Unit 2 - The American Revolution & Independence

who proposed albany plan of union

benjamin franklin

What happened in Albany plan of union

a plan to unite colonies under British rules to cooperate with one another

when was Albany plan of union

during French and Indian war

why did Albany plan of union happen

• to coordinate defense against the french and their native American allies

• raise taxes and organize troops

• aimed to strengthen unity among colonies

why was albany plan of union didn’t go in affect

people were afraid to lose their voice and didn’t want to lose territory

who in the french and Indian war

france + native American allies vs british

why did french and Indian War happen

both french and British wanted control of fur trade and north america

significance of french and Indian war

• british won and gained control over Canada and lands east of mississippi

• but the war’s cost led Britain to tax the American colonies, which sparked colonial resentment and eventually the revolutionary war

general Edward braddock

a British general that marched troops into a French Indian ambush

he died but Washington led a retreat that saved half of army

ehat happened in pontiacs rebellion

british cut off supplies for native Americans after french and Indian war which made them mad and made native Americans attack 

who in pontiacs rebellion

native American vs british

signfiicance of Pontiacs rebellion

this led to British to issue proclamation of 1763

proclamation of 1763

• ordered colonial settlers to stay east of appalachian mountains to create a border between native Americans and colonists

why did the British say to stay on one side of America even though they had fought a war and won?

the colonists would keep annoying them and then natives would get mad, and if they were to fight again, the British would have to save the colonists once again which is too expensive

treaty of paris 1763

• ended french and Indian war

• redrew the map of colonial possessions in North America

significance of treaty of paris 1763

• since Britain became the dominant power in north America, they faced more land to defend, leading to higher taxes on the colonies

• native Americans were left without french support, contributed to Pontiacs rebellion

How did Native Americans benefit from early conflicts between the British and French? What role did they play in the balance of power?

• Received gifts from their allies

• didistracted conflict between native americans and europeans

• role: people wanted them for extra support so native Americans chose alliances, and provided military strength

How did the French and Indian War affect Britain’s relations with its colonists in the New World?

• After investing on blood and money to conquer north america, british wanted control over their colonies 

• Had a large war debt so the British thought colonists should help pay these costs and tax them

who in sugar act

george greenville

what happened in sugar act

Taxed on molasses, and enforced strict regulations on merchants so they pay back the revenue from the war

what type of tax was the sugar act

indirect tax

who enforced stamp act

parliamentw

what happened in stamp act and why

required colonists to pay a tax on printed material (newspaper, books, court docs, etc) and wanted colonies to pay revenue from war

what type of tax was the stamp act

it was the first direct tax

who in Townshend acts

parliament, Charles townsend

what happened in Townshend acts

Added taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea that colonists import

why did Townshend acts go in affect

wanted to raise revenue to pay off war debts, Colonists wouldn’t accept direct taxes so Charles Townsend thought they would more likely pay indirect taxes

what type of tax was Townshend acts

indirect

who in boston massacre

colonists vs British officials

what happened in Boston massacre and why

large riots, protests to respond to the Townshend acts

significange of Boston massacre

committees were created to provide leadership and cooperation

who organized committees of cofrrespondence

samuel adams

what did committees of correspondence do

• provided leadership and cooperation between colonists and towns

• helped build unity among colonies

• leads to revolution

who in intolerable acts

parliament

what was intolerable acts

series of 5 laws to punish colonists in Massachusetts for Boston tea party

where was it affected  for intolerable acts

affected colonists in Boston, massachusettes

significance of intolerable acts

made colonists angry and promoted meeting of the firstt continental congress

what type of tax is intolerable acts

punitive, b/c it punishes them

who in First Continental Congress

delegates from all colonies except Georgia

what happened in first continental congress

meetign to respond to intolerable acts, decided to boycott British imports

where was first continental congress held

philadelphia, pennsylvania

signfiicance of first continental congress

created sense of American unity

who and where second continental congress

all colonies met in Philly to deal with conflict with britian

what happened in the second continental congress and why

• appointed George Washington as commander and organized continental army

• people from New England needed help fighting the British so congress coordinated military support form other colonies

who in battle of Lexington and concord (Boston)

patriots (colonists) vs redcoats (British)

what happened in battle of Lexington and concord

Fighting broke out at Lexington and continued at Concord and left many casualties on British forces

why did battle of Lexington and Concord happen

British wanted to arrest colonial leaders and seized weapons to stop colonial resistance

signfiicance of battle of Lexington and concord

marked turning point form political tension to armed conflict, igniting revolutionary war

What arguments did the colonists make against taxation?

