AMERICAN REVOLUTION ERA, 1775 - 1783

Taxation without RepresentationBoston MassacreBoston Tea PartyUnalienable RightsBattles of Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, and YorktownDeclaration of IndependenceArticles of Confederation

1776

Adoption of the Declaration of Independence

*Main Author: Thomas Jefferson *Committee Included: Ben Franklin,

John Adams, Roger Livingston

*“Common Sense” Written by: Thomas Paine .

Causes of the American Revolution Proclamation of 1763 Stamp Act Intolerable Acts Mercantilism Lack of representation in Congress British economic policies following

the French and Indian War

Proclamation of 1763

British Parliament law; colonists were forbidden to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains, *Britain wanted a buffer zone between the colonists and the Native Americans, but the colonists wanted to settle the fertile Ohio River Valley

Stamp Act, 1765

Required all legal documents and papers have an official stamp showing that a tax had been paid.

British used this to generate revenue to help cover the cost of the French and Indian War;

colonists reacted by rioting through groups such as the Sons of Liberty;

Stamp Act Congress meets in October, 1765, to take action and ask Parliament to repeal the act

Coercive / Intolerable Acts, 1774 Closed the port of Boston until tea was paid

for Restructured Massachusetts government by

taking away local control Troops were quartered in Boston and British

officials accused of crimes were sent to England or Canada for trial

Colonists reacted by boycotting British goods First Continental Congress is formed,

September, 1774

Mercantilism

A system by which a nation increases its wealth and power by obtaining from its colonies gold, silver, and other raw materials.

It includes a favorable balance of trade. The colonies became a source of raw

materials for the mother country (England.) The colonies are expected to be the

purchasers of manufactured goods from the mother country.

Belief that a colony exists for the economic benefit of the mother country.

Taxation without Representation Since the formation of the colonies, the

colonists had set up their own legislative assemblies.

Colonists were unhappy about Britain’s insistence on the supremacy of Parliament (taxation).

The debate turned into one regarding representation in Britain’s law-making body (Parliament).

Britain argued that the colonies had “virtual representation.”

Abigail Adams

Wife of John Adams Served as John Adams’ confidant and

support while he served in the Continental Congress, when John and others were considering a declaration of independence.

Abigail reminded him to “remember the ladies”; take care of the women who could not hold themselves bound by laws in which they had no voice.

Advocate for women’s rights.

John Adams

Lawyer and politician Defended the British soldiers after

the Boston Massacre A member of the Continental

Congress (representing Massachusetts)

Strong supporter of independence Member of the committee that wrote

the Declaration of Independence

Wentworth Cheswell

African American Patriot Like Paul Revere, he made an all-

night ride back from Boston to warn his community to the impending British invasion

Served in the Continental Army Fought at the Battle of Saratoga

Sam Adams

American Patriot Played a role in many of the events

which contributed to the Revolution Including: Sons of Liberty, organized

opposition to the Stamp Act and the Boston Massacre

Member of the Continental Congress (representing Massachusetts)

Cousin to John Adams

Mercy Otis Warren

Wife of a Massachusetts Patriot Anonymously wrote several

propaganda pieces supporting the Patriot cause

James Armistead

Slave in Virginia *Marquis de Lafayette recruited him as a

spy for the Continental Army. *Posed as a double agent, forger and

servant at British headquarters. *He moved freely between the lines with

vital information on British troop movements for Lafayette

*Contributed to the American victory at Yorktown.

Benjamin Franklin

A member of the committee that wrote the Declaration of Independence.

*Spent most of the time during the American Revolution in France.

*He represented the colonies as the American envoy starting in 1776 and returned in 1785.

*He negotiated the alliance with France for support after the victory at Saratoga.

*Member of the committee that negotiated the terms for the Treaty of Paris in 1783 that ended the war

Bernardo de’ Galvez

Spanish nobleman *Became governor of the Spanish

province of Louisiana (January 1777) *protected American ships in the

port of New Orleans *helped transport war supplies *took up arms to fight the British and

protect Louisiana

Crispus Attucks

African American male Unemployed dockworker in Boston,

MA Became the first casualty (first to

die) of the American Revolution Shot and killed in what became

known as the Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770

King George III

King of England during the Revolutionary Era

*Feared the loss of one group of colonies would lead to the loss of others and the eventual decline of the empire.

*To prevent this, the Crown maintained an aggressive policy against colonial resistance.

George III struggled to enforce royal authority throughout his reign.

