act giving Britain the power to tax and make laws for Americans in all cases

*Followed the repeal of the Stamp Act, which colonists had seen as a victory

*The Declaratory Act suggested that Britain might pass more restrictive acts in the near future

Samuel Adams

1722-1803

*Revolutionary resistance leader in Massachusetts

*Along with Paul Revere, he headed the Sons of Liberty in Massachusetts

*Worked with the committees of correspondence, which provided communication about resistance among colonies

*Attended both the First and Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence

Republican Motherhood

Expectation that women would instill Republican values in children and be active in families; helped increase education for women (became prevalent during the Revolutionary era)

Stamp Act Congress

October 1765

*Delegates of seven colonies met in New York to discuss plans for defense

*Adopted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which stated that freeborn Englishmen could not be taxed without their consent

Townshend Acts

1767

*Created by British Prime Minister Charles Townshend (Grenville's replacement)

*Formed a program of taxing items imported into the colonies, such as paper, lead, glass, and tea

*Replaced the direct taxes of Stamp Act

*Led to boycotts by Boston merchants and served as a key contributor to the Boston Massacre

Virtual Representation

1770s

*English principle stating that the members of members of parliament represented all of Britain and the British Empire, even though members were only elected by a small number of constituents

*This idea was meant to be a response to the colonial claim of "no taxation without representation," meaning that parliament was itself representation of those being taxed

Boston Massacre

March 5, 1770

*Occurred when the British attempted to enforce the Townshend Acts

*British soldiers killed five Bostonians, including Crispus Attucks, an American patriot and former slave

*John Adams provided the legal defense for the soldiers

*Though the British soldiers acted more or less in self-defense, anti-Royal leaders used the massacre to spur action in the colonies

Tea Act and Boston Tea Party

1773

*The Tea Act was a concession that allowed the British East India Company to ship tea directly to America and sell it at a bargain

*Because the cheap tea undercut the costs of local merchants, colonists opposed these shipments; they turned back ships, left shipments to rot, and held ships in port

*Led to the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773, where citizens, dressed as Native Americans, destroyed tea on the British ships

Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)

1774

*Names given by colonists to the Quebec Act (1774) and to a series of acts by the British in response to the Boston Tea Party

*Closed the Port of Boston to all trade until citizens paid for the lost tea

*Increased the power of Massachusetts' Royal governor at the expense of the legislature

*Allowed Royal officials accused of crimes in Massachusetts to be tried elsewhere

Methods of Colonial Resistance

1770s

*Colonists reacted first with restrained and respectful petitions against the British, suggesting "taxation without representation is tyranny"

*Colonial governments organized "committees of correspondence" to share their view of British actions with neighboring colonies and with foreign governments; this was the start of political organization among the colonies

*Colonial merchants then boycotted British goods (non-importation)

*Colonists finally turned to violence; crowds took action against customs officials and against merchants who violated boycotts

*Some colonists continued to follow British command and became English "Loyalists"

First Continental Congress

September-October 1774

*Meeting in Philadelphia of colonial representatives to denounce the Intolerable Acts and to petition the British Parliament

*A few radical members discussed breaking from England

*Created Continental Association and forbade the importation and use of British goods

*Agreed to convene a Second Continental Congress in May 1775

Battles of Lexington and Concord

April 1775

*Concord: Site suspected by British General Gage of housing a stockpile of colonial weaponry

*Paul Revere, William Dawes, and others detected movement of British troops toward Concord and warned militia and gathered Minutemen at Lexington

Lexington: Militia and Royal infantry fought, and the colonial troops withdrew

Second Continental Congress

May 1775

*Colonial representative meeting in Philadelphia, over which John Hancock presided

*The group was torn between declaring independence and remaining under British power

*Moderates forced the adoption of the Olive Branch Petition, a letter to King George III appealing one final time for a resolution to all disputes; the king refused to receive it

*The Congress sent George Washington to command the army around Boston

*American ports were opened in defiance of the Navigation Acts

*The Congress wrote the Declaration of Independence

Common Sense

January 1776

*Pamphlet published by Thomas Paine that called for immediate independence from Britain

