Unit 3: The War for Independence (1775-1783)

(Brief Background) Boston was surrounded on land from (__, 19, ___ - ___, 17, ___) In ____ 1776, with GB under “siege”, the Patriots _____ much needed ___. In _____, A VT militia under Col. ____ crossed lake ___ and surrounded the BR at Ft. _____. The captured ___ were immediately brought to ____ by _____ to put pressure ____, who arrived in March 1776.

April 1775, March 1776, March 17, gathered, military equipment, May 1775, Ethan Allen, Champlain, Ticonderoga, cannon, Boston, Henry Knox, Gen Gage

(Battle of Bunker Hill/BOBH) In ____, the colonial militias occupied the ____ North of ____. ___ thought these strategic hills might be easily ___ if done swiftly with _____. He launched an attack with ___ soldiers. Eventually the Patriots used all of their ___ and ___ fell into British hands. ___ arrives with ______, and then the British evacuate ___ (__, , __)

June 1775, hills, Boston, Gen. Gage, taken, naval support, 3000, ammo, Bunker Hill, Knox, artillery(cannons), Boston, 3/17/1776

(Early Fighting: The North) GB targets ___ in the summer of ___ (loyalists). General ____ moved the Cont. Army to ___ after GB left Boston. A series of battles took place (Battle of ____) - a series of __ for George W. George W. loses → chased out of ___ into ___. Major __ for GB, But George W. and Cont. Army live to fight another day

NY, 1776, George W., NY., Long Island, Losses, NY, PA, wins 

(Winter in Penn. 1776) Fleeing __ into ____ → Patriot morale = _____. Continental Army on the verge of ____, where desertion was a ______ → Re-enlist? George W. was desperate for a ____, where he abandoned Euro tradition and attacked the enemy in ______.

NY, PA, very low, collapse, growing problem, victory, winter

Battle Of Trenton (__) GB Gen. ___ parked his German troops in winter quarters along the ____ River. Continental soldiers’ enlistment periods ended on _______, so Howe felt safe. On Dec. 25 1776, near midnight, in poor weather, GW stealthily moved his large army across the Delaware River. ______ attack = BIG VICTORY!!!

1776, Howe, Delaware, December 31, Early morning

A loyalist: a person who remains ___ to the established ___ or ____, especially in the face of a ___. Examples include an African house slave working for a merchant, A wealthy shopkeeper that sells legally imported goods, and a backcountry woodsman/farmer in the Carolinas.

loyal, ruler, government, revolt

The Crisis by ____: It clarified the ____ at stake in the war, and denounced the advocates of a negotiated ___. Read aloud to the Continental Army on Dec. 23, 1776, three days before the Battle of ___ and again at Valley Forge in the winter of ___. Attempted to boost ___ and resistance among patriots AND to shame ____ and loyalists.

Thomas Paine, issues, peace, Trenton, 1777, morale, neutrals

The battle of ___ was a turning point.

Saratoga

Battle of Saratoga: 1777: British plan to cut off the __ colonies by controlling the ____ down to ___. The outcome was it _____, as ___ pinned down the GB’s army, forcing their surrender of 6000 troops. It was a REAL American victory at Saratoga = ______ in attitudes both at home and abroad. France was secretly aiding the ____ but only officially signed an alliance after ______.

NE, Hudson River, NYC, failed, Cont. Army, TURNING POINT, rebels, Saratoga

(2) The New Southern Strategy: After Saratoga, GB would shift its focus ___, hoping to draw loyalist ___ and isolate the ___. In Dec. 1778, GB captured Sav. GA and quickly extended their control over the colony. 2nd attempt by Cont. Army successful (w/FR naval support) → GB forced to move _______. Guerilla fighting was a huge problem for GB in the South.

South, support, North, successful, north and east.

Battle of Yorktown: ___, unofficialy ends war. Why was it unofficial? As treaties end wars. Under pressure in South, GB General _____ took army North to ____. GW saw an opportunity to set a ___ for Cronwallis. GW cut off ___ routes w/ FR help. French fleet blocked GB ______ as well.

