STUDY GUIDE PERIOD 3 APUSH
Period 3 Overview (1754-1800 C.E.)
British debt after the French and Indian War led to colonial taxation and increased tension (e.g., Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party).
Colonial resistance to imperial rule led to new forms of democracy and republican government (e.g., Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence).
The weak federal government under the Articles of Confederation (highlighted by Shays' Rebellion) necessitated the Constitutional Convention and a stronger Constitution.
Debates between Federalists (strong central government, Hamilton) and Anti-Federalists (states' rights, Jefferson) shaped early U.S. governance and economy.
George Washington's presidency established American foreign policy, emphasizing neutrality and diplomatic initiatives (e.g., Jay's Treaty, Pinckney's Treaty).
Migration and competition for resources fueled ethnic tensions and evolving relationships, often contentious, with American Indian groups.
I. The French and Indian War & Its Aftermath (Causes of the American Revolution)
A. French and Indian War (1754-1763) / Seven Years' War
Cause: Anglo-French rivalry over colonial territory, especially in North America (Ohio River Valley), and European dynastic and power struggles. Often considered the global extension of the French and Indian War.
Effect: British victory, leading to significant territorial gains (Canada, Florida from Spain, parts of India). Increased British debt, which led to new taxes on American colonies (e.g., Stamp Act), contributing to colonial grievances and the American Revolution.
North American theater of the Seven Years' War, involving Britain, France, and their colonial and native allies fighting for control east of the Mississippi. British victory, but incurred massive debts.
Key Figures:
George Washington: Land surveyor, led colonial militia, later commanded Continental Army and was first President.
Benjamin Franklin: Founding Father, advocated for American unity (Albany Plan of Union), served as U.S. Ambassador to France, signed Declaration and Constitution.
William Pitt (the Elder): British statesman who shifted war focus to capturing Canada, effectively removing France from North America.
Albany Plan of Union: Franklin's proposal for colonial confederation for defense; rejected by colonies (feared central power) and British (feared too much independence).
Treaty of Paris (1763): Ended the war, British gained French Canada and Spanish Florida, effectively removing France's presence from North America.
B. Post-War Conflicts with American Indians
Pontiac's Rebellion: An 18-month conflict with the American Indians of the Ohio Valley, led by Chief Pontiac. Natives attacked British colonial settlements from the Great Lakes to Virginia.
Proclamation of 1763: In reaction to Pontiac's Rebellion, King George III barred American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to prevent conflict. Angered colonists who sought westward expansion; often ignored it.
C. British Laws & Taxes (Growing Divide between Colonies and UK)
Navigation Acts: A series of English laws restricting colonial trade to ensure that all colonial trade benefited England. Required colonial goods to be shipped on English ships and often routed through English ports. Provided a historical context for later British economic policies.
Currency Act (1764): Limited colonial paper money to protect British merchants from depreciation.
Sugar Act (1764): Raised taxes on molasses and sugar to help pay for war debt.
Quartering Act (1765): Required colonial citizens to provide room and board for British soldiers stationed in America. Wildly unpopular.
Stamp Act (1765): Required a tax stamp on all paper documents in the colonies (e.g., newspapers, legal documents, playing cards) to help pay for the Seven Years' War debt. Met with widespread protest.
Declaratory Act (1766): Passed after the Stamp Act repeal, asserted Parliament's right to tax colonies, as Parliament’s authority was identical in both Britain and North America.
Townshend Acts (1767): Imposed harsher taxes on imported goods such as glass, paper, and tea. Enforced with writs of assistance.
Writs of assistance: Authorized under the Townshend Acts, allowed customs officials to search colonial homes, businesses, and warehouses for smuggled goods without a warrant from a judge.
Tea Act (1773): Lowered the price of tea but was seen as a British attempt to collect revenue, leading to colonial refusal to purchase the tea.
Quebec Act (1774): Expanded Quebec's borders into the Ohio River Valley and allowed Catholicism. Seen as part of the Intolerable Acts.
Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts): Punitive laws in response to the Boston Tea Party, included closing Boston Harbor, revoking Massachusetts' charter, and a new Quartering Act.
D. Colonial Response & Figures
George Grenville: British Prime Minister who passed early tax acts; believed colonists should pay their fair share of war debt.
