We the People

The First Founding: Interests and Conflicts

The Context of the Declaration of Independence

• The Founding of the United States is characterized by conflicts and coalitions among different interests.

• Central ideals emphasized include individual liberty, equality, justice, and the pursuit of happiness, articulated by figures such as James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.

• Recent scholarship highlights the importance of land removal from Native nations and the enslavement of Africans, which shaped the conflicts leading to independence.

  • Conflicts over land ownership with Native nations fueled demands for a stronger central government.

  • Profits from slavery contributed to the financial stability necessary for colonists to pursue independence.

Native Nations and Colonial Life

• Prior to colonization, the territory was inhabited by numerous Native nations with established governance.

• The first successful English colony was founded in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, followed by Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620, both encroaching on Native lands controlled by powerful nations like the Pequot, Narragansett, and Algonquin.

• Initial relations began positively through trade; however, the introduction of European diseases devastated Native populations.

• Colonists gradually rejected Native land ownership and began systematic land dispossession, leading to significant expansion in colonial areas.

British Taxes and Colonial Interests

• British rule was initially lax, but financial pressures post-French and Indian War prompted the imposition of new taxes.

• Key taxation acts included:

  • Sugar Act of 1764: Tax on sugar and molasses.

  • Stamp Act of 1765: Taxes on printed materials.

• The slogan "No taxation without representation" emerged, uniting colonists against perceived injustices, leading to boycotts of British goods.

• Division within colonial society:

  • Radicals: Small farmers and artisans, distrustful of British governance.

  • Colonial Elite: Merchants benefiting from British trade relations but increasingly split over new taxes.

Political Strife and the Radicalization of the Colonists

• Tensions escalated with the Tea Act of 1773, granting the East India Company a monopoly and undercutting colonial merchants.

• The Boston Tea Party in December 1773 was a symbolic act of defiance against British aggression, resulting in harsh British retaliations.

• The First Continental Congress convened in 1774, advocating for a total boycott of British goods and debating the prospect of independence.

The Road to Independence

• Economic factors stemming from slavery and British oppression cultivated both financial and ideological dynamics for independence.

• The Second Continental Congress met in 1776, under growing pressure to declare independence.

• Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, emphasizing:

  • Principles of self-governance.

  • Identification of grievances against King George III.

• The Declaration articulated rights including Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, countering monarchical rule.

The Declaration of Independence

• The Declaration established a collective identity amid regional and economic differences among the colonies. It initiated the narrative of a new nation.

• The document's assertions included:

  • Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.

  • The right to overthrow unjust governments.

• It contained 27 grievances against King George III, underscoring the impossibility of reconciliation with Britain.

Exclusion and Limitation of Sovereignty

• Despite advocating for equality, the Declaration limited rights for Native nations and Blacks, highlighting contradictory principles.

• The last grievance referred to Native peoples derogatorily and accused King George of seeking to incite violence against the colonists.

The Influence of the Enlightenment

• Enlightenment thinkers, including Locke and Montesquieu, influenced the Declaration's principles:

  • John Locke argued against absolute monarchical power, advocating for a government with limited authority and rights retained by the people.

  • Montesquieu proposed separation of powers to prevent tyranny, influential in the eventual U.S. Constitution.

• These ideas shaped the reasoning behind the Articles of Confederation.

The Articles of Confederation

• Adopted in November 1777 as the first constitution, it established a weak central government to prevent the tyranny experienced under British rule.

• Article II emphasized state sovereignty, with each state retaining significant independence.

• Limitations on Congress:

  • No president, only a Congress with minimal powers, typical operation mirroring a forum for state representatives.

  • Congress could declare war, make peace, negotiate treaties, issue currency, manage Native trade, but lacked the power to tax.

• Article weaknesses led to its impracticality and eventual replacement.