E. Period 3 1754 - 1800 Amsco Note Taking Guide (Ch. 5) PDF

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Period 3: 1754 - 1800 Chapter 5: The American Revolution and Confederation, 1774-1787 [85 - 95] Due Date: Tuesday, September 19th

The First Continental Congress - Ams reach conclusion that they need to sever all ties w/ Brit gov in 1776 - All colonies except Gerogia send delegates to convention in Phili in Spet 1774- First Continental

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Congress- respond to Brits alarming threats to their liberties, Ams don’t want indep, only want to protest Parl infringements on their rights and restore relationship w/ crown had existed before Seven Years’ War The Delegates - Diverse group whose views range from radical to conservative. - Radicals demand greatest concessions from Brit- Patrick Henry on VA and Sam Adams and John Adams of Mass. - Moderates- Geoge Wash of VA and John Dickinson of Penn. - Conservatives-- mild statement of protest- John Jay of NY and Joseph Galloway of Penn - Loyalists were unrepresented bc wouldn’t challenge king in any way The Actions of the Congress - Delegates vote on series of measures to change Brit policy w/out offending moderate and conservatives, Joseph Galloway- propose plan similar to Albany Plan of 1754, reorder relations w/ Parl and form union on colonies, failed by one vote, instead adopt - 1. Endorse Suffolk Resolves, origin from Mass, call for immediate repeal of Intolerable Acts and for colonies to resist by military prep and boycott Brit goods - 2. Declaration of Rights and Grievances, backed by mods urges king to right col grievance and restore colonial rights, conciliatory gesture- recog Parl’s auth to reg commerce - 3. Continental Association, network of committees to enforce eco sanctions of Suffolck Res - 4. Declare that if col rights not recog, delegates would meet again in May 1775

The Fighting Begins - King dismisses First Cont Congress, declares Mass in state of rebellion, sends more troops to stop disorder, combo of col defiance and Brit determination to supress it led to violent clashes in Mass- first battles of Am Rev -

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Lexington and Concord - April 18, 1775, Gen Thomas Gage, commander of Brit troops in Boston, large force to get col military supplies in Concord, warned of Brits by Paul Revere and William Dawes, militia (Minutemen) of Lexington assem to face Brits, Ams forced to retreat under heavy fire, 8 killed - No one knows if Brits or Ams fired first shot of this first skirmish - Brits enter Concord, destroy military supplies, return to Boston, attacked by militiamen on the way , 250 Brit casualties and are humiliated Bunker Hill - June 17, 1775, battle on outskirts of Boston, col militia of Mass farmers fortify Breed’s Hill next to Bunker Hill, that the battle is wrongly named for, Brits attack colonists and take hill, suffer over a thousand casualties, Am claim victory by succeeding in inflict heavy loss on Brit

The Second Continental Congress - After fight in Mass, delegates to Second Cont Congress in Phili in May 1775, was divided, one group (New Eng) thinks that colonies should declare indep, other group (middle col) hope conlict would be resolved by negotiate new relationship w/ Eng -

Military Actions

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Congress adopts Declaration of Causes and Necessities for Taking Up Arms and call on colonies to provide troops, Washington appoint Command-in-Chief of col army and sent to Boston to lead Mass militia and volunteer units from other coloines. Congress auth force under Benedict Arnold to raid Quebec to get Canada away from Brits, Am navy and maine corps was organ in fall of 1775 for attack Brit shipping Peace Efforts - Congress first adopt contadictory policy of waging war while seeking peaceful settlement, many colonies don’t want indep bc value heritage and Brit protection but wanted a diff relationship w/ Eng. July 1775- delegates vote to send “Olive Branch Petition” to King Geroge III, pledge loyalty to king and ask him to intercede w/ Parl to secure peace and protection of col rights - George dismisses plea and agreed to Parl’s Prohibitory Act (Aug 1775)- declare colonies in rebellion and later forbid all trade and shipping w/ Brit and colonies Thomas Paine’s Argument for Independence - Jan 1776- pamphlet pub w/ profound impact on pub opinion and future course of events. Thomas Paine- recent immigrant to col, argued for a radical idea. Common Sense- argued clearly that colonies should be indep states and break all political ties w/ Brit, contrary to common sense for large continent to be ruled by small distant island and pledge allegiance to a king w/ corrupt gov and unreasonable laws Declaration of Independence - Congress gradually begin to favor indep, June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of VA intro resolution declare colonies to be indep. Five delegates (T Jeffs)form committee to write this, T Jeffs declaration listed specific grievances against kin and basic principals justify rev “We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowedby their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” Congress adopts Lee’s resolution, call for indep on July 2, T Jeffs work on July 4, 1776

