British Empire: The Loss of the American Colonies 1770-1783

A Nation

Consists of people who speak a common language, share a common religion, with a clear geographical location. 

The British Empire

Consisted of people with very different languages, religions and political institutions, scattered around the world. 

Three Main Schools of Thought, When It Comes To Studying Empire

Top Down - The Study of the institutions of the Empire

Bottom Up - Examines the Empire from the perspective of the ruled

World View - Sets the development of imperialism within the context of international relations

How do the British view their Empire?

Saw their rule as civilised and beneficial to the people that they governed, despite the fact that many people saw it as a tyranny

Interpretations of the Empire by recent historians

Post Modern → Middle Ground

Niall Ferguson believs we did good and important things such as:

• The English Language

• English forms of land ownership

• Banking

• The Common Law

• Protestantism

• Team Sports

• ‘Night Watchman’ State

• Representative Assemblies

• Idea of Freedom

How did the Victorians view their Empire?

• That it’s powerful and great

• That it’s given “good things“ to other

• That the British are doing these countries and land a helping hand and worth.

Why did the British want an Empire?

Adventure:

• Discover new countries

• Become Rich and Famous

• Conquer countries

• Expand Empire

Power:

• More people to become soldiers and defend Empire against enemies

• Number of countries that were ruled by British signified how important they were

• To become more formidable. E.g. number of countries, Size of army

Religion:

• Save the non-Christians’ souls from hell and ‘eternal damnation’

• Spread Christianity to the non-Christian and non-civilised people

Raw Materials:

• Natural gas, gold, coal and petroleum

• More materials to build things

• More materials to use during Industrial Revolution

Security:

• More people to protest the Empire

• More people to serve as soldiers if war happened

How did the British Empire develop?

1. Key motivations behind Britain's expansion during the age of empire was economic interest, global influence, competition with European powers, trade and resources

2. Britain's colonization strategies differed between regions as there were settlement colonies in North America, while trade was focused India.

3. Lasting impacts the British Empire have on global trade and politics were the legal systems, language and governance. 

4. The documentary portrays the ethical implications of imperialism, showing exploitation, them draining resources and the actions towards Indigenous people

5. Role the British Empire played in shaping modern cultural identities across its former colonies were Mixed and complicated. Ranging from admiration to resentment.

Timeline

1763 - End of the 7 Years War

1763 – Royal Navy had gained superiority over the French, Dutch and Spanish fleets.

1776 - Wealth of Nations is published

By 1778, powerful vested interests in Ireland started to demand free trade.

1779 - After consultation with Adam Smith, Ireland was granted free trade.

1784 - East India Act, EIC rule of India is established

1788 - First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay

1794 - First steamship used

1805 – Royal Navy had gained superiority over the combined strength of the other European powers.

1807 - Slave Trade abolished

1815 - Corn Laws passed

1830 - Whigs are elected on a platform of reform.

1839 - Durham Act

1841 - Peel becomes Prime Minister

1842 - use of Gunboat Diplomacy

1846 - Repeal of the Corn Laws

1849 - repeal of the Navigation Acts

1857 - Indian Rebellion

1869 - Suez Canal opens

1873 – use of sails is abandoned on Royal Navy warships

1889 – Naval Defence Act

Why is Sir Walter Raleigh significant?

The Life and exploration of Raleigh:

• Born c.1554 – Devon

• 1569 – Fought in the wars of Religion in France

• 1580 – Fought against Irish rebels in Ireland

• 1585 – Sponsors the first colony in America, Roanoke Island (now North Carolina)

• 1592 – Goes on expedition to find ‘El Dorado’ (Venezuela)

• 1597 – Explore the Azores (Portugal)

• 1616 – Leads a second failed expedition to ‘El Dorado’

• 1618 – Executed at the tower of London

What happened at Roanoke?

