The American Journey,
Ch. 2: Road to Independence
SECTION 1:
FOUNDING THE AMERICAN COLONIES
Spanish Colonies in America
 You already learned that other countries set up
colonies in America.
 Spain primarily set up in the Caribbean, Florida, and
the Southwest (California-Texas and Cen. America).
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Remember, they used missions, presidios, and pueblos to
Christianize the Native population.
They also used slave labor to cultivate agriculture in the
Caribbean.
Not nice.
French Colonies in America
 The French settled primarily in Eastern Canada to
profit from fur trapping and trading.
 However, they also discovered the Mississippi River
and claimed a vast territory (which they called
Louisiana after King Louis XIV), extending up the
Mississippi River north to Canada, South to the Gulf
of Mexico, east to the Appalachian Mountains, and
west to present-day Colorado and Idaho.
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Pg. 119: map
Remember how huge Louisiana was in the 1600’s—it comes
into play in a big way later!
English Colonies in America
 English colonies were primarily created by charter,
a land grant or permission granted by royalty.
 The English set up colonies along the East Coast and
throughout Northern Canada.
 The Virginia Company (a joint-stock) set up the
first permanent English colony in America,
Jamestown, 13 years before the Pilgrims reached
Plymouth.
English Colonies in America
 Life in Jamestown was very hard.
 How did the colonists manage to survive? [discuss]
 Luckily, they had strong leadership under John Smith and
were able to practice subsistence farming.
 Eventually, they found a cash crop: tobacco.
 Why would more people go to Virginia?! [discuss]
 They were given the right to elect burgesses, or government
representatives if they moved to Virginia.
 This House of Burgesses voted on laws for the colony.
 It was the first colonial representative government, but it
created a pattern that the future states would follow.
 Virginia eventually became a British royal colony.
English Colonies in America
 The Pilgrims (Puritans) came to America because
they were being attacked for their faith at home.

They landed in (present-day) Massachusetts, outside the
Virginia Company’s protection, & had to make their own laws.
 They created the Mayflower Compact.
 How did the Mayflower Compact work? [discuss]
 The colony set up its own laws.
 Everyone agreed to do what was best all of Plymouth.
 It was so successful, that more Puritans came over
and founded Massachusetts and its capital, Boston.
English Colonies in America
 Connecticut and Rhode Island soon followed.
 Connecticut’s Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was the first
constitution in America.

A constitution is a formal plan of government.
 Rhode Island was the first American colony to allow
complete freedom of religion and separation of church
and state.
 New York was originally a Dutch colony called New
Netherlands, but the English kicked the Dutch out.

Not nice.
English Colonies in America
 Colonists in Virginia eventually spread west and settle
on Native American land, leading to conflicts.
 Maryland was created Catholic, but eventually the
number of Protestants led to the Act of Toleration
(1649), an early step toward religious freedom.
 Carolina was set up as a gift colony for King Charles
II’s friends, but eventually the southern settlers took
control and divided Carolina into North and South
Carolina.
English Colonies in America
 Georgia was the last English colony created.
 Originally it was for debtors, but it became a haven for religious
refugees, too.
It was also created to be a
barrier between Spanish
Florida and the British
Carolinas.
The 13 colonies, c. 1733
New England
Colonies
Middle
Colonies
Southern
Colonies
• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts (including Maine)
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island
• New York
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware
• Maryland
• Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Georgia
The American Journey,
Ch. 2: Road to Independence
SECTION 2:
LIFE IN COLONIAL AMERICA
Trade in Colonial America
 Remember that there was NO United States yet.
 Each of the 13 colonies was largely separate, and they seldom
mixed. Often they didn’t even get along.
 Colonists would say, “I’m a Virginian” or “I’m a Pennsylvanian,”
but never “I’m an American.” Why? [discuss]
 The colonists thought of themselves as (and were) British
citizens.
 New England was the center for the triangular
trade:
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1. Materials/crops taken from Caribbean to New England.
2. Goods manufactured in N.E. and taken to Africa.
3. Goods traded in Africa for slaves, who are brought back to
Caribbean to raise more crops and get more materials.
Trade in Colonial America
 The Middle Colonies were good for growing crops.
 These crops were taken to New York City and Philadelphia to be
shipped off.
 That made NYC and Philadelphia very busy, populous cities.
 The Southern Colonies were known for heavy
agriculture.