Colonists had no representation in the Parliament (No taxation without representation), and feared that accepting the tax would lead to more taxes and they’ll lose political power

why did the British Parliament find arguments about taxation hard to understand

people in Britain paid taxes without the ability to vote representatives, and they also believed that they had the right to tax anywhere in the empire.

loyalists perspectices

 Colonists who supported the British and supported the idea that they had the right to govern and tax colonies

patriots perspective

Colonists who wanted independence from Britain and saw British policies (Stamp act, intolerable acts, townshend acts) as unfair

road to revolution (chronological order):

1. 1763: Parliamentary sovereignty and Proclamation line

• Sugar act

2. 1765-67: Stamp and Townshend acts

3. 1770: Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts, Lexington & Concord

4. 1776: Declaration of Independence

who was Thomas paine

• wrote common sense

• proposed independence from britain

when declaration of independence

july 2 1776

who in declaration of independence

drafted by Thomas jefferson

what was in declaration of independencw

all men are born with natural rights and can’t be taken away by a government

whi was Thomas Jefferson inspired by 

Enlightenment thinkers and writing of Thomas Paine (Common Sense)

who was Lord William howe

briiths commander, ordered a frontal assault by his soldiers in the middle of the day, and failed to destroy the continental army multiple times

what was battle of saratoga

british March from Canada to Albany, ny hoping to divide colonies along Hudson rivefrf

who in battle of saratoga

continental army (led by Horatio gates and Benedict Arnold) vs British (general John Burgoyne)

what battles were within battle of saratoga

1. battle of freeman’s farm

2. battle of bemis heights

what happened in battle of freeman's farm

• first engagement

• British troops under Burgoyne won but suffered heavy losses

• slower burgoynes advance and forced him to pause

what happened in battle of bemis heights

• second engagement

• Americans led by Benedict Arnold made a decisive counterattack

aftermath of battle of saratoga

• burgoyne surrender

• france openly supports Americans, providing troops and money

• british decided to rely more on naval power and local loyalist forces, and decided to go to the south

who in valley forge

continental army

what happened in valley forge

• army camped there to rest, train, and monitor British forces

• bc of the winter, many were hungry and suffered until they were trained by baron von Steuben, and came out better trained and disciplined

how did British campaign the south

1. feb 1780, Clinton (British) invaded carolinas

2. aug 1780: Cornwallis invades north carolina

who in battle of yorktown

patriots (Washington and raachambeau) and french VS british (Cornwallis)

what happened in battle of yorktown (British position)

• they were concetrated in chesapeake region

• cornwallis decides to conquer VA before carolinas

• clinton wants a base on Chesapeake to maintain British control

• cornwalist moves his forces to Yorktown to establish that base

what happened in battle of yorktown (American and french position)

1. opportunity rises to strike decisive blow

2. Washington and Rochambeau march on Yorktown

3. Land-Sea siege: Combined American and French forces surround Cornwallis by land, while French blocks escape by sea

outcome of battle of yorktown

cornwallis surrenders, final major battle of revolutionary war

treaty of paris 1783

new administration took over Britain, wanted to make peace

recognized American independence and granted boundaries to u.s.

What advantages tipped the Revolutionary War’s balance in the favor of the Patriots?

• alliance the U.S. made with the French which significantly helped the U.S. by providing troops, supplies, and funding

• George Washington’s leadership and planning, also helped them win

• when the British underestimated the Patriots altered the favor towards Patriots

• support from the civilians, as women ran farms and shops, and made clothing, blankets, and shoes for soldiers.

Why did the British swing their efforts to the South? Why did this effort fail?

• they believed more loyalists were there so they would help fight against patriots

• cash crop was more over there, so hoped to fund war

• British also hoped to divide colonies by gaining control of south first then moving north

• why? continental army and southern militias fought back. The British were also far from home base, making them vulnerable to attacks.

why was battle of saratoga a turning point

• french became allies with americans

• burgoynes surrender gave americans confidence to continue fighting