APUSH Period 3 Summary (1754-1800)

Overview of Events (1754-1800)

  • Key events include the French & Indian War, revolutionary causes, Constitutional debates, and formation of early federal institutions.

French & Indian War (1754-1763)

  • Conflict over Ohio River Valley among France, Great Britain, and Indigenous nations.
  • British victory led to territorial changes: Ohio Valley ceded to Britain, west of Mississippi to Spain, and Florida to Britain (Treaty of Paris 1763).

British Post-War Policies

  • Enforced Navigation Acts, Quartering Act, and new taxes like the Stamp Act (1765).
  • Colonists opposed taxes without representation, leading to protests and the creation of Committees of Correspondence.

Road to Independence (1775-1776)

  • Continental Congresses convened seeking redress.
  • Events like the Boston Tea Party (1773) and Boston Massacre (1770) fueled anti-British sentiment.
  • Thomas Paine’s "Common Sense" (1776) argued for independence; Declaration of Independence authored by Thomas Jefferson.

Revolutionary War and Outcome

  • Key victories: Saratoga (1777) ensured French alliance; final victory at Yorktown (1781).
  • Treaty of Paris (1783) doubled U.S. territory.

Social Changes and Ideals

  • Challenges to social inequality with calls for abolition and expanded suffrage.
  • Republican motherhood emphasized women's education.
  • Inspired movements globally, including the French and Haitian Revolutions.

Formation of New Governments

  • Articles of Confederation established but revealed weaknesses (financial, interstate disputes, etc.).
  • Constitutional Convention led to compromises on representation (Great Compromise) and slavery (Three-Fifths Compromise).

Ratification Debates

  • Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists; Federalist Papers advocated for the Constitution, leading to the addition of the Bill of Rights.

Early Federal Institutions

  • Establishment of first Cabinet and federal court system.
  • Development of political parties over issues like national bank and civil liberties, exemplified by Alien & Sedition Acts.

Westward Expansion

  • Treaty of Greenville (1795) opened Ohio Country; treaties with Britain and Spain enhanced U.S. territorial integrity.
  • Expansion of slavery into new territories sparked sectional tensions.