Exam 3: History

Boston Massacre: March 5 1770

Colonists gathered at customs house in Boston began taunting soldiers on duty. British responded by firing into crowd.

5 killed; 6 wounded

Gaspee Affair: June 9-10, 1772

Burning of royal navy customs ship, HMS Gaspee, off of Newport R.I by sons of liberty. While in pursuit of packet ship, Hannah, the Gaspee ran aground and was boarded and burned by Sons of liberty

Boston Tea Party: December 16, 1773

Events leading: Nov 27 w/ Dartmouth

Griffins wharf in Boston, colonists who strongly opposed British gov. dumped 342 chests of British imported tea

Coercive Acts of 1774

Established for punishment of the American colonists, particularly in Massachusetts, for the Boston Tea Party. These acts were meant to restore order in colonies.

Boston Port Act

Coercive Act

• Closed Boston port until the money for tea is paid back

Massachusetts Gov. Act

Coercive Act

• Revoke Massachusetts charter of 1691 - Revokes constitution of Massachusetts

Administration of Justice Act

Coercive Act

• This act allowed the governor to transfer trials of British officials accused of crimes to other colonies or even to Great Britain. 

Quartering Act

Coercive Act

• British soldiers in unoccupied private homes

Quebec Act 1774

The Quebec Act, passed by the British Parliament in 1774, established a new civil government for the Province of Quebec, expanding its territory southward to the Ohio River and restoring French civil law for private matters.

Battle of Lexington & Concord: April 19, 1775

400 American militia men engaged 100 British regulars from 3 companies of the King’s troops at North Bridge, resulting in casulaties on both sides

“the shot heard round the world - Ralph Emerson”

British: 273 casualties

Colonial: 50 killed; 39 wounded

Shows growing independence of colonies

Second Continental Congress: 1775 - 1781

Congress that carries into & through the war

• Adopt Articles of Confederation

• 56 delegates on rotation

• Georgia does not have a representative- Unoffical Lymen Hall

Capture of Ticonderoga: May 10, 1775

First offensive victory for Americans

• Secured the strategic passageway North to Canada

• Ethan Allen & Green Mountain boys of Vermont surprised and captures the British Garrison at the fort on shores of Lake Champlain

• Seize 60 tons of artillery

• 2nd Cont. Congress convenes for the first time

Siege of Boston

The siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Washington prevented the British Army, which was garrisoned in Boston, from moving by land.

Battle of Breed’s (Bunker) Hill

1st major battle fought in Charlestown during Siege of Boston

• May 25: 3500 British troops arrive to already existing 3000 troops under Gen. William Howe

• By 5pm 3rd British assault will pull Americans off resulting in 440 American casualties

Thomas Paine - Common Sense 1776

55 pages

• 1st major work released that calls for American independence

• 12,000 copies sold

• Washington is moved by writings, and guides his leadership around it

Knox and the “ Noble Train of Artillery”

Knox, a former bookmaker makes a plan to aquire the 60 tons of artillery from Ft. Ticonderoga

• Dec 5: Arrive at Ticonderoga

• Use of 42 sleds and 80 yoke of oxen transported 60 tons over 260 mi fro Berkshire Mtn and Boston Siege Camp

Richard Henry Lee: “Lee’s Resolution”

Resolution of independence, was an act of the 2nd Cont. Congress declaring the 13 colonies to be independent

• Proposed by Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776

• July 2, Congress officially adopts resolution

Declaration of Independence: 1776

John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman

• Jefferson was responsible for drafting declaration

Battle of Trenton: December 26 1776

Washington while in Pennsylvania tries to pull a swift campaign

• Moves 2400 troops across the Delaware river during a harsh snow storm

• Cross river and attack 1500 Hessian troops

• 45 minutes, 900 troops captured

Battle of Princeton: January3, 1777

Upon crossing the Delaware, Washington pushed another British attack of Battle of Assunpink Creek

• Circled Gen. Cornwallis and his 8000 man army

• Compelled Cornwallis to withdrawal forces from central New Jersey

Howe’s 1777 Campaign

Goal: Take Cont. Congress (Philly) and defeat army under Gen. Washington

Battles of Brandywine/Germantown

Sept. 11 - Brandywine

• 30,000 troops

• British victory

• 1100 American casulaties; 600 British

• Sept. 19: Howe takes Philly

Oct. 4 - Germantown

• Repeat of Brandywine

Valley Forge: Dec 19, 1777 - June 19, 1778

Consisted of 11,000 American troops

• 2000 died from cold and disease

• Washington inoculated army w/ smallpox

• Gen. Friederich von Steuben: Retrained & drilled troops in tacts reforming Washington’s continental troops into disciplined soldiers

Burgoyne’s Saratoga Campaign

Gen. Burgoyne led an army of 7700 southward from Canada and down the Hudson river valley to NYC, in order to split the New England away from the middle and southern colonies to end rebellion.

Battle of Freeman’s Farm (Sept 19) / Bermis Heights (Oct. 17) / Bennington (Aug 16)

All British losses

Treaty of Alliance / Tr. of Amity and Commerce

The Treaty of Amity and Commerce recognized the United States as an independent nation and promoted trade between France and the United States. The Treaty of Alliance created a military alliance against Great Britain, stipulating American independence as a condition of peace.

