APUSH: UNIT 3 FLASHCARDS

3.2 French & Indian War

France In The New World:

• France was late to the game, thanks to turmoil back home.

• 1608: permanent colony at Quebec, on the St. Lawrence river. 

• Treaties with Native Americans. 

• Reliance on fur trapping.

• Coureurs De Bois: “Runners Of The Woods”

Former Conflicts In The New World:

• Continued battles over control of North America.

• 1689-1697- King William’s War.

• 1702-1713- Queen Anne’s War.

• 1739- 1748- War Of  Jenkin’s Ear (King George’s War)

Rivalry:

• Increased tensions between England & France.

• As England’s colonies expanded, they threatened French trade networks.

• France attempted to expand into the Ohio Valley.

• Lieutenant Colonel George Washington sent to secure Virginia’s claims.

• Ended in the first bullets of the war being fired.

The War:

• Fought not just in America, but in Europe, the West Indies, the Philippines, Africa, and overseas. 

  • England, Prussia, & Germany.

  • France, Spain, Austria, & Russia.

• Began poorly for the colonists.

• British leader William Pitt turned the tide with strategic moves against the French.

• 1759: Battle Of Quebec, vital British victory.

Consequences Of The War:

• France left with very few holdings in the New World.

• Spanish holdings were also reduced.

• England emerged as the dominant power in North America.

• England left very in debt.

• Turned to the colonies to attempt to raise revenue.

• Colonists saw this as England’s war that they had been dragged into.

• Tensions had grown between colonists & British over military matters.

• Colonies gained confidence in their military skill.

• First showing of colonial unity.

• Native American Violence:

  • 1763: Pontiac’s Uprising resulted in deaths of 2,000 soldiers & settlers.

  • England retaliated by deliberating, distributing blankets infected with smallpox to Native Americans.

• Land hungry Americans pushed westward.

• Proclamation Of 1763: issued by London, prohibiting settlement beyond the Appalachians. 

• Americans moved west anyways.

3.4 Foundations Of The Revolution:

Philosophies:

• Enlightenment ideals.

• Prioritized individual talent over hereditary privilege.

• The role of religion.

• The idea of liberty.

1st Continental Congress:

• Met September-October 1774.

• 12 colonies were represented.

• Documents produced: Declaration of Rights, appeal to colonists, appeal to England.

• Creation of The Association, calling for a complete boycott for British goods. 

2nd Continental Congress:

• May 1775.

• All 13 colonies were present. 

• Still no push for independence, only for change.

• Drafted more appeals, which were denied.

• Adopted initiatives allowing them to raise money and to create an army & navy, with George Washington at its head. 

Last Ditch Efforts:

• Olive Branch Petition (July 1775):

  • Proclaimed loyalty to the king & asked for their rights to be honored.

  • Rejected by the king.

Philosophical Documents:

• The superiority of republican forms of government.

• Natural rights of the people.

• Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense’ (1776):

  • Pushed for independence rather than just reconciliation.

• The Declaration Of Independence (July 4th, 1776):

  • Primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson. 

3.5 The American Revolution

Patriots vs. Loyalists:

-Whigs vs Tories

-Rebels treated Loyalists poorly

-Tarred and feathered, hung, imprisoned

-Some fled to British lines

-Lots of people are in the middle

The War:

• Lexington & Concord (April 1775)

-British troops sent to seize gunpowder and rebel leaders

-Rebel minutemen resisted, ending in bullets exchanged

-Became the first battle of the war

• Bunker Hill (Ended in British victory; June 1775)

-Just outside Boston

-Gave colonists access to the British soldiers in the city

-Eventually forced to abandon the hill

-”Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”

• Battle Of Long Island (August 1776)

-Untrained Americans on the retreat from British Army

-W0rst battle of the war for the Americans.

• On Christmas Day in 1776, Washington crossed the Delaware.

• December 26th, 1776: Americans surprised and captured almost 1,000 Hessians.

• 1777: British attempted to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies

-Attempt thwarted by Patriot General Benedict Arnold

• British General William Howe attempted to capture Philadelphia and quickly gave up.

• Winter at Valley Forge. Freezing, very harsh. Americans lost a lot of soldiers from disease and starvation.

