Seeds of Revolution
This 1754–1763 war between Britain and France over the Ohio River Valley left Britain deeply in debt.
The French and Indian War. Britain won, but to pay its war debt it began taxing the colonists.
In March 1770, British soldiers fired into a crowd, killing five colonists including Crispus Attucks.
The Boston Massacre. Patriots like Paul Revere used it as propaganda against Britain.
Written mostly by Thomas Jefferson and adopted on July 4, 1776, this document announced the colonies' break from Britain.
The Declaration of Independence. Its purpose: explain why the colonies were separating and list the king's abuses.
America's first national plan of government, approved in 1781, which created a weak central government.
The Articles of Confederation. Americans feared a strong government after their experience with the king.
The idea that the government's power comes from the people.
Popular sovereignty ("We the People…")
This 1765 law taxed newspapers, legal documents and playing cards and sparked the cry "No taxation without representation!"
The Stamp Act. The first direct tax on the colonists; protests and boycotts got it repealed in 1766.
These 1767 taxes on imported glass, lead, paint, paper and tea led colonists to boycott British goods.
The Townshend Duties (Townshend Acts). All were repealed in 1770 except the tax on tea.
The Declaration's idea of "unalienable rights" to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness came from this Enlightenment thinker's idea of natural rights.
John Locke. Enlightenment ideas in the Declaration: natural rights, government by consent of the governed, and the right to overthrow an unjust government.
Under the Articles, Congress could not do this, so it had to ask the states for money.
Collect taxes. Other weaknesses: Congress could not regulate trade or raise a strong army.
Dividing the government into legislative, executive and judicial branches.
Separation of powers. Congress makes laws, the president carries them out, the courts interpret them.
Passed in 1764, this was the first law aimed at raising money from the colonies, taxing molasses and sugar.
The Sugar Act. Smugglers caught breaking it were tried in courts without juries.
In 1773 colonists dressed as Mohawks dumped 342 chests into Boston Harbor to protest this law.
The Tea Act (the Boston Tea Party). The Tea Act gave the British East India Company control of the tea trade in the colonies.
Britain had a trained army, a powerful navy and more money. Name ONE advantage the Americans had.
Any one of: fighting on home ground (knew the land), fighting for their homes and freedom, a strong leader in Washington, or French help after 1778. American disadvantages: untrained soldiers, little money, few supplies. British disadvantages: fighting 3,000 miles from home and relying on hired soldiers.
Under the Articles there was no president and no national courts, and each state got this many votes in Congress.
One. Big states and small states had equal power.
Each branch can limit the others. Example: the president can veto a law passed by Congress.
Checks and balances. Another example: the Senate approves the president's Supreme Court picks.
This law required colonists to house and supply British soldiers.
The Quartering Act
Britain punished Massachusetts for the Tea Party with these 1774 laws, which closed Boston Harbor.
The Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts). They also limited town meetings and expanded quartering; the colonies responded by forming the First Continental Congress.
At this winter camp in 1777–78, Washington's army suffered badly but came out stronger after Baron von Steuben trained the troops.
Valley Forge. A turning point because the army left camp as a disciplined, professional fighting force.
Changing (amending) the Articles required approval from this many of the 13 states.
All 13 (unanimous approval). Passing an ordinary law needed 9 of 13, which made the Articles nearly impossible to fix.
Power is divided between the national government and the state governments.
Federalism
When it repealed the Stamp Act, Parliament passed this law saying it could make laws for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."
The Declaratory Act. Britain backed down on the tax but insisted it still had full power over the colonies.
The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired at these two Massachusetts towns in April 1775.
Lexington and Concord. British troops marched to seize colonial weapons.
Trapped by American and French forces at this Virginia town in 1781, General Cornwallis surrendered.
Yorktown. A turning point because it was the last major battle; Britain gave up and began peace talks.
This 1786–87 uprising of Massachusetts farmers angry about debts and taxes showed the national government was too weak to keep order.
Shays' Rebellion. It convinced many leaders that the country needed a new, stronger constitution.
Citizens elect representatives to make laws for them.
Republicanism