The American Revolution

• The F/ I War• Navigation Acts and

Colonial Resistance • Events Leading to War • Start of Hostilities • Strengths and

Weaknesses• Key Events • How and why the war

ended• America as an infant

nation

v.

The French and Indian War 1754-1763

• By mid 1700s France and Britain were big rivals

• Both wanted control of the Ohio River Valley

• Brit Colonies expanding west• Fighting begins French with

Indian allies v. British with Indian allies

• Early string of defeats for Britain • Pitt comes to power – manages

global aspect of the war• Major victories in Canada• Treaty of Paris in 1763 –

overwhelming British victory

Results of the French and Indian War

• Prolonged Contact• End of French Threat• End of Invincible

Image• British Debt• Proclamation of 1763

– Response to Pontiac’s Rebellion

• Albany Plan

James Otis, The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved (1763)

• It is . . . true in fact and experience, as the great, the incomparable Harrington has most abundantly demonstrated in his Oceana and other divine writings, that empire follows the balance of property. 'Tis also certain that property in fact generally confers power, though the possessor of it may not have much more wit than a mole or a musquash: and this is too often the cause that riches are sought after without the least concern about the right application of them. But is the fault in the riches, or the general law of nature, or the unworthy possessor? It will never follow from all this that government is rightfully founded on property alone. What shall we say then? Is not government founded on grace? No. Nor on force? No. Nor on compact? Nor property? Not altogether on either. Has it any solid foundation, any chief cornerstone but what accident, chance, or confusion may lay one moment and destroy the next?

• The end of government being the good of mankind points out its great duties: it is above all things to provide for the security, the quiet, and happy enjoyment of life, liberty, and property.

Navigation Acts • Mercantilist Restrictions were

old• Renewed interest in

enforcement • New Navigation Acts

– Sugar Act, – Quartering Act, – Admiralty Courts

• Stamp Act• Sons of Liberty,

– Samuel Adams– Boycotts, – Tarring and Feathering

• Repeal and Declaratory Act• Townsend Acts

Near the Break • Townsend Acts• Boston Massacre• Tea Act• Boston Tea Party • Intolerable Acts• Committees of

Correspondence • Minutemen / Local Militias

1767 – Franklin commissioned this and distributed it to members of parliament As part of the Stamp Act protests

Advantages / Disadvantages

• Colonist Weaknesses– $, supplies – Not led by pros – Lack of training/ discipline – Numbers– Lukewarm public support

• Colonist Advantages– Motivated Troops– Charismatic Propagandists– Washington– More attainable goal for

victory– French Assistance

• British Strengths– Well trained military – $, troops, supplies– Navy as transport– Loyalist support

• British Weaknesses– Distance– Unpopular at home– Troop motivation– Need for absolute victory – India / Other Colonies

British Perceptions of the War of Independence: 1776 British Political Cartoon

War!• Lexington and Concord• Washington as CIC• Bunker Hill• Olive Branch• Declaration of

Independence • String of defeats• Trenton, Princeton• Saratoga• Valley Forge • The French • Yorktown

War’s over, now what?• Treaty of Paris,

– Negotiations v. reality

• Northwest Territory• Articles of

Confederation• Debt Management• 13 Nations or 1?• Relations with Britain• Relations with other

world powers • Shays Rebellion• Convention of 1787

But the United States assembled shall never impose or levy any Taxes or Duties, except in managing the Post-Office, nor interfere in the internal Police of any Colony, any further than such Police may be affected by the Articles of this Confederation. The

United States assembled shall never engage the United Colonies in a War, nor grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal in Time of Peace, nor enter into Treaties or Alliances, nor coin Money nor regulate the Value thereof, nor agree upon nor fix the Sums and Expences necessary for the Defence and Welfare of the United Colonies, or any of

them, nor emit Bills, nor borrow Money on the Credit of the United Colonies, nor raise Naval Forces, nor agree upon the Number of Land Forces to be raised, unless the

Delegates of nine Colonies freely assent to the same: Nor shall a Question on any other Point, except for adjourning, be determined, unless the Delegates of seven Colonies

vote in the affirmative.

No Person shall be capable of being a Delegate for more than three Years in any Term of six Years.

No Person holding any Office under the United States, for which he, or another for his Benefit, receives any Salary, Fees, or Emolument of any Kind, shall be capable of being

a Delegate.

(The Articles of Confederation)

Ch 6 – Other – Excluding Const.

• Role / Extent of Loyalist impact • The War – • Revolution as agent of change / prevention of change in social revolution

– Men / wealth – NOT a revolution in terms of social change (comp to France / Russia / China)

– Women “remember the ladies”– African Americans (mostly necessity v. idealism) - Slavery appears doomed in

1780s– Native Americans – Consider Procl of 1763?

• “republican virtue”– Representatives– Women – Art / Roman references

• Who owns the war debt? States v. Fed? • The West • Northwest Territory

– Southwest