Columbus to the Constitution

A Review of Chapters 1-8Kevin Supakkul Luke CamperlengoJosh Nottingham Catherine Lillie

New World Beginnings

Over in Europe• It’s all about the

spices• The spice trade

brought wealth to the nations that owned it• Marco Polo was a

huge influence on Europe’s desire to visit Asia

• However, them Asians were too far away: land routes were extremely costly and inefficient• Portugal was the first

nation to employ sea transportation to move the spices

Here comes Spain• The Portuguese were threatening to become the

most powerful nation in Europe• The Spanish decided they weren’t having any of

that• Columbus was granted a sad excuse for ships

and crew, and he set sail for the East Indies• And of course, he found… Indians?

Spain vs Portugal (3,2,1 fight!)• Yeah… they did not like each other• In 1494 the Pope (who happened to be born in

Spain) ruled that the Spanish would get control of most of the New World land and the Portuguese would claim the rest of the world that was not under Christian rule already. This is the Treaty of Tordesillas.• It wasn’t long before Spain dominated the New

World: Cortes conquered the Aztecs and Pizarro overtook the Incas

Spanish America• The conquistadors were harsh and cruel rulers

who were very selfish and up to no good• Mestizos were people of mixed Indian and

European race• Father Junipero Serra and other Spaniards tried

to set up missions to convert the Natives. However, those were not very effective because many of the Natives ended up dying from disease

The Columbian Exchange• First of all, Columbus has way too many things

named after him

New WorldOld World

Gold, silver, corn, potatoes,Wheat, sugar, rice, horses,

tomatoes, syphiliscows, pigs, smallpox, measles, flu,

death

Why were the Spanish so dominant?• Germs. The Natives

fell like dominoes• The Spanish had

superior weaponry and bigger egos: they felt the need to conquer conquer conquer

• 3 Gs: God, Gold, Glory• No competitions from

the other Europeans in America...yet

Chapter 2The Planting of English America

Religious stir in Europe• Protestant Reformation• Phillip II of Spain (Catholic) fought against the

British Protestants by building the Spanish Armada which got cleaned up pretty nicely by a storm• The defeat of the Spanish Armada led to British

dominance of the seas… ‘Murica here we come!

The British are Coming the British are coming!... To America• First was Roanoke… they were abducted by

aliens for all we know. Poof• Primogeniture were laws stating that the eldest

son could inherit his father’s fortunes: this left many younger sons to want to move to America• Joint-stock companies financed the colonies in

America• The company that financed Jamestown was the

Virginia Company

Jamestown: 1607• The charter said that the colonists had the

rights of Englishmen… yeah this will come back to bite the British later• Jamestown was all about money: People came

for economic opportunity that they otherwise did not have at home

Jamestown cont.• Struggled a lot initially: many colonists died

during the first year• Native Americans were there first, mosquitos

were being their annoying and deadly selves, and some of the settlers were searching for nonexistent gold in the area• Eventually they got going with tobacco: it grew

surprisingly well in the otherwise sad excuse for soil in Jamestown

Jamestown cont.• Tobacco became king of Jamestown: It ruined the soil

and made them dependent on one crop to run a whole colony

• Headright system: if you paid for a servant to travel over to do labor, you received 50 acres of land. It was the indentured servants system

• In 1619 Africans were introduced to Jamestown: this was the beginnings of the American slave system (boo)

• House of Burgesses was a representational assembly in Virginia: King James I did not like this

Other Early Colonies• Lord Baltimore founded Maryland (1634) which

became a mostly Catholic settlement• The Carolinas were set up by King Charles II for

growing crops for exporto Carolina and Rhode Island were the most

democratic of the original colonies• Georgia was set to be a buffer colony to protect

against the Spanish. It was also a charity colony for debtors

Early Colonies cont.• The plantation

colonies: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia• Commonalities:

Economies based on cash crops, there was some religious tolerance

Chapter 3Settling the Northern Colonies

John Calvin and Puritanism • Martin Luther and John Calvin gave explosive

ideas regarding religion• John Calvin preached Calvinism which stressed

“predestination” • Puritans - people influenced to totally reform the

English Church

The Pilgrims• The Separatists (Pilgrims) came from Holland• After an agreement with the Virginia Company they left on the

Mayflower for New England • Mayflower Compact - a set of rules to obey, not a constitution

but sets an example for future constitutions• Plymouth Colony (Thanksgiving!)• William Bradford - Governor of Plymouth

