APUSH Unit 3.1-3.5 Flashcards

British-French Wars

• fought between British and French during colonial period

• fought series of wars for control of territory in Europe, Americas, and South Asia

Seven Years’ War

• began in North America, 1756

• Also known as “French and Indian War” → American Indians heavily involved in defending interests allied with French

• British victory in 1763 consolidated control of North America

• colonists freed from fear of French attacks

• colonists’ help in war made them more confident in ability to stand up for interests

colonial independence

• British tried to collect more taxes from colonists to pay for war

• colonists saw themselves as self-sufficient; inspired by call for self-governance

• clashing views caused formation of new nation

Articles of Confederation

• new country initially governed by AofC

• inspired by republican ideals of American Revolution

the Constitution

• replaced Articles of Confederation because national gov. was so weak

• new constitution had stronger federal government but reserved certain powers for states

• Bill of Rights protected basic human liberties

• provides foundation of US gov. today

conflicting views of government

• policy debates continued under George Washington

• “Founding Fathers” argued over economy, individual rights, foreign affairs, Native American relations, and roles of federal and state gov.

What two parties emerged by the end of Washington’s time in office?

Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists

Democratic-Republicans

• argued for stronger state governments

• defeated Federalists in election of 1800

Federalists

• argued for stronger federal government

• defeated by Dem.-Rep.’s in election of 1800

• disappeared as a party by 1820

• ideas had influence on judges and later politicians

Changes in Economics, politics, and culture

• immigrants continued to arrive

• migrating colonists caused conflicts with Native Americans on frontier

• U.S. had to defend borders on land and ships at sea from British, French, and Spanish

• people began to form own cultures

• national identity not recognized until after 1800

King William’s War (1689-1697)

• British launched expeditions to capture Quebec from French, but failed

• American Indians supported by French burned British frontier settlements

Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713)

• British gained Nova Scotia from France and trading rights in Spanish America

King George’s War (1744-1748)

• named for George II

• James Oglethorpe led colonial army that repulsed Spanish attacks

• New Englanders captured French fortress Louisbourg in Canada that controlled access to St. Lawrence River

• In peace treaty ending war, Britain returned Louisbourg to French in exchange for political and economic gains in India

• New Englanders furious they lost fort they fought so hard for

The Decisive conflict

• 1754: Great Britain and France recognized value of their colonies by raw materials they produced

• French settlers, only about 60,000, worked with Native Americans carried on valuable fur trade

• About 1.2 million British colonists produced grain, fish, tobacco, lumber, etc. that fueled British industry

beginning of the Seven Years’ War

• British believed French provoked war by building chain of forts in Ohio River Valley

• French wanted to halt westward growth of British colonies

• governor of Virginia sent George Washington to win control of Ohio River Valley

• Washington’s troops surrendered to force of Frenchmen and American Indian allies

British Expedition from Virginia

• led by General Edward Braddock

• ended in disastrous defeat

• 2,000 British and colonial troops defeated by small force of French troops and American Indians near Fort Duquesne

• Algonquin allies of French ravaged frontier from western Penn. to North Carolina

• French repulsed British invasion of French Canada

Albany Plan of Union

• British gov. called for representatives from colonies to meet at Albany, New York

• adopted agreement developed by Ben Franklin that provided intercolonial govt., troop recruit system, and tax collection from colonies for common defense

• colonies too concerned about preserving taxation powers; plan never took effect

British Victory

• Prime minister William Pitt concentrated on conquering Canada

• Retaking of Louisbourg, surrender of Quebec, and taking of Montreal

• European powers negotiated peace treaty after British victories

Peace of Paris (1763)

• Britain acquired French Canada and Spanish Florida

• France gave up Louisiana territory west of Mississippi River to Spanish

• British extended control of north America and French power there ended

Immediate Effects of the War

• Gave Britain unchallenged supremacy among Europeans in North America

• challenged autonomy of American Indians

• established British as dominant naval power in the world

• American colonies no longer faced threat of attacks from French, Spanish, and American Indians

