JP Zenger: Freedom of the Press and the

Development of Political Parties

What’s happening?

• By the 1730s, all colonies are royal

– Grievances now not against an investment company or proprietor, but rather against the government itself

– Colonists begin to unite in their frustrations with less control over their own lives

The emergence of political factions in NY

• Landholders• Albany and Hudson River area• Fur traders• Long-term land users

• Merchants• NYC as center of interest• Real estate speculators

These divisions changed with the issue and changed over time, were not binding! In the

1660s, these factions become the first political parties, as people move from being issue-based

to trying to get elected.

So, What’s with JPZ?

• Landholders in Albany start their own newspaper, editor is John Peter Zenger

• JPZ publishes articles exposing the colonial governor’s corruption in 1734

• The question: Can you be tried for libel if what you say is true? – In GB, JPZ would be tried and convicted,

paper shut down

The Trial…• JPZ is tried by jury• NOT GUILTY!

• Established the freedom of the press to criticize the government

• Now colonists have more rights than other GB citizens…

The after-effects

• Principles used in the JPZ case are used to justify political self-interest, but become a part of our written constitution…

• In the long run, it ends up helping us that they were selfish in JPZ’s time!

The French and Indian War

British and American Colonists v. French and their Indian allies

The History of Britain and France in the Colonies

English• Colonists on the

eastern coast• Founded towns• Cleared land to

plant crops

French• Settled inland

• Established forts• Protected land

claimsRESULT: French have better relationship with the Native Americans

Conflict in the Ohio River Valley• 1754- King George II grants the

colonists 200,000 acres of the Ohio River Valley

• Colonists cross the Appalachians to survey land and trade w/ the Indians

• Gov. Dinwiddie’s Message– The French feel this is a threat to their

holdings-they build a line of forts• Competition in this territory leads to

war

The War• Difficult for Britain because of battle tactics• May 1754- British surrender Fort Necessity

– French regain control of Ohio Valley• July 1755- French & Indians surprise the British

– killed 1/3 of British forces including the commander, Braddock

– B’s aide, George Washington survives and organizes a GB retreat.

• 1757- William Pitt becomes Britain’s PM– raised taxes– borrows money to fight the war, – installs new, effective leadership

• 1758: Britain begins to successfully attack French forts and settlements

Who is going to win???• July 1759- French retreat to

Canada. The Iroquois, having played both sides, officially join the British.

• Sept. 1759- Fall of Quebec• Sept. 1760- British take Montréal

(gives GB control over all Canada)– George III ascends to the throne- Pitt is

out of office!• 1761- British seize Fort Detroit and

other posts on the Great Lakes• 1763- Treaty of Paris

• Representatives from GB, France, and Spain, France’s ally, meet

• France turned over Canada to Britain• France surrenders claims to all land east of the

Mississippi with the exception of New Orleans- given to Spain in a secret treaty a year before

• GB returns Cuba, captured in the war, to Spain in exchange for FL

?Treaty of Paris (1763)

Post-War = DRAMA!• British believed the colonists did not

supply enough support for the war

• American colonists were shocked at the weakness of Britain’s army– they even demanded to be led by colonial

officers!• Americans found that Britain did not

share their same values• Americans felt a lack of respect from

the British

French and Indian War Bumper Stickers

• Choose two perspectives from the list below:– Immigrant living in the

Appalachians, – merchant from NY, – plantation owner living in SC, – Quaker from Philadelphia,– young woman whose brother is

fighting, – free African American man, – William Pitt, – Governor Dinwiddie, – George Washington

• Design a bumper sticker about the F&I War from each perspective… would they have been pro-French or pro-GB?

• Then, below it, explain who this person was and WHY they would have had this perspective on the war. Did they participate? Watch from the sidelines? Help a certain side? Gain/lose business because of it?

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