The Bae Colony• Non-Separatist Puritans got a royal charter in

1629 • “Great Migration”• John Winthrop - Governor for 19 years (“City

upon a hill”)• Freemen elected the governor and his

associates (Not a Democracy)• The purpose of the Government was to enforce

God’s laws

Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams

• Challenged the Puritan Church• Banished from the Massachusetts

Colony • Roger Williams creates Rhode

Island

New England Colonies• Hartford and Connecticut (1635)• New Haven (1638)• Parts of Maine (1677)• New Hampshire (1679)

Puritans v Indians• Connecticut/Pequot war• King Phillip’s war

The Colonies Start to Come Together

New England Confederation• Defense against foes or potential foes• Milestone towards colonial unity

The First Revolution• The Dominion of New England• Sir Edmund Andros (ew)• The first Navigation Acts• The Glorious Revolution• The English are in the courts

The Old Netherlands• Netherland gains independence from Spain• The Dutch East India Company and Henry Hudson• The Dutch West India Company• New England hates the Dutch • Sweden Trespasses and the Thirty years war• The Dutch fall in New York

Penn and the QuakersQuakers - a religious society of friends

William Penn - founded Pennsylvania, refuge for the Quakers• very friendly with the natives

The Middle ColoniesNew York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania• all large exporters of grain (bread colonies)• more ethnically mixed• more religious tolerance than the rest

Chapter 4American Life in the 17th Century

Tobacco • Huge tobacco economy• labor supply problems• indentured servants and the

headright system

Bacon’s Rebellion• Nathaniel Bacon fed up with William Berkeley’s

indian policies• Attacked indians, chased the Governor out of

Virginia and burned the capital

Colonial Slavery• Higher wages and the Royal African Company caused a change

to slave labor• The beginning “Slave Codes”• A new southern hierarchyThe Slave Revolts• NYC 1712 - 12 white people died, 21 blacks executed• South Carolina slave revolt - tried to march to Spanish Florida,

stopped by local militia

New England v The SouthNew England

Less diseaseChurch got the land if the husband died

Migrated as familiesWomen got no land rightsWomen made tons of babiesStrong policies to hold the integrity of marriages

South

Hierarchy of plantersWoman got some land rightsWoman would work in the house and in the field if needed

Halfway Covenant • Halfway Covenant - can join the church without

full communion• increased membership and funds for the

churches

The New England Way of Life• Calvinism + soil + climate• Soil was stony and the climate was horrible• Led to job diversity and little farming• Fish and Lumber industries

Chapter 5Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution

Population Increase• 2.5 million colonial residents by 1775

2 million white, .5 million black “forced immigrants”• One colonist for every 3 residents in Britain -

shift in balance of power• Only four communities big enough to be called

cities: Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Charleston o all had less than 34,000 residents

• 90% population in rural areas

Mingling of Races• Germans

o 6% of population• Scots-Irish

o 7% of populationo not actually Irish - they were Scots Lowlanders forced into

Northern Ireland• African Slaves

o 20%

Mingling of Races (cont.)• “Other”

o French, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish, Swiss• Melting Pot

o “...strange mixture of blood which you would find in no other country.” - Michel-Guillaume de Crevecoeur

• These non-English settlers felt little to no loyalty to the British Crown

Colonial Society• North

o families grew and available land shrunko younger sons and daughters hired out as wage laborerso Boston - large number of homeless poor, supported by public

charity

• Southo riches created by slave plantations not evenly distributedo wealth in the hands of the largest slave owners widened the

gap between the wealthy and the poor

Workforce• Agriculture

o Tobacco, wheat, grain• Fishing

o major industry in NE, stimulated shipbuilding• Triangular Trade

o Stimulated trade between England, Africa, and thecolonies

Workforce (cont.)• Lumbering

o most important manufacturing activityo supplied shipbuilding industry

400 ships built per year one third of british marine fleet was American-made

• Growing Trade Imbalanceo Growing American demanded British goods but Britain no

longer needed American goodso American began seeking out new, non-British marketso Parliament passes Molasses Act

Churches• Anglican Church (Church of England)

o official faith in Georgia, Carolinas,Virginia, Maryland, New York

o served as a major prop of kingly authority - British officials attempted to impose it on other colonies

• Congregational Church (formerly Puritan Church)o had formal establishments in all colonies except Rhode

Islando supporters of the revolution

• Religious toleration relatively successfulo the only real discrimination against Roman Catholics, but

there were so few of them in America that it was a non-issue

The Great Awakening • Religious revival 1730s-1740s• Jonathan Edwards

o human beings not predestined to eternal damnationo “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