Haym Solomon

Polish-born Jewish immigrant to America Played an important role in financing the

American Revolution Arrested by the British as a spy Used by the British as an interpreter with their

German troops Helped British prisoners escape and encouraged

German soldiers to desert the British Army Became a broker to the French consul and

paymaster to French troops in the American Revolution

Patrick Henry

Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses

Spoke against the Stamp Act Famous quote, “Give me liberty, or

give me death!” During the American Revolution he

served in the Continental Army

Thomas Jefferson

Virginian Early leader in the American

Revolution Delegate to the Constinental

Congress in Philadelphia in 1776 Member of the committee that wrote

the Declaration of Independence Chief author of the Declaration of

Independence

Marquis de Lafayette

French aristocrat who joined Washington and his troops at Valley Forge, PA

*Played a leading role in both the American and French Revolutions

*Respected the concepts of liberty and freedom and a constitutional government

*Commanded forces under George Washington as a major-general in the Continental Army

Thomas Paine

Propagandist Journalist In January, 1776, published a

pamphlet, “Common Sense” Persuaded many Americans to join

the Patriot cause.

George Washington

Virginian *surveyor, planter *a soldier in the French and Indian

War *a delegate to the First and Second

Continental Congresses *commander-in-chief of the

Continental Army during the American Revolution

 

Issues Surrounding Important Events of the American Revo. Declaring Independence

Writing the Articles of Confederation Battles of Lexington and Concord Battle of Saratoga Battle of Yorktown Enduring the winter at Valley Forge Signing the Treaty of Paris 1783

Declaration of Independence Reaction to King George III’s refusal to

acknowledge the colonial requests/demands, “dissolve the political bands” with Britain, provided philosophy for the establishment of the new nation

“…all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness”

Listed grievances against the King of England Written by Thomas Jefferson July 4, 1776 Second Continental Congress; Philadelphia

Writing of the Articles of Confederation Occurred at the Second Continental

Congress Created a new form of government

for the independent colonies Included one branch – a Congress Each state had one vote Created a very weak government

with no executive

Major Battles of the Revolution Lexington and Concord: Shot ‘heard

round the world; first battles of the American Revolution; April 19, 1775

Saratoga: turning point of the war; France joined the colonists after this victory, tipping the scales in their favor

Yorktown: surrender of Cornwallis to the British

Enduring the Winter at Valley Forge after suffering several defeats, Washington took

his army to Valley Forge for the winter of 1777 Outbreak of small pox Martha Washington came to help care for the

men The men were trained by Frederick von Steuben

to become a more professional army rather than militias

Thomas Paine wrote “American Crisis” to encourage the men to stay the course and follow through with the revolution to the end

Treaty of Paris, 1783

Peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized American independence

Great Britain gave up almost all of its land claims in North America

Boundaries extended to Canada in the north, the Mississippi River in the west, and Florida in the South

.

Grievance in Declaration of Independence Constitution Taxation without representation All states have representation in Congress, which sets taxes King has absolute power Congress has the power to override Presidential veto Colonists not allowed to speak out against the King 1st Amendment – Freedom of Speech Quartering Act forced colonists to house troops 3rd Amendment – No quartering of Troops allowed homes to be searched without warrants 4th Amendment – No unwarranted search & seizure No trial by jury of peers 6th amendment—Speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury 7th amendment—Right of trial by jury

.

Fundamental rights, or natural rights, guaranteed to people naturally instead of by the law.

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson said these are the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Civil Disobedience

The concept of refusing to follow laws within a community or ignoring the policies and government of a state or a nation when a person considers the laws unjust.*Refusing to follow laws considered to be unlawful and/or unconstitutional.

*Examples include boycotts, protests, refusal to pay taxes

*Boston Tea Party is an example of civil disobedience.

Different Points of View of Interest Groups During the American Revolution Loyalists – these were colonists who

remained loyal to the British monarchy and did not feel taxation was a reason to declare independence or break away from the mother country.

.

Patriots were colonists who favored breaking away from Great Britain and becoming an independent country

.

Founder of the United States Navy Led raids on British vessels during

the American Revolution During a fight with a British vessel he

was told to surrender. Instead, Jones said, “I have not yet begun to fight” and was able to defeat the attacking British ship.

John Paul Jones

*Song sung by British military to mock the unorganized colonial “Yankees” who served in the French and Indian War with British soldiers.

*The meaning of the song implies that the Americans are so “simple” they think simply sticking a feather in a cap would make them fashion leaders.

Boston Massacre

Fighting between the British and the French for control of North America.

*Allies of the French were the Native Americans, or Indians.

*Broke out in the Ohio River Valley in 1756. Throughout the world it was known as the Seven Years’ War

*Ben Franklin suggested that the colonies join together to fight against the French in the Albany Plan of Union.*This was the first attempt to unify the colonies

*French and Indians were defeated. * British became in debt because of the war and taxed

the

Different Points of View of Interest Groups During the American Revolution Engraving of the Boston Massacre by Paul

Revere March 5, 1770 Event in which British soldiers fired into a

crowd of unarmed citizens of Boston Killed five This engraving was used as propaganda to

encourage patriotic sympathies and support for American Independence

Paul Rever, a silversmith and engraver, was also a member of the Boston Sons of Liberty