The American Revolution Notes
Early North America
•
By the 1600s, the ____________________ was a very profitable industry.
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France and Great Britain established colonies in North America in hopes to gain wealth from its
_________________________________.
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Caused tension between the two ____________________.
English Settlement
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Many English settlers came to North America for ___________________.
•
Others came for ________________________.
– Many were not allowed to practice the religion they believed in and could face
_________________________________________for their beliefs.
•
Believed the new land could promise a better life.
Atlantic Coast Colonies
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The first permanent settlement was the English Colony of _________________________, 1607, in
today’s ____________________.
– John Smith
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Other English Colonies developed along the Atlantic coast from _________________ to
___________________.
•
Swedish and Dutch colonies developed in New York
English Colonies
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England strongly believed in the idea of __________________________.
– Believed colonies were needed to make England strong and wealthy.
•
Some colonies did not start out well, but with the development of ______________________ in
Virginia that all changed.
Religious Freedom
•
Many ___________________ also left England in hopes of Religious Freedom.
– They did not believe in the teachings of the _____________________________________ or its leaders.
•
By 1643, more than __________________ Puritans had moved to America.
– They founded Rhode Island, Connecticut and ______________________________.
Self-Government
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From the beginning, colonies set up a system of ______________________________
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____________________________- land owners in the colonies who were elected as representatives.
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House of Burgesses developed a ___________________________________________- a government in
which people elect representatives to make laws.
Early Government
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Colonies had their own representative gov’t that set up laws, but each colony had a
______________________ who could ______________.
– Governor was appointed by the ____________.
•
Passed the _______________________________- said colonies had to sell raw materials to England
first, no matter what they could get paid elsewhere.
– Ok at first, guaranteed sales, but later colonists became ____________________ over lost money.
French and Indian War
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Fight between French and English (___________________) over control over North America.
– England wins control over all of France’s territory.
•
The war was very ___________________ and England had big ____________.
•
Britain was desperate for money and decided to _______________________________ and tighten
trade rules in order to help out.
The 13 Colonies
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After the French and Indian War, England gained ____________________ and kept control over
the English Colonies.
•
13- Massachusetts, New Hampshire Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
New England Colonies
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Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire.
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Many people were focused on __________________ and practicing their own religion rather than
industry and money
•
_______________________ and ___________________ communities that supplied for their own needs.
– Grew own food, made own clothing
Middle Colonies
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Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
•
People were looking to practice their own _______________________ and work.
•
Many did not bring their families so they were perfect for long hours in ____________________ and
__________________________.
•
Part _________________, part ____________________
– Lots of trade with England
– Wheat, paper, iron
The Southern Colonies
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Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
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Most people were in business and wanted to make money.
•
Brought families and lived on a ___________________________- large farms that focus on growing
large quantities to sell for a profit.
•
Almost entirely __________________________ focused
– Large part of work force was ________________.
– Grew tobacco, rice and __________________.
Tobacco
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Tobacco became a large cash crop for the southern colonies.
– ______________________: a crop grown in large quantities to sell for a profit.
•
The success of cash crops encouraged England to set up more colonies throughout N.A.
The Stamp Act
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_________________________ taxed all newspapers and other printed materials
– All items had to show a stamp that proved the tax had been paid.
•
Angered the colonists and they began to ____________________ British goods.
– _____________________-to protest by refusing to buy, use or engage in business with.
•
Taxation Without Representation!
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Many colonists were upset that they had no way to _________________________________________
about the taxes to parliament.
•
Taxation without representation became a ______________ and a mission for several colonists.
Protest
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The British government started __________________________ because the colonists were so angry.
•
However, the government still needed money and eventually imposed new taxes, making the
colonists even _______________________.
•
Colonists started to __________________________________ and assemble, eventually Britain sent
more troops to Boston in response to the tension.
The Boston Massacre
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By March 1770, tension was high over the taxes and ________________________ broke out.
•
A crowd of colonists started insulting the British troops and throwing ___________________ at them.
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A shot was fired, and by the end of it _________ people were killed.
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After the incident, all of the taxes were cancelled, except the one on _________.
The Tea Act
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In 1773, the British Parliament passed the ______________.
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It allowed the ________________________________________ to ship tea to the colonies without
paying the tax other had to pay.
– Their tea was much cheaper and they made more money
•
This threatened the way of life of the colonial tea ______________________ and angered many.
The Boston Tea Party
•
To protest against the unfair tea tax, a group of colonists in Boston dressed up as
______________________________________, boarded several British ships in the harbor and dumped
the tea into the water.
•
In response the British government passed the ___________________________.