• George Whitefield - new preaching styleo “Old Lights” - orthodox clergymen, skeptical of new wayso “New Lights” - Defended Great Awakening for its role in

revitalizing American religion

The Great Awakening (contd.)• Effects

o emphasis on direct, emotive spiritualityo increased numbers and competitiveness of churcheso encouraged fresh wave of missionary work with nativeso led to founding of Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, Dartmoutho broke down sectional boundaries and denominational lines

Benjamin Franklin• Poor Richard’s Almanac

o emphasized homespun virtues like thrift, industry, morality, and common sense

o more widely read than everything except Bible

Newspapers• Powerful agency for airing political grievances

and rallying opposition to British control• John Peter Zenger Trial

o newspaper printer accused of libel (knowingly false accusation) for assailing corrupt royal governor

o found not guiltyo achievement for freedom of the presso helped to establish that true statements about public

officials was not libel

Politics in the Colonies• Different types of colonial gov’t:

o proprietors who chose governors - Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware

o elected governors - Rhode Island, Connecticuto royally appointed governors - all the rest

• Two-House Legislatureo upper house appointed by king or voters (depending on

gov’t)o lower house elected by people

• Voting Qualificationso white, male property ownero upper class afraid of “democratic excesses”

Chapter 6The Duel for North America

France and Canada• Quebec

o Established by Samuel de Champlaino Natives

helped Huron fight against Iroquois Iroquois prevented French from expanding into Ohio

o Government direct control by king - completely autocratic no representative assemblies or trial by jury

France and Canada (cont.)• Main Industry

o beaver pelt fur trade

• Antoine Cadillaco founded Detroit in 1701 to keep English settlers from

pushing into Ohio Valley

France and Canada (cont.)• Robert de la Salle

o Floated down Mississippi to Gulfo Named Louisiana for Louis XIV

• New Orleanso Fortified French port in 1718o grain and supplies floated down Mississippi Rivero Became major center of trade in the West

King William’s and Queen Anne’s Wars• Pitted British colonists against French Fur trappers• neither side had access to troops, so guerilla warfare was used

• Spain allied with France• Both French and British allied with whatever native they could

• British won Acadia for winning warso Populated by French and later renamed Nova Scotia

War of Jenkin’s Ear• Started in 1739 by British and Spanish in

Caribbean sea and Georgia• Also known as “King George’s War in America”• British won by capturing French-held

Louisbourgo Treaty of 1748 handed it back to Franceo Caused outrage in New England colonies

War with France• 1754 - George Washington sent to Ohio Country

to secure 500,000 acres for Virginians• His militia killed the French leader, so French

called in reinforcements• Virginians forced to surrender of July 4, 1754

War with France (cont.)• French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War) -1754

o Fought in Europe and America

• Albany Congress - 1754o attempt at unity within colonies to bolster common defense

against Franceo Delegates from only 7 of the 13 arrived o Ben Franklin’s “Join or Die” cartoono Failed because colonies did not want to give up sovereignty

War with France (cont.)• Treaty of Paris 1763

o peace settlement between French and Britisho Land exchange: French lost all except few islands in West

Indies, Spanish gave Florida to British in exchange for Cubao end of French control in North America

Effect on Colonists• Effect of War

o increased colonist confidence in militaryo many Americans now trained and experienced in battle

• Disunity is a Problemo caused by great distances, geographical barriers, conflicting

religion, differing types of gov’t

Pontiac’s Rebellion• Ohio chief Pontiac led violent rebellion to keep

Americans out of Ohio River Valleyo Overran all but 3 British posts west of Appalachians

• British responded w/ biological warfareo distributed blankets infected with smallpox to nativeso also realized they needed to stabilize situation w/ natives

Chapter 7:The Road to Revolution

Ideological Origins of the Revolution● The lack of the formal structure that had dominated the lives of Europeans led to the festering of

newer and radical ideologies in the American Colonies; The new Ideologies fell into two Distinct groups.

● Republicanism, An ideology inspired by civilizations of antiquity such as Greece and Rome, attested that members of a society ought to willingly relinquish their own petty concerns in the interests of the collective. This belfi drew a stark contrast to the autocratic system established in the Americas

● Radical Whig Values, developed in Britain, also affected colonial thought in that it attacked the potential for corruption in the British monarchy, especially regarding the monarchy and the nobility.

Mercantilism and the Colonies ● Salutary neglect had largely been “running” the colonies until the mid-17th century, as evident in

that not but one of the colonies (Georgia) had been founded through official British government ventures, rather they were founded through various joint-stock companies or zealots.

