HOW DID BRITISH

COLONISTS BECOME

AMERICAN CITIZENS?

US History

Unit 1, topic 2

KTHS

Mr. Peal

2010

After the French and Indian War

After defeating the French in

1763, the British controlled

most of eastern N. America.

They needed more soldiers

to control this huge area.

Britain had to pay for the

French and Indian War, so

they taxed their colonists.

Causes of American Revolution

1. Colonists were forced to live east of the

Appalachian mountains.

2. Colonists could trade only with the British.

3. British forced Americans to let soldiers stay in

their houses.

4. British taxed popular products without allowing

colonists to vote in Parliament...

Is tyranny

Events leading up to the

Revolution

1765. Stamp Act boycott

1765 Quartering Act

1767 New taxes more boycott

1770. Boston Massacre

1773: Tea Act Boston Tea Party

“Intolerable” Acts colonists are furious

WAR. British soldiers in Boston

marched to Concord, Mass., on April 19,

1775 to take colonists’ supply of weapons.

Someone fired, and the first battle began.

Revolution is more than a war!

A revolution is a sudden,

major change in society:

for example, a change in

government, religion,

technology, or work.

The American Revolution

was a change in

government in which an

entirely new, democratic

government and society

were created.

Examples of Revolutions

French Revolution (1789)

Industrial Revolution (1750 to

the present)

Russian Revolution (1917)

Chinese Revolution (1949)

Revolutionary events

American government during war

The First Continental Congress (1774-5) gave

colonists a single voice against the British.

The Second Continental Congress was

formed after the revolution started in 1775. It

created the Continental Army. It COULD NOT

tax.

After the Declaration of Independence (1776),

the Second Continental Congress created the

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, America’s

first PLAN for how to govern itself. The central

government was weak. It could not tax.

American ARMY during war

Called the

Continental

Army

Run by

George

Washington,

who planned

strategy (plan

to win the war)

and led the

army in battles

There was

NEVER

enough money

to fight the war

Americans won because…

British were fighting on foreign land, without enough food and supplies.

Americans were supported by French, Spanish, and some Germans

Washington was an excellent general – he kept his armies together, avoided big battles, and controlled almost the whole American population (British could not cut off one area from another)

After the Revolution: What kind of

country to create?

U.S. was still a confederation with a weak

government. Why? Americans did not want

another strong central government (like

England’s).

The U.S. controlled land east of the Mississippi.

The U.S. owed a lot of money too. It borrowed

from France and printed money – a bad idea!

To strengthen the new country and raise taxes, the

Confederation called for a new Constitutional

Convention to create a new government.

How strong should the new

government be?

Big argument while the Constitution was being ratified…and after it went into power. The argument continues today.

STRONG CENTRAL government: Federalists (Alexander Hamilton) Wanted strong central government

Wanted weaker states

Did not want to list and defend individual rights – would restrict the government

VS. WEAK CENTRAL government. Anti-Federalists (Jefferson)

Wanted strong local government, based on independent farmers

Wanted to protect individual rights

Distrusted central government and did NOT want another king. Did not believe central government could rule America democratically.

Features of the U.S.

Constitution

Written in 1787 by Constitutional Convention…ratified by 9 states in 1788…the U.S. government went to work on March 4, 1789.

1. __3______ branches: So no branch would be too strong.

2. Federalism: Strong central government that left important powers to the states and people.

3. Individual rights: Basis of whole system

Features of Constitution (1): Three

Branches

Features of Constitution (2):

Federalism

National State

Features of Constitution (2):

Federalism

Features of Constitution (3):

Individual Rights

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in 1791. It said individuals are born with basic rights, including right to:

Free speech

Free press

Own weapons for self-defense

Freedom of religion

Meet in public (assembly)

Trial by jury

The purpose of government is to defend these rights.

…Doesn’t include slaves, who were counted as 3/5 of a person

Women were ignored too.