The American Revolution

The American Revolutionary Era1763 17831775 1781 Revolutionary WAR

1776 Declaration of Independence

1776 1789 Governed by the Articles of Confederation

1789 Present: Governed by the US Constitution

Causes of the American RevolutionMercantilismForced colonies to trade with only England. Colonists wanted to grow the crops that they wanted to grow and trade with other countries beyond England.

World Affects of MercantilismCauses of the American RevolutionFrench & Indian WarWar leaves Britain with a large debt from defending the colonies. To help pay off the debt, Parliament passed tax laws that angered many American colonists.

Causes of the American RevolutionProclamation of 1763

Forbid settlers from moving past the Appalachian Mountains; reserved land for native Americans.

British tax the colonies

Tax the Colonies!Sugar Act ~ 1764

Tax on sugar, molasses, coffee, indigo, and wine to raise money for Britain.

Tax the Colonies!Stamp Act ~ 1765 Required tax stamps on all printed items and documents.

Colonists strongly opposed; groups begin to take action to show disagreement.

Tax the Colonies!Quartering Act: ~ 1765

Required colonists to house British soldiers and to provide certain supplied to soldiers.

Tax the Colonies!Townshend Acts ~ 1767 Taxes on imports such as glass, lead, paper, paint and tea.

Boston Massacre ~ 1770British troops fired into a crowd of American colonists who were protesting. 5 Americans died and six were wounded. (one was Crispus Attucks, a former slave.)

Was this REALLY a Massacre?After the Boston Massacre, colonists began to form action groups.

Resistance groups formed such as the Sons of Liberty.

They organized protests and boycotts.

It was not uncommon for tax collectors to be harassed, assaulted, or run out of town.

Summarize: List 4 things that are happening in the Political Cartoon. Explain the importance of each.

Resistance: Sons of LibertyTea Act ~1773Tax on tea. Gave one British company the exclusive right to sell tea to America.Boston Tea Party ~ 1773 Members of the Sons of Liberty dumped several shiploads of tea into the Boston harbor to protest the Tea Act.

Boston Tea PartyBritish React: Intolerable ActsIntolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)1774

Passed by Parliament as punishment for the Boston Tea Party

Closed the port of Boston until the Tea was paid for. Did not allow people of Mass. To elect their own officials or hold town meetings. Required the people in all the colonies to feed and house British soldiers.

First Continental CongressAll colonies, except GA, sent delegates to discuss the British taxes.

They met in Philadelphia, PA.

They agreed to boycott (refuse to buy) British goods.

The war begins

Colonists and their Reactions

V/SLexington & Concord American minute-men (colonial volunteers) VS. British troops (Redcoats) on April 19, 1775.

Shot heard round the world.Marks the start of the American Revolution.

Americans Protest Violation of RightsWays of ProtestSmuggling goods illegally with French, Dutch and Spanish merchants.Protested loudly to Parliament. Groups like Sons of Liberty formed to organize protests.Colonists boycotted goods refused to buy goods that were taxed.

British GoodsAmericans Protest Violation of RightsHow Colonists Rights Were ViolatedColonists were not represented in Parliament; taxes were passed by Parliament.British laws permitted government officers to search homes without a search warrant. Persons accused of smuggling could be brought before military courts without rights to a trial and jury.

No Taxation Without Representation

Revolution Debate in GAGeorgia was much younger than the other colonies they had not had a long history of self government. Many colonists had grown wealthy from trade with Britain. They did not want to rock the boat.Whigs or PatriotsTorries or LoyalistsAmerican colonists who opposed British government before and during the American RevolutionAmerican colonists who supported the British government both before and during the American Revolution

Colonists no moreSecond Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence, New Governments for States

1776Second Continental Congress MAY of 1775GA sent delegates this time.

Prepared for WAR: George Washington named Commander of the Continental Army.

British Responds to Second Continental Congress Sent a formal petition, or request, stating their loyalty to him but asking him to stop Britains hostile actions against the colonies. Second Continental Congress Petition to KINGBANNED all trade with the Colonies.

Declaration of IndependenceAuthor: Thomas Jefferson

July 4th, 1776

Three GA Signers: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton.

Formally announces Americas independence from British Rule. Declaration of IndependenceStressed the idea of Popular Sovereignty that the government rests of the will of the people.

All Men are Created Equal.Everyone is born with certain rights that the government cannot take away. Government gets its power from the PEOPLE.The people can do away with a government they no longer approve of.