Plantations were the center of farming.
This led to a huge need for workers…
Slavery in Colonial America
 Why would colonists use slave labor? [discuss]
 Cheap
 Workers were scarce
 Social beliefs (inferiority, etc.)
 Most were simply raised thinking it was not a problem
 Many, especially Puritans, Quakers, and Mennonites
in the North, opposed slavery.
Religion and Education in the Colonies
 How do you suppose the Great Awakening would have
influenced the colonists? [discuss]
 One of the biggest impacts was the spread of
education.

Originally education was religious education, but it quickly
became general.
 More education meant more reporters, magazines,
newspapers, etc.

How might this have impacted future events? [discuss]
Government in the Colonies
 Originally, the colonies were owned by individuals or
companies.
 Gradually, Britain began taking direct control of the
colonies and establishing its own governors and laws.
 The early governments had a two-house council:
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The House of Lords (upper house) was filled by British lords and
officials.
The House of Commons (lower house) was filled with colonial
citizens.
How do you suppose things played out with this setup? [discuss]
Government in the Colonies
 Because Britain (England + Scotland) was powerful
and looking out for its own best interests, it began to
pass laws that affected the colonies.

Navigation Acts (1650’s):
All colonial goods must be sold to Britain, even if another country
offers a better price.
 All goods bought from other countries must first go through Britain
and be taxed.
 All goods must be shipped to America on British ships with British
crews.

 How did the colonists react? [discuss]
History of Limited Government
 Magna Carta (1215): The king did not have absolute
authority and had to grant certain rights to citizens.
 English Parliament: House of Lords/House of Commons.

People got representation
 English Bill of Rights (1689): King had to grant all fair
rights to Parliament.

Inspired American Bill of Rights
 Virginia House of Burgesses (1619): First representative
assembly in the colonies.
 Mayflower Compact (1620): Set up direct democracy
based on “just and equal” laws for all.
The American Journey,
Ch. 2: Road to Independence
SECTION 3:
TROUBLE IN THE COLONIES
The French and Indian War, 1754-1763
 Both France and Britain claimed the area between the
13 colonies and the Mississippi River, known as the
Ohio River Valley.
 The French recruited Native Americans to help them
fight the British.
 The colonies began to band together to protect
themselves from a potential French threat.
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
Remember, they thought of themselves as British subjects.
Remember, also, that the colonies had not previously
cooperated much aside from trade.
Britain Begins Harsh Policies
 Once Britain won the war, it gained control of all of
American colonies from the East Coast to the
Mississippi River.
 Immediately, Britain began issuing proclamations
restricting the colonists’ movement, trade, etc.

Why? [discuss]
 Britain also began to heavily tax the colonies.
 Why? [discuss]
 They needed money after the expensive war.
 Probably a measure of control over the colonies.
Britain Really Ticks Off the Colonies
 New laws:
 Sugar Act (1764): Actually lowered a tax, but only to circumvent
smuggling.
 Stamp Act (1765): Tax on all printed material (must be stamped)

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Eventually repealed
Declaratory Act (1766): Britain can tax the colonies however it
likes.
Townshend Acts (1767): Taxed basic items (glass, tea, paper,
lead) that were imported.
 How did the colonists feel about all this? [discuss]
The Boston Massacre
 Let’s look objectively at the “Boston Massacre.”
 How did the events even come to pass?
British troops were stationed in Boston
 Crowd was getting rowdy and resented troops’ presence
 Troops were probably overworked and underprepared

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Who was to blame? [discuss]
What was the outcome?
Anti-British sentiment
 Repeal of all Townshend Acts except Tea Act