The Revolutionary War - Long and bitter, Ams forge national identity, became USA - 2.6 million live in 13 colonies at time, 40% of pop actively participate against Brits- Patriots - 20-30% side w/ Brits- Loyalists - Everyone else neutral/uninvolved -

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Patriots - Largest # from New Eng states and VA, most soldiers reluctant to travel outside own region, serve in local militia units for short periods, leace to work farms and then return to duty, so even tho several hundred thousand on Patriot side, Wash never had more than 20,000 regular troops under his command at a time, army was chronically short of supplies, poorly equipped, rarely paid African Americans - Initially Wash rejected idea of Af Ams serving in Pat army but Brits promised freedom to enslaved people who joined their side, Wash and congress quickly make same offer ~5,000 Af Ams fought w/ Pats, most free citizens from N who fought in mixed racial forces tho some all-AfAm units, Af Ams took part in most military actions of war, and a #, including Peter Salem, were recog for bravery Loyalists - Tories - Rev War was slight civil war between Pats and Loyalists, those who maintain allegiance to king also called Tories (maj party in Parl) ~60,000 Tories fought w/ Brit soldiers, supply then w/ food and arms, join raiding parties that pillage Pat homes and farms, members of same fam join opp sides. Ex/ Ben Franklin was leading Pat, his son William joined Tories and served as last royal gov of NJ

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520,000-780,000 est Tories, in NJ, NY, and Georgia were majority, toward end of war, 80,000 loyals emigrate to Canada or Brit rather than face persecution, came from all groups and classes, but usually wealthier and more conservative than Pats, most gov officials and clergy - American Indians - Tried to stay out of war, eventually attacks by colonists prompt many Am Indians to support Brits, promised to limit colonial settlements in W Initial American Losses and Hardships - 1775-1777 bad for Wash’s army poorly quip and trained, barley escaped complete disaster in battle for NYC in 1776 where forces were routed by Brits. End of 1777, Brits occupy NY and Phili, after losing Phili, Wash’s demoralized troops suffered thru severe winter of 1777-78 in Valley Forge in Penn - Economic troubles add to Pat’s bleak prospects, Brit occupation of Am ports result in 95% decline in trade from 1775-1777, goods scarce, inflation rampant, paper money from Congress, continentals, were worthless Alliance with France - Turning pt for Am Revs came w/ victory at Saratoga in upstate NY in Oct 1777, Brit forces under Gen John Burgoyne marched from Canada to link up w/ forces from W and S, objective was to cut off New Eng from other colonies, Burgoyne’s troops attacked at Saratoga by troops under Gens Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold, Brits forced to surrender - Diplomatic outcome more import than military result, persuaded France to join war against Brit, King Louis XVI was absolute monarch w/ no interest in aiding rev movement, but saw chance to weaken country’s trad foe- Eng by helping colonial emp, France had secretly given aid to Am since 1775- money and supplies, after Saratoga, France openly allied s/ Ams (Year later Spain and Holland enter war against Brits) Fren alliance proved decisive factor in Am Rev bc widened war and force Brits to divert military forces away from Am Victory - Faced w/ larger war, Brits consolidate forces in Am, Brits pulled from Philly and NY became base of operations. Campaign thru 1778-79, the Pats under George Rogers Clark captured series of Brit forts in Illiniois to gain control of parts of Ohio R Valley. 1780 Brits adopt S strategy, concentrate military campaigns in VA and Carolinas where loyalists were numerous and active - Yorktown - 1781- last major battle of Rev War fought near Yorktown, VA on shores of Chesapeake Bay, strong support from Fren naval and military forces, Wash’s army forced large Brit army under Gen Charles Cornwallis to surrender - Treaty of Paris - News of defeat at Yorktown was heavy blow to Tory party in Parl taht was conducting war which had become unpopular in Brit bc it placed heavy strain on economy and gov’s finances. Lord North and other Tory ministers resigned and were replaced by Whig leaders that wanted to end war - In Paris 1783, treaty of peace signed by various belligerents, provided for following - Brits recog USA as indep nation - Mississippi R would be W boundary of that nation - Ams would have fishing rights off coast of Canada - Ams would pay debts owed to Brit merchants and honor Loyalist claims for pop confiscated during war