Mixed Reaction in GA to the Declaration of IndependenceWhigs/Patriots ReactionTorries/Loyalists ReactionCelebration in Savannah when the document was read to ColonistsFired cannonsStaged a mock funeral for King George III

1500 Tories left GA for other British colonies or went back to England. Some stayed to protect their property.

GAs New GovernmentRoyal Government was over. Royal Governor, Sir James Wright, was run out of Savannah.

Whigs (Patriots) took control of the State. From 1776 1778, the Whigs controlled GA.

John Adam TreutlenWAR comes to GeorgiaSavannah is lost to the British, Battle of Kettle Creek and the Siege of Savannah

War Comes to Georgia1778: Savannah was attacked by the British and they gained control of the city.

Sunbury, Augusta, & Ebenezer British control. Backcountry still PATRIOT & try to regain control.

Major Battles: Battle of Kettle Creek & Siege of Savannah

British take Control of GABattle of Kettle Creek - 1779Major Patriot VictoryPatriots gained guns, ammunition and horses.

Victory at Kettle Creek won over many Georgians who had not chosen sides. Lt. Colonel Elijah Clark led battle.

Elijah ClarkeLieutenant Colonel in the American Revolution. Led a force of Georgia patriots in an attack against British loyalists.

Siege of Savannah - 1779France had joined in the War to help the Americans. French ships tried to help GA patriot forces regain control of Savannah. Siege lasted for 3 weeks.

Siege of Savannah - 1779In a last ditch effort, Count Casmir Pulaski led a cavalry charge into the city. Pulaski was killed, and the Siege of Savannah failed.

700 Patriots died

Victory at Yorktown, VACornwallis and the British Army were forced to head to the coast to pick up supplies.

However, the French fleet of ships had blocked off British supply ships.

Washington and the Continental Army closed in behind the British, trapping them on the peninsula, forcing surrender.

End of the War1781: British surrender to George Washington at Yorktown, VA

End of the War1782: Tories and British withdrew troops and gave up control of GA.

1783: Treaty of Paris signed to officially end the war.

Famous Georgians of the RevolutionNancy HartPatriot resident of the GA backcountry. Tories barged in her cabin and demanded a meal. Nancy Hart cooked for them, and while they were drinking, she stole their guns. She then held the Tories hostage in her home; shooting one when they tried to take their guns back.

Austin DabneyMulatto boy born free.After he was wounded in the Battle of Kettle Creek, the Harris family cared for him. One of the only blacks to ever receive land from the State of GA in a lottery. Also received pension from his military service.

Button GwinnettRepresented Georgia in the signing of the Declaration of independence in 1776. 1 of 3 signers of the Declaration of independence. Died in a duel in Savannah in 1777. Has a county named after him in GA.

Lyman Hall & George Walton

Represented Georgia in the signing of the Declaration of independence in 1776.2 of 3 signers of the Declaration of independence. Has a county named after them in GA.

Summing up the warCauses, Advantages, ResultsCauses of The American Revolution Taxes and laws passed by the British (to cover the cost of defending the colonies in the French and Indian War.)Britains continued failure to understand the colonists problemsMany colonists began to see themselves as Americans and wanted self-government. (Britain is over 3,000 miles away)

American AdvantagesFighting on familiar groundDetermined fightersBritain had a delay in getting suppliesBritish were divided at home; some agreed with colonists.France stepped in to help America, Spain later joined as well.

British Advantages Strongest military force in the WORLD (British 500,000 soldiers, America 30,000 soldiers)Three times as many people as the colonists.Colonists were not united(IE: some thought of themselves as Virginians, New Yorkers, instead of Americans).

Why did the British Surrender?It was obvious that Britain could never again gain control over the American colonies. Britain was tired of fighting (They were also fighting Spain and France in Europe.)

Results of the WarAmerica won her independence now the United States of AmericaAmericas Boundaries: Mississippi River to West, Canada to the North, and Florida to the South.Now, the problem became HOW TO RUN THE COUNTRY?

Government of the Colonies Articles of Confederation to ConstitutionGAs Constitution of 1777

52Articles of Confederation Created by the Continental Congress to govern the newly formed States after the Declaration of Independence.

Officially governed the States from 1781 1789. State Governments were the most powerful.

Articles of ConfederationOne Branch of Government: the Legislative NO PRESIDENTUnicameral Legislature (One House) where each state had ONE vote.