1781, Charles Cornwallis, Virginia, trap, overland, warhsips

After Yorktown, Frontier areas would be still _____ → GB pitting arms against ______. The British Army still occupied _____ coastal cities, including NYC with ______ soldiers. The peace treaty took _______ to negotiate.

figthing, Indians, three, 13000, 6+ months

Treaty of Paris (___): A Summary:
1. GB recognizes US _____
2. The national border between US and British Canada was set from ____ to the ____.
3. Miss. River estimated as the ___ between US and ___
4. FL returned to ___
5. GB agreed to withdraw remaining troops
6. GB returned ___
7. Congress pledged American loyalists would have property ____ AND that debts on both sides of Atlantic would be ___.

1783, independence, NE, Miss. River, border, Spanish, Spain, slaves, returned, honored

Treaty of Paris: Indians Not _____: Like the treaty ending the ___ War, this treaty failed to recognize the Indians as ____ in the conflict. Some Indian refugees fled ___ into present day _____, others relocated to ____. Many remained within the new “__” borders

Indians, F&I, players, west, Missouri, Canada, US

Now what? What kind of ____ should the new nation have? Americans typically thought themselves citizens of _______ states first. During the war, the ___ adopted a set of laws to govern the US called the ____, where there was only one branch (___ aka Congress). Today Congress is only one of three separate and equal branches our Government.

government, indiviudal, CC, AOC, legislative

Articles of Confederation: AOC = a loose ____. IN this confederation → ___ of power held by ____ governments = ___ centralized national power. Under AOC; No ____ branch, judicial was left to the states & there was just one national congress. Each state had ___ vote in Congress. To pass a bill required ___ votes (9 states) and amendments of the Articles required ____ votes. This made the amending process unworkable, because unanimous vote was almost impossible.

union, bulk, state, little, executive, one, 2/3 votes, 13/13

Problems with AOC: After the Revolution (1783) the confederation government turned its focus to three areas of concern: paying down large war debt, dealing with trade and western settlement, and dealing with Gb stragglers in the west or pirates on open ocean. LL were problematic because the AOC lacked the power to tax the states directly.

ss

Concerns about Weak Govt: By late 1780s, a group called the Nationalists wanted to strengthen the national government. They feared that the US would look weak if it could not control its own states. 1786: Nationalists held a convention in MD to discuss econ. problems caused by AOC.

sq

Shays Rebellion: While MD meeting happening, crisis unfolding in MA. Wealthy people that lent money to the states during the war demanded repayment. These creditors pressured the states into raising taxes. MA passed a heavy direct tax that required payment in specie rather than paper money. The lawmakers and merchants who supported the tax lived near the coast, where specie circulated regularly. The farmers in western MA were hit hard by the text and were furious. Shays Rebellion challenged the weak national govt → prompted leaders to strengthen the national govt.

sl

The Const. Convention: After Shay’s Rebellion, the Nationalists from the MD convention 1786 called for a bigger one in 1787. Officially to revise the AOC. The convention lasted 4 months → product was the Constitution. GW unanimously elected president of the Conv. GW did not take part in debates.

sk

Secret Meeting → Complete Overhaul: Alexander H. (NY) had different plans → change & strengthen the central government significantly. Delegates agreed to secrecy to avoid controversy. No official minutes were recorded, (James M. = best notes) The convention followed AOC rules.

j

Vote with your feet: “There can be no good govt without a good executive” - Hamilton at Convention.

h

Why was the constitution written? A need for a government to avoid anarchy, weak government led to problems, Shays Rebellion, A stronger government was created (series of compromises)

g

Virginia Large State plan: Bicameral legislature with one house elected by the people + other appointed by state govt. (Based on popl). Strong central government: Three branches, Congress will select the president and Supreme Court judges.
New Jersey (small satte plan: Unicameral legislature with one vote per state and representatives appointed by the state legislatures. Weaker Central government: same three branches. Congress power to riaise revenus from duties on imports, selects federal executive (multiple ppl), executive appoint soctus for life with consent of Senate.

f

The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise): Bicameral Legislature (two house COngress), Lower house = house of reps, Upper house = senate.
Number of reps in lower house based on POP
the house of reps (true voice of the people)
Number of reps in upper house is equal
the senate (a check large state tyranny)

w

Issue of Representation: Representation was hotly debated. What emerged was the compromise known as the three-fifths clause: all free persons plus “three fifths of all other persons” is consistitutred the numerical base for the apportioment fo representaties.

d

Federalism: Power is shared between central state (national govt) and smaller states that make it up)

a