Organization of New Governments - While Rev War being fought, leaders of 13 colonies worked to change them into indep governed states, each w/ own constitution, at same time rev congress originally met in Philly

tried to define powers of a new central gov for nation -

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State Governments - By 1777, ten of former colonies had written constit, most were written and adopted by state legis, in a few states (MD, Penn, and NC) a proposed constit was submitted to vote of people for ratification. Each state constit was subject of heated debate w/ conservatives need for law and order and liberals most concerned abt protecting indiv rights and prevent future tyrannies. Var constits diff on spec pts, following were common - List of Rights - Each began w/ bill or declaration list basic rights and freedoms, jury trial and freedom of religion that belong to all citizens and state officials couldn’t infringe on them - Separation of Powers - Few exceptions, state gov powers were given to 3 branches - Legis powers to an elected two-house legis - Exec powers to elected gov - Judicial powers to system of courts - Separation of powers intended to safeguard against tyranny esp allpowerful exec - Voting - Right to vote for all white males who owned some prop, usually minial amt of land or money based on assumption that prop owners had larger stake in gov than poor and propertyless - Office Holding - Those seeking elected office were held to higher prop qualification than voters The Articles of Confederation - Philly 1776, T Jeffs was writing Dec of Indep, John Dickinson drafted first constit for USA as nation, congress modified plan to protect powers of indiv stated, Articles of Confederation was adopted by Congress in 1777 and submitted to states for ratification - Ratification - Delayed by dispute overvast Am Indian lands W of Alleghenies. Seaboard states (Rhode Island and MD) insist lands be under juris of new central gov, when NY and VA finally agree to cede claims to W lands, Articles ratified in Mar 1781 - Structure of Government - Articles estab a central gov that consist of one body- congress in unicameral legis each state given one vote with 9/13 votes needed to pass important laws, amending Articles had to unanimous vote. Committee of States- one rep from each state could make minor decisions when full congress not in session - Powers - Congress could wage war, make treaties, send diplomatic reps and borrow money. Congress couldn’t regulate commerce or collect taxes, to finance any decision, congress had to rely on taxes voted by each state and didn’t have exec power to enforce laws - Accomplishments - 1. Won war, US gov claim some cred of ultimate victory of Wash’s army and for negotiating favorable terms in treaty of peace w/ Brit - 2. Land ordinance of 1785- Congress estab policy for surveying and selling W land, provided for setting aside one sect of land in each township for pub edu - 3. NW Ordinance of 1787- large territory between Great Lakes and Ohio R, congress set rules for creating new states, granted limited self-gov to developing terr and prohibit slavery in that region - Problems with the Articles - 1. Financial- war debts unpaid, indiv states and congress issue worthless paper money,

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underlying prob was that congress had no taxing power and could only request that states donate money for nat needs 2. Foreign- Euro nations had little respect for new nation that couldn’t pay debts or take effective and united action in crisis, Brit and Spain threaten to take advantage of US weakness by expanding interests in W lands soon after war ended 3. Domestic- summer of 1786, Capt Daniel Shays, a Mass farmer and Rev War vet, led other farmers in uprising against high state taxes, imprisonment for debt, and lack of paper money. Rebel farmers stop collection of taxes and forced closing of debtor’s courts. Jan 1787, Shays and followers attempt to seize weapons from Springfield armory and state militia of Mass broke Shays Rebellion

Social Change - Ideas of rev began to filter into attitudes of common people -

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Abolition of Aristocratic Titles - Sev constit and laws abolish old instit that originate in medieval Euro, no legis could grant titles of nobility, or recog feudal practice of primogeniture, whatever aristocracy existed in colonial Am was weakened by confiscation of large estates owned by Loyalists, were subdivided and sold to raise money for war Separation of Church and State - Most states adopt this, refuse to give finan support to any religious group, Anglican Church was disestab (lost support) in S, only 3 New Eng states (New Hampshire, Connecticut and Mass) did Congregarional Church continue to recieve state support in form of religious tax, discontinued in early 1830s Women - Pats and Loyalists depend on active support of women, worked as nurses and cooks, sometimes fought in battle either taking husband’s place (Mary McCauley (Molly Pitcher) at Battle of Monouth) or passing as a man and serving as a soldier (Deborah Sampson for a year), most import contribution was in maintaining colonial eco, ran farms and businesses, provide food and clothing for war effort, women remain second class status - Abigail Adams to John Adams “I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors” Slavery - Insitution of slavery contradict spirit of Rev and idea “all men created equal” for time leaders recog this and take corrective steps, Continent Congress abolish importation of enslaved people and most states went along w/ prohibition, most N states end slavery, while in S, some owners voluntarily free slaves, decades following more slaveowners come to believe enslaved labor was essential to eco, rationale for slavery that found religious and political justification for cont hold humans in lifelong bondage -

Historical Perspectives: How radical was the revolution? Was Am Rev a radical break w/ past or conservative attempt to safeguard trad Brit liberties...