Patrick Henry: Virginian Patriot who argued that only Virginians should tax Virginians.
James Otis: Patriot who coined the phrase "Taxation without representation is tyranny."
Stamp Act Congress: Representatives of nine colonies who stated only colonial legislatures had the authority to tax them.
Sons and Daughters of Liberty: Patriot activists who intimidated tax collectors, organized boycotts, and ransacked stamp warehouses.
Samuel Adams: Led the Sons and Daughters of Liberty; penned the Massachusetts Circular Letter.
John Dickinson: Wrote "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania" against the Townshend Acts; oversaw the drafting of the Articles of Confederation.
Massachusetts Circular Letter: Penned by Samuel Adams, demanded the repeal of the Townshend Acts and rejuvenated boycotts of British goods.
Boston Massacre (1770): British troops fired on protesting Bostonians, killing five, alienating many colonists from the Crown.
Committees of Correspondence: Patriot network to circulate letters of protest against British policies; vital in organizing the Continental Congress.
Gaspee Affair (1772): Sons of Liberty burned a grounded British anti-smuggling ship in Rhode Island, celebrated by colonists.
Boston Tea Party (1773): Colonists, disguised as American Indians, dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest of the Tea Act.
II. The American Revolution (1765-1783)
A. Start, Turning Point, and End
Start: Growing colonial grievances over British taxation and policies post-1763, leading to events like the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and the Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 1775).
Turning Point: Battle of Saratoga (1777), which convinced France to form an alliance with the Americans, providing crucial military and financial aid.
End: Siege of Yorktown (1781), where a combined American and French force trapped British General Cornwallis, leading to his surrender. Officially ended with the Treaty of Paris (1783).
B. Key Documents & Ideas
Declaration and Resolves (1774): First Continental Congress sought reconciliation, acknowledged Parliament's trade authority while listing grievances.
Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms (1775): Document by the Second Continental Congress justifying armed resistance, while still hoping for reconciliation.
Olive Branch Petition (1775): Second Continental Congress appeal to King George III for intervention; rejected by the King.
Common Sense (1776): Thomas Paine's pamphlet arguing for independence using Enlightenment philosophy.
Declaration of Independence (1776): Announced the colonies' official break from England; articulated natural rights (Locke) and popular sovereignty, and listed grievances against King George III.
C. Key Events & Figures
First Continental Congress (1774): Organized in response to the Intolerable Acts; urged military reserves and boycotts.
Second Continental Congress (1775-1781): Passed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.
King George III: Reigned 1760-1820; dismissed colonial attempts at peace.
Thomas Paine: Author of Common Sense, political activist.
Thomas Jefferson: Authored Declaration of Independence; later Secretary of State and VP; co-founded Democratic-Republicans.
George Washington: Commander of the Continental Army and later first President.
Treaty of Paris (1783): Officially ended the American Revolutionary War; Great Britain recognized U.S. independence and granted vast western territory up to the Mississippi River.
D. Factions
Patriots: American independence activists, mostly young New Englanders and Virginians. Often volunteered for the Continental Army.
Tories (Loyalists): Colonists loyal to Britain; also refers to the British political party controlling Parliament during the war.
Whigs: British political party that took control of Parliament and negotiated peace terms with the colonists.
E. The Impact of the Enlightenment
Enlightenment: An 18th-century intellectual movement which prized reason, challenging traditional notions of monarchy and church authority. Laid groundwork for the scientific and Industrial Revolutions.
John Locke: British philosopher whose theory of natural rights (life, liberty, property) and government by consent heavily influenced the American Revolution and Declaration of Independence.
Separation of powers: Montesquieu's idea to divide government power into balanced branches (legislative, executive, judicial) to check each other.
Direct democracy: A form of democracy where citizens directly vote on policies.
III. The Early Republic: Articles to Constitution
A. The Articles of Confederation (First U.S. Constitution)
Replaced by Constitution.
Strengths: Successfully prosecuted the Revolutionary War; negotiated the Treaty of Paris; established a system for organizing western lands (Land Ordinance of 1785, Northwest Ordinance of 1787).
