Unit 3: The United States Begins

French and Indian War

British wanted the land near the Ohio River which was claimed by the French. Won by the British and gained land.

Albany Plan of Union (1754)

Proposal by Ben Franklin to create a unified government for the 13 colonies during the French and Indian War. Meant to organize an intercolonial government, including a system to collect taxes and recruit troops for the colonies defense but was rejected/failed. 

Peace of Paris Treaty (1763)

Treaty between Britain, France, and Spain that ended the French and Indian War. France gave New Orleans to Spain and the British increased expansion and power in the New World.

Lasting effects of the French/Indian War

Britain lost a lot of money so they abandoned salutary neglect and enforced stronger taxes on the colonies.

Proclamation of 1765

Issued to prevent the colonies from expanding past the Appalachian Mountains so they wouldn’t go to war with natives. Colonists reacted with anger and resentment since they believed they were entitled to the land after their victory in the French/Indian War.

Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763-1766)

Native Americans fought back against the British colonies as they attempted to expand. Quelled by British troops as opposed to colonial forces. 

Paxton Boy’s Uprising/ Conestoga Massacre (1763)

Pennsylvania Paxton Boys killed 21 peaceful natives to acquire more land. 250 Paxton Boys then marched on Philadelphia to protest against the governments failure to protect them from native attacks.

What does the Paxton Boy’s Uprising/ Conestoga Massacre represent?

Exemplifies the escalating tensions between colonists and natives, that influenced the natives to side with the British during the Revolutionary War.

Stamp Act (1765)

Taxed newspapers and legal documents.

Decalatory Act (1766)

Asserted that Parliament had the right to make laws for the colonies which made the colonists create the Sons/Daughters of Liberty.

Sons/Daughters of Liberty (1765)

Radical political organization for colonial independence.

Currency Act (1764)

Prohibited colonial assemblies from printing their own paper money.

Quartering Act (1765)

Required the colonists to provide food, lodging, and supplies for the British troops. Led to more rebellions, hatred for the British gov, and costs the colonists money. 

What was the purpose of the taxation acts according to the British?

To protect the colonists but the colonists want their independence with salutary neglect.

Boston Massacre (1770)

British troops fired on a crowd and killed 5 people which included a black man, Ciprius Attucks. Shows the British can use violence against the colonists. 

Boston Tea Party (1773)

Bostonian colonists dressed as Native Americans and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor from a British ship. Parliament passed the Tea Act in an effort to help the financial troubles after warfare. British then passed the Coercive/ Intolerable Acts to punish Massachusetts.

Coercive Acts/ Intolerable Acts (1774)

Four acts directed at the people of Boston to bring the rebellions under control. Weakened the Massachusetts legislature and destroyed the British economy. Colonists formed the first Continental Congress to assert their rights.

Port Act

Closed the Boston port to prohibit trade.

Massachusetts Government Act

Reduced the power of the legislative while increasing the Royal Government’s.

Quartering Act Expansion

Established that British troops can live in private homes.

First Continental Congress

Meeting of the 13 colonies (except Georgia) in response to the Intolerable Acts. Delegates discussed how the colonies could respond and unify, wanted to show support for Boston and ask Britain to repeal the taxes/ harsh measures, and to keep the peace between the colonies and Britain. 

Second Continental Congress (1775)

Formed by all 13 colonies to establish peace after fighting the British began. First time independence was considered, solution was the Olive Branch Petition but was rejected. 

Olive Branch Petition (1775)

Colonies pledged their loyalty to Great Britain and asked King George III to intercede Parliament to protect colonial rights, rejected.

Common Sense (1775-1776)

Written by Thomas Paine, urged the colonists to end their political relationship with Great Britain and declare independence to establish their own nation. 

Declaration of Independence (7/4/1776)

Formal statement written by Thomas Jefferson declaring the freedom of the 13 colonies from Great Britain. Stated the colonists reasons for seperation and let other countries know the situation. 

Fundamental Political Ideas

The purpose of the government is to protect their people’s rights, and uphold the importance of the Social Contract. States the right to a revolution when the government infringes. 

Continental Army

Patriots fighting for colonial independence from Great Britain.

British Army

British soldiers fighting to defend the British Crown by keeping hold of the colonies. 

Why did the American Revolution have an unsuccessful start?

Colonies were un-unified because independence wasn’t promised yet. 

Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride (April 1775)

Alerted colonists of the approaching British troops before Lexington/Concord. 

War of Attrition

Military strategy where one side aims to wear the other side down by dragging out the war as long as possible, hoping to force the enemy to surrender due to exhaustion. 

Colonist’s Alliance with France

France aided after the victory in Saratoga (1777). Marquis de Lafayette was a French mayor who aided the colonies. 

What battle ended the Revolutionary War?

Siege of Yorktown (1781)

Treaty of Paris (1783)

Ended the Revolutionary War, Britain would knowledge the existence of the US.

Women’s role in the Revolutionary War

Due to war effort women became battlefield nurses, cooks in soldier camps, caretakers of farms/business, rationed items, and disguised as male soldiers. They did not receive any rights for their effort.

Republican Motherhood

Washington believed the womens role was to protect the government through raising their children to be good democratic citizens rather than participate themselves. 

Black Battalions

Served on both the Patriot and Loyalist side, often with the promise of freedom

When did slavery become illegal in the colonies?

Northern colonies ended in 1804 but southern states did not until the ratification of the 13th amendment in 1865. 

