Context of APUSH Unit 2

• Colonial Powers:
    - Britain had tensions with other powers: French, Dutch, and Spanish.
    - Engaged in colonial wars aiming for control of the New World.

• Differences among Colonial Powers:
    - British colonies were more densely populated.
    - Smaller trade networks compared to other powers.
    - Intermarriage with Native Americans was less frequent than in other colonial powers.

• Salutary Neglect:
    - A significant factor allowing colonists to get accustomed to self-rule, impacting future relations with Britain.

• Expansion into Ohio River Valley:
    - Colonists aimed to expand, but the area was French-controlled.
    - Both British and French began building forts leading to escalating tensions.
    - George Washington sent with a militia to confront the French, igniting the French and Indian War.

French and Indian War

• Early War Efforts:
    - The colonies united temporarily to strengthen the war effort.

• Albany Plan:
    - Proposed by Benjamin Franklin.
    - Representatives from seven colonies met in Albany, New York, promoting unity and courting the Native American Iroquois Confederacy.
    - The plan was rejected due to a lack of willingness to cooperate among colonies but set the stage for future unity.
  

• William Pitt's Leadership:
    - British statesman during the Seven Years War, altered war dynamics.
    - The Iroquois Confederacy eventually allied with the British.

• Treaty of Paris 1763:
    - End of the French and Indian War.
    - Britain gained control of French land from Canada to Florida and parts of Appalachia; Spain received land west of the Mississippi.
    - France was largely expelled from the New World (except Haiti).
    - Importantly, salutary neglect ended, ushering in a new era of conflict.

Turning Point of 1763

• Consequences of War:
    - Britain sought tighter control over colonies, contrasting with colonists' preference for self-rule.
    - Britain was in debt and needed to levy taxes on colonies.
  
• Pontiac's Rebellion:
    - Native Americans felt encroachment from British colonists, leading to conflict.
    - Pontiac, an Ottawa chief, led a rebellion against British settlements.
    - Violence erupted; British resources were spread thin, needing to send more troops.

Policies and Acts Passed by Britain

• Proclamation Act of 1763:
    - Prohibited colonial expansion past the Appalachian Mountains.
    - Colonists resented this act, feeling entitled to newly acquired territories.

• British Perception of Colonists:
    - British believed colonists were incompetent and responsible for conflicts.
    - The need for taxation arose, spearheaded by King George and Prime Minister George Grenville.

• Acts to Control Colonies:
    - Molasses Act: Attempted to raise revenue but faced evasion by colonists.
    - Sugar Act: Enforced stricter regulations; an effort to curb smuggling tried in vice-admiralty courts.
    - Quartering Act: Required colonists to provide housing and food for British soldiers.

• Stamp Act:
    - Taxed all paper products, strongly affecting the middle-class and merchants.
    - "No taxation without representation" became a rallying cry, championed by figures like Patrick Henry.
  
    - Reactions to Stamp Act:
      - Formation of the Stamp Act Congress with representatives from nine colonies.
      - Protests led by groups such as the Sons of Liberty, employing tarring and feathering.
      - Boycotts were effective; British merchants lobbied for repeal due to financial loss.
      - The act was finally repealed but the Declaratory Act emphasized Parliament's authority.

Townshend Acts and Further Resistance

• Townshend Acts:
    - Taxed imports like tea, glass, and paper, asserting indirect taxation.
    - Revenue would pay Royal officials, reducing colonial assembly influence.
    - Sparked strong colonial pushback, including boycotts and agitation.

• Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania written by John Dickinson argued against taxation without representation, following with widespread non-importation agreements.

• Boston Massacre (1770):
    - Triggered by crowd actions against British soldiers, resulting in five colonial deaths.
    - Crispus Attucks, a sailor, was the first killed, turning into anti-British propaganda.

• Committees of Correspondence (1772):
    - Founded by Samuel Adams to coordinate resistance among colonists.

• Tea Act (1773):
    - Aimed to bail the British East India Company by allowing monopoly over tea sales.
    - Spurred the Boston Tea Party where Sons of Liberty dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts

• Reactions by Britain:
    - Passed as a response to the Boston Tea Party, known as Coercive Acts.
    - Closed Boston Harbor and banned local meetings, reinforcing British military presence.
    - Colonists perceived the acts as intolerable, uniting in opposition.

• First Continental Congress (1774):
    - Met to discuss grievances; majority sought reconciliation, no call for independence at this point.
    - Established the Declaration of Rights and Grievances.
    - A framework for coordinated resistance against British authority.

Escalation to Revolution

• Events Leading to Revolution:
    - King George rejected colonial complaints, labeling them rebels.
    - Tensions peaked in April 1775 at Lexington and Concord:
      - British soldiers aimed to seize gunpowder; ambush occurred leading to the first shots of the revolution.
      - Ambush at Concord increased colonial resolve to resist.

• Second Continental Congress:
    - Formed amidst conflict; established the Continental Army led by George Washington.
    - The Olive Branch Petition aimed to avoid conflict but was rejected.

Enlightenment Influence on the Revolution

• Natural Rights and Social Contract: Influenced by Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke.
    - Ideas of overthrowing unjust governments resonated with colonists.
    - Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet argued for independence, influencing public sentiment.

• Declaration of Independence: Written by Thomas Jefferson, justifying rebellion against King George and appealing to Enlightenment ideals.
    - Contained complaints to consolidate views against British rule; slavery mention removed to ensure unity.

Social Composition During Revolution

• Divided Colonist Support:
    - 30-40% were Patriots, mostly from New England; 20-30% were Loyalists, backed by wealthier demographics; many remained neutral.

• Continental Army’s Strengths and Weaknesses:
    - Strengths: Knowledge of terrain, moral cause, and support from France.
    - Weaknesses: Under-equipped, under-trained. Government under Continental Congress was weak.

• French Support:
    - Sought to regain lost territories; supported American independence favorably influenced by Enlightenment values.

Key Battles of the American Revolution

• Lexington and Concord: The initial engagement that sparked confrontation.
• Bunker Hill: A symbol of colonial resolve despite a British victory.
• Trenton: Successful crossing of the Delaware by Washington, capturing Hessians; significant morale boost.
• Saratoga: Turning point leading to French alliance with America.
• Yorktown: Culminating battle leading to British surrender.

Treaty of Paris 1783

• Terms:
    - Recognized American independence.
    - Established borders extending to the Mississippi River, Great Lakes, and Florida.
    - Included guarantees for Loyalist rights.

Political Changes Post-Revolution

• State Constitutions:
    - Abolished old European laws (e.g., nobility titles).
    - Variation in views on republicanism; property requirements persist.
    -
• Republican Motherhood:
    - Aimed at cultivating democracy values among children.
    - Springboard for future women's rights discussions.

Social Impacts Post-Revolution

• Women’s Role:
    - Active in boycotting, managing businesses, and supporting military efforts.
    - Abigail Adams famously urged for women's rights in her letter to John Adams.

• Impact on Native Americans:
    - Mixed alliances with British, suffering due to colonial expansion post-revolution.

• African-American Experience:
    - Some fought; British promised freedom to loyalist slaves who joined.
    - Gradual emancipation laws implement after the war but slavery persists.
  

• Constitutional Protection of Slavery:
    - Subsequently endorsed despite revolutionary ideals.