OCR A-level History: American Revolution 1740-96

First and last colonies established

First - Virginia 1607

Last - Georgia 1732

Immigration 1700-1763

400,000 total immigrants:

- 150,000 Scots-Irish Protestants

- 65,000 Germans

- 350,000 slaves by 1763

Population growth 1700-1770

250,000 to 2.3 million

5 American towns

Philadelphia - 24,000

New York - 18,000

Boston - 15,600

Newport - 10,000

Charleston - 10,000

British Rule

- Charters: Crown could assert authority in America, e.g. appoint governors

- Privy Council: reviewed colonial laws

- Board of Trade: advised on colonial appointments and laws

- Treasury

- War Office

- Admiralty

Overall, a lack of central authority

Economy 1700s

New England: exported cod from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, imported molasses for rum

Middle Colonies: wheat and flour exports

Southern Colonies: tobacco exports worth £100 million by 1770s

Colonial assemblies

Upper house: appointed by the governor, made up of colonial elite

Lower house: elected by popular vote

War of Austrian Succession

1740 - 1748, fighting spread over to Atlantic. Colonists won Louisburg 1745, angered when Aix-la-Chapelle gave it back to France

Seven Years War 1756-7

French started well, captured Fort Oswego and Fort William Henry.

Pitt raised army of 50,000

Pitt paid Prussian ruler to preoccupy Europe

Seven Years War 1759-60

British smashed French fleet at Quiberon Bay

Britain captured Guadeloupe

Britain captured Quebec and Montreal

Consequences of Seven Years War

- Weakened sense of military dependence on Britain

- Opportunity for westward expansion

- Contempt between British and American soldiers

Peace of Paris 1763

Britain received Canada

Britain received most of France's Carribbean islands

Britain received Florida

Spain received Louisiana

Pontiac's Rebellion

May 1763, Pontiac's forces defeated by British troops funded by Britain. Confirmed view that British were needed to defend America.

Proclamation Line

1763, line designed to reduce white-Indian conflict by halting Western Expansion. Americans felt it was unfair. Broke down by 1768

Sugar Act

1764, reduced tax on sugar BUT they enforced it. Only affected New England

Currency Act

1764, banned colonial paper money. Appeased British merchants who wanted debts paid off in Pounds Sterling

Stamp Act

1765, INTERNAL tax on any printed and paper goods. Money to be spend on American defence. Led to outrage across the colonies, boycotts, attacking tax collectors, Sons of Liberty. Repealed 1766

Virginia Resolves

Made by Henry in response to Stamp Act:

- Colonists had same rights as Englishmen

- No taxation without representation

- Colonists could consent to laws

Declaratory Act

1766, asserted that Americans were British subjects

Townshend Acts

1767, EXTERNAL duties on glass, wine, china, tea etc. Also established an American Board of Customs Commissioners. Led to 'no taxation without representation', unrest in Boston and a boycott of British goods. Repealed 1770

Glorious Revolution

1688: James II overthrown. Next monarch had less power. Inspired in the Americans the idea of limited government, and that they could push back against a tyrannical monarch

John Locke

- Right to life, liberty, property.

- Governments only get power by consent of the people.

- People reserve right to rebel.

Quartering Act

1765, required colonials to provide housing for British troops in America

New York Restraining Act

1767, punished NY for its resistance to Quartering Act. Suspended New York assembly

Boston Massacre

1770, small group of British soldiers kill 5 civilians

Tea Act

1773, permitted East India tea to be sold in America, undercutting tea sold by American merchants

Boston Tea Party

1773, Sons of Liberty destroyed East India tea on Dartmouth and two other ships

Coercive/Intolerable Acts

1774:

- Boston Port Act: Closed Boston Port

- Massachusetts Government Act: Gave Massachusetts governor power to close assemblies

- Impartial Administration of Justice Act: Murder trials transferred to Britain

- Quartering Act

Quebec Act

1774, expanded Quebec border, put it under control of a governor

First Continental Congress (3)

1774:

- Called for non-importation, set up Continental Associations to unify effort

- Declaration of Rights and Grievances

- Suffolk Resolves: called Coercive Acts null and void

Committees of Safety

1774, enforced the boycott

Lexington and Concord

April 1775, British lost many troops. British commanded by Smith

Second Continental Congress (4)

1775:

- Raised 20,000 troops

- Appointed George Washington

- Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms

- Olive Branch Petition rejected by King

Bunker Hill

June 1775, British broke through American lines on Breed's Hill. British commanded by Gage, Americans by Prescott

Invasion of Canada

1775, captured Montreal but failed to invade Quebec. British commanded by Carleton, American by Montgomery and Arnold

Common Sense

1776, Thomas Paine's pamphlet encouraged independence

Locke in Declaration of Independence

1776, Jefferson took influence from Locke, who spoke of rights to life, liberty, property. Disputed Divine Right of Kings.