● The Navigation Law of 1650 Was the first law passed by parliament in order to regulate colonial shipping as a deterrent to Dutch merchants. The law made the shipping of colonial good legal only in the utilization of British transport. This law was naturally passed without the consent of the colonies.

● The concept of British mercantilism itself had always been somewhat detrimental to the colonies, creating an utter reliance on trade with Britain and debasing the American economy.

Increase in Legislation ● In the wake of the Seven Years war, Britain began to pass more legislation regulating the colonies, to various effects.

The Legislation may have been outright be ignored or even protested. ● The Proclamation of 1763 declared that territory could not be settled beyond the Appalachian Mountains as an effort

to protect Native American Tribes. It was entirely ignored by the colonies. Also in 1763 stricter enforcement of the Navigation Law of 1650 were emplaced.

● The Sugar Act of 1764 stated that the colonies would pay an attenuated form of a sugar tax that already existed in England, which received negative reception in that the colonies had no consent in its passing. Protests further decreased the tax.

● The Quartering Act of 1765 Allowed British Soldiers to legally house themselves in the homes of the colonists. Its was met with vigorous protest through assembly

● The Stamp Tax of 1765 mandated the use of official stamps on virtually all official documents. The stamp tax was not perceived well and caused protests, boycotts and violence until it was repealed after the formation of the Stamp Act Congress in the colonies. The Stamp act Congress sent grievances to the British government and organized boycotts in order to better send their message. The stamp tax was repealed by the Declaratory Act.

The Townshend Acts● The Townshend Acts of of 1767 emplaced numerous taxes on various goods through both direct

and direct means. They sparked further colonial protest and demand for representation in the British Parliament. They were also seen as controversial by the colonists in that they were used to pay the salaries of British appointed officials in America.

● Further Boycott and non-importation measures were emplaced by the colonies as a means of protest, along with smuggling.

The Boston Massacre ● As a response to colonial protests, parliament garrisoned an increased amount of soldiers in the

city of Boston, lending to further colonial unrest. ● On March 5, 1775, a crowd of 60 70 townspeople assaulted a line of some ten redcoat soldiers and

met unsanctioned defencive retaliation in the form of eleven killed or wounded.

The Committees of Correspondence ● The Townshend Acts were virtually repealed by parliament due to their ineffectiveness under the

prime minister Lord North, retaining only a tea tax. This tea tax continued to stand as symbol of the autocratic nature of the British government and their disregard for the Americas.

● Committees of Correspondence, first formed in 1772, acted as cells open resistance to British rule in the form of interchanging dissident sentiments.

● In 1773 Virginia had formed The House of Burgesses, and recommend that every colony follow along and form their own committees.

● The Committees of Correspondence Grew and by 1774 every colony had formed its’ own committee of correspondence, each one eventually collectively evolving toto the continental congress.

The Boston Tea Party ● The Tea Act of 1773 was passed by parliament in an attempt to save the British East India

Company from bankruptcy by helping them sell 17 million pounds of tea a low price to the colonies. The tea sold was entirely cheaper than it ever had been, but it still retained the tax, causing American protesters to cry foul on the principal.

● In Boston, the governor of Massachusetts forced citizen to allow the tea to be unloaded unto the harbor, sparking a protest and resulting in the entire shipment that had arrived being dumped into the harbor; The Boston Tea Party was a forewarning of the revolution in the repromentdation that it warranted.

The Intolerable/Coercive Acts ● In response to the behavior of the citizen of Boston, parliament in 1774 passed a series of acts that

came to be known as the Intolerable/Coercive Acts.● The Boston Port Act shutdown Boston Harbor as a direct retaliatory measure for the rowdy and

unsavory display of the colonists. Other restrictions were emplaced that affected town hall meetings and how British Soldiers could be tried for crimes.

● The Quebec Act allowed the continual practice of catholicism in the French regions of Canada, eliciting the rage of a then by majority protestant America.

The Continental Congress unto Lexington and Concord

● In 1774, the 1st Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in order to redress colonial grievances over the Intolerable Acts. The 13 colonies, excluding Georgia, sent 55 men to the convention. (The 1st Continental Congress was not a legislative body, rather a consultative body, and convention rather than a congress.)

● Post seven weeks of deliberation, the 1st Continental Congress drew up several papers; The papers included a Declaration of Rights and solemn appeals to other British-American colonies, to the king, and to the British people.

● The creation of The Association was the most important outcome of the Congress,calling for a universal boycott of British goods; nonimportation, nonexportation, and nonconsumption.