Limitations: Weak central government with no power to tax, enforce laws, or regulate interstate commerce. Required unanimous consent for amendments, leading to economic instability and inability to address crises like Shays' Rebellion.
Land Ordinance of 1785: Established the Public Land Survey System for western land sales; required setting aside land for public education.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787: Established guidelines for statehood (territories with \geq 60,000 people could apply); banned slavery north of the Ohio River in territories.
Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787): An armed uprising of farmers in western Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shays, protesting high taxes, debt, and foreclosures. Demonstrated the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and spurred the Constitutional Convention.
B. The Constitutional Convention (1787)
Meeting in Philadelphia to revise the Articles; instead, delegates drafted the new U.S. Constitution. Debates centered on representation, slavery, and the balance of power.
Key Figures:
James Madison: "Father of the Constitution" and Bill of Rights; co-authored Federalist Papers.
Alexander Hamilton: Advocate for strong national government; co-authored Federalist Papers; first Secretary of the Treasury.
George Mason: Refused to sign Constitution without a Bill of Rights; advocated for an end to the slave trade (while supporting slavery).
Edmund Randolph: Proposed the Virginia Plan.
William Paterson: Proposed the New Jersey Plan.
Roger Sherman: Proposed the Connecticut Compromise.
Major Plans:
Virginia Plan: Favored large states; proposed proportional representation in both legislative houses based on population.
New Jersey Plan: Favored small states; proposed equal representation (one vote per state) in one legislative body.
Key Compromises:
Great Compromise of 1787 (Connecticut Compromise): Created a bicameral Congress: House of Representatives (proportional representation by population) and Senate (equal representation, two senators per state).
Three-Fifths Compromise (1787): Enslaved persons counted as 3/5 of a person for purposes of representation and taxation. The South conceded to the end of legal slave importation by 1808.
Electoral College: System for electing the President and Vice President; electors cast votes based on popular vote. Designed to balance direct democracy and congressional election.
C. The Debate over Ratification
Ratification: Official certification of a law/treaty; required approval from nine states for the Constitution.
Federalists: Supported the Constitution, advocating for a strong central government. Key figures: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay.
Anti-Federalists: Opposed the Constitution, fearing a tyrannical government and erosion of state/individual liberties. Demanded a Bill of Rights. Key figures: Patrick Henry, George Mason.
Federalist Papers: A series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay to persuade New York to ratify the Constitution.
Brutus: Prominent Anti-Federalist writer (likely Robert Yates) who argued against the Constitution, warning about a consolidated government and lack of a Bill of Rights.
Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments): Explicitly lists protections for individual rights and state sovereignty; added to secure Anti-Federalist support for ratification.
IV. The Federalist Era (Washington's & Adams's Presidencies)
A. Washington's Presidency and the New Republic (1789-1797)
Judiciary Act of 1789: Established the federal court system (Supreme Court, District Courts, Circuit Courts of Appeals).
Hamilton's Economic Plans (First Secretary of the Treasury):
Advocated for a national bank (First\ Bank\ of\ the\ United\ States).
Proposed federal assumption of state debts.
Supported protective tariffs (Tariff Act of 1789) and excise taxes (taxes on specific goods like whiskey).
Whiskey Rebellion (1794): Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested a federal excise tax on whiskey. President Washington led federal troops to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating the new federal government's authority to enforce laws.
Foreign Policy:
Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793: Declared U.S. neutrality in conflicts between Britain and France.
Jay's Treaty (1794): Negotiated with Britain to remove British forts from the Northwest Territory; gave Britain "most favored nation" trading status.
Pinckney's Treaty (1795): Treaty with Spain settling boundary disputes, granting U.S. navigation rights on the Mississippi River, and right to deposit goods at the Port of New Orleans.
Farewell Address (1797): George Washington warned against becoming entangled in foreign affairs, avoiding permanent alliances, and refraining from the formation of political parties.
Democratic-Republicans: Political party founded by Anti-Federalists (led by Jefferson), championing states' rights and the common man; opposed Hamilton's policies.
B. Adams' as Second President (1797-1801)
XYZ Affair: French agents (X, Y, Z) demanded a bribe from an American diplomatic delegation, leading to outrage and the Quasi-War with France.