England's first major, failed attempt at American colonization, culminating in the mysterious disappearance of the "Lost Colony" (1587-1590), where ~115 settlers vanished, leaving only "CROATOAN" carved into a post, leading to theories of assimilation with local tribes (like the Croatoan), drought, conflict, or massacre

The voyage to Roanoke Island

First Encounters:

• The colonists landed at the villages of Pomeiooc, Aquascogoc, and Secotan.

• At Aquascogoc a native American stole a silver cup from the English. Their reaction was to set fire to the village and surrounding corn fields.

• At Secotan, the English wore full armour but were welcomed.

Roanoke - Settlement:

• July 1585, the English captain Grenville wanted to settle, but knew it would only work if the Native Americans agreed.

• The chief of the local tribe, Chief Wingina, was recovering from a war wound and would visit a few weeks later.

• Throughout the winter of 1585-86 the English grew hungry and the traps that the natives helped the English to build, the English could not work.

Roanoke - End

• Chief Wingina decided that there was not enough food and the only option was the wipe out the English Settlement.

• The English caught word and attacked first.

• June 1 1586 English attack the village and behead Chief Wingina. The English colony was now safe.

• June 10 1586 the English abandon the colony due to poor relations with natives.

Relations between the British and Native Americans

American Textbook - Peaceful and full of trust between both parties

Native American Museum - The British attacked and were violent toward the Indigenous

Jamestown 1607 – Why was it a success?

14 May 1607 – Arrival at Jamestown

James I became King of England following the death of Elizabeth I in 1603. In 1606 he gave permission for a group of businessmen to set up the Virginia Company. Their aim was to sail to Virginia, establish a settlement, and see if the land was fit to grow crops. They were also to look for gold.

What was the process of colonisation?

• In 1607, the Virginia Company established at Jamestown the first permanent English colony in North America. William Kelso writes that Jamestown "is where the British Empire began ... this was the first colony in the British Empire."​

• In 1624, the colony was placed under royal jurisdiction and England’s presence in North America began to expand along the coastline of Virginia and New England.​

• By the 18th Century, Britain’s greatest colonial rival in North America was France and in 1763, the British acquired the French colonial possessions in North America.​

• From the 1770’s Britain’s North American colonies began to rebel and America gained independence in 1783.​

Why did British settlers move to the New World?

Colonists generally emigrated to the New World ‘for gold and silver and temporal profit’ Francis Bacon

• The colony of Virginia was founded in 1607, named for Queen Elizabeth I, the so-called Virgin Queen.

• Over the course of the 17^th Century, more and more settlers left Britain, some seeking work, some land and some religious freedom.

• These new colonies were founded by white settlers choosing to migrate, which has led to characterisations of the colonisation of America as a phenomenon achieved by migration rather than conquest.

The Mayflower

One of the most famous groups of people to settle in America arrived in November 1620 on a ship called the ‘Mayflower’. They were mainly puritans (strict Christians) who had left Britain in search of religious freedom.

How did the arrival of the British affect the indigenous population of America?

‘By economics alone British America 

could not have been built’

‘Something more was needed – an additional incentive to cross the Atlantic over and above the profit motive. That something turned out to be religious fundamentalism.’

‘Not God, but Cod’

‘The gravestones at Marblehead, Massachusetts, testify to the existence of a British settlement there from as early as 1628, but there was no church or preacher until 1684. By this time the fishing industry was well established and exporting thousands of barrels of cod per year.’

‘One other crucial ingredient, however: procreation’

‘New Englanders very quickly began to reproduce themselves, quadrupling their numbers between 1650 and 1700’.

Who were the European settlers?

What are the statistics?

1620-1640 – 20,000 migrants arrived in the New World

1730 – population was around 629,000

1783 – 1.5 million people

1800 – 5 million

What was the aim of early immigrants?

Early migrants were young, male and single, but as the colonies became more established, more families began to emigrate.

By 1759, there were 13 colonies, mostly thriving, the largest populations by the mid-eighteenth century were to be found in the tobacco growing colonies of Virginia and Maryland.

The aim of those travelling to America was not to adapt or take on a different way of life, but rather to transfer the British way of life to America, this led to the colonies becoming known as ‘plantations’ as the British people ‘transplanted’ their way of life to the colonies.