*It was sold throughout the colonies, where it gained popularity

*Helped weaken resistance in the Continental Congress toward independence

Declaration of Independence

Adopted July 4, 1776

*Document restating political ideas justifying the separation from Britain

*Written by Thomas Jefferson

*John Locke's influences served as a foundation for this document

*The final product lacked provisions condemning the British slave trade and a denunciation of the British people that earlier drafts had contained

Articles of Confederation

Submitted July 1776; ratified 1781

*Framework for an American national government in which states were given the most power

*Permitted the federal government to make war, offer treaties, and create new states

*There was no federal power to levy taxes, raise troops, or regulate commerce

*Congressional revision of the articles created a weak national government

Battle of Saratoga

1777

*American Revolution battle fought in northern New York

*The British planned to end the American Revolution by splitting the colonies along the Hudson River, but they failed to mobilize properly

*The British ended up surrendering, allowing for the first great American victory

*Demonstrated that the British could more easily hold the cities, but that they would have trouble subduing the countrysides

*Considered a turning point, as French aid began after this battle

Treaty of Paris, 1783

1783

*Peace settlement that ended the Revolutionary War

*Britain recognized the United States' independence and outlined its borders

*The United States received all lands east of the Mississippi River, north of Florida, and south of the Great Lakes

*The United States agreed that Loyalists were not to be persecuted

Land Ordinance of 1785; Northwest Ordinance of 1787

1785;1787

*The Land Ordinance was an act of Congress that sold western lands in order to settle that territory and to earn revenue for the federal government

*The Land Ordinance organized the distribution of land into townships and set aside a section of each township to be used for public education

*The Northwest Ordinance described how the land north of the Ohio River should be divided and helped to create five new states

*The Northwest Ordinance held that states would be admitted to the Union when the number of free inhabitants reached 60,000; slavery and involuntary servitude were not allowed in these states

*The Northwest Ordinance set a precedent of how states could join the Union and stood as a successful accomplishment by a federal government that had been seen before as ineffective

Shay's Rebellion

1786-1787

*During a period of economic depression, Daniel Shays led a group of farmers to stop the courts from seizing a farmer's land and enacting debt collection

*Citizens of Boston raised an army and suppressed the rebels

*Americans felt pressure to strengthen the government and avoid future violence

*The rebellion served as a catalyst for writing the Constitution

The Constitution

Signed September 17, 1787; ratified by the required nine states June 21, 1788

*Drafted at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787

*Included a preamble and seven articles

*Created a stronger federal government

*The Bill of Rights constitutes the first ten amendments, and it protects individual rights and freedoms

The Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan

July 1787

*Virginia plan: Presented by Edmund Randolph and written by James Madison, it called for a bicameral legislature based on a state's population, and it suggested that both the chief executive and judiciary should be chosen by legislature

*New Jersey Plan: Presented by William Patterson, it called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state

*The plans were united in the Great Compromise

*They formed the basis of the modern American legislative structure

Great Compromise

1787

*Called for a bicameral legislative system in which the House of Representatives would be based on population and the Senate would have equal representation in Congress

*Combined pieces of the New Jersey Plan, the Virginia Plan, and other proposals

*Included the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of apportioning representation and called for direct taxation on the states

Federalists

1788

*Americans who advocated centralized power and constitutional ratification

*Used The Federalist Papers to demonstrate how the Constitution was designed to prevent the abuse of power

*Supporters of Federalist platforms included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, and northeastern business groups

*Federalists believed that the government was given all powers that were not expressly denied to it by the Constitution (they had a "loose interpretation" of the Constitution)

Anti-Federalists

1780s-1790s

*Those against the adoption of the Constitution; they were suspicious of political actions that would limit freedom and of a centralized government that would rule at a distance

*George Mason, Patrick Henry, and George Clinton were Anti-Federalists

*Many of the Anti-Federalists would come to oppose the policies of Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists

*The Jeffersonian Republican Party absorbed many of the Anti-Federalists after the Constitution was adopted