Alien and Sedition Acts (1798): Four laws passed by Federalist Congress:
Alien Acts: Increased residency requirement for citizenship (5 to 14 years); gave the president power to detain/deport enemy aliens.
Sedition Act: Criminalized false statements critical of the president or Congress. Seen as an attempt to suppress dissent and weaken the Republican Party.
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions (1798-1799): Covertly written by Jefferson (Kentucky) and Madison (Virginia), these declared that states could nullify (overrule) federal laws they deemed unconstitutional, establishing an important precedent for states' rights.
V. Social Context in the Early Republic
A. Slavery in the Colonies/Early US
Colonial Era: Primarily in Southern colonies for labor-intensive cash crops. Evolved from indentured servitude to a race-based system of perpetual servitude.
Early US: Continued existence, especially in the South. Debated during the Constitutional Convention (e.g., 3/5ths Compromise); became a major sectional issue, though some Northern states began gradual abolition.
B. Republican Motherhood
An ideology (late 18th/early 19th centuries) emphasizing women's role in instilling republican values (patriotism, civic virtue) in their children, thereby raising good citizens for the new republic. Elevated the status of women in their domestic sphere.
Navigation Acts (for context)
A series of English laws restricting colonial trade to ensure that all colonial trade benefited England. Required colonial goods to be shipped on English ships and often routed through English ports. Provided a historical context for later British economic policies that further angered colonists.
UNDERSTAND THE GROWING DIVIDE AND EVENTUAL SPLIT BETWEEN THE COLONIES AND UK
Key factors included: increased British taxation post-Seven Years' War (e.g., Stamp Act, Townshend Acts), lack of colonial representation in Parliament ("no taxation without representation"), restrictions on westward expansion (Proclamation of 1763), and growing sense of American identity.
Slavery in the colonies/early US
Colonial Era: Primarily in the Southern colonies for labor-intensive cash crops (tobacco, rice, indigo). Evolved from indentured servitude to a system based on race, with perpetual servitude.
Early US: Continued existence, particularly in the South. Led to significant debates during the Constitutional Convention (e.g., 3/5ths Compromise) and became a major sectional issue, though some Northern states began gradual abolition.
Stamp Act (1765)
British law requiring a tax on all paper documents in the colonies (e.g., newspapers, legal documents, playing cards) to help pay for the Seven Years' War debt. Met with widespread colonial protest, including boycotts and the Stamp Act Congress, leading to its repeal.
Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, July 1775
A document issued by the Second Continental Congress explaining why the colonies had taken up armed resistance against British rule. Stated that the colonies were prepared to fight for their rights and liberties but still hoped for reconciliation with Britain.
Proclamation of 1763
British decree that prohibited colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, aiming to prevent conflicts with Native Americans after the French and Indian War. Angered colonists who desired westward expansion.
Boston Tea Party (1773)
An act of protest by American colonists against the British Tea Act. Colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. Led to punitive measures by the British known as the Intolerable Acts.
American Revolution--how'd it start? Was there a turning point? How'd it end?
Start: Growing colonial grievances over British taxation and policies post-1763, leading to events like the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and the Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 1775).
Turning Point: Battle of Saratoga (1777), which convinced France to form an alliance with the Americans, providing crucial military and financial aid.
End: Siege of Yorktown (1781), where a combined American and French force trapped British General Cornwallis, leading to his surrender. Officially ended with the Treaty of Paris (1783).
Declaration of Ind (Declaration of Independence, 1776)
Fundamental document asserting the American colonies' separation from Great Britain. Articulated Enlightenment principles of natural rights (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) and popular sovereignty, and listed grievances against King George III.
John Locke
An influential English Enlightenment philosopher whose ideas heavily influenced the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. Advocated for natural rights (life, liberty, property) and the concept of government by consent, where the government's power comes from the people.
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The peace treaty that officially ended the American Revolutionary War. Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States and granted it vast western territory up to the Mississippi River.
Articles of Confederation--know strengths and limitations
Strengths: Successfully prosecuted the Revolutionary War, negotiated the Treaty of Paris, established a system for organizing western lands (Land Ordinance of 1785, Northwest Ordinance of 1787).