The Boston Tea Party
 Why did the colonists hate the Tea Act? [discuss]
 British East India Co. (BEIC) didn’t have to pay taxes
 This meant that colonial tea was more expensive
 No one was buying colonial tea
 King George III responded to the Boston Tea Party in
1774 with the Coercive Acts, which the colonists called
the Intolerable Acts.
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Boston Harbor was closed
British troops had the right to be quartered in colonists’ homes
Boston was under military rule
Changes in the Colonies
 Several factors you need to know:
 1. By no means did everyone want revolution.
 2. The people united somewhat against Britain, but there was
still no United States yet, and each state had its own ideas about
how to act.
 3. However, the British acts did unify the states more than ever,
and many began to think of themselves as Americans.
 4. Most thought that Britain could be reasoned with and that if
fighting did break out, it would be short-lived.
The Continental Congress
 The Continental Congress was really the first
unified meeting of representatives (except Georgia).
 Several figures showed up who would become famous:
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George Washington & Patrick Henry of Virginia
John & Samuel Adams of Massachusetts
 What did the Continental Congress achieve?
 Statement of grievances: asked Britain to repeal the acts.
 Boycotted all British goods until acts repealed
 Formed a militia, an army of citizen soldiers, just in case…
Independence?
 However, most were not willing to consider
independence, even in 1774-1775.
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This part of history is usually way oversimplified.
Many, called Patriots, were willing to consider war against
Britain, but even most Patriots hardly considered independence.
Many were neutral.
Others, called Loyalists, were totally against war and
independence. They were still quite loyal to Britain.
 This was not a simple, unanimous decision!
 Beginning with the Sugar Act in 1764, colonists became
increasingly angry at Britain, but it took 12 years before the
colonists finally wrote the Declaration of Independence!
Fighting Breaks Out
 In 1775, however, the colonists’ hands were forced.
 Minutemen and other colonial troops were ready for war if
Britain initiated it.
 King George III ordered British troops to seize the arms at
Concord, Massachusetts.
 This is when Paul Revere and William Dawes made their
legendary ride.

They didn’t actually say, “The Redcoats are coming!”
 At Lexington and Concord, several skirmishes led to
about 80 deaths.
 Believe it or not, independence was still a while off.
The American Journey,
Ch. 2: Road to Independence
SECTION 4:
WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
War Begins
 The Second Continental Congress meets in 1775.
 This time Washington, Adams, and Henry are joined by
Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, among others.
 The Continental Congress realized that a war was inevitable, but
they still didn’t think it would be huge.
 The Second Continental Congress began to govern all the
colonies and created the united Continental Army under
General Washington.


What does this show? [discuss]
The Continental Congress still tried to petition George III for
peace, which he refused.
Independence!
 Finally the Second Continental Congress voted to
declare independence.

“A leap in the dark”
 Thomas Jefferson authored the document on July 4th,
1776, and it was passed on July 6th.

What/who were Jefferson’s influences? [discuss]
Magna Carta (1215)
 English Bill of Rights (1689)
 Thomas Paine’s Common Sense (Jan. 1776)
 John Locke: “right to life, liberty, and property”/social contract
 John Adams and Benjamin Franklin assisted

The Declaration
 Look on pg. 152 and read the quote from the
Declaration of Independence.
 What does this quote mean? [discuss]
 Declaration of Independence, pgs. 164-167
Behind the Scenes: The Revolutionary War
 Remember, Patriots, Loyalists, and those who were
neutral still strongly argued the war.

It was still far from unified or unanimous!
 American Revolution inspired other countries.
 Spain and France aided the war effort with troops.
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
Lafayette & Rochambeau
France and Netherlands aided financially.
France and Saint Domingue looked to America as a model for
their own revolutions in 1789 and 1791.
 General Washington was brave and competent, but he
was not phenomenal, and Americans lost many, many
bloody battles due to his being timid and hesitant.
Behind the Scenes: The Revolutionary War
 Life for soldiers was utterly miserable, especially
during the Valley Forge winter.


Food, clothing, ammunition, and shelter were scarce.
Many troops did not see any payment for a long, long time.
 The war was a very long effort, 1775-1783.
 Although the British conceded and began peace negotiations in
Paris in 1781, peace was not established for two more years.
 “Washington Crossing the Delaware” took place in 1776. It was
important, but it was nowhere near the decisive victory.
 Frankly, the Continental Army probably lucked out.
 Britain made lots of tactical mistakes.
What Was Gained?
 At the Treaty of Paris (1783), Britain officially
recognized The United States as being its own,
separate nation.
 By 1787 U.S. territory claims included all of the land
from Florida to Canada west to the Mississippi River.

[See map, next slide]
Claimed by
Britain & U.S.
Added by Treaty
of Paris, 1783.
Formerly British
territory won in
French & Indian
War
Claimed by
Spain & U.S.
FIN