UNITED STATES
HISTORYUNIT II: THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION (1763-1783)
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
At what point during 1763-1776 did the British colonists develop an American “character” or “identity”?
What are the fundamental ideals and characteristics of this American “character” or “identity”?
THE BRITISH AND COLONIAL RELATIONSHIP
Anglo-French Wars King William’s War (1689-1697) Queen Anne’s War (1701-1713) King George’s War (1744-1734) The French-Indian War—Seven Year’s War
(1754-1763) struggle for dominance between the two most
powerful nations control of markets and raw materials Native Americans caught in the middle
THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR (1754-1763)
British PM William Pitt’s polices: colonial militia under control of the British
military impressments of colonials into the British army seizure of colonial food and other supplies forced quartering of British troops in colonial
homes
PEACE OF PARIS (1763) France cedes Canada to Britain
France cedes the Mississippi River Valley to Great Britain
Britain returns Caribbean holdings to France
France cedes New Orleans and all land west of the Mississippi River to the Spanish
RESULTS OF THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR
British resentment toward the colonies inept colonial military leadership lack of colonial financial support for the war
effort colonial trade with France during the war
colonial resentment toward the British government application of British authority after years of
self-governance
RESULTS OF THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR
beginnings of the “American” identity created extensive contact between colonists
from different regions
new conflict with Indians in the west western Indian tribes were now subjects of
the British Empire
POSTWAR CHANGES IN BRITISH COLONIAL POLICY
Economic changes in Britain pre-1760’s—British use colonies for trade and
commercial opportunity post-1760’s—British North American doubled in size as
the result of the war (what to do with it?) rapid settlement and development? keep the land for hunting and trapping? avoid further conflict with Native Americans?
Geography the thirteen colonies only a small part of the British
Empire 100,000 Native Americans between Appalachians and
MS river now under British rule
PRIME MINSTER GRENVILLE’S FINANCIAL PROGRAM
British reality: staggering war debts British attitudes:
colonies had not paid their fair share for the war effort colonies were not paying a fair share for their
defense reintegrate colonies into mercantilist system
colonies supply raw materials for British industry colonies do not produce finished goods that
compete with British industry all colonial products must be shipped via Britain
Navigation Acts (1660’s)
CHALLENGES FACING GRENVILLE
Frontier/Native American Problem: Britain--control expansion and avoid costs of
frontier protection Proclamation of 1763 colonists cannot expand west of the
Appalachian Mountains puts Western land, trade, and agriculture under
British control largely ignored by colonists
GRENVILLE’S FINANCIAL POLICIES
Sugar Act (1764) eliminate the illegal sugar trade between the
colonies and French/Spanish West Indies primarily impacted New England merchants and
shippers
Currency Act (1764) prohibited colonial assemblies from printing money hurt Southern farmers by diminishing their access to
credit/loans
GRENVILLE’S FINANCIAL POLICIES
Stamp Act (1765) imposed a direct tax on practically every form of
printed document designed to raise revenue from the colonies impacted almost every colonist
Quartering Act (1765) required the colonies to provide housing for
British troops in public buildings
COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE 1 (1765-1766)
Political Propaganda (May 1765) Virginia House of Burgesses Patrick Henry: “no taxation without
representation” pass the “Virginia Resolutions” protesting the
Grenville program
Political Action (1765) Sons of Liberty (Boston)
terrorized British stamp agents and burned stamps
COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE 1 (1765-1766)
Political Organization (October 1765-NYC) Stamp Act Congress
delegates from nine colonies petitioned the King and Parliament
colonists could only be taxed through their provincial assemblies
Economic Action (1765) merchants from NY, Philadelphia, and Boston
boycott all English goods proved the most effective means of resistance
PATRICK HENRY
RESULTS OF COLONIAL RESISTANCE
repeal of the Stamp Act (March 1766) Grenville replaced as prime minister Declaratory Act (1766)
declared Parliamentary authority over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”
Britain gave up on its attempts at direct taxation of the colonists
PRIME MINISTER TOWNSHEND’S POLICIES (1766-1769)
Grenville’s taxation program had been too direct and provocative
utilizes internal taxes to raise revenue without offending the colonistsRevenue Act of 1767
import taxes on a wide variety of commonly used British goods
PRIME MINISTER TOWNSHEND’S POLICIES (1766-1769)
New York Restraining Act (1767) forbid the governor of New York from signing any
law until the colonial assembly complied with the Quartering Act
Reorganization of the Customs Service (1767) replaced colonial customs officials with those
loyal the Britain sends British troops to enforce and protect
COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE II (1767-1774)
Economic Action: 1767 Non-Importation Agreements (New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, Charleston) created a lucrative smuggling trade
Boston Massacre (March 1770) British soldiers wound five and kill five colonists emotionalizes colonial resentment of British troops colonial propaganda against the British
Sam Adams, Mercy Otis Warren
THE BOSTON MASSACRE
COLONIAL RESISTANCE, STAGE II (1767-1774)
Political Organization Committees of Correspondence
communication between colonial leadership
Political Action Tea Act (1773)
gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies
Boston Tea Party (December 1773)
SAM ADAMS
MERCY OTIS WARREN
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