It is worth noting that Britain also used America as a prison colony – a dumping ground for the most undesirable people from overcrowded British prisons.

7 Years War with France

By the mid-1700’s Britain and France had the largest presence in the America’s, between 1754 and 1763 the two sides fought for dominance, this is known in America as the French and Indian war and in Britain it is known as the Seven Years War.

Impact of fighting France in the Seven Years War

• War debt on Britain, Tax on the Americans

• Boston recieving bulk of tax duties

• ‘Red Coats‘ (soldiers) 600 to keep peace

Reasons for the colonisation of America:

• To escape the Irish - “barbarious“

• Resources: Sugar, Cotton, Tobacco

• Spain’s failure to send an adequate force to kinsale and defeat O’Neill’s army

• Religious Freedom

• Land ownership

• Bragging rights against France

Rivalry between Britain and France

“Every Briton ought to know about the ambitious views of France, her eternal thirst after world domination, and her continual attacks on the property of her neighbours. Our trade, our liberty, our country, and all the rest of Europe, are in constant danger from the common enemy, France, that would, if possible, swallow up the whole world.”

An extract from the Critical Review, a British journal published in 1756.

Brief timeline

April 18th, 1775

• The battles of Lexington and Concord begins.

January 1776

• Famous writer Thomas Paine writes the pamphlet Common Sense.

July 4th, 1776

• Declaration of Independence is approved by Congress.

August 1776

• British armies defeat George Washington's armies on Long Island, New York.

December 1776

• Washington and his troops surprise and drive away the British from Trenton, New Jersey.

October 17th, 1777

• The Americans mark their first major victory of the war at the end of the battle of Saratoga. 1778 and 1779

  • -George Rogers Clark seizes British posts in present-day Illinois.

  • -John Paul Jones raids the British ports.

  1780

  • The Patriots use the guerrilla warfare to kill several British and run away without being seen.

  1781

  • The Battle of Yorktown begins and causes the Americans to go one step closer to independence.

  September 3rd, 1783

  • The Treaty of Paris is signed.

  • The American Revolution ends.

  4^th Feb 1789 

  • George Washington becomes the first President of the United States

  1791

  • The French Revolution begins.

‘No taxation without representation’

Taxation - Money given to the government, Britain

Representation - Westminster, England. If an American gives tax but didn’t get any back, they are represented by Westminster

What did trade with the 13 colonies look like?

How did government policy evolve?

Colonies were dependent trading partners which supplied the mother country with raw materials and allowed Britain to export more than they imported (positive balance of trade).

Protectionist and mercantilist (designed to obtain advantageous trading relationships with colonies while protecting British producers from competition).

→

Free trade (the government aimed to increase the overall volume of trade by reducing taxes, and used diplomacy or force to make other countries do the same).

Underpinned by the Navigation Acts:

• Colonial goods could only be carried on English built and owned ships.

• Certain goods (e.g. tobacco) had to be shipped into an English port, even if they were eventually being shipped to another European country.

• European imports to British colonies had to be shipped via Britain first.

• Navigation Act of 1660 – ¾ of a ships crew had to be English.

• Navigation Act of 1663 – All European goods going to America had to be shipped through England first, and carried only in English ships.

The Navigation Acts and salutary neglect (Taxation)

• Before 1763, mercantilism was not strictly enforced in America under the policy of Salutary neglect.

• However, in 1763, the British decided to create a large standing army in North America to deter France from further conflict – essentially taxing the North American colonists to defend themselves.

• In addition the Royal Navy was used to enforce the Navigation Acts and began seizing ships and their cargos.

• This was a cause of tension.

Mercantilism

A policy of government intervention to ensure that the value of exports is more than the value of imports, known as a positive balance of trade. The objective was to acquire gold or silver bullion.

Salutary neglect 

The ‘light touch’ approach by the British to American government and tax collection until the 1760s. Under this system, the Navigation Acts were not too strictly enforced and the local management and setting of local taxes rested in the hands of governors and local assemblies.