Limitations: Weak central government with no power to tax, enforce laws, or regulate interstate commerce. Required unanimous consent for amendments, leading to economic instability and inability to address crises like Shays' Rebellion.
Constitution (U.S. Constitution, 1787)
The supreme law of the United States, replacing the Articles of Confederation. Established a stronger federal government with three branches (legislative, executive, judicial) and a system of checks and balances, while also protecting individual rights.
Constitutional Convention (1787)
A meeting in Philadelphia where delegates from twelve states (Rhode Island abstained) drafted the U.S. Constitution. Debates centered on representation, slavery, and the balance of power between state and federal governments.
Great Compromise of 1787 (Connecticut Compromise)
An agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that resolved the dispute between large and small states over legislative representation. Created a bicameral Congress with a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation (two senators per state).
Hamilton (know his involvement in Constitution, early American government, and economic plans)
Constitution: A leading advocate for a strong national government, co-authored the Federalist Papers to promote ratification, and was a key delegate at the Constitutional Convention.
Early American Government: First Secretary of the Treasury under President Washington.
Economic Plans: Advocated for a national bank (First~Bank~of~the~United~States), federal assumption of state debts, protective tariffs, and a stable financial system to promote manufacturing and commerce.
Federalists and Anti-Federalists, Federalist Papers and Brutus
Federalists: Supported the ratification of the Constitution, advocating for a strong central government. Key figures included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
Anti-Federalists: Opposed the ratification of the Constitution, fearing it would lead to a tyrannical government and erode state and individual liberties. Demanded a Bill of Rights. Key figures included Patrick Henry and George Mason.
Federalist Papers: A series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay to persuade New York to ratify the Constitution, explaining and defending its principles.
Brutus: A prominent Anti-Federalist writer (likely Robert Yates) who published essays arguing against the Constitution, warning about the dangers of a consolidated government and the lack of a Bill of Rights.
Shay's Rebellion (1786-1787)
An armed uprising of farmers in western Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shays, protesting high taxes, debt, and foreclosures. Demonstrated the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and highlighted the need for a stronger national government.
Whiskey Rebellion (1794)
A protest by farmers in western Pennsylvania against a federal excise tax on whiskey, a key product for remote farmers. President Washington led federal troops to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating the new federal government's authority under the Constitution to enforce laws.
3/5ths Compromise (1787)
An agreement at the Constitutional Convention concerning the counting of enslaved persons for purposes of representation and taxation. Ensured that three-fifths (3/5) of the enslaved population would be counted toward a state's total population.
Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)
Four laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress during Adam's presidency. The Alien Acts targeted immigrants (making it harder to become citizens and allowing for deportation), while the Sedition Act made it illegal to criticize the government publicly. Seen as an attempt to suppress dissent and weaken the Republican Party.
Republican Motherhood
An ideology during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that emphasized the role of women in instilling republican values (patriotism, civic virtue) in their children, thereby raising good citizens for the new republic. Elevated the status of women in their domestic sphere.
electoral college
A system established by the U.S. Constitution for electing the President and Vice President. Electors, chosen by each state in a number proportional to its total Congressional representation (House + Senate), cast votes on behalf of their state's popular vote winner. It was designed as a compromise between direct popular election and congressional election of the president.
AP US History Notes: Period 3 (1754-1800 C.E.)
Six Things to Know about Period 3:
Period 3 Overview (1754-1800 C.E.)
British debt after the French and Indian War led to colonial taxation and increased tension (e.g., Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party).
Colonial resistance to imperial rule led to new forms of democracy and republican government (e.g., Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence).
The weak federal government under the Articles of Confederation (highlighted by Shays' Rebellion) necessitated the Constitutional Convention and a stronger Constitution.
Debates between Federalists (strong central government, Hamilton) and Anti-Federalists (states' rights, Jefferson) shaped early U.S. governance and economy.
George Washington's presidency established American foreign policy, emphasizing neutrality and diplomatic initiatives (e.g., Jay's Treaty, Pinckney's Treaty).
Migration and competition for resources fueled ethnic tensions and evolving relationships, often contentious, with American Indian groups.
The French and Indian War (1754-1763)
North American theater of the Seven Years' War, involving Britain, France, and their allies fighting for control east of the Mississippi.