• British General John (Gentleman Johnny) Burgoyne was forced to surrender his command at Saratoga on October 17th, 1777. 

• England attempted to take colonies one by one, beginning with the south (more Loyalists there)

  • First Georgia, then South Carolina.

• British General Charles Cornwallis fell back to Yorktown to await supplies & reinforcements.

  • French & American forces attacked.

  • Cornwallis surrendered 7,000 men on October 19th, 1781.

  • Beginning of the end, even though the British continued fighting for more than a year.

A World War:

• Help from France; treaty negotiated by Ben Franklin. French fears of reconciliation between England and colonies pushed them to join the American cause in 1778.

• “Armed Neutrality” by Catherine The Great Of Russia. 

  • Remaining neutral countries exhibited ‘passive hostility’ towards England.

• British use of Hessians.

• The American cause was helped by the fact that this became a world-wide war, too big for England to handle.

• Spain and The Netherlands also entered the war against England. 

French In The War:

• 6,000 French troops arrived in 1780

• Americans were wary, but eventually became willing partners in the alliance.

• General Lafayette: a French general.

The West:

• Native Americans supported the British in an attempt to keep their land.

• 1784: Forced to sign the Treaty Of Fort Stanwix, the first treaty between the U.S. and an Indian nation.

• Forced to cede most of their land.

• The British were more susceptible to attack in rural areas.

• Why? Guerrilla warfare from Americans.

The Sea:

• Tiny American naval force making a dent against the huge British navy.

  • Destroying merchant shipping.

  • Privateers: Privately owned armed ships.

    • Did so on the basis of patriotism and greed.

Women In The War:

• Maintained farms and businesses while men fought.

• Camp Followers: Women who accompanied the troops, cooking and sewing for them.

  • Given money or rations in return.

African-Americans In The War:

• Initially banned from serving.

• More than 5,000 by the end of the war, most from the north.

• Some fought for the British side as well, in exchange for promises of freedom.

Traitors:

• Profiteers: Selling goods and information to the British in exchange for gold.

• General Benedict Arnold (1780)

  • Sold out West Point for money.

  • Plot detected in the nick of time.

• In reality, a minority of colonists supported the independence movement.

The End Of The War:

• John Adams, Ben Franklin, & John Jay represented America at peace talks in Paris.

• France wanted a weak America.

• Treaty Of Paris (1783)

  • Recognized American independence, with generous geographical boundaries.

  • Loyalists no longer to be persecuted.

  • Opportunity to pay back British debts.

• Accepting defeat when they did allowed England the chance to build back up its navy and army, and not lose their world power status.

3.6 Influence Of The Revolution:

For The Everyday American…:

• Not a radical change for most Americans

  • Life did not drastically change after achieving independence

Economic Changes:

• Manufacturing stimulated because of less reliance on England

• American ships banned from England & West Indies

• More trade with other foreign nations, including all the way to China.

• In debt from the war

• Classes created & cemented

Increased Awareness:

• Inequality in society

• Calls for abolition of slavery

• Desire for more political democracy in all levels of government

“Republican Motherhood”:

• Civic virtue: democracy depended on each citizen’s commitment to the good of the country

• In response to women’s participation in the revolution, enlightenment ideals & calls for expanded roles for women

• Suggested women should teach republican virtues in the family

• Increased education

• Gave women a new importance in American political culture.

Widespread Repercussions:

• America became the inspiration for future independence movements

• France

  • Declaration Of The Rights Of Man

• Haiti

• Latin America

Troubles At Home:

• Shay’s Rebellion Of 1786 In Western Massachusetts

  • Poor farmers were losing their farms through foreclosures

  • Demanded that the state lighten taxes

  • Quickly crushed by Massachusetts authorities 

  • Did lead to changed laws in Massachusetts, helping farmers who were in danger of losing their farms

• Led to fears that the revolution had led to a ‘mobocracy’ mindset

Equality & Democracy:

• No more primogeniture laws (oldest son to inherit father’s estate)

• Anglican church disestablished

• Split between government & religion

3.7 Articles Of Confederation:

State Constitutions:

• Put power in the hands of the legislative branch.

• Qualifications for voting & citizenship.