How were the American colonies run (representation)?

Main differences in the economies of the 13 colonies:

• New England colonies:

  • Farmed by small subsistence farmers

  • Had extensive fishing and industry

• Middle colonies (including Pennsylvania):

  • A major source of wheat and flour

• Southern colonies:

  • Tobacco was the predominant crop

  • Tobacco was labour-intensive, so slaves were imported to provide labour

What the majority of settlers have in common:

• The majority of settlers were Protestant

• Many had come to America to escape religious persecution

• Most were involved in agricultural production

• Many owned their own land

• They were loyal mainly to local communities and churches

• They were politically active and experienced in self-government

Why settlers in America had more independence and status than men in England:

• Land was widely available, so most white men owned and worked their own land, unlike England where many rented from wealthy landowners

• There was a scarcity of labour, allowing skilled workers and tradesmen to earn better wages

• A much wider voting franchise existed: at least 50%, sometimes up to 80%, of adult males could vote

• This gave many men status as landowners and voters, increasing their independence compared to men in England

How each colony was organised politically:

British Crown

↓

Governor (appointed by the Crown)

↓

Colonial Legislative Assembly

├─ Upper House (appointed)

└─ Lower House (elected by colonists)

↓

Controls money bills and local spending

Why did the fact that there were 13 individual assemblies make it easier for the British to ignore them?

• Each colony had its own separate assembly

• Early opposition to British taxes came from individual colonies, not a united group

• This meant complaints were fragmented and easier for Britain to dismiss

• Only later did assemblies begin to consult and work together, creating stronger and more unified opposition

Reasons for the outbreak of war/ American Revolution

The Navigation Acts:

• 1660: ¾ British

• 1663: Pass through England

The Seven Years War & end of Salutary Neglect:

• By mid-1700's, Britain and France had largest pretence in the America's between 1754-1763.

• The two sides bought for dominance, this is known in America as the French and Indian War and in Britain, it's knowna) the Seven Years way

• Salutary Neglect, The "light touch" approach by the British to American government and tax collection until the 1760's.

• Under this system, the Navigation Acts weren’t too Strictly enforced and local management and Setting of local taxes rested in hands of govewors and local assemblies

The Sugar Act & Stamp Act:

• 1764: Reduced tax on sugar, in short collection

• Direct tax on the Colonists,Papers,Newspapers and Letters

Agents of the Crown:

• Officials from Britain become government

• Introduced town taxes

Townshend Duties:

• Lead,Tea,Glass taxes passed

Sons of Liberty and Boston Massacre:

• 5 Dead

• Colonists in opposition

The Tea Act & the Boston Tea Party:

• EIC Tea only

• Dumping Tea in Boston Harbour

The coercive Acts:

• Boston port closed

• Royals given greater power

• London given greater powe

Enlightenment Ideas:

• John Locke

• Idea of Government Consent

Why wasn’t the Boston Massacre the start of the revolution?

• The repeal of the Townshend Duties

• The existence of a significant number of loyalists in the colonies.

• The lack of unity between the colonists.

Patriots

• ⅓

• Drawn from the colonial elite.

• Gulf between rich and poor

Loyalists

• ⅓

• Accepted Britain's right to tax the colonies.

• Many were agents of the crown.

What happened during The Boston Tea Party, 1773?

Causes of the Boston Tea Party

• After 1767–68 Britain tried to raise money from the American colonies by imposing new duties, partly to help pay off national debt and later to rescue the East India Company, which was close to bankruptcy.

• The Tea Act of 1773 was introduced to shore up the East India Company.

  • It allowed the company to sell tea directly to America, cutting out British ports.

  • This made tea cheaper, even though it still carried American duties.

• Many colonists saw this as another attempt to tax them without consent and to force them to accept Britain’s right to tax the colonies.

• Sam Adams and the patriots encouraged resistance, while Committees of Correspondence helped spread opposition and organise protests.