Articles of Confederation (1781-1784)

First constitution of the United States that established a loose confederacy by a single congress. Meant to establish the basic framework of the national government after independence. 

Limitations of the Articles of Confederation

Weak central government because of a fear of an oppressive leader, no executive/judicial branch, gave too much power to individual states.

Land Ordinance of 1785

Congress set up a policy for surveying and selling Western land.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Congress set up rules and regulations for creating a new state. Protected civil liberties and outlawed slavery in Northwest territory. 

Fugitive Slave Act of 1793

Legal recapture of anyone who escaped from slavery.

Shay’s Rebellion (1786)

Daniel Shay started a rebellion against the Massachusetts government because of unfair taxing. Articles of Confederation did not have enough power to quell rebellions, sending a message that a stronger government was needed. 

The Constitutional Convention (1787)

Gathering that drafted the Constitution of the United States in 1787. Original purpose was to reform the Articles, but formed a new outline of government. 

Founding Fathers of the Constitution

John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.

New Congress Issue

Representation, representative elected by voters based on population size or each state would have the same amount.

Virginia Plan

Larger states would have more votes than smaller states. (Population wise)

New Jersey Plan

States had the same amount of votes.

Great Compromise/ Connecticut Plan (1787) (Bicameral Congress)

Congress will have two houses: House of Representatives (reflect pop) and Senate (equal reps)

3/5 Compromise

Every five enslaved persons would equal the vote of three free persons. This contributes to representation in Congress, increasing the representation for Southern states.

Electoral College

Each state is allotted a number of electors, equal to the number of state representatives/senators, rather than direct votes to prevent mob rule.

Federalism

Strong national/ federal governments that share power with state governments.

Ratification

Action of signing or formally agreeing

Anti- Federalists Arguements

Opposed the Constitution by claiming it did not protect liberties and the rights of people were not protected. 

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments, allowed the anti- federalists to sign since they felt that people’s rights and liberties would be protected. 

The Constitution

Document that established the present federal government of the US and its outlined powers.

Why is the US Constitution a living document?

Has the ability to adapt/change over time.

Basic Principles of the Constitution

Popular sovereignty, limited government, and federalism.

Popular Sovereignty

Source of all power to govern is given to the people, not the government.

Limited Government

Powers are outlined by the Constitution. Nobody is “above” the law.

Where does each branch of government take power?

The Constitution

Unwritten Constitution

Practices of the government that are based on a custom/tradition.

Federalism

Neither the nation/state governments should be more powerful than one another except in certain circumstances.

Presidential Cabinet

Group of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government. 

Hamilton’s Financial Plan

Ending of national debt/ assumption of state debts, imposition of distilled liquor, and establishment of the Bank of the US.

Excise Tariff

Hamilton proposed that the government raise operation revenue by placing a tax on whiskey.

Protective Tariff

Protect products that were made in the new industries in America from foreign competition

The Whiskey Rebellion (1791-1794)

Protest against the excise tariff on whiskey by Pennsylvania farmers made from grain. Washington called an in-state milita to contain the rebellion showing that the new government meant to enforce federal law. 

Debate Over the Constitutionality of a National Bank

Hamilton was able to use a part of the unwritten constitution that stated that Congress had to give the federal government the power to do what it needs for the nation’s behalf.

Federalists

Led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, wealthy/well educated northeners, favored strong central gov, manufacturing/shipping economy, loose interpretation of the Constitution, national bank, protective tariffs. 

Democratic Republicans

Led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, southern farmers, small federal gov/ individual rights, agricultural economy, strict interpretations of Constitution, opposed national bank.

Sectionalism

Federalists were strong in northern states and democratic republicans were strong in southern states/ western frontier.

Greenville Treaty (1795)

British forces supplied natives with supplies to defend the land from colonial expansion, leading to the Battle of Timbers over the Ohio River Valley land. America was given all the land and allowed them to explore fertile land. 

Indian Intercourse Act (1790)

Only the federal government can purchase native land.

Pinckney Treaty/ Treaty of Son Lorenzo (1795)

Treaty between Thomas Pinckney and Don Manuel de Godoy that resolved territorial disputes between Spanish land and US borders. Provided Americans with tax free access to the port of New Orleans in Spanish Louisiana, expanding the economy. 

Jays Treaty (1793)

Unpopular agreement designed to resolve conflict with Great Britain to keep the US from going to war made up by Chief Justice John Jay.

Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)

Formal announcement that declared the nation neutral in conflicts between France and Great Britain.

John Adams (President 1791-1801)

VP for GW and 2nd president of the US, federalist.

Citizen Genet Affair (1793-1794)

Genet enlisted Americans to help France fight against Britain which contradicted the US’s neutrality. Forced the US to establish clear procedures for international neutrality. 

XYZ under Adams

Adams sent 3 men to negotiate peace between France and US but the diplomats requested bribes in exchange for negotiation. Americans were outraged, some urged Adams to go to war with France.

The Alien and Sedition acts were created to…

Strengthen the Federalist party and designed to weaken and deflect Republican criticism. 

Alien Acts (1798)

Made it difficult to become a citizen and easier to arrest/deport any non-citizen, seen as a threat to national security.

Sedition Acts (1789)

Made it easier to arrest a person for criticizing the gov

Virginia and Kentucky Resolution (1798)

Both states declared that the Alien and Sedition acts were dangerous to civil liberties and representative governments.