3.1: Contextualizing Period 3

Learning Objective: Explain the context in which America gained independence and developed a sense of national identity.

British-French Wars:

• Series of wars between England and France for control of territories in Europe, the Americas, and South Asia

  • including the Seven Years War (also known as French-Indian war as France allied with Native Americans during battle)

• British victory in the Seven Years War → consolidated control of NA, no more fear of French attack

  • also increased colonists’ confidence in standing up for their interests

Colonial Independence

• To fund the war effort (Seven Years War), British placed higher taxes in the colonies

  • in contrast, many colonists saw themselves as self-sufficient, called for greater self-governance

The Articles of Confederation & the Constitution

• Inspired by republican ideals during the American Revolution, the new country was governed by the Articles of Confederation

• Government was weak, however, leading to the replacement of the Articles with the Constitution in addition to the Bill of Rights

Conflicting Views of Government

• Debates over the newly established Constitution continued into Washington’s presidency

• By end of Washington’s presidency, two political parties emerged:

  • Democratic-Republicans → stronger state gov.

  • Federalists → stronger federal gov.

• Federalists beaten by Democratic-Republicans, had disappeared as a party by 1820

Changes in Economics, Politics, and Culture

• Migration/immigration to the west (in search of economic opportunity) fueled conflicts with the Native Americans living on those lands

  • British, French, and Spanish territory claims also presented challenges

  • USA had to defend its borders on land and sea

• While USA was an official country in 1776, it was only after 1800 that a national identity developed/was recognized

REVIEW:

1. Explain a historical context for the changing relationship between the American colonists and the British government following the Seven Years’ War (the French and Indian War)

2. Explain a historical context for the development of new constitutions and declarations of rights by American political leaders after 1776.

3. Explain a historical context for understanding the regional differences over economic, political, social, and foreign issues that continued along with the formation of the new U.S. cultural and political institutions.

3.2: The Seven Years War

Learning Objective: Explain the causes and effects of the Seven Years’ War (the French and Indian War).

Empires at War: 1689-1763

• A series of wars broke out involving Great Britain, France, and Spain (also involved other European allies + Native Americans who mostly allied with the French)

  • war worldwide in scope, ranging from Europe, India and North America

  • broke out due to desire for power and control of North American lands + trade (sugar producing islands in the Caribbean + fur trade w/native americans)

The First 3 Wars:

• These conflicts mentioned above occurred from 1689 and 1763, and were named after the British monarch under whose reign they happened:

  • King William’s War (1689-1697) → the British launched expeditions to capture Quebec from the French (FAILED) → Native Americans + French burned English frontier settlements

  • ^^Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713) ^^→ British ended in victory, gained land of Nova Scotia from France + trading rights in Spanish America/colonies

  • King George’s War (1744-1748) → James Oglethorpe led colonial army against Spanish attacks → captured Louisbourg in Canada (a major French fortress) but gave it up in a treaty in exchange for political+economic gains in India (this angered the colonists that fought for the fortress)

The Decisive Conflict:

• during first 3 wars, European powers didn’t prioritize/didn’t recognize value in committing regular troops in America

  • however, during fourth + decisive conflict, GB + France saw the value of the colonies by the economic prosperity generated from them

  • 60,000 settlers lived in French colonies, prioritizing fur trade with the Native Americans

  • 1.2 million British colonists → produced goods that fueled British industry

• Final war = Seven Years’ War/French Indian War

• initiated after British felt provoked by construction of French forts in the Ohio River Valley (to halt westward expansion of the British

  • Governor of Virginia sent a small militia under colonel George Washington to stop the French

  • FAILEDDD Washington’s troops surrendered to French soldiers + Native Americans

• British defeated again during expedition led by Edward Braddock in 1755

Albany Plan of Union

• to coordinate colonial defense, British gov. called for representatives from the 13 colonies to meet at Albany, NY

  • Albany Plan of Union developed by Benjamin Franklin → sought to create an intercolonial government + universal system of recruiting troops/taxes from colonies → plan never took in effect (colonies wanted their independence/taxation powers)

British Victory

• British prime minister William Pitt concentrated gov. military strategy to conquer Canada

  • this was accomplished through retaking of Louisbourg (1758), surrender of Quebec to General James Wolfe (1759), and conquering of Montreal (1760)

• Following these claims, European powers proposed a peace treaty in 1763: the Treaty of Paris

  • Great Britain acquired French Canada + Spanish Florida

  • France ceded Spain Louisiana in compensation for loss of Florida

• Consolidated + extended British control of North America → French power diminished in NA

Effects of Seven Years War/Victory

• Gave Britain supremacy over other European colonizing powers in NA

• challenged autonomy of Native Americans

• Established Britain as dominant naval power in the world

• American colonies no longer under threat of attack from French, Spanish, Native American allies

• Shift of British view on colonies

  • British held low opinion of American colonial military (believed it was poorly trained, disorganized)

  • argued that some colonies refused to contribute to war effort; British convinced that colonists were unable+unwilling to defend British colonial lands

• Shift in colonial view on the war

  • In contrast, the colonists were proud of their war effort

  • developed confidence they could provide their own defense + stand up for their interests

  • unimpressed by British military (methods of warfare badly suited to environment in America)

Reorganization of the British Empire

• British government shifted its colonial policies

  • before, Britain had exercised little direct control over the colonies and had not enforced its navigation acts regulating colonial trade.