Weaknesses: Could NOT taxCould NOT enforce laws b/c no national court system.No Navy or ArmyEach State issued its own money

Constitution Convention May 1787Held to revise the Articles of Confederation that were too weak.

Ended up writing a whole new Constitution.

William Few and Abraham Baldwin represented Georgia and signed the Constitution.

The BIG argument at the Constitutional Convention was HOW States would be represented in the National Government.

How would they vote?

How would their votes count?Large States and Small States disagreed on how votes should be counted in the new government.

Representation in the National GovernmentLarge StatesSmall StatesLarge states wanted representation based on the population of the state. Larger population = more representation & power in the National Government. Small states wanted equal representation by state. They feared that their interests would not be represented. The larger states would have more votes.

Georgia Was SplitWilliam Few voted with the Large States. Abraham Baldwin voted with the small states, forcing a tie.

One delegate voted for small states, and one for large states, creating a tie.

This forced the members of the Convention to reach a compromise.

HOW Georgia VOTED Problem: Representation in the Legislature.

Solution Great Compromise Congress was created with two houses. One with representation based on population, and the other, equal representation by state.

LARGE STATES

Want representation based on population.

SMALL STATES

Want representation equal per state

CongressSenate

TWO Senators per State

House of Representatives

Representation based on population of state

The Great CompromiseFederalism in the Constitution Constitution made the national government most powerful.

Federalism is a political concept where the national government is most powerful but shares some powers with the state. Branches of GovernmentLegislativeExecutive JudicialTo Make LawsTo Carry Out LawsTo Interpret Laws and Settle Disputes.

Georgias Constitution of 1777Ideas Presented in the GA ConstitutionPreamblePopular Sovereignty

Separation of PowersUnicameral Idea Presented in the GA ConstitutionWhat that concept meant WHY it was importantPreambleIntroduction to the GA Constitution proclaimed the concept of popular sovereigntyPopular SovereigntyThe power of the government rests on the will of the people. Separation of PowersA new principle introduced in the GA Constitution. The legislative, executive and judiciary departments shall be separate and distinct, so that neither exercises the powers properly belonging to the other.The three branches of government will be separate from each other and all 3 have different powers. Unicameral One house legislature. Given broad authority to enact laws. Also had the power to appoint officials to the executive and judicial branch. ConceptPowersProblems with this Unicameral LegislaturePower to pass lawsElect the GovernorMembers elected to the Executive CouncilNot a second house acting as a safeguard against lawsExecutive Branch Governor of StateGovernor elected by the LegislatureVery little power could not VETO laws passed by the legislatureOnly served 1 year term in office Could not serve more than one term Executive Council 12 legislators Veto power over the GovernorLegislative branch had ALL the power in the State Government 8 County GovernmentsHave own officials, courthouses, schools, and militiaAll officials appointed by the LegislatureArticles of Confederation1781-1789State Governments most powerfulOne Branch of Government

Weaknesses: Legislative BranchUnicameral One HouseEach State had ONE voteCould Not TaxCould NOT enforce laws no courtsNo Army or NavyStates issued own State moneyU.S. Constitution1789- Present DayNational Government Most Powerful Three Branches of Government:

Bicameral Legislature: Two Houses

Powers:

Legislative (makes laws)Executive (enforces laws)Judicial (interprets laws)House of Representatives Based on PopulationSenate - 2 Senators per stateCan TaxEnforce laws with court system US Armed ForcesUS Govt issued moneyUS Govt regulate tariffs (taxes)Similarities of the Articles and Constitution Declare WarEstablish a Post OfficePass LawsAppoint AmbassadorsGeorgia is 4th to ratify the Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution officially took

effect on January 2, 1789.

Bill of Rights Many were concerned about the new Constitution being unable to protect citizens rights. A Bill of Rights was promised to be added later.

Why Georgia Wanted AStrong National GovernmentThey needed the help and protection a strong national government could provide in defending the frontier against the Indian population

GAs New Constitution of 1789Georgia modified their 1777 constitution to be more like the U.S. Constitution. Three Branches of Government Bicameral LegislatureHowever, most real power continued to lay with the Legislature.

Legislators controlled the raising and spending of money; chose the Governor, the judges, and other state officials; even granted divorces.

Georgia Needs Population GrowthGeorgia had a large territory, but not a lot of people.

Native Americans out numbered whites in GA. Georgia Needs Population Growth