Section III: The American Revolution Section III: The American Revolution (Pages 427-431)(Pages 427-431)

Section III: The American Revolution Section III: The American Revolution (Pages 427-431)(Pages 427-431)

This section is about:This section is about: How growing How growing

discontent with British discontent with British policies led the policies led the American colonies to a American colonies to a war for independence.war for independence.

How the ideas of the How the ideas of the enlightenment enlightenment thinkers influenced thinkers influenced the colonial leaders as the colonial leaders as they founded a new they founded a new government and wrote government and wrote the U.S. Constitution.the U.S. Constitution.

You already know a lot You already know a lot about this from middle about this from middle school.school.

You’ll cover it in a lot more You’ll cover it in a lot more detail junior year.detail junior year.

But it is part of what’s But it is part of what’s going on in the world in the going on in the world in the 1700’s, so it’s important 1700’s, so it’s important we talk about parts of it in we talk about parts of it in Global Studies.Global Studies.

Look quickly at the “Main Look quickly at the “Main Ideas” on page 427 – Ideas” on page 427 – especially “A” and “C.”especially “A” and “C.”

Causes of the American Causes of the American RevolutionRevolution

Enlightenment ideas Enlightenment ideas didn’t just stay in didn’t just stay in Europe.Europe.

They spread to England They spread to England – and even to North – and even to North America (where people America (where people were unhappy with the were unhappy with the way their lives were way their lives were run by the British).run by the British).

It was a perfect mix for It was a perfect mix for something to happen.something to happen.

The American ColoniesThe American Colonies

By the 1770’s, England By the 1770’s, England had taken over the east had taken over the east coast of North America.coast of North America.

13 colonies had been set 13 colonies had been set up as trading centers (the up as trading centers (the triangular trade and more).triangular trade and more).

England tried to be in England tried to be in control of all the trade in control of all the trade in the colonies, but was too the colonies, but was too far away to be effective.far away to be effective.

They were also too far They were also too far away to have control over away to have control over the people and their rule / the people and their rule / local governmentslocal governments

War With FranceWar With France

By 1763, England had been By 1763, England had been in 4 recent wars with in 4 recent wars with France.France.

The last one left them The last one left them unable to control their unable to control their western borders.western borders.

The wars also left England The wars also left England DEEPLY in debt.DEEPLY in debt.

The British decided to send The British decided to send more soldiers to North more soldiers to North America to keep an eye on America to keep an eye on the colonists (more money).the colonists (more money).

To pay for all this, England To pay for all this, England began to enforce trading began to enforce trading laws more strictly – and add laws more strictly – and add some taxes to the colonists some taxes to the colonists to help them raise some to help them raise some money.money.

Growing DiscontentGrowing Discontent There was a: Sugar Act, There was a: Sugar Act,

Quartering Act, Stamp Act, Quartering Act, Stamp Act, Proclamation of 1763, Proclamation of 1763, Townshend Acts, and Townshend Acts, and others…others…

The colonists got pretty mad.The colonists got pretty mad. They had a protest in Boston They had a protest in Boston

where British soldiers shot at where British soldiers shot at and killed some colonists.and killed some colonists.

At another protest in Boston At another protest in Boston Harbor (over a new “Tea Harbor (over a new “Tea Tax”), the colonists ……….Tax”), the colonists ……….

Colonists started passing Colonists started passing around around propagandapropaganda to spread to spread the word of their cause.the word of their cause.

Thomas Paine wrote a Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet called “Common pamphlet called “Common Sense” in which he urged Sense” in which he urged colonists to start their own colonists to start their own governmentgovernment (Trying to influence people’s ideas with

media)

War for IndependenceWar for Independence

Eventually, things got Eventually, things got pretty bad.pretty bad.

In 1774, some colonial In 1774, some colonial leaders called for a leaders called for a meeting to decide meeting to decide what to do next.what to do next.

This meeting was This meeting was called the Continental called the Continental Congress.Congress.

Their original plan was Their original plan was to look for a way to to look for a way to negotiate with Britain.negotiate with Britain.

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

Before they could settle Before they could settle things, fighting broke out things, fighting broke out (1775).(1775).

The colonists formed an Army, The colonists formed an Army, with George Washington as with George Washington as commander (the odds were commander (the odds were heavily in favor of the British).heavily in favor of the British).

By 1776, the Continental By 1776, the Continental Congress had decided to Congress had decided to declare independence.declare independence.

Thomas Jefferson was chosen Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write a document to give to to write a document to give to the British.the British.