British View of the War

• believed American militia poorly trained and disorderly

• noted some of the colonies refused to contribute troops or money to war effort

• convinced colonists were unable and unwilling to defend new frontiers

colonial view of the war

• proud of their record in all four wars

• developed confidence that they could provide for own defense

• not impressed with British troops or leadership and methods of warfare badly suited for American terrain

reorganization of British Empire

• salutary neglect was abandoned for more forceful policies for taking control of colonies

• Britain felt need to maintain large military force to defend colonies

• King George III and Whigs wanted American colonies to bear more of cost of maintaining British empire

Pontiac’s Rebellion

• Chief Pontiac led attack against colonial settlements on frontier

• Indians angered by movement of settlers onto land and British refusal to offer gifts like French

• destroyed forts and settlements from New York to Virginia

• Regular troops put down uprising

Proclamation of 1763

British govt issued proclamation that prohibited colonists from settling west of Appalachians

• hoped it would prevent future hostilities between colonists and indains

• colonists reacted with anger and defiance - thousands streamed over imaginary border

Growing British-Colonial Tensions

• divergent views on the war and changes in British policies created conflict between two sides

• intensified by issues of taxation and representation

Reason for discontent

dramatic change in Britain’s colonial policy

• began to assert power and collect taxes and enforce trade laws more aggressively

• violation of political rights and ability to carry on trade and commerce freely

British actions and colonial reactions

• British POV: acts justified as fair method for protecting empire and making colonies pay for protection

• Colonists POV: each act was alarming threat to liberties

• could not be directly represented in Parliament - had no way to consent or oppose British actions

• British said colonists had virtual representation (all members of Parl. represented entire empire)

Sugar Act (1764)

• also known as Revenue Act of 1764

• placed duties on foreign sugar and luxuries

• supporters wanted to regulate sugar trade and raise revenue

• companion law provided stricter enforcement of Navigation Acts to stop smuggling

Quartering Act (1765)

• required colonists to provide food and living quarters for British soldiers stationed in the colonies

Stamp Act

• British govt’ wanted to raise funds to support British military in colonies

• enacted by Parliament in 1765

• required that revenue stamps be placed on most printed paper in the colonies

• First direct tax - collected from those who used the goods

Patrick Henry

• young Virginia lawyer

• stood up in House of Burgesses; demanded govt. recognize rights of all citizens, especially no taxation without representation

Who initiated a call for cooperative action among the colonies to protest the Stamp Act?

James Otis

Stamp Act Congress

• representatives from nine colonies met in New York, 1765

• resolved that only their own elected representatives had authority to approve taxes

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

• secret society organized for the purpose of intimidating tax agents

• sometimes destroyed revenue stamps; tarred and feathered revenue officials

What was the most effective form of protest against the Stamp Act?

boycotts against British imports

• ex: colonial women made their own cloth instead of buying it from the British

Declaratory Act (1766)

asserted that Parliament had the right to tax and make laws for the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”

Townshend Acts (1767)

• new duties enacted by Parliament on colonial imports of tea, glass, and paper

• revenue used to pay crown officials in colonies

• provided for search of private homes for smuggled goods

writ of assistance

a general license to search anywhere

• crown officials used them to conduct searches of private homes for smuggled goods

John Dickinson

• `1767 and 1768: wrote Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania

• argued that Parliament could regulate colonial commerce

• had to have approval of assemblies that included colonial representatives to tax colonists

James Otis and Samuel Adams

• jointly wrote Massachusetts Circular Letter

• urged colonies to petition Parliament to repeal Townshend Acts

• British officials ordered letter retracted

• colonists boycotted British goods and merchants increased smuggling

Lord Frederick North

• new prime minister who urged Parliament to repeal Townshend Acts

• they damaged trade and generated very small amount of revenue

Repeal of the Townshend Acts (1770)

• ended colonial boycott

• created three year respite from political troubles

• colonies entered into period of economic prosperity

• Parliament retained small tax on tea as symbol of right to tax colonies

Boston Massacre

• March 1770: colonists harassed guards near customs house

• guards fired into the crowd, killing five people

• Crispus Attucks, one of the victims, later became a symbol for antislavery movement

• six soldiers were defended by John Adams at trial and acquitted of murder; two charged with less serious manslaughter

• John Adams radical cousin Samuel Adams said incident was a “massacre”; used it to inflame anti-British feeling