Events of the Boston Tea Party

• The American response followed familiar methods such as boycotts, civil disobedience, and illegal action.

• Tea sent to other ports like New York and Philadelphia was rejected and sent back; in Charleston, tea was landed but not sold.

• In Boston, the most extreme action occurred:

  • Colonists destroyed the tea rather than allow it to be sold.

• This act of defiance became known as the Boston Tea Party.

Consequences of the Boston Tea Party

• The Boston Tea Party was described as the most outrageous defiance of British authority.

• It marked a tipping point in relations between Britain and the colonies.

• Bungling and ill-considered British attempts to enforce the Tea Act helped push the colonies closer to open conflict.

• The event played a key role in the making of the American Revolution, increasing hostility and making future compromise far less likely.

What were The Intolerable Acts, 1774?

• As a consequence of the Boston Tea Party Closure of the port of Boston from 1 June 1774, until all the tea was paid for.

• The charter of the colony was revised to allow the governor to appoint and remove most officials.

• Allowing the transfer of murder trials to England if deemed necessary.

Giving more powers to military commanders to arrange the quartering of their troops.

The formation of the Continental Congress (September 1774) (P.75)

Why the Continental Congress Was Formed Failure of the Coercive Acts

• Britain passed the Coercive Acts (1774) to punish Massachusetts, especially Boston, after the Boston Tea Party.

• The British government hoped these acts would isolate Boston and discourage other colonies from supporting resistance.

• This strategy failed: instead of isolating Massachusetts, the Acts united the colonies.

Colonial Resistance to British Authority

• One colonial assembly after another was dissolved by royal governors for opposing British policy.

• Despite being dissolved, these assemblies continued to meet illegally, openly defying British law.

• This defiance showed that British authority in the colonies was already breaking down.

Formation of the Continental Congress (September 1774) First Intercolonial Meeting

• In September 1774, representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies (all except Georgia) met together for the first time.

• This meeting became known as the Continental Congress.

• It marked a major turning point, as colonies began acting together rather than separately.

Purpose of the Congress

• The Congress was formed to:

  • Coordinate a united colonial response to British policies

  • Discuss grievances caused by the Coercive Acts

  • Decide how far resistance to Britain should go

Political Views Within the Continental Congress Moderate Position (Dominant in 1774)

• The Congress was not yet revolutionary.

• Many members were moderates, not radicals.

• They:

  • Accepted Britain’s right to regulate colonial trade within the empire

  • Did not call for independence

  • Wanted reconciliation rather than war

Joseph Galloway and the Moderates

• Joseph Galloway was a leading moderate.

• He argued:

  • Massachusetts should arm only for defence

  • Each colony had the right to decide for itself how many troops it needed

• This shows that even in late 1774, independence was not inevitable.

Growth of Colonial Self-Government Committees of Correspondence → Committees of Safety

• Earlier communication networks, the Committees of Correspondence, evolved into Committees of Safety.

• These new committees:

  • Took responsibility for local defence

  • Acted as alternative governments

• This was a significant step toward colonial self-rule.

British Reaction Situation in Boston

• General Thomas Gage, the British commander, could still control Boston itself using the troops he had.

• However, he could not control the countryside of Massachusetts.

• Gage repeatedly wrote to London requesting more troops, showing how weak British control had become.

Britain Declares Rebellion

• On 9 February 1775, Britain officially declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion.

• This hardened attitudes on both sides and made compromise increasingly unlikely.

Last Attempt at Compromise in Britain Earl of Chatham’s Proposal

• William Pitt the Elder (Earl of Chatham) recognised the danger of war.

• He proposed:

  • Removing all duties, including the Sugar Act

  • Recognising the Continental Congress as an American parliament

• This proposal showed that some British leaders understood the seriousness of the crisis.

Rejection by the House of Lords

• The House of Lords rejected Chatham’s proposal by two to one.

• This rejection ended serious hopes of reconciliation.

• Britain instead prepared for military enforcement.