• policy of salutary neglect was abandoned as the British adopted more forceful policies for taking control of their expanded North American territories

• Britain felt new need to establish stronger + established military force to protect the colonies

• British landowners were under pressure under heavy taxes (war = $$$)

• to pay for troops to guard the frontier, King George III + Parliament imposed heavier taxes on American colonies (wanted colonists to bear more cost for maintaining British Empire)

Pontiac’s Rebellion

• Chief Pontiac led rebellion against colonial settlements on western frontier

  • Native Americans angered by westward expansion of British colonists

  • Pontiacs’s alliance burned + destroyed forts and settlements from NY to Virginia

    • GB sent regular British troops to put down the uprising

      

Proclamation of 1763

• to stabilize conflicts between Native Americans+colonists, British gov. issued proclamation prohibiting colonists from settling west of Appalachians

  • colonists reacted negatively, as they were hoping to expand westward (esp. following victory in 7 Years War)

  • defying the proclamation, thousands of colonists continued to settle westward ;-;

• these divergent views of British imperial policies in the American colonies provide context for increasing tensions between America + GB

  • conflicts would become more intense following debates on taxation + representation

REVIEW:

1. Explain the causes and effects of the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War).

2. Answer (a), (b), and (c). (a) Briefly explain ONE historical event or development during the Seven Years’ War that demonstrated a fundamental change in the British view of its relationship with its American colonies. (b) Briefly explain ONE historical event or development during the Seven Years’ War that demonstrated a fundamental change in the colonial view of its relationship with its British government. (c) Briefly describe ONE historical event or development resulting from the changing views by either the British or the colonists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM31OnzXfo8&list=PLEHRHjICEfDV2MWqLB3pCm1vly8V3QV8x’

3.3: Taxation without Representation

Learning Objective: Explain how British colonial policies regarding North America led to the Revolutionary War

British Actions + Colonial Reactions

• Proclamation of 1763 = first of series of acts by the British empire that angered the colonists

  • from British perspective, the regulations were just and proper for the protection of the colonies

  • colonists felt like their liberty/freedom was threatened, however

    • colonists wanted a representative gov., self-rule, and individual rights (under influence of concepts from the Enlightenment)

• Core issue between colonists/British empire = idea of representation

  • Colonists → argued they couldn’t elect representatives to Parliament, thus had no way to oppose British actions

  • British → responded that colonists had virtual representation in the government

    • basically, all members of Parliament represented interests of the entire empire

New Revenues + Regulations

• The Sugar Act/Revenue Act (1764)

  • placed duties on foreign sugar + certain luxury goods

  • regulation of the sugar trade = higher revenue

  • established along with law intensifying restrictions of the Navigation Acts (to avoid smuggling)

• The Quartering Act (1765)

  • required colonists to provide food + room/quarters for British soldiers in the colonies

• The Stamp Act (1765)

  • effort by Parliament to raise funds + support British military forces

  • required that tax be placed on most printed paper in the colonies (including legal documents, newspapers, advertisements, pamphlets, etc).

  • first direct tax paid by people in the colonies, as opposed to taxes on imported goods paid by merchants

Reaction to Stamp Act

• Lawyer Patrick Henry stood in House of Burgesses to demand that British gov. recognize the rights of all citizens, including the right to not be taxed without representation

• James Otis → called for cooperative action among colonies to protest the Stamp Act

  • representatives from 9 colonies met and formed the Stamp Act Congress → decided that only their local representatives had legal authority to approve taxation

• Formation of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty (a secret society with purpose of intimidating tax agents) made the protests take a violent turn

Economic Pressure + Declaratory Act

• most effective form of protest among colonists = boycotts against British imports

  • colonists would abstain from buying British goods

  • caused sharp drop in trade → London merchants put pressure on Parliament to reverse Stamp Act

• New prime minister elected → Parliament repealed Stamp Act

  • Declaratory Act (1766) = asserted that Parliament had right to enact taxes + laws they sought necessary for colonies

    • would spark new conflicts/anger among colonists

3.4: Philosophical Foundation of the American Revolution

Learning Objective: Explain how and why colonial attitudes about government and the individual changed in the years leading up to the American Revolution.

3.7: The Articles of Federation

Learning Objective: Explain how different forms of government developed and changed as a result of the Revolutionary Period

Organization of New Governments

• During the RW, leaders of the 13 colonies worked to establish independent constitutions for each respective colony

  • at the same time, the Congress that met in Philadelphia set the framework for a new central government for the US

State Government

• By 1777, 10/13 of the colonies had their own written constitution

  • most were written + adopted by the state’s legislature

• Constitution was a topic of debate for conservatives and liberals

  • conservatives: desired greater law and order

  • liberals: prioritized individual rights and freedoms

• All the constitutions shared the following in common:

  • List of rights: began with a bill/declaration listing basic rights of the people (common was the right to jury trial and freedom of religion)

    • state officials could not infringe on these rights

  • Separation of Powers: powers of state were separated into 3 distinct branches: executive, legislative, and judicial

  • Voting: right to vote was extended to all White males who owned property (believed property owners had larger stake in the gov)

Articles of Confederation

• As Jefferson was writing the Declaration of Independence, John Dickinson drafted the first constitution for the US

  • Articles of Confederation adopted by congress in 1777, submitted to states for ratification

  • (ratification delayed due to territorial disputes)

• Articles → established a central government consisting of one body (the congress)

  • there was no separate executive/judiciary branch