British strengths

- Better trained army

- Loyalist base of around 500000

- Indian and Hessian support

- Strong navy

- Naval bases in Canada and the West Indies

British weaknesses

- 3000 miles from home

- Army was weak and 1/4 of infantry had less than 1 year experience

- Hessians, slaves and Indians alienated the loyalists and neutrals

- Lord North was a poor wartime leader

- Lack of coordination between commanders

- Howe's lack of initiative

American strengths

- 'Glorious cause'

- High number of militiamen

- Skilled leader

American weaknesses

- Disunity

- Lack of coercive government (Articles of Confederation)

- Weak and inexperienced army

- Supply shortages

British strategy

- Needed to cement loyalist support

- Seaboard strategy: gain control of coast/ports. But this had failed in the past and was very drawn-out

- Destruction of Continental Army

American strategy

- Could fight a guerilla war

- Washington preferred open battle, but switched de defensive strategy post-1776

New York/Long Island

August 1776, Howe defeated Washington

Fort Washington

November 1776, British captured 3000 Americans

Trenton and Princeton

December 1776 - January 1777, Washington caught army by surprise and captured 1000 prisoners

Capture of Philadelphia

September 1777, Howe defeated Washington at Brandywine Creek and went on to take Philadelphia. Congress moved to Lancaster. American counterattack at Germantown failed

Saratoga

October 1777. Burgoyne lost at Freeman's Farm in September and in Bemis Heights in October. Burgoyne surrounded, troops taken prisoner

Southern Phase

1778 - 1781

- Campbell captured Savannah (1778) and Augusta (1779) in Georgia

- Cornwallis captured Charleston (1780) in S Carolina and captured 5000 Americans

- British unable to break out from the coast

General Nathanael Greene

Took charge of Southern Phase in late 1780, pushed British forces back

Yorktown

October 1781, Cornwallis had pushed north. De Grasse took Chesapeake Bay in September. After a siege, Cornwallis surrendered 8000 men

British Commanders-in-Chief

Gage 1775

Howe 1775-77

Clinton 1778-

Treaty of Paris

Signed September 1783

- Britain recognised American independence

- Americans gained the right to fish Newfoundland

- Florida to Spain

- Debts repaid and loyalists treated fairly

Traditional war?

- Nationalism was well-developed in Europe already

- Many farmers and citizens returned soon after fighting

- Traditional weapons (muskets)

Modern War?

- Wasn't fought for a strip of land

- Guerrilla warfare

- 200,000 Americans had fought by 1781

Freedom of religion post-revolutionary war

Pre-war, most colonies possessed established churches. Jefferson's Act for Establishing Religious Freedom passed in 1786. Prohibited government from intervening in religious affairs.

Articles of Confederation weaknesses

- Each state had one vote

- No provision for an executive or judiciary

- Treaties needed 9/13 votes

- Amendments needed a unanimous vote

- No power to levy taxes or regulate trade

Slavery post-war

- Many freed their slaves after the war, especially those who had fought against Britain

- However, most slaves remained slaves

- Abolition in the North was gradual to allow slaves to be sold in the South

- The Constitution did little to abolish slavery

Revolutionary?

- Biggest change was in the mindset: people now viewed themselves as Americans rather than Englishmen. Previously, they claimed equal rights on the basis on them being Englishmen

- Revolution had a democratising effect, gave inspiration to blacks, women etc.

Land Ordinance

(1785) A law that divided much of the United States into a system of townships to facilitate the sale of land to settlers

Northwest Ordinance

1787, said that a territory could become a state once it had a population of 60,000

Articles foreign policy

- Asked British troops to leave American forts, but it refused on the grounds that Congress couldn't enforce fair treatment on loyalists

- Spain closed access to Mississippi River, Jay tried to create a treaty that gave USA access to Spanish markets but they couldn't use Mississippi

Robert Morris

Superintendent of finance 1781, failed to set up a central bank and failed to assign state debts to Congress.

Shays' Rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protested the repayment of debts in specie, not paper money.