Committees of Correspondence

• Samuel Adams 1772

• began organizing committees that would exchange letters about suspicious British activities

• Virginia House of Burgesses organized intercolonial committees in 1773

The Gaspee

• British customs ship that caught several smugglers

• 1772: ran aground off shore of Rhode Island

• colonists disguised as American Indians set fire to the ship

Tea Act (1773)

• colonists continued to refuse to buy British tea

• Parliament made price of British East India Company’s tea, even with tax included, cheaper than smuggled Dutch tea

• Americans refused to buy cheaper tea because it would recognize Parliament’s right to tax colonies

Boston Tea Party

• shipment of East India Company tea arrived in Boston harbor

• Bostonians disguised as American Indians boarded British ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor

• Some applauded as defense of liberty; others thought destruction of private property was too radical

Intolerable Acts

name given to the Coercive Acts and Quebec Act by the colonists who were angered with the laws

Coercive Acts (1774)

• directed at punishing people of Boston and Mass. and bringing them under control

• Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Andministration of Justice Act, and Quartering Act

Port Act

closed the port of Boston, prohibiting trade in and out of harbor until destroyed tea was paid for

Massachusetts Government Act

reduced power of Massachusetts legislature while increasing power of royal governor

Administration of Justice Act

allowed royal officials accused of crimes to be tried in Great Britain instead of the colonies

Quartering Act Expansion

expanded to enable British troops to be quartered in private homes; applied to all colonies

Quebec Act (1774)

• established Roman Catholicism as official religion of Quebec

• set up government without rep. assembly and extended Quebec boundary to Ohio River

colonists view of Quebec Act

• viewed as direct attack on American colonies b/c it took away lands claimed along Ohio River

• feared British would enact similar laws to take away rep. govt.

• Protestants resented recognition given to Roman Catholics

Supporters of British response

• wealthy merchants in New York and Philadelphia and planters in southern colonies

Opponents of the British

• from Virginia to Massachusetts; challenged British with harsh criticisms

• hostile actions toward British throughout colonies

• people became willing to speak out publicly, participate in protests, and donate money

What had a profound influence on the colonies?

The Enlightenment and John Locke’s writings

Deism

• many Enlightenment thinkers in Europe and America were deists

• the belief in God who had established natural laws in creating the universe and rarely intervened directly in human affairs

• God set the rules and allowed people to make choices

• contrasted with Christian belief that God regularly intervened in daily life

Rationalism

• Enlightenment thinkers trusted human reason to understand natural world and solve problems

• led them to emphasize studying science and human behavior rather than traditional interpretations of the Bible

Social Contract

the concept of an agreement among people to form a government to promote liberty and equality

• power came from “below” not “above”

• derived from John Locke and developed further by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Thomas Paine

• authored Common Sense

• argued that colonies should become independent states and break all political ties with British monarchy

• large continent shouldn’t be ruled by small distant island and people shouldn’t pledge allegiance to king whose government was corrupt

• became key factor in widening divide between colonies and Britain

Revolution as a Radical Break

historians believed that the movement to end British dominance had provided an opportunity to radically change American society; revolution was social and political

Revolution before the war

historians argued American society had been democratic and changed long before the Revolutionary War

• Bernard Bailyn said changes of rep govt., expansion of rights to vote, and written constitutions were all developed earlier during the colonial period

First Continental Congress

• all colonies except Georgia sent Delegates

  • convention was in Philadelphia, Sept. 1774

• purpose was to respond to what the delegates viewed as Britain’s alarming threats to their liberties

Radicals

• Patrick Henry (Virginia), Sam Adams and John Adams (Massachusetts)

• demanded greatest concessions from Britain

Moderates

• George Washington (Virginia) and John Dickinson (Pennsylvania)

• impartial to either side

Conservatives

• favored mild statement of protest

• John Jay (New York) and Joseph Galloway (Pennsylvania)

Who was unrepresented in the First Continental Congress?

loyalists

Joseph Galloway’s Plan

• would have reordered relations with Parliament and formed a union of the colonies within the British empire

• Failed by one vote

Measured adopted by FCC:

• Suffolk Resolves

• Declaration and Resolves

• Continental Association

• Declared if colonial rights were not recognized, delegates would meet again May 1775

