US history 11.2: American revolution

American revolution (Main cause)

Great Britain began imposing taxes and control on trade to raise revenue (money) to pay for the cost of the French and Indian war

Quartering Act

Colonists had to house and feed soldiers

Stamp act

tax on newspapers, pamphlets, and legal documents

intolerable acts

punishment for the Boston tea party

Boston massacre

Killing of colonists by British soldiers (PROPAGANDA)

Types of colonial protests

Boycotts- Colonists refused to buy British goods

Boston tea party- destroyed tea to protest tax on tea

Abused tax collectors- Hang an effigy, tar and feathers, beat them up

Working together- Stamp act congress, first and second continental congress, committees of correspondence

No taxation without representation

Great Britain does not have the right to tax or make laws in the colonies

-colonies wanted representation in British parliament

Declaration of Independence

-Thomas Jefferson wrote it using the ideas from the enlightenment thinkers)especially John Locke)

MAIN IDEA_ if the gov does not protect the rights of the people then the people have the right to change or abolish that government

\Rights of the people- life, liberty, pursuit of happiness (rights cannot be taken away)

Thomas paine

Common sense- convinced many Americans to support revolution

-how the underdogs (colonists) were able to defeat the most powerful country in the world

The articles of confederation

-first government of the united states

-VERY WEAK, gave to much power to the state governments and not enough to the federal government

-afraid of creating a too powerful of a government like a “like a king”

-was only one branch (no executive branch to enforce laws)

shays rebellion

a series of protests in 1786 and 1787 by American farmers against state and local enforcement of tax collections and judgments for debt.

constitutional convention

Delegates met to fix the weak articles of confederation but ended up writing a whole new constitution.

The great compromise

A compromise between large states (high population) and small states (low population) over how many representatives each state would receive in congress. They agreed to a BICAMERAL (two-house) legislature- the senate (equal per state) and the house of representatives was based on population. population in the house was reconnected every 10 years and that was also based all on population.

3/5 compromise

3/5 of the slaves would be counted in the population when determining the number of representatives in the House of Representatives.

Ratification

Constitution had to be ratified by 9 out of the 13 states

Federalists

Supported the ratification of the constitution (Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, wrote the federalist papers which defended the constitution)

Anti-federalists

they were against the constitution and they wanted a bill of rights added. Thought that central got had too much power- wanted more power given to the states.

Federalism

System of government where the powers are shared and divided between the federal gov and state gov

Separation of powers

power is divided among three branches of government

Legislative branch

makes laws regarding the nations

Executive branch

President enforces the laws

Judicial branch

court system interprets the laws

Checks and balances

Each branch is constantly checking the other two branches to the make sure one dosent become too powerful

Washington

Cabinet- Secretary of State- Thomas jefferson

treasure- Alexander hamilton

created a 4 part financial plan to get our country out of debt-washing ton

1) repay the debt

2)National bank

3)Whisky tax- led to rebellion which Washington put down and that proved our gov was strong

opposition of the 4 part financial plan led to

the formation of the first two political parties

Two term tradition

Washington turned down running a third term which set the president that presidents only served two terms/

Adams

federalist and was Vice President for George Washington

XYZ affair

Involved france seizing our ships. Wanted a bribe to meet with the foreign minister. It caused anti-french feelings where people wanted to go to war. Adams kept us neutral and avoided war.