● In April 1775, the British commander in Boston sent a detachment of troops to Lexington. They were to seize provisions of colonial gunpowder and to capture the "rebel" ringleaders, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. At Lexington, 8 Americans were shot and killed. This incident was labeled as the "Lexington Massacre."

● When the British went on to Concord, they were met with American resistance, the confrontation resulting in 300 casualties and 70 deaths. Britain now had, rather than rebellion on her hands.

The Ravishing Might of the Immortal English Juggernaut

● Britain had over three time the population of the colonies along with an infinitely superior industrial capacity, naval capability and real function economy (not an imaginary one).

● Many Americans remained wholly loyal to the Crown, with major concentrations in New England and the South.

● Britain would run into seemingly trivial complications in that they had an Irish Insurgency in need of a good quashing along with shifty Frenchmen just itching for the opportunity to slide some gats to whatever punk was buying.

● Britain also encountered various logistical botherations in maintaining their military presence in the colonies

God Save our Gracious King, long live our Noble King, God Save the King

Some Called the Americans Plucky

● The Colonies were skilled in skirmishing (running away), but for the most part won because the French Wanted them to.

● Marquis de Lafayette played a large role in organizing the American Efforts to repel the British. ● The Colonial economy deprecated itself into oblivion within a few months. ● France openly declared an alliance with the colonies in 1778.

" Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé

Some Called the Americans Plucky

● The Colonies were skilled in skirmishing (running away), but for the most part won because the French Wanted them to.

● Marquis de Lafayette played a large role in organizing the American Efforts to repel the British. ● The Colonial economy deprecated itself into oblivion within a few months.

" Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé

Chapter 8 (Or America Secedes From Empire

Chapter 8America Secedes From Empire

George Washington

● The Second Continental Congress appointed George Washington, already a military man, as the head of the rabble besieging Boston. He had fake teeth, as was the style of the time.

● Washington was selected on the account that he was not from New England, being a native of Virginia as to prevent alienating the revolution from non-New Englanders.

Bunker Hill

● From April 1775 to July 1776, the Continental Congress was both affirming their loyalty to the crown by sincerely voicing desires to rectify their disparities while at the same time raising militias and waging open war.

● In June of 1775, Colonists took over Bunker Hill outside of Boston; it was soon recaptured but in a pyrrhic victory.

● After Bunker Hill, The Continental Congress passed an “Olive Branch Petition” professing American Loyalty, but it was ultimately rejected. King George declared the colonies to be in an open state of rebellion.

Thomas Paine and Republicanism

● At the dawn of the conflict, the majority of the colonists thought of themselves still loyal to the British crown and fighting a war of recognition, not Independance. Ideology began to shift , though, with the publication of Common Sense among minor British atrocities such as the utilization of Hessians and the destruction of Norfolk.

● Common Sense, published in 1776 by Thomas Paine, became one of the most influential pamphlets ever written; it called for complete independence from Britain, as small things had no business controlling large things.

● Thomas Paine was an advocate of Republicanism, calling for the people themselves to be the source of power in a Government. His beliefs diffused and the cause for independence was strengthened.

Aspirations of Independence ● On July 2, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia's resolution of declaring independence was passed;

It was the formal declaration of independence by the American colonies.● Thomas Jefferson was appointed to draft up the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of

Independence was formally approved by Congress on July 4, 1776. The declaration was comprised of grievances held by the colonies and why they would no longer accept the rule of a distant nation when independence was a possibility

Saratoga and Victory ● The Battle of Saratoga in 1777 proved to be a major turning point in the war as upon news of such

a major folly on the part of the British, France made preparations to officially declare itself an ally of the rebelling colonies, which it did in 1778, eventually to be joined by The Netherlands and Spain in 1779.

● The Battle at Yorktown in 1781 was the last major confrontation of the revolutionary war, beginning as a siege and resulting in American victory with the arrival of the French Fleet. Cornwallis, the commanding British officer, surrendered on October 19, 1781.

The Treaty of Paris

● In 1782, a Whig ministry replaced the Tory regime of Lord North, allowing for peace negotiations to proceed.

● The treaty was negotiated by John Jay, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams.Conditions of the Treaty of Paris of 1783:

I. Britain was to Formally Recognize the United StatesII. Florida was to be ceded to Spain III. Both Britain and the Untied States would have free access to the Mississippi river IV. Britain was to withdraw its soldiers from western holdingsV. The United States was to retain its Newfoundland fishing rightsVI. The Loyalists Living in the colonies were no longer to be prosecuted or their property seized.