British victory, but incurred massive debts.
Key Figures:
George Washington: Land surveyor, led colonial militia, later commanded Continental Army and was first President.
Benjamin Franklin: Founding Father, advocated for American unity (Albany Plan of Union), served as U.S. Ambassador to France, signed Declaration and Constitution.
William Pitt (the Elder): British statesman who shifted war focus to capturing Canada, effectively removing France from North America.
Albany Plan of Union: Franklin's proposal for colonial confederation for defense; rejected by colonies (feared central power) and British (feared too much independence).
Treaty of Paris (1763): Ended the war, British gained French Canada and Spanish Florida.
Post-War Conflicts with American Indians
Pontiac's Rebellion (18 months): Chief Pontiac led Ohio Valley tribes against British colonial settlements.
Proclamation of 1763: King George III barred colonial settlement west of the Appalachians to prevent conflict; angered colonists who sought westward expansion.
Effects of the French and Indian War (British Taxation and Colonial Resistance)
British Laws & Taxes:
Currency Act (1764): Limited colonial paper money to protect British merchants.
Sugar Act (1764): Raised taxes on molasses and sugar to pay war debt.
Quartering Act (1765): Required colonists to house British soldiers.
Stamp Act (1765): Required tax stamp on all paper documents; met with widespread protest.
Declaratory Act (1766): After Stamp Act repeal, asserted Parliament's right to tax colonies.
Townshend Acts (1767): Taxes on imported goods (glass, paper, tea), enforced with writs of assistance.
Writs of assistance: Allowed customs officials to search colonial property for smuggled goods without warrants.
Tea Act (1773): Lowered tea price but seen as British attempt to collect revenue; led to Boston Tea Party.
Quebec Act (1774): Expanded Quebec's borders into Ohio River Valley, allowed Catholicism; seen as part of Intolerable Acts.
Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts): Punitive laws in response to Boston Tea Party, included closing Boston Harbor, revoking MA charter, new Quartering Act.
Colonial Response & Figures:
George Grenville: British PM, passed early acts, believed colonists should pay fair share.
Patrick Henry: Virginian Patriot, argued only Virginians should tax Virginians.
James Otis: Patriot, coined "Taxation without representation is tyranny."
Stamp Act Congress: Representatives of nine colonies stated only colonial legislatures could tax them.
Sons and Daughters of Liberty: Patriot activists, intimidated tax collectors, organized boycotts.
Samuel Adams: Led Sons and Daughters of Liberty, penned Massachusetts Circular Letter.
John Dickinson: Wrote "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania" against Townshend Acts; oversaw Articles of Confederation drafting.
Boston Massacre (1770): British troops fired on protesting Bostonians, killing five.
Committees of Correspondence: Patriot network to circulate letters of protest, organized Continental Congress.
Gaspee Affair (1772): Sons of Liberty burned a grounded British anti-smuggling ship.
Boston Tea Party (1773): Colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor in protest of Tea Act.
The American Revolution (1765-1783)
Start: Growing grievances over British policies post-1763, leading to events like Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 1775).
Key Documents & Ideas:
Declaration and Resolves (1774): First Continental Congress sought reconciliation, acknowledged Parliament's trade authority while listing grievances.
Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms (1775): Justified armed resistance, but still hoped for reconciliation.
Olive Branch Petition (1775): Second Continental Congress appeal to King George III for intervention; rejected.
Common Sense (1776): Thomas Paine's pamphlet using Enlightenment philosophy to argue for independence.
Declaration of Independence (1776): Announced separation from Britain; articulated natural rights (Locke) and popular sovereignty, listed grievances.
Key Events & Figures:
First Continental Congress (1774): Organized in response to Intolerable Acts, urged military reserves and boycotts.
Second Continental Congress (1775-1781): Passed Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation.
King George III: Reigned 1760-1820, dismissed colonial attempts at peace.
Thomas Paine: Author of Common Sense, political activist.
Thomas Jefferson: Authored Declaration of Independence, later Secretary of State and VP, co-founded Democratic-Republicans.
Battle of Saratoga (1777): Turning point; American victory convinced France to ally with the U.S., providing crucial aid.