He was a great writer, but He was a great writer, but many of his ideas came from many of his ideas came from John Locke.John Locke.

These included: people have These included: people have “the right to life, liberty, and “the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and the pursuit of happiness” and if a government fails it’s if a government fails it’s citizens, the citizens should citizens, the citizens should have the right to do away have the right to do away with the governmentwith the government

The American RevolutionThe American Revolution Not all people were in Not all people were in

favor of independence – favor of independence – there were more than a there were more than a few arguments about it.few arguments about it.

People in Great Britain also People in Great Britain also had opposing views about had opposing views about fighting another war (5th fighting another war (5th war for them).war for them).

For the colonists, they For the colonists, they were a weak, disorganized, were a weak, disorganized, poorly supplied army – poorly supplied army – fighting against the fighting against the greatest power in the greatest power in the world at the time.world at the time.

The British controlled most The British controlled most big cities and ports.big cities and ports.

The colonists controlled The colonists controlled the countryside.the countryside.

Turning Point of WarTurning Point of War

In 1777, the French decided In 1777, the French decided to help the colonists to help the colonists (England had been their (England had been their enemy for awhile).enemy for awhile).

They brought supplies, well They brought supplies, well trained soldiers, and ships to trained soldiers, and ships to help in the fight.help in the fight.

The colonists started using The colonists started using some new tactics – some new tactics – guerrilla guerrilla warfarewarfare – and that helped – and that helped them gain some advantage.them gain some advantage.

The last major battle was in The last major battle was in Virginia (1781), and Lord Virginia (1781), and Lord Cornwallis (main British Cornwallis (main British general) surrendered to the general) surrendered to the Americans.Americans.

By 1783, the Treaty of Paris By 1783, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the war.officially ended the war. Fighting through “hit and

run” and sneak attacks

A New NationA New Nation

Starting out as a new Starting out as a new country was tough (war country was tough (war debts).debts).

The country started out in a The country started out in a recession recession (people not (people not spending money), with no spending money), with no way to earn or collect way to earn or collect money.money.

In 177, the states came up In 177, the states came up with a plan: the Articles of with a plan: the Articles of Confederation.Confederation.

This plan didn’t work – it was This plan didn’t work – it was too weak and couldn’t too weak and couldn’t enforce it’s own rules.enforce it’s own rules.

They thought they wanted They thought they wanted to be weak (and not to be weak (and not overpowering like the overpowering like the European monarchies of the European monarchies of the time).time).

A New ConstitutionA New Constitution(What are you supposed to do if your government isn’t (What are you supposed to do if your government isn’t

working?)working?)

It was time to get a new It was time to get a new government – and come up government – and come up with a plan based on the with a plan based on the ideas of the enlightenment ideas of the enlightenment (Locke and Rousseau). (Locke and Rousseau).

The new government was The new government was a a federal republicfederal republic (Rome) – (Rome) – with power shared with power shared between the states and the between the states and the federal government.federal government.

The new government The new government would have three branches would have three branches (Montesquieu).(Montesquieu).

Legislative / Executive / Legislative / Executive / Judicial.Judicial.

………………………………....

The delegates were smart The delegates were smart enough to know this new enough to know this new government had to be government had to be flexible enough to deal with flexible enough to deal with changes over time.changes over time.

So they made a plan that So they made a plan that amendmentsamendments could be added could be added to the Constitution (although to the Constitution (although these changes could be these changes could be made, it was not simple to do made, it was not simple to do so).so).

Some people wanted to Some people wanted to make sure people still had make sure people still had their rights in this new their rights in this new government, so a Bill of government, so a Bill of Rights was added (the 1Rights was added (the 1stst 10 10 amendments).amendments).

By 1789, George Washington By 1789, George Washington had been elected the first had been elected the first president, and you’ll hear the president, and you’ll hear the rest in U.S. History during rest in U.S. History during junior year.junior year.

Effects of the American Effects of the American RevolutionRevolution

All of these events in All of these events in America changed the way America changed the way people around the world people around the world viewed government.viewed government.

A group of colonies had A group of colonies had never been successful in never been successful in standing up to it’s standing up to it’s monarch.monarch.

In France, Spain, Germany, In France, Spain, Germany, and Latin America, people and Latin America, people started to realize they no started to realize they no longer had to accept that longer had to accept that the nobility was totally in the nobility was totally in charge of the people.charge of the people.

They were going to fight to They were going to fight to get the same rights.get the same rights.