Significance of the Continental Congress

The formation of the Continental Congress was crucial because it:

1. Unified the colonies politically for the first time

2. Created a national forum that acted like a government

3. Encouraged self-defence and local control

4. Made Britain increasingly view the colonies as rebellious

5. Set the stage for armed conflict in 1775

Link to War

• The political cooperation begun in September 1774 directly led to:

  • Colonial military organisation

  • British military action

• Within months, fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord (April 1775), turning political resistance into open war.

172 years after the establishment of the first permanent British settlement in the New World

On 19^th April 1775, British redcoats exchanged fire for the first time with armed American colonists. The British Empire had begun to tear itself apart.

The “Shot Heard Round the World” 1775

• The British soldiers had been sent to Concord to confiscate arms from colonial militias whose loyalty to the British crown had come into doubt. 

• Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Israel Bissell warned the colonists that, “The Red Coats are coming.” Not the British, they were all British at that time.

• The first two battles of the American Revolution were fought at Lexington and Concord, when the American militia met up with British forces.

• The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to discuss the next move of the colonists. 

• They appointed George Washington as commander of the colonial army. 

• War with Great Britain was imminent.

Enlightenment Influences:
John Locke – Social Contract

• He wrote Two Treatises of Government  in 1690. 

• He believed the purpose of government was to protect people’s natural rights.  He said government should protect, “his life, liberty, and property—against the injuries and attempts of other men.”

• His idea:  The true basis of government was a social contract between people and their government. If the government didn’t respect people’s rights, it could be overthrown.

• In exchange protection, people gave government the power to rule on their behalf.  We call this idea the “consent of the governed.”

• Lasting Impact: the idea that government could be overthrown if it failed to respect people’s rights had wide influence and was ultimately echoed in the American Declaration of Independence.

What was discussed at ‘The Second Continental Congress’?

Context

• The Second Continental Congress met in May 1775, shortly after the fighting at Lexington and Concord.

• Unlike the First Continental Congress, this meeting took place during an active war.

• Delegates now had to decide how to fight Britain, how to govern the colonies, and whether to seek independence or reconciliation.

Main Issues Discussed

1. Organising the War Effort

• Congress agreed that the colonies needed a unified military force.

• It:

  • Created the Continental Army

  • Took responsibility for defending the colonies

• George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief because:

  • He had military experience

  • He came from Virginia, helping unite northern and southern colonies

2. Financing the War

• Congress discussed how to pay for the war.

• Since it had no power to tax, it:

  • Issued paper money (Continental currency)

  • Asked colonies to contribute troops and supplies

• This showed that Congress was acting as a national government, even without legal authority.

3. Independence vs Reconciliation

• There was deep debate over whether to:

  • Remain loyal to the King

  • Or break completely from Britain

• Many delegates still hoped to avoid independence in 1775.

Olive Branch Petition (July 1775)

• Congress agreed to send the Olive Branch Petition to King George III.

• It:

  • Declared loyalty to the King

  • Asked him to stop Parliament’s harsh policies

• The King rejected the petition, which pushed Congress closer to independence.

4. Foreign Relations

• Congress discussed the need for foreign support, especially from France and Spain.

• Although formal alliances came later, Congress began acting like an independent state in diplomacy.

5. Governing the Colonies

• Congress took on governmental powers, including:

  • Supervising the war

  • Coordinating colonial governments

  • Managing diplomacy

• It effectively replaced British authority in many areas.

6. Move Toward Independence

• By 1776, support for independence grew due to:

  • Continued fighting

  • British rejection of compromise

  • The King declaring the colonies in rebellion

• Congress debated and approved:

  • Richard Henry Lee’s resolution calling for independence

  • The drafting of the Declaration of Independence

7. Declaration of Independence (July 1776)

• Congress discussed and approved:

  • Thomas Jefferson’s draft

  • The principles of natural rights and popular sovereignty

• On 4 July 1776, Congress formally declared independence.

