American Revolution

Mayflower Compact 

• America’s first written constitution, signed by the passengers agreeing to do things for the common good of the group. 

• Nov. 11. 1620

• The compact idea of sovereignty was a key principle used in later documents (constitution)

• Challenged the authority of england              

Virginia House of Burgesses

• July 30. 1619 by governor sir george yeardly

• first elected legislative assembly in North America

• 22 individuals and a one house legislator

• purpose to create laws, discuss issues, and provide colonists with a voice

• gave the colonists a sense of independence

• helped realize they don’t need England's support

Roger Williams 

• Born in 1603-1683 in London

• Lived in plymouth and salem

• Founded Rhode Island

• Allowed freedom of worship of religion, first baptist church 

• Freedom of religion

• Compensating Indigenous People    

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut  

• Documber established on Jan. 19, 1669 by Roger 

• Preamble: agreement in which the towns would be governed under orders

• 11 orders: held operation for elected officials

• First constitution WRITTEN in the colonies, it had 3 branches

Bacon’s Rebellion 

• Settlers wanted to punish native americans after a series of attacks 

• Gov. Berkeley refused to take action

• Nathaniel Bacon formed his own militia and launched attacks disregarding Berkeley's authority

• Bacon's militia fought the gov. Resulting in the burning of Jamestown

• After Bacon's death the rebellion fell apart 

• Colonists felt they had no voice

• Berkley favored the wealthy, poor farmers couldn't get land or money (economic inequality) 

• Like american revolution but 100 years before, taxation without representation

Navigation Acts

• British passed laws to control (limit) colonial trade and keep the profits

• Colonies could only use English ships for goods transportation

• Taxes were added 

• Laws hurt the colonies economy 

• Smuggling increased 

• 3 parts benefited the colonists but the rest didn't   

Salutary Neglect 

• 1607-1763

• Economic smuggling:Colonies started economically smuggling, led to thriving economies

• Self government: started to gain power

• Colonists developed a strong sense of identity and self power

• The freedom factored by salutary neglect made the British impose taxes because the colonists protested independence, violating the colonists rights

The Great Awakening  

• 1730s and 1740s

• Expression of religious feelings among the colonies

• Jonathan Edwards expressed the ideas

• Geroge Whitefield started making speeches, god was all power and would save only those who believe in Jesus 

• Life was super hard for the early settlers, after life improved religion declined 

• More people got educated and the great awakening caused people to question authority                                            

The Enlightenment 

• A large movement of literature and philosophy

• John Locke, Ben Franklin, and more

• Beliefs: human reason, natural rights, self-government, and religious freedom

• Natural laws were established from the enlightenment 

• Provoked the question “Is this monarchy fair?”

• Source of fuel for colonists

The Seven Years War (French and Indian war)

• May 28. 1754

• Geroge Washington's militia 

• The French successfully defended

• England said they fought the war on colonists behalf so they should pay for it 

• British view: French provoked war, believed colonist militia was weak

• Colonial view: proud of their military performance, not impressed with British troops

• Added tension between colonies and british

• Colonists weren't with Britain

Writs of Assistance                                                    

• It was a writ for the British to search any proprietary and ship of the colonists

• Executed within the direct state

• Could be searched with out any reasons

• If you got caught your trial would be held by a king or the British Government

The Sugar Act 

• Passed an act to tax molasses (Lower) and sugar (Higher) (affect rum)

• Could be searched with out any reasons

• If you got caught your trial would be held by a king or the British Government

The Stamp Act

• Direct tax against colonies on papers, pamphlets, legal documents, playing cards

• First direct tax

The Sons of Liberty

• A group formed to boycott the British in violent manners

The Declaratory Act 

• George III approved parliament's repeal of the stamp act 

• The act made it clear they had full power to make laws over the colonies

• It implied that new laws were coming after the colonists

The Townshend Acts 

• Taxes on goods such as glass lead paint paper and tea

• Lots of colonists boycott

• Indirect tax

Boston Massacre     

• Street fight that led to a deadly fight that led to the revolution

• Colonists were throwing objects at the soldiers until one fired a shot

• Painted a picture against the British to start propaganda to revolt Americans

Committees of Correspondence

• Key communication system used by the colonists

• Connected towns colonies and countries by letters

The Tea Act                                                                  

• Passed by Britain in 1773

• Allowed British East India tea company to monopolize the sale of tea. 