The Articles:

• Served as America’s first constitution

• Adopted in 1777, but not ratified until 1781

• Unified the states in a loose confederation

  • Confederation: grouping of states for a common goal

• Created a central government with limited power

  • Legislative branch

  • No executive branch (Thanks, King George III)

  • Judicial system left to the states

The West:*

• Discussion over what to do with western lands: who controlled it?

• The Old Northwest: northwest of the Ohio River, east of the Mississippi, and south of the Great Lakes

• Land Ordinance Of 1785: land to be sold off to help pay for debt

• Northwest Ordinance Of 1787: Protocol for admitting new states

  • Process for a territory becoming a state

  • Pushed for public education, protection of private property, & a ban on slavery in the Northwest territory

Problems With The Articles:

• Each state got one vote

• New amendments required 13/13 colonies to vote yes

• Central government was too weak, had very little control over the colonies

• Unable to handle:

  • International trade

  • Finances

  • Interstate commerce

  • Foreign relations

  • Internal unrest

• Troubled times needed a more tightly-woven country

3.8 Constitutional Convention:

The Convention:

• Delegates from several states

• Very secretive

• Ended in the proposal of a constitution

• Needed 9/13 states to ratify

• American people surprised by the constitution; they thought the Articles Of Confederation would just be amended

Debates:

• Virginia Plan: bicameral legislature with representation in both houses of Congress based on population 

  • Would benefit the bigger states

• New Jersey Plan: unicameral legislature with equal representation, regardless of size and population

  • Would benefit the smaller states

• Led to Great Compromise: Bicameral Legislature

  • House Of Representatives based on population

  • Senate had equal representation for all states

• Debate in the states

Federalists:

• Desired the ratification of the Constitution

• Supported by big names like George Washington & Benjamin Franklin

• Typically made up of the wealthier, more educated citizens

• Articulated purpose in the Federalist Papers (Alexander Hamilton & James Madison)

• Promised the addition of a Bill Of Rights

  • Spelled out individual rights

  • Restricted powers of federal government

Anti- Federalists:

• Opposed ratification of the Constitution

• Supported by the poorer classes

• George Mason, Patrick Henry, and Samuel Adams were all Anti-Federalists

Compromises:

• Representation of slave states in Congress: Three Fifths Compromise

• Role of the federal government in regulating slavery & the slave trade

• International slave trade prohibited after 1808

3.9 The Constitution:

Constitutional Convention:

• Established limited, but more powerful central government

• Provided for a separation of powers between three branches

  • Included bicameral legislature

  • Executive branch

  • Judicial branch

Legislative:

• Makes laws

• Approves presidential appointments

• Two senators from each state

• The number of congressmen is based on population

Executive:

• Signs laws

• Vetoes laws

• Pardons people

• Appoints federal judges

• Elected every four years

Judicial:

• Decides if laws are constitutional

• Are appointed by the president

• There are nine justices

• Can overturn rulings by other judges

The Constitution:

• Grown out of the Anglo-American common law, which made it unnecessary to detail out every little thing

  • Allowed the constitution itself to be fairly short

  • Offered more of a flexible guide than a hard and fast set of laws

  • Not all states followed these guidelines; some state constitutions were extremely lengthy

3.10 The New Republic:

US Leadership:

• George Washington unanimously elected president in 1789

• Vice President John Adams

• Precedents for putting the Constitution into practice

  • Established the cabinet

Rapidly Expanding America:

• Population doubling every 25 years.

• Most people lived in rural areas in the east.

American Finances:

• In debt.

• Treasury Secretary Hamilton in charge.

• Fund at par: federal government would pay off debts at face value, plus interest.

• Assumption of state debts accumulated during war.

• Added to debt.

• Hamilton wanted to turn tariffs in order to pay off debt.

• Excise tax on whiskey.   (Excise tax: a flat-rate tax on a certain good.)

• Hamilton wanted a national bank.

• Opposed by Jefferson (no authorization in Constitution)

• Elastic Clause: do what was proper & necessary to run the country.

• Support for national bank in the North, opposition in the South. (Where political parties kind of started.)

• Bank Of The United States chartered in 1791 for 20 years.  

• Hamilton and Jefferson: enemies. Jefferson was a Democratic Republican.

Whiskey Rebellion:

• 1794, Western Pennsylvania.