BRITISH RESPONSE TO COLONIAL RESISTANCE
the British decide to make an example out of Massachusetts Intolerable Acts (1774)
closed port of Boston until colonists paid the East India Company for the tea
allowed the army to quarter troops on civilian property
overturned the Massachusetts colonial charter
BRITISH RESPONSE TO COLONIAL RESISTANCE
Quebec Act (1774) extended Quebec province to the Ohio River cut off the land claims of other colonies, like
Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York
CONTINUED COLONIAL RESISTANCE (1774-1775)
solidified radical sentiment in Massachusetts brought the colonies together in open defiance royal governor disbands colonial assemblies
(summer 1774) Massachusetts sets up a Provincial Congress in
Concord created armed force of “minutemen” established payment of taxes collected military supplies in Concord
CONTINUED COLONIAL RESISTANCE (1774-1775)
The First Continental Congress (September 5, 1774)
56 delegates from 12 colonies endorsed a statement of grievances against
the British demanded British regulation of commerce
along pre-1763 policies non-importation, non-exportation, and non-
consumption agreements
STEPS TOWARD REVOLUTION
January 1775—British forces destroy the arms and supplies being stockpiled
in Concord arrest radical leaders (John Hancock, Sam
Adams)Battle of Lexington/Concord (April 1775) Paul Revere/William Dawes night ride British forced to flee back to Boston
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
BURNING THE GASPEE
SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS (MAY 1775)
agree to support the war effort, but disagree on war goals: Extremists: war for full independence from
Britain Moderates: war as a negotiating tool Undecided: looking for a middle ground
Actions: established a Continental Army under command
of George Washington of Virginia Send the Olive Branch Petition to the King
LAST STEPS TO REVOLUTIONBattle of Bunker Hill (June 16-17, 1775) 1,000 British killed and 92 officers—370 colonists
Olive Branch Petition reaffirmed colonial loyalty to the crown colonial choice:
“unconditional submission to the tyranny of irritated ministers” or “resistance by force”
King George refuses to read it and issues a formal proclamation of rebellion
turned much colonial leadership and population toward independence
IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION
Political: colonial political experience had developed in ways
fundamentally different than Great Britain: direct vs. virtual representation
issue of sovereignty unitary (British)
King and Parliament hold complete authority over England and the British Empire
divided (colonists) Parliament legislates for England and the British Empire,
and colonial legislatures make laws for individual colonies
IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION
Literary The Bible
examples of resistance to tyranny suggests a right of rebellion against unjust
government or leadership John Locke—Two Treatises on Civil
Government “compact theory” of government government by people’s consent “right to revolution”
IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION
IDEOLOGY OF THE REVOLUTION
Thomas Paine—Common Sense (January 1776)
reconciliation with Britain was impossible the English system inherently corrupt
monarchy, nobility, heredity monarchy as a form of government is
corrupt and tyrannical
PATRICK HENRY: “GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH”Speech to the Virginia House of Burgess (March
1775) British behavior offered not evidence of hope for
compromise colonists must fight for independence
to preserve individual liberty colonists will win because God is on their side
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
written by Thomas Jefferson, edited by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin
Impact of the Declaration confirmed state of war against Britain defined American political culture and the reason for
the rebellion preservation of natural rights:
“all men are created equal” “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” government by the consent of the governed right of the people to “alter or abolish”
THOMAS JEFFERSON
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
JOHN ADAMS
CHALLENGES OF WINNING INDEPENDENCE
Creating a National Government the Continental Congress had no formal power
over the states it had no authority over the people (no consent) created a confederation of states with a written
constitution (Articles of Confederation)
Creating State Governments states did not have legitimate governments 1775-1780—all 13 colonies adopted new,
written constitutions
REVOLUTIONARY WAR (1776-1783)
British advantages: absolute military superiority population more than 4x of the colonies fully industrialized with resources of an empireBritish disadvantages: significant opposition at home lack of a clear victory strategy doubled government debt high desertion rate
REVOLUTIONARY WAR (1776-1783)
American advantages unity of cause and ideology “home field” advantageAmerican disadvantages Supply
no industrial base Finance
Continental Congress lacked authority to tax the states or the people
war bonds paper money foreign loan
REVOLUTIONARY WAR (1776-1783)
Recruitment soldiers recruited by the state governments enlistments only last one year Congress could not provide necessary
supplies and armaments militia served on their own consent and could
leave at any time
GEORGE WASHINGTON
GEORGE WASHINGTON
THE FIGHTING
STAGE 1 (1776-1778) fighting takes place in the North and mid-Atlantic states Washington’s primary goal is to field and army and
prevent it from being destroyed France recognizes the US and declares war on Britain
STAGE 2 (1778-1781) British move activities to the South
stronger loyalist support overestimated the number and commitment of
loyalists Creates logistical issues
VALLEY FORGE
CROSSING THE DELAWARE
TREATY OF PARIS
Treaty of Paris (September 3, 1783) British recognize American independence borders—the land between the Canada and Florida,
and the MS River and the Atlantic Ocean Mississippi River was open to American and British
ships