George Washington

1789-1797

*First President

*Was unanimously elected

*Served two terms

*His leadership led to a standard of a strong presidency with control of foreign policy and the power to veto Congress's legislation

*Declared the Proclamation of Neutrality in April 1793, keeping the United States neutral in the European wars

*His Farewell Address in 1796 warned against entangling alliances, recommended isolationism, and warned of political party factions

Alexander Hamilton

1757-1804

*First Secretary of Treasury

*Proposed the federal assumption of state debts, the establishment of a national bank, and the federal simulation of industry through excise tax and tariffs

*Opponents, including Jefferson, saw his programs as aiding a small, elite group at the expense of the average citizen

*Hamilton died from wounds sustained in a pistol duel with Aaron Burr, Jefferson's vice president

Jeffersonian Republicans (Democratic Republicans)

1792-1860

*Political party that absorbed the Anti-Federalists

*Proponents included Thomas Jefferson and James Madison

*Favored states' rights and power in the hands of commoners; supported by Southern agriculture and frontiersmen

*Believed that the federal government was denied all powers that were not expressly given to it by the Constitution (a "strict interpretation" of the document)

*Supported the French Revolution's ideals, but they were against the Revolution's bloody radicalism

Jay's Treaty

1794

*An attempt to settle the conflict between the United States and England over commerce, navigation, and violations of the Treaty of Paris of 1783

*Provided for eventual evacuation by the British of their posts in the Northwest, but it allowed them to continue their fur trade

*Allowed for the establishment of commissions to settle United States-Canadian border disputes and United States- Britain losses during the Revolutionary War

*The generous terms to Britain upset Americans because these were promises that had been made and not fulfilled in the Treaty of Paris of 1783

Whiskey Rebellion

1794

*Western whiskey farmers refused to pay taxes on which Hamilton's revenue program was based

*A group of farmers terrorized the tax collectors, and Washington responded with a federalized militia

*George Washington and Alexander Hamilton rode out to Pennsylvania themselves to emphasize their commitment

*First test of federal authority

*Established federal government's right to enforce laws

Pickney Treaty

1795

*Signed by the United States and Spain

*Free navigation of the Mississippi River was given to the United States

*United States gained area north of Florida that had been in dispute (present-day Mississippi and Alabama)

*Gave western farmers the "right of deposit" in the New Orleans, enabling them to use the port for their goods and making it easier for them to get their goods to the east

*The United States would later make the Louisiana Purchase, which would cement this right of deposit

John Adams

1797-1800

*Second President

*First Vice President

*Diplomat and signer of the Declaration of Independence

*Led the country through the XYZ affair, the Alien and Sedition Acts, and the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

*Kept the nation from war during his tenure as president

XYZ Affair

1798

*The United States wanted an end to French harassment of American shipping

*To settle the issue, French representatives demanded a bribe from the United States just to open negotiations with French Minister Talleyrand

*The United States refused the bribe and suspended trade with the French

*Led to the creation of the American Navy

Alien and Sedition Acts

1798-1799

*Legislation enacted by the Federalists to reduce foreign influenced and increase their power

*New hurdles to citizenship were established

*Broadened power to quiet print media critics

*The legislation was used to silence Jeffersonian Republican critics of the Federalists and was indicative of the poisoned relations between the two groups

*These acts tested the strength of the First Amendment and limited the freedom of the press

*The Federalists gained a reputation as being a less democratic group, quickening their demise as a political organizatio

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

1798-1799

*Response by Jeffersonian Republicans to the Alien and Sedition Acts

*Included text written by Jefferson and by Madison

*Suggested that states should have the power within their territory to nullify federal law

*Stated that federal government had no right to exercise powers not specifically delegated to it

*The resolutions represented a future argument that would be used when secession and Civil War threatened the country

Enlightenment ideas

All human beings are born free and equal with a right to life liberty and property. It is the duty of the government to protect the natural rights of its citizens. Enlightenment thinkers were primarily interested in changing the relationship between the people and their government. Government's decisions should be based on laws of nature and reason