Virginia and Maryland agreement

1785, Minor navigational disagreement was easily solved at meeting at Mt. Vernon. Virginia and Maryland agreed to cooperate more on financial and customs policy. Madison saw opportunity in constitutional reform, and proposed a meeting to discuss commercial regulation

Annapolis Meeting

1786, representatives of 5 states met to discuss commerce. Asked Congress for a convention to revise the Articles. Congress agreed after Shays' Rebellion

Virginia Plan

Advocated representation proportionate to population. 2 houses, second house elected by the first.

New Jersey Plan

Advocated equal voting power for each state. One house.

Great Compromise

Senate would have equal representation from each state. House of Representatives relative to population.

Slavery and the Constitution

Slave counted as 3/5 of a person. Constitution defended slavery

Criticism of Constitution

- Designed to protect against excessive democracy (electoral college system)

- Vague, only 4000 words

- Failed to protect slaves

- No Bill of Rights, initially

Praise for Constitution

- Intervened at the right time to save the Revolution

- Gained Washington's and Franklin's seal of approval

- Perfect balance between divided government, and strong centralised government

- 'Living document' that could be amended

First state to ratify

Delaware 1787

Last 2 states to ratify

North Carolina 1789 and Rhode Island 1790

Judiciary Act

1789, established hierarchy of Federal courts with Supreme Court at the top. Jay was made first chief justice.

Washington's Cabinet

- Secretary of Treasury: Alexander Hamilton

- Secretary of War: Henry Knox;

- Secretary of State: Thomas Jefferson

Hamilton's First Public Credit Report

- Paying off domestic and foreign debt at face value

- Federal assumption of state debt

Opposition to Hamilton's First Report

- Opposition to the funding of domestic debt. Would enrich a small number of northern bond holders. Hamilton argued it would be impossible to find who out who benefitted

- Opposition to federal assumption of state debt. Many southern states had already paid off their debts. Rejected by Congress

Hamilton's compromises

- Nation's capital would move south, to a location chosen by Washington

- Made allowances to states that had already settled debts

Hamilton's Second Public Credit Report

- $80 million national debt

- Tax on spirits to fund the debt

Hamilton: Successful?

- Bond prices rose

- Federal government able to borrow

- However, had political repercussions. Virginia saw nothing in the Constitution authorising Hamilton's actions.

Report on National Bank

- Modelled on BOE

- Capital of $10 million

- Subscribed 4/5 by private investors

- Source of loans

- Depository for government funds

- Ensure that the bank's stockholders had a vested interest in the federal government

Opposition to Bank of the United States

- Madison and Jefferson argued that the Constitution gave no right to a national bank

- Hamilton advanced the doctrine of 'implied powers'

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Hamilton's Report on Manufactures

- Set out a bold plan for industrialisation through subsidies and tariffs

- Report shelved

- Tariffs from 1792 were for revenue, not protection

Overall results of Hamilton's Financial Programme

- Created huge divisions: Republicans vs. Federalists

- Improved productivity and prosperity

- Restored public credit

Hamilton's ideological outlook

- Envisioned a diversified economy, with agriculture, commerce and industry

- Feared anarchy and loved order

- Wanted stronger federal government

Hamiltonian newspaper

United States Gazette (John Fenno)

Jeffersonian newpaper

National Gazette (Philip Freneau)

Jefferson's ideological outlook

- Suspicious of money interests; wanted a republic of yeoman farmers

- Feared tyranny and loved liberty

- Supported rights of states over the power of federal government

1792 Election

- Washington elected unopposed

- Clinton 50 votes, Adams 75

- Jefferson resigns in 1793

French Revolution

- Initially (1789) it was met with enthusiasm

- By 1793, Federalists saw it as evidence of danger of mob rule

- Raised questions of obligation to Britain: USA had significant trading interest with UK

- Washington, a man of interests not ideals, proclaimed neutrality

Citizen Genet

- French diplomat

- Set up a Jacobin club

- Involved with speculators interested in invading Spanish land

- Outfitted British ships

- Threatened to appeal his cause directly to the American people, over Washington's head

British actions, 1783-94

- British forts remained manned

- Troops accused of encouraging Indian attacks

- Blocked American merchant ships going from West Indies to France

Jay's Treaty

1794:

- Britain promised to leave America by 1796

- Britain agreed to submit American claims for ship seizure

- Very limited American access to British West Indies

- Jay agreed to sort pre-revolution debts

- Britain most favoured trading nation by America

- French privateers would not be outfitted

Consequences of Jay's Treaty

- Republicans hated it

- Economic boom: American trade with Britain increased threefold