Siege of Yorktown (1781): Combined American/French forces forced Cornwallis's surrender. End of fighting.
Treaty of Paris (1783): Officially ended war, Britain recognized U.S. independence, granted western territory to Mississippi River.
Factions:
Patriots: American independence activists, mostly young New Englanders and Virginians.
Tories (Loyalists): British political party controlling Parliament, negotiated peace with Whigs; also refers to colonists loyal to Britain.
American Indians During and After the Revolution
Miami Confederacy: Alliance of tribes resisting U.S. expansion in Old Northwest (Ohio River boundary).
Little Turtle: War chief of Miami Confederacy, led major victory at St. Clair's Defeat.
Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794): Final battle of Northwest Indian War; U.S. victory.
Treaty of Greenville (1795): 12 tribes ceded vast Old Northwest lands to federal government.
The Impact of the Enlightenment
Enlightenment: 18th-century intellectual movement emphasizing reason, challenging monarchy/church.
John Locke: British philosopher, advocated natural rights (life, liberty, property) and government by consent, influenced Declaration of Independence.
Separation of powers: Montesquieu's idea to divide government power into balanced branches.
Direct democracy: Citizens directly vote on policies.
The Articles of Confederation (First U.S. Constitution)
Replaced by Constitution.
Strengths: Successfully prosecuted Revolutionary War, negotiated Treaty of Paris, established Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
Limitations: Weak central government - no power to tax, enforce laws, or regulate interstate commerce; required unanimous consent for amendments; led to economic instability.
Land Ordinance of 1785: Established Public Land Survey System for western land sales, set aside land for public education.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787: Guidelines for statehood, banned slavery north of the Ohio River in territories.
Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787): Uprising of Massachusetts farmers protesting taxes/debt; highlighted weaknesses of Articles, spurred Constitutional Convention.
The Constitutional Convention (1787)
Meeting in Philadelphia to revise Articles, instead drafted new U.S. Constitution.
Key Figures:
James Madison: "Father of the Constitution" and Bill of Rights, co-authored Federalist Papers.
Alexander Hamilton: Advocate for strong national government, co-authored Federalist Papers, first Secretary of the Treasury.
George Mason: Refused to sign Constitution without Bill of Rights; advocated for an end to slave trade.
Edmund Randolph: Proposed Virginia Plan.
William Paterson: Proposed New Jersey Plan.
Roger Sherman: Proposed Connecticut Compromise.
Major Plans:
Virginia Plan: Favored large states, proportional representation in both legislative houses.
New Jersey Plan: Favored small states, equal representation in one legislative body.
Key Compromises:
Great Compromise of 1787 (Connecticut Compromise): Bicameral Congress: House (proportional representation by population) and Senate (equal representation, 2 senators per state).
Three-Fifths Compromise (1787): Enslaved persons counted as $3/5$ of a person for representation and taxation; South conceded end of legal slave importation by 1808.
Electoral College: System for electing President/VP; electors cast votes based on popular vote, designed to balance direct democracy and congressional election.
The Debate over Ratification
Ratification: Official certification of a law/treaty; required approval from nine states for the Constitution.
Federalists: Supported Constitution, strong central government (Washington, Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, Jay); wrote Federalist Papers to persuade ratification.
Anti-Federalists: Opposed Constitution (Patrick Henry, George Mason), feared tyrannical government, demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual and state liberties; contributed to Democratic-Republicans.
Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments): Explicitly lists protections for individual rights and state sovereignty; added to secure Anti-Federalist support.
Washington's Presidency and the New Republic (1789-1797)
Judiciary Act of 1789: Established federal court system (Supreme Court, District Courts, Circuit Courts of Appeals).
Economic Plans (Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of Treasury):
National bank (First\ Bank\ of\ the\ United\ States).
Federal assumption of state debts.
Protective tariffs (Tariff Act of 1789).
Excise taxes (taxes on specific goods like whiskey).
Whiskey Rebellion (1794): Farmers protested federal excise tax on whiskey; Washington led troops to suppress, demonstrating federal government's authority.
Foreign Policy:
Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793: Declared U.S. neutrality in conflicts between Britain and France.
Jay's Treaty (1794): Negotiated with Britain to remove British forts from Northwest Territory, gave