Battle of Monmouth

War. It took place near Monmouth Courthouse, New Jersey, and involved a clash between the Continental Army, led by George Washington, and British forces under General Henry Clinton. Despite the extreme heat and intense fighting, neither side achieved a decisive victory, leading to a strategic stalemate. 

Siege of Charleston

The Siege of Charleston, a pivotal event in the Revolutionary War, resulted in the capture of Charleston, South Carolina, and the surrender of 5,000 American troops to the British in May 1780. This event is considered the largest Patriot defeat of the war

Battle of Camden

a devastating defeat for the Continental Army under General Horatio Gates. British forces, led by Lord Charles Cornwallis, decisively routed Gates' army, resulting in heavy American casualties and a significant boost to British morale. The battle effectively secured British control of South Carolina and opened the path for Cornwallis's invasion of North Carolina

Battle of King’s Mountain

American victory. The fierce firefight at Kings Mountain pitted Loyalist militia elements under the command of British major Patrick Ferguson against 900 patriots. The British effort to secure Loyalist support in the South was a failure. Thomas Jefferson called the battle "The turn of the tide of success."

Battle of Cowpens

A stunning example of military prowess and skilled leadership, the Battle of Cowpens near Chesnee, South Carolina, was a critical American victory in the Revolutionary War. This engagement further weakened British attempts to wrest the southern colonies from American control.

The battle significantly weakened the British campaign in the South, forcing General Charles Cornwallis to shift his focus to Virginia, ultimately leading to his defeat at the Siege of Yorktown. 

Battle of Guilford Courthouse

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse, fought on March 15, 1781, was a significant engagement in the American Revolutionary War, where British forces under Lord Charles Cornwallis achieved a tactical victory against American troops led by General Nathanael Greene. However, the battle resulted in heavy British casualties, ultimately leading to a strategic American victory.

Battle of Chesapeake Capes

The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle fought on September 5, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War. This battle, fought near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, pitted a French fleet led by Admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse against a British fleet under Admiral Sir Thomas Graves. The French achieved a tactical victory, effectively blocking the mouth of the bay and preventing British reinforcements from reaching General Charles Cornwallis's besieged forces at Yorktown

Battle of Yorktown: 1781

• Climactic Battle

• General George Washington, with the help of French troops and a naval blockade, strategically surrounded Cornwallis's army at Yorktown, Virginia

• British surrender of 8,000 troops along with 240 cannons and 1000 muskets

• Rochembeu surrenders to Washington in place for Cornwallis

• Ensured American Independence

Treaty of Paris 1783

1) Acknowledged the 13 former colonies as free and sovereign

2) Recognized boundaries of US, including but not limited to those between US and Britain North America from Mississippi river to Southern colonies

3) Surrendered all previously owned land within delineated boundaries

4) Granted fishing rights to US fisherman in Grand Banks, off coast of Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence

5) Agreed to settle matters of pre-war debt

Articles of Confederation

1st attempt of a national government

• Continental Congress and 13 states ratified it on March 1, 1781

• States deliberately make AOC weak as they do not trust centralized government and each states wants to retain sovereignty.

• AOC provides for a unicameral legislation, and each state can send 2-7 delegates but only get 1 vote.

Robert Morris

Robert Morris is best known as the “Financier of the American Revolution.” Along with his financial contributions to the emerging nation, he attending the Second Continental Congress and signed three of the four great state papers of the United States: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the US Constitution. 

Newburgh Conspiracy 1783

Failed threat to U.S government formulated by the Continental army at Newburgh NY

• Army was owed a lot of backpay, threatens w/ a coup unless more power was given to congress

• Washington girlbossed his way out of this

Northwest Ordinances: 1785-87

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and the Land Ordinance of 1785 are important pieces of United States history. The Northwest Ordinance established a process for admitting new states into the Union from the Northwest Territory, ensuring they would have equal status with the original 13 states. It also banned slavery in the territory. The Land Ordinance of 1785 provided a system for surveying and selling public lands,

Virginia Plan

The Virginia Plan, a proposal for the new U.S. government, advocated for a strong central government with a separation of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It featured a bicameral legislature (two houses), with representation based on population, and a council of revision with the power to review and potentially reject laws passed by the legislature. This plan, initially proposed by Virginia delegates.

JAMES MADISON

New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan, also known as the "Paterson Plan," was a proposal presented during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It advocated for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population, and aimed to strengthen the Articles of Confederation. This plan was a response to the "Virginia Plan," which proposed proportional representation based on population

Great/ Connecticut Compromise

The compromise provided for a bicameral legislature, with representation in the House of Representatives according to population and in the Senate by equal numbers for each state.

This compromise, proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut, addressed the concerns of both large and small states, preventing the convention from collapsing. 

3/5 Compromise

The Three-Fifths Compromise was reached among state delegates during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. It determined that three out of every five slaves were counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxation.

Constitution 1787

the ratification of the U.S. Constitution involved a process where nine of the thirteen states had to approve the document for it to take effect. After the Constitution was drafted at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention in 1787, it was sent to the states for ratification. Delaware was the first state to ratify, followed by others like Pennsylvania and New Jersey. New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify on June 21, 1788, officially putting the Constitution into effect.