• In protest of Hamilton’s excise tax on whiskey.

• Washington dispensed 13,000 militiamen to put down rebellion.

  • Not much of a rebellion left to put down

• Turning point for George Washington’s army in terms of strength.

• Hamilton would have been disappointed by the rebellion, Jefferson might have secretly supported it.

Diplomacy In The Midst Of Migration:

• Dealing with British and Spanish continued presence in North America.

• US settlers continued to migrate beyond the Appalachians.

  • Needed free navigation of the Mississippi River.

War Between France & England:

• Brought on by the French Revolution.

• “Reign Of Terror”.

• Washington stayed neutral (Neutrality Proclamation Of 1793). Hamilton supported it, Jefferson thought it was unnecessary.

• Caused issues of free trade, foreign policy, & political disagreement for the US.

Tensions With England:

• Some British soldiers remained in the US, despite the peace treaty.

• Conflicts between British soldiers and Native Americans.

  • 1794: Battle Of Fallen Timbers

  • 1795: Treaty Of Greenville

    • Native Americans 

• British impressing American sailors into their navy

• War?

• Chief Justice John Jay made temporary peace treaty (Jay’s Treaty) (Hamilton supports this; Jefferson think it makes America look weak)

  • The British would leave America (maybe?) & pay for damage to American ships

  • Americans would pay back debts

Spanish Expansion:

• Still enslaving the local American Indians.

• Expanded mission settlements into California.

• More opportunities for mobility & cultural blending.

• Pinckney’s Treaty Of 1795*: Americans got free navigation of Mississippi, warehouse rights in New Orleans, & part of Western Florida.

  • Effort to keep America out of an alliance with England.

3.11 American Identity:

National Culture:

• Emergence of a unified culture.

• Regional varieties.

• National identity expressed through art, literature, and architecture. 

John Adams For President (1796):

• Had been Washington’s vice president.

• Best chance for a Federalist victory.

• Vs. Thomas Jefferson, Democratic-Republicans.

• Narrow victory for Adams. 

Tensions With France:

• French mad about Jay’s Treaty. 

• Adams sent three men to negotiate (X, Y, Z)

  • Became known as the XYZ Affair (1797)

  • Americans had to bribe French to even talk, and then they accomplished nothing. 

• Americans prepared for war.

  • Hostilities at sea for two years, but no full-out war.

• The Convention Of 1800 ended in peace for both countries.

3.12 Movement In The Early Republic:

Native Americans:

• Tenuous relationship with the federal government.

• Continued problems with treaties & the Native American lands the government was seizing.

Bill Of Rights:

• James Madison guided amendments through Congress.

• First 10 Amendments, ratified in 1791.

• Judiciary Act Of 1789: organized the Supreme Court.

Formation Of Political Parties:

• 1790’s: political leaders taking stands on issues

  • Relationship between national power & the states

  • Economic policy

  • Foreign policy

  • Balance between liberty & order

• Federalists (Alexander Hamilton)

• Democratic-Republican Party (Thomas Jefferson, James Madison)

• Development of the 2-Party System

George Washington’s Farewell Address:

• Washington chose to step down after 2 terms.

• Encouraged national unity.

• Cautioned against political factions.

• Warned about foreign alliances, encouraging only temporary alliances.

Native Americans:

• Sought to limit migration of white settlers

• Wanted to maintain control of their native lands

• Changed alliances with US, Europeans, & other tribes

  • Alliances with England in particular caused issues between US and England

Migrants:

• Increasing numbers of migrants moved westward.

• Frontier culture fueled social, political & ethnic tensions

Expansion Of Slavery:

• Growth of slavery in the deep south & adjacent western lands.

• Rising antislavery movement: Abolitionism; wanted to abolish slavery.* 

• Distinctive regional differences about slavery.

Immigrants:

• Federalist anti-immigrant policies.

• Alien Laws: gave presidents the power to deport immigrants.

• Sedition Act: Limited freedom of speech; anyone who spoke out against the government could be imprisoned or penalized.

In Response…:

• Jefferson: Kentucky Resolution

• Madison: Virginia Resolution

• Suggested that the states should be able to decide whether or not a federal law was constitutional. 

• Compact theory, nullification, and states’ rights.