american yawp ch5: american revolution

I. The Origins of the Revolution: From Resistance to Rebellion

  • Aftermath of the Seven Years' War: The British Empire was deeply in debt and sought to make the American colonies pay for their own defense and administration.

  • "No Taxation Without Representation": A core ideological argument. Colonists argued that only their own elected representatives had the right to tax them. Parliament claimed they had "virtual representation."

Key Acts & Colonial Response:

  • Sugar Act (1764): Tax on molasses; aimed to raise revenue, not just regulate trade.

  • Stamp Act (1765): Direct tax on all paper goods; led to widespread protest, boycotts, and the formation of the Sons of Liberty.

  • Townshend Acts (1767): Taxes on imported goods (glass, tea, paper, etc.); led to new boycotts and the writing of John Dickinson's Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania.

  • Boston Massacre (1770): Clash between colonists and British soldiers; used as propaganda to rally anti-British sentiment.

  • Tea Act (1773): Meant to help the struggling British East India Company; led to the Boston Tea Party as a protest against a tax monopoly.

  • Coercive/Intolerable Acts (1774): Punishment for Boston; closed Boston Harbor, revoked Massachusetts' charter, led to the First Continental Congress.

II. The Shift Toward Independence

  • First Continental Congress (1774): Met in Philadelphia; agreed to boycott British goods and petition the King for redress of grievances.

  • "The Shot Heard Round the World": Fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord (April 1775) when British troops marched to seize colonial arms.

  • Second Continental Congress (1775): Assumed the role of a national government, created the Continental Army with George Washington as commander-in-chief.

  • Thomas Paine's Common Sense (Jan. 1776): A hugely influential pamphlet that argued forcefully for independence, using plain language to reject monarchy and champion republicanism.

  • The Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776): Drafted by Thomas Jefferson. It did three main things:

    • Stated Enlightenment philosophy (natural rights, consent of the governed).

    • Listed grievances against King George III.

    • Declared the colonies "free and independent states."

III. The Revolutionary War: Key Elements

  • British Advantages: World's strongest navy, professional army, greater resources, and wealth.

  • American Advantages: Fighting on home territory, passionate cause (liberty), eventually received crucial foreign aid (especially from France), and military leadership (Washington's strategy was to survive, not necessarily win big battles).

Key Turning Points:

  • Battle of Saratoga (1777): Major American victory that convinced France to formally ally with the United States, providing money, troops, and its navy.

  • Winter at Valley Forge (1777-78): A test of endurance for the Continental Army; emerged as a more disciplined force under Baron von Steuben.

  • War in the South: Brutal guerrilla warfare (Patriots vs. Loyalists); key victory at Battle of Cowpens (1781).

  • Siege of Yorktown (1781): The decisive battle. The combined American and French army, with the French navy blockading the coast, trapped General Cornwallis, forcing his surrender.

IV. The Experience of the Revolution

  • Loyalists (Tories): American colonists who remained loyal to the Crown; faced persecution, violence, and confiscation of property; many fled to Canada or Britain.

  • Native Americans: Most tribes sided with the British, who seemed like a better bet against American expansion into their lands. The American victory was a disaster for Native power.

  • African Americans: Both sides offered freedom to slaves who would fight. The British proclamation attracted thousands. The Revolution's rhetoric of liberty highlighted the contradiction of slavery, leading to its gradual abolition in the North.

  • Women: Managed farms and businesses while men were away ("Republican Motherhood" – the idea that women had a civic duty to raise sons to be virtuous citizens). However, they gained no new legal or political rights.

V. The Aftermath and Meaning

  • Treaty of Paris (1783): Britain formally recognized American independence. Borders set: Mississippi River to the west, Canada to the north, Florida to the south.

  • A Revolutionary Ideology: The Revolution established a new political ideology centered on republicanism (government by the people, with a emphasis on civic virtue and opposition to corruption) and individual liberty.

  • The "Unfinished Revolution": The ideals of equality and liberty were proclaimed but not fully applied, setting up future conflicts over slavery, women's rights, and democracy.