AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• Great Britain controlled Canada and the 13
colonies.
• The first permanent settlement was Jamestown
(Virginia) – founded in 1607
• For the next 150 years, the British did not
interfere with the 13 colonies
– 3000 miles away
– took two months to get to America.
• By 1757, these colonies contained over one
million people and were becoming prosperous
• After the Seven Years War (1751763), the
British wanted to increase their revenues
from their colonies.
– To cover war costs
– Pay for the expenses of maintaining the army
that defended to colonies
• The British imposed the Stamp Act
– Tax on certain printed documents
– Taxes were harsh
• Colonists formed the Stamp Act Congress
(1765)
– To protest harsh taxes – “Taxation without
Representation”
– Sent protest to the king
– Stamp Act repealed - but harsher laws were passed
– Mob violence and boycotts of British products
– Boston Massacre – 1772
– Boston Tea Party - 1773
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Colonists formed the First Continental
Congress (1774)
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Result of “Intolerable Acts”
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Boston Port Act
Massachusetts Government Act
Administration of Justice Act
Quartering Act
Quebec Act
All colonies but Georgia attended
New boycotts - with committees to enforce boycotts
Sent a Declaration of Rights to George III
All colonies gave support to the work of the 1st
Continental Congress
• Fighting erupted between the Colonists
and the British army in 1775 at Lexington
and Concord, Massachusetts.
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Second Continental Congress (1775)
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All colonies were present
John Hancock chosen President
George Washington selected Commander-in-Chief
of Colonial Army
Became the nation’s first national government
Appointed Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger
Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas
Jefferson to draft a Declaration of Independence.
• On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental
Congress approved the Declaration of
Independence and sent it to George III
• The document declared the colonies to be
“free and independent states absolved
from all allegiance to the British Crown”.
• Foreign countries help the colonists to get
back at the British
– France supplied arms and money
– French officers and soldiers served in
Washington’s army
– Spain and the Dutch Republic also entered
the war against the British
• British General Cornwallis was forced to
surrender to Washington at Yorktown in
1781.
• The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783
– Britain had to recognize the independence of
the American colonies
– Colonies were granted control of the western
territory from the Appalachians to the
Mississippi River
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The independent colonies were fearful
of a strong central government
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State constitutions were written first. All state
constitutions included the ideas of:
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popular sovereignty
limited government
civil rights and liberties
separation of powers
checks and balances
• Next came the constitution for the central
government: The Articles of Confederation
• Ratified in 1781
• The central government consisted of a
legislative body with almost no power.
• All of the power rested with the state
governments
• Resulted in chaos and economic hardships
• 1787 – 55 delegates met in Philadelphia to
revise the Articles of Confederation Constitutional Convention
• The delegates decide to write a plan for a
new national government
• The framers of the constitution created a
federal system in which power would be
shared between the national government
and the state governments
• The constitution provided for three
branches of government
– Executive – the president – enforces the laws
– Legislative – congress – make the laws
• House of Representatives
• Senate
– Judicial – the Supreme Court and other courts
as deemed necessary – interpret the laws
• Each branch of the government has some
power to restrain or check the workings of
the other branches
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
CHECKS THE CONGRESS
CHECKS THE JUDICIARY
PRESIDENT CAN VETO
LEGISLATION
PRESIDENT APPOINTS
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
CAN CALLA SPECIAL
SESSION
PRESIDENT APPOINTS OTHER
FEDERAL JUDGES
PRESIDENT CAN
RECOMMEND LEGISLATION
PRESIDENT CAN APPEAL TO
THE PEOPLE
THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
CHECKS THE PRESIDENT
CHECKS THE JUDICIARY
CONGRESS MAKE LAWS
CONGRESS CREATES LOWER
COURTS
CONGRESS CONTROLS THE
MONEY
CONGRESS CAN IMPEACH
JUDGES
CONGRESS CREATES AGENCIES SENATE MUST APPROVE
AND PROGRAMS
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
CONGRESS CAN OVERRIDE
PRESIDENT’S VETO BY 2/3
VOTE
CONGRES CAN REMOVE
PRESIDENT BY IMPEACHMENT
SENATE APPROVES TREATIES
AND APPOINTMENTS BY THE
PRESIDENT
THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT
CHECKS THE PRESIDENT
JUDGES APPOINTED FOR LIFE
(FREE FROM EXECUTIVE
CONTROL)
COURTS CAN DECLARE AN
EXECUTIVE ACTION
UNCONSTITUTIONAL
CHECKS THE CONGRESS
COURTS CAN DECLARE ACTS OF
CONGRESS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
•
9 states had to ratify (approve) the
constitution for it to become the supreme
law of the land
The first? Delaware
The 9th? New Hampshire
The last? Rhode Island
• Ratified on June 21, 1788
• First President?
• First Capital? New York
• Important to the eventual adoption of the
Constitution was a promise to add a bill of
rights
• 1789 the new Congress proposed 12
• Eventually 10 are approved by the states
and become the Bill of Rights
THE BILL OF RIGHTS
Amendment I - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;
or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.“
Amendment II - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.“
Amendment III - "No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without
the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.“
Amendment IV - "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no
Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.“
Amendment V - "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous
crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in
the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public
danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy
of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against
himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall
private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.“
Amendment VI - "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the
crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously
ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to
be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his
defense.“
Amendment VII - "In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall
exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried
by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than
according to the rules of the common law.“
Amendment VIII - "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines
imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.“
Amendment IX - "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be
construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.“
Amendment X - "The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the people."