The Intolerable Acts
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Called the Intolerable acts by the colonists, these were new laws they ________________________.
– Consisted of several new laws
•
These acts made the colonists __________________________ to fight for their liberties.
Intolerable!
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Boston Port Act: closed the _________________________ until all of the ruined tea was paid for.
– Created great hardship for people who depended on trade for a living.
•
Massachusetts Government Act: took away the self-governing of Mass. and replaced
_____________________________ with people appointed by the King or governor.
Intolerable!
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Administration of Justice Act- _________________________________ accused of committing crimes
in a colony could be tried in England, and therefore justice was not fair as _____________________
and ________________ could not travel to testify.
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___________________________________________- required colonists to allow British soldiers to stay in
their homes and feed them.
First Continental Congress
•
In September 1774, delegates from 12 colonies met in ___________________________. They called
themselves the ______________________________________________.
•
They spoke out against the Intolerable Acts and called for their repeal.
•
Many were ______________ about what to do.
First Shots
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The British heard of guns and ammunition being stored in the town of ____________________, they
went to destroy the arsenal.
•
The troops met in __________________________ on April 19th, 1775 and the first shot was fired.
– No one knows who fired the first shot
– First battle of the American Revolution.
Loyalists
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About _________ of the people living in the colonies were _______________________- people who
wanted to remain citizens of England.
– Believed the king had the right to rule the colonies and the ___________________________________.
– They were afraid of the British soldiers
– They had _________________ in England and didn’t want to endanger them.
– They felt the government ran by _______________________ would be worse.
Lobsterbacks
•
Some Loyalists joined the ________________________ and became regular British soldiers.
– Known as “______________________” or “lobsterbacks” because of their red uniforms.
•
British army also consisted of many Native Americans, ____________________________, and even
paid German troops.
Patriots
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In the beginning, the patriots were people who wanted England to remove taxes.
•
Eventually, _______________________- people who wanted to become just “Americans” and be
independent from British rule began forming groups to stand up for liberty.
•
They were known as “Rebels,” “Liberty Boys,” “____________________________ “Colonials,” and
“Whigs”
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Made up about _______ of the population
The Continental Army
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The patriots formed the _______________________ to fight the British troops.
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Largely made up of average men who had little to no experience.
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Were not seen as a threat as they lacked experience and skill.
Second Continental Congress
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In May of 1775, the _________________________________________________ met in Philadelphia.
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Their goal was to settle their differences with England and avoid war.
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_______________________________ refused to work with them.
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Caused more to think __________________________ was the only answer.
Declaration of Independence
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Fighting tension continued.
•
On July 4th, 1776, the Congress issued the _____________________________________________- stated
that colonies were separating from Great Britain and forming a new nation, The United States of
America.
– Written by ______________________________.
Ideas of Reason
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In the Declaration, Jefferson explained why the colonists were ____________________ in founding
a new nation.
•
Used ideas from _______________________ about government and citizens.
– Believed citizens could ______________________ the government if it wasn’t protecting their rights.
– States “_______________________________________________” and King George was in the wrong.
A Turning Point in War
•
After the Declaration, the war between the British and Americans continued.
•
The first important American victory can in 1777 at the ___________________________________ (NY).
– First time British thought they could lose the war.
– _________________ also realized that the Americans could possibly defeat their long time enemy.
The French and America
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The French played a major role in the American Revolution.
– Sent __________________________ to help train the army.
– Offered ___________________ support to block English ships.
– Supplies and aid
•
Why help? The French saw the opportunity to hurt their long time __________________.
Battle of Yorktown
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Final victory for the Americans came at the ________________________________________, and the
French played a key role.
•
The French Navy blocked the British from _____________________________, while American and
French forces trapped the British inside Yorktown.
•
The British realized there was no way to win and surrendered.
Treaty of Paris
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2 years after the Battle of Yorktown, British and Americans signed the _________________________agreement giving the United States of America its independence with Great Britain.
– Defined _______________________ of the US.
– Ordered British Troops out of the United States.
– US would repay all of the _______________ owed to Britain.
The Articles of Confederation
•
At first the United States was a ___________________________________, or a loose union of
independence states.
•
Government was formed under the ____________________________________________- agreement
between the 13 colonies establishing a government.
– States held too much _________________ and this lead to several problems
Weakness of the Articles
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Every Colony had only one ______________, regardless of size.
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Congress could not tax
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No national _______________________
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No nation ____________________________
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No ______________________________________ to enforce laws passed by congress.
Change
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Eventually the problems of the Articles became too big for the new nation.
•
55 delegates met to change the