• By taxing tea at a higher price then the India Company

• Led to Boston Tea Party

Boston Tea Party

• Political act 1773

• American Colonists were upset at Britain for taxation without representation

•  Dumped tea overboard

The  Intolerable Acts        

• Laws as a punishment for the Tea Party

• Closed Boston Harbor

• British officials are tried in Britain's courts

• Expanded Quartering Act

• General Gage took control over the city

The Quartering Act     

• Required colonists to house British soldiers with food and beds

• Colonists saw this as a violation of their privacy and rights

Battle of Lexington and Concord                         

• April 19th 1775

• First battle of the revolutionary war

• British planned to size colonists weapon 

• Colonists warned each other and prepared to stop this

• Colonists Won

Continental Congress

• Temporary Government for the 13 colonies

• Ratified the first constitution

• Helped resist the British Forces and acts

• Consists of delegates from each colony

The Battle of Bunker Hill        

• Colonists tried to hold down the hill/Boston 

• Even though British won

• Moral was up for the colonists due to the amount of casualties lost by the British

Olive Branch Petition  

• Colonists met in a second continental congress to try and make peace with parliament

• Asked for peace

• King George III shot down petition refused to read it

• Issued a proclamation of rebellion from the colonists

Common Sense                                                

• Published a pamphlet that criticized the British Government

• Hereditary / monarchy rule  

• Claimed British rule made the colonists suffer

• Called for independence and rebellion

• Inspired colonists to unite and fight for their rights

The Declaration of Independence

• Founding document of United States signed in 1776

• Officially separated the colonies by Britain

• Declared Americans founding ideals and justified reasons for revolution

The Battle of New York                                           

• British wanted to gain control over the hudson river

• The continental army had to retreat to save their troop numbers

• Soldiers were captured and put on prisons ships to die

• British Won

The Battle of Charleston

• British went to Charleston to concur it

• Britain forced entrance and surrounded them to surrender

• The British captured many colonists.

• British Won

The Battle of Saratoga 

• British tried to cut off New England from the Mid Atlantic Coast

• The Colonists held their ground by killing many important generals

• Turning point of the war

• French joined the war with the Colonists

• Colonists Won

Valley Forge

• Washington decided to lead troops to in Valley Forge to watch over in Philadelphia

• The Colonists soldiers had a rough life but had help from locals

• Gets a guy to train his soldiers to be leaders

• Washington created a makeshift vaccine for his army

The Battle of Yorktown                                          

• Last major battle of the Revolution

• Washington and the French Commander

• Surrounded British Army and forced them to surrender 

Treaty of Paris

• Act That ends the war

• Peace Act signed by French British and Americans

• Signed America to be a free country

The Articles of Confederation                               

• First US constitution

• Congress could not regulate trade or tax or enforce laws

• Massive Fail

• Weak central Government to solve problems

Shay’s Rebellion

• Farmers rebelled over economic taxes

• National government couldn't help due to the articles of confederation

• Wake up call for revolution

Virginia Plan                                                               

• Proposed stronger nation governments

• Proposed three branches bicameral legislature

• Basis for Constitution

• Based on Population (Favored Larger States)

New Jersey Plan

• Smaller states wanted a way to be protected from over voting

• Each state had the same number of votes

Great Compromise                                                    

• Combined compromise

• Created Senate 

• Created House

Three-Fifths Compromise

• Large plantation owners wanted to count slaves as people to gain votes (Population)

• They counted 5 slaves as 3 votes

• Representation in the house

Federalism                                                                   

• Power divided and shared across the federal and state governments 

• Prevented one level from being too powerful

Checks and Balances

• Each Branch limits each other

• To prevent one branch from having too much power

Federalists                                                                   

• They were formed by Hamilton in support of a stronger national government

Anti-Federalists

• Individuals who opposed strong national government

• Fear of control

• King

• Wanted more state power