Long-Term Role of the Second Continental Congress

After independence was declared, Congress continued to:

• Run the war effort until 1781

• Negotiate the Treaty of Paris

• Draft the Articles of Confederation

• Act as the national government of the United States

Significance

The Second Continental Congress was important because it:

1. Turned colonial resistance into organised revolution

2. Created a national army and leadership

3. Managed war, diplomacy, and government

4. Led directly to American independence

The Declaration of Independence (P.76)

1. 1775-1776 was a turning point for men like Benjamin Franklin as it was the point when they crossed the line from being dissatisfied British colonists to become American Patriots, ready to be a part et a new nation.

2. The important decisions taken in June 1775 was:
-Congress issueing paper money to try and meet some of the costs of the war

- Congress making George Washington the commander of the new Continental Army

3. The formal Declaration of Independence and establishment of a new Government take longer as:

• Delegates were embarking on an intellectual and personal journey towards
revolution and nationhood. American Revolution involved the creation of a new system of government and tried undertook their personal journeys slowly towards bonds the intellectual position of support for independence

•Communication with local communities and assemblies took place at every step along the path of independence and, due to the communication styles at the time, It took a long time to reach a resolution

Members of the Continental Congress worked hard to reach a consensus before moving forward and meant demonstrating to moderates that every effort had been made to reach accommodation with the British.

The role of Thomas Paine: Common Sense (P.77)

• He was an English radical who emigrated to the American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin
  

• His Common Sense pamphlet, published in 1776, was one of the most important documents of the revolution and it central demand was for independence from Britain.

• Paine moved to France in the 1790's and wrote the ‘Rights of Man’ defending the French Revolution, He survived the revolution, but spent time in prison though returned to the USA in 1802.

Thomas Jefferson

• Author of Declaration of Independence

• First Securitary of State

• Practised Law in Georgia

• Married with no wise, had seal had an stair with best-sitter whe
  lave had twelve kids.

• Resigned as security of State in 1783,

• Became the 3rd President of the United States

• During presidency, doubled size of the USA, Cut the debt in half
  

• Helped sound the first Secular university, Virginia University

Advantages and disadvantages of declaring independence from Britain

Advantages:

Possibility of foreign aid from France

Legitimacy in the world community

Captured soldiers treated as POWs not spies or rebels

Independence might unite different areas of the colonies

Stating for the world the ideological basis of this new country

Freedom from subservience to the King

Disadvantages:

Might lose friends in England who supported cause of colonists in regard to representation in Parliament but not independence

Might cause division within the colonies 

If Revolution failed, the leaders might be tried and executed as traitors.

Colonies were poorly prepared for war

Fighting the largest military  power in the world

No weapons nor manufacturing to make them

Dependent on England for  elements needed to fight a war.

Chances of winning the war were slim.

Colonists would be cutting  themselves off from the 

biggest, freest empire in the world.

Sentimental attachment to  homeland.

The Articles of Confederation - 1781

• At the end of the Revolutionary War, the new nation was faced with another extremely difficult task - creating a single, unified country out of a loose association of states, transforming the "United States" from a plural to a singular noun. 

• America had thrown off one oppressive form of government, but now they had to develop a new form of government strong enough to enforce the law, yet based on the democratic and economic premises of the Revolution.

• The Articles of Confederation were not a constitution, rather they were a mechanism that allowed the 13 states to work together without sacrificing too much power to a central executive body.

The Articles were a compromise. 

• The ratified Articles stated that the new nation would be ruled by a congress. Each state had one vote.

• According to the Articles, Congress could:

• Conduct foreign affairs

• Make treaties

• Declare war

• Maintain an army and a navy

• Coin money

• Establish post offices

• According to the Articles, Congress COULD NOT:

• elect a president of the central government. 

• enforce laws. 

• tax the states or the people. Congress could ask the states for money, but Congress could not force the states to give them money. 

Why might the articles be seen as weak?

• Could not elect a president of the central government. Thus there was no separation of power at the Federal (central) level. There was a Congress, and 13 states. Anything Congress did had to be approved by 9 of the 13 states. 

• Could not enforce laws. Congress could pass laws, but Congress could not force the states to obey those laws, even when delegates from 9 of the 13 states agreed.

• Could not tax the states or the people. Congress could ask the states for money, but Congress could not force the states to give them money. And Congress could not raise money by collecting taxes. Taxation belonged to the states, and each state could make their own taxation laws. Without taxation, it was nearly impossible to run a government.

The Constitution

• It was soon obvious that Ben Franklin was right. The Articles were too weak to allow a central government to function. All the states agreed. 

• In 1787, the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia. Ben Franklin was a strong supporter, of course. So was George Washington. 

• In 1789, a new document was created. They called it the Constitution.

What are the statistics on either side for the American Civil War?

Americans in 1775 (Patriots)

• No national government

• No army
  

• No navy
  

• No financial system
  

• No international allies

British in 1775 (Loyalists):

• Strong national government
  

• Well trained and experienced army
  

• Largest and best navy in the world
  

• Richest country in the world
  

• No international allies

Who's who on the Patriots side?

George Washington wasn’t a one-man band.  He was assisted by other American military leaders, including top strategist Nathanael Greene and artillery expert Henry Knox, both of whom excelled at a variety of military tasks. 

George Washington: Commander of Americans Forces

Nathanael Greene: Top Strategist

Henry Knox: Artillery Expert

Benedict Arnold:  Commander under Washington

Who's who on the British side?

The English didn’t exactly find America an ideal vacation spot to hold a war.  Great Britain’s military leaders, such as General Charles Cornwallis and General John Burgoyne often considered America one of the least desirable places to serve.  The dense forests and seasonally extreme heat offered major obstacles to traditional warfare. 

• General Charles Cornwallis

• General John Burgoyne

• William Howe

All considered America one of the worst places to serve

British

Strengths:

• 48, 647 soldiers in 1775, could hire German mercenaries.

• Royal navy had 340 ships.

• The British controlled land in Canada which they could use to launch attacks.

• Well-established and diverse economy.

• Large population (approximately 8 million people).

Weaknesses:

• Only 8,000 British troops were in America in 1775.

• Logistically challenging supplying the troops in America

• Generals suffered from lack of direction from London.

Americans:

Strengths:

• Democratic principles and ideological dreams attracted loyalists to the patriots.

• Attracted by the ‘Glorious Cause’

• Terrain was familiar to the patriots – soldiers were ideologically committed.

• Continental army performed better on home ground.

• Washington was a true genius.

Weaknesses:

• Limited economic development of a newly formed nation.

• Short of weapons.

• Uncertain intervention of the French

General Burgoyne’s defeat at Saratoga, 1777

1. At Saratoga, Burgoyne penetrated 200 mile) into America from Canada but a lack of Coordination his forces weren't doined by General Clinton's further fouth. A Stalemate began between Burgoyne and the American general, Gates, 8000 British theops do a attack but failed at claiming a victory and sumender so they can survive

2. The British lost due to Burgoyne's overconfidence, causing him to not coordinate with Generals Howe and Clinton, So when General Howe didn't support Burgoyne's invasions the fleet led by Burgoyne was left to surrender

3. This was a severe turning point as it proved the colonists could win a significant Victory, which caused France to start and form an alliance with the USA.

General Cornwallis defeat at Yorktown, 1781

1. The British were defeated at Yorktown as they failed to control Chesapeake Bay and keep New York and Yorktown linked by sea in 1781. They were out memovered, and British reinforcements were late.

2. Lord North's response to the defeat by saying "oh God, it is all over”. Lord North was the Prome Minister of the UK at the time.

3. The defeat at Yorktown typified the problems saved by the British as the British were fighting amongst themselves and the lack of coordination both sides caused many issues both while in the war and in London

The Treaty of Paris 3^rd September 1783

• American independence was recognized.

• Spain gained: Florida and Minorca

• Britain regained: the Bahamas

• France regained: St Lucia, Goree and Pondicherry and retained Tobago.