Suffolk Resolves

• First introduced by Massachusetts

• Called for immediate repeal of Intolerable Acts

• called for colonists to resist them by making military preparations and boycotting British goods

Declaration and Resolves

• urged the king to make right colonial grievances and restore colonial rights

Continental Association

network of committees to enforce economic sanctions of Suffolk Resolves

Start of Lexington and Concord

April 18, 1775: Thomas Gage, commander of British troops in Boston, sent a force to seize colonial military supplies in Concord

Paul Revere and William Dawes

warned militia of Lexington of the British march on Concord

• shouted “The British are coming”

minutemen

colonial militia

Battle at Lexington

• Americans were forced to retreat under heavy British fire

• 8 killed in brief encounter

Does anyone know who fired the first shot of the Revolutionary War?

it is unknown

What happened on the British way back to Boston?

Attacked by hundreds of militiamen firing from behind stone walls

• 250 casualties (300 killed or wounded)

• used hit and run tactics to ambush them

Bunker Hill

• Battle actually fought on Breed’s Hill; wrongly named for hill next to it (Bunker Hill)

• June 17, 1775: opposing armies fought on outskirts of Boston

• British forces managed to take hill

  • but suffered over 1000 casualties

  • Americans succeeded in inflicting heavy losses on British army

Second Continental Congress

• met in Philadelphia: May 1775

• one group thought colonies should declare independence

• another group hoped conflict would be resolved

• adopted Declaration of Causes and Necessities for taking up arms; called on colonies to provide troops

• George Washington appointed commander and chief of colonial army

Olive Branch Petition

• colonists pledged loyalty to King George III

• asked him to intercede with Parliament to secure peace and protection of colonial rights

• King George dismissed petition

Prohibitory Acts

• August 1775: declared colonies in a state of rebellion

• a few months later, Parliament forbade all trade and shipping b/t Britain and colonies

Declaration of Independence

• Richard Henry Lee (Virginia) introduced resolution declaring colonies independent

• Drafted by Thomas Jefferson

• Listed grievances against King George III’s govt.

• Expressed basic principles that justified the revolution

Who drafted the Declaration of Independence?

• 5 delegates formed a committee to write a statement in support of these resolutions

  • Lead by Thomas Jefferson

When did Congress adopt Lee’s resolution?

July 2, 1776

When did Congress adopt Jefferson’s work on the declaration?

July 4, 1776 (Independence Day)

Patriots

• actively joined struggle against Britain

• about 40% of colonists

• most from New England and Virginia

• had a strong commitment to independence

British strengths

• had more resources

• 3x the population

• wealthy economy

• large, well-trained army; most powerful navy in the world

Why did Washington only have around 20,000 regular troops at a time?

most soldiers were reluctant to travel outside their own region

African Americans

Britain promised freedom to enslaved people who joined their side

• Washington quickly made the same offer

  • 5,000 African Americans fought as patriots

  • Some units entirely composed of African Americans

  • (Peter Salam recognized for bravery)

Tories

• maintained allegiance to the king

• 60,000 American Tories fought alongside British soldiers

  • supplied them with arms and food

  • joined in raiding parties

  • Ben Franklin’s son William joined Tories as last royal governor of New Jersey

  • 80,000 loyalists emigrated from states to settle in canada or Britain

American Indians

• many supported British who promised to limit colonial settlements in the West

American losses and hardships

• first three years of the war went bad for Washington’s troops

• after losing in Phila., Washington’s troops suffered through severe winter of Valley Forge (1777-1778)

• British occupation of American ports: resulted 95% decline in trade

continentals

• paper money issued by congress

  • goods were scarce, inflation was rampant; money became almost worthless

Battle of Saratoga

• British troops attacked at Saratoga by troops commanded by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold

  • British surrendered

• American victory persuaded France to join the war (American’s side)

  • King Louis XVI (ABSOLUTE MONARCH) saw opportunity to weaken country’s traditional foe

George Rogers Clark

• captured a series of British forts in Illinois country to gain control of part of vast Ohio territory

Southern strategy

British army concentrated military campaigns in Virginia and Carolinas where loyalists were especially numerous