Unit 3 (Period 3: 1754-1800)
Topic 3.2: The French and Indian War (The Seven Years’ War)
A conflict between the British vs. The French along Native American alliances.
This war was a part of the Seven Years’ War but occurred on American soil.
Causes:
British American colonists steadily encroaching on land in the Ohio River Valley, where the French settled.
George Washington—in 1753, he had been appointed Lieutenant Colonel in the Virginia militia.
Virginias government sent Washington to warn the French of British encroachment.
Six months later, the French commander whom Washington met took control of a British post, Fort Duquesne.
[1754] Washington led a surprise attack on Fort Duquesne and regained position.
Albany Congress/Albany Convention: delegates of British colonies discussed a more organized colonial response to frontier defense, trade, & westward expansion.
Also invited the Iroquois Confederacy (alliance of Native American tribes).
Benjamin Franklin introduced his Albany Plan of Union: colonies would establish a county of representatives to decide on frontier defense, trade, & westward expansion. (centralized government)
British started implementing policies that were unpopular with American colonists.
Cranked up the forced impressment of American men to join the Royal Navy.
Started quartering troops in colonial homes.
War ended with the Peace of Paris [1763]
Effects:
American colonists began to push westward of the Ohio River Valley.
British Parliament established the Proclamation Line of 1763; forbade colonists from migrating west of the Appalachian Mountains and taking land in the Ohio River Valley.
The British National debt skyrocketed, thus Britain imposed taxes on British colonies.
Topic 3.3: Taxation WITHOUT Representation
To regain control of the colonies, George Grenville; British Prime Minister implemented a three-pronged plan.
Stricter enforcement of current laws
Extend wartime provisions into peacetime
Quartering Act of 1765—kept British soldiers stationed in colonies, colonists responsible for soldiers’ food and housing.
Sugar Act [1764]: imposed taxes on coffee, wine, and enforced existing taxes on molasses.
Stamp Act [1765]: imposed taxes on all paper’s items produced in the colonies.
Currency Act [1764]: prohibited colonial assemblies from printing their own paper currency.
Sons of Liberty/Daughters of Liberty: organization formed to advance the rights of colonists and resist British taxation.
Stamp Act Congress [1765]: petitions the British to Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act because taxation without representation amounted to tyranny.
Parliament repealed the Stamp Act and Sugar Act in1766
Declaratory Act [1766]: Parliament had the right to pass whatever law in the colonies.
Townshend Acts [1767]: levied taxes on products that were imported: paint, tea, and glass.
Boston Massacre [1770]: British soldiers fired into a crowd of American colonists, resulting in five deaths and several wounds.
Tea Act [1773]: granted the British East India Company the right to sell tea directly to the colonies, undermining local merchants and igniting protests.
Boston Tea Party [1773]: Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Amercian Indians and dumped 45 tons into the Boston Harbor.
Parliament passed the Coercive Acts [1774], which closed down the Boston Harbor.
Topic 3.4 Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution
How and why did colonial attitudes about government change in the years right before the American Revolution?
Continental Congress [1774]: delegates discussed what colonists should do in response to British tyranny.
The Enlightenment was responsible for inspiring colonists for liberty.
John Locke; Two Treatises on Government—a
legitimate government can only exist by the consent of the governed. (power to govern is in the hands of the people, not monarch)
Human beings, just by existing possess natural rights. “Life, Liberty, Property.”
Jean-Jacques Rousseau; Social Contract—power to govern is in the hands of people but they have to willingly give up some of their power
Montesquieu: Republican government is the best kind to preserve liberty. The government should be split into three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine [1776]: advocated for American Independence from Great Britain.
Second Continental Congress [1776]: Declared America’s independence from Britain.
Declaration of Independence [July 4, 1776]; the document that declared the thirteen Amercian colonies independent from Great Britain.
Topic 3.5 The American Revolution
Loyalists: opposed independence and wanted to remain loyal to the British Crown.
Patriots: supported independence and fought against British rule, advocating for freedom and self-governance.
The Continental Congress appointed George Washington as the general of the Continental Army.
Soldiers were poorly armed and trained
How did America end up winning?
Washington waged a war of attrition; to keep the battle going on as long as possible to tire the British out.
Battle of Saratoga [1777]: This pivotal victory not only boosted American morale but also convinced France to formally ally with the American cause, providing much-needed military support.
Battle of Yorktown (1781): Washington and the Continental finally defeated the British
Paris Peace Treat (1783); ended the American Revolution and Britain saw Ameria as an independent country.
Topic 3.6 The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals
How did the American Revolution affect American society?
Many Northern states abolished slavery, and The Continental Congress abolished the importation of enslaved laborers.
Women contributed greatly during the war, stayed behind to manage rights and continue their domestic duties.
Many women bonded together in voluntary associations: Ladies Association of Philadelphia.
Republican Motherhood: women were vital to a healthy democracy because they were able to raise sons well-schooled in Republican ideals.
Topic 3.7 The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation [1781] was the first Constitution in America.
State governments formed their own constitutional governments —> largely focused political power into the Legislative Branch (responsible for making laws).
New government was facing problems in regard to westward migration.
Americans continued running into Amercian Indians
The federal government passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 to regulate western territory.
Abolished slavery in the Northwest Territory
Provided a means by which western territories could get a population and apply for statehood.
Daniel Shay gathered a militia, leading Shay’s Rebellion [1786-1787] in response to economic hardship, highlighting the weakness of the Articles of Confederation.
Topic 3.8 The Constitutional Convention and Debates Over Ratification
Constitutional Convention [1787]: 55 delegates from the states to shore up the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
One main debate was How would the voice of the people be represented?
Virginia Plan: Strong centralized state, Bicameral legislature (Two Houses), Representatives based on population.
New Jersey Plan: Unicameral legislature, every state had representatives.
The Great Compromise: bicameral legislatures with the House of Representatives based on population and the Senate by giving each state two votes.
Two opposing sides formed on the ratification issue
Federalists: advocated for the ratification of the Constitution.
Three Federalists luminaries—Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, & John Jay created Federalist Papers, explaining the nature of the Constitution and why the states needed to ratify it.
Anti-Federalists: opposed the ratification of the Constitution as it invested too much power into the central government.
No provision against the federal government intrusion on individual’s liberties. (No Bill of Rights).
Topic 3.9 The CONSTITUTION
Federalism: the sharing of power between the national government and the state government.
Supremacy Clause: states that national law trumps state law whenever they contradict.
Enumerated Powers: certain national laws like the power to declare war.
Separation of Powers: separation of power between the three branches of government
Legislative: makes the laws
Executive: carries out and enforces the laws
Judicial: interprets the laws to ensure they align with the Constitution.
Checks and Balances prevents any branch of the government to have more power than the other.
Topic 3.10 Shaping a NEW REPUBLIC
George Washington was elected as the 1st President of the United States and established executive departments: the treasury departments, the war department, the state department, and the justice department.
Each headed by a secretary that made up Washington’s Cabinet
Alexander Hamilton: secretary of the treasury department and one of his most significant policies was the establishment of a National Bank.
Elastic Clause: allows Congress to make all laws that are “necessary and proper” for carrying out its enumerated powers, providing flexibility in the legislative process.
Proclamation of Neutrality [1793]: declared the nation neutral in the conflict between revolutionary France and Great Britain.
Pickney Treaty [1795]: agreement between the United States and Spain, establishing the Southern boundary of the United States.
Battle of Fallen Timbers [1794]: U.S. Army clashed with a confederacy of American Indian tribes and defeated them.
Whiskey Rebellion [1794]: Hamilton proposed a tax on whiskey
Two Party System
Federalists: led by Alexander Hamilton, Proponents of a strong central government, favored urban and elite interests
Democratic Republicans: led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, Champions of states’ rights, Favored rural and agricultural interests.
The debt plan, the National Bank, and response to the Whiskey Rebellion served as clear evidence as federal overreach.
Washington’s Farwell Address: warned against the dangers of factions and political parties.
John Adams took Washingtons’ spot as president. After he became president, war broke out between French and Britain.
France continuously seized American trade-ships, so Adams sent a delegation to France to negotiate.
Three French agents, demanded a bribe from the American delegation; these three agents were identified as X, Y, and Z. (XYZ Affair)
Alien & Sedition Acts: the government can imprison or deport any non-citizen.
Topic 3.11 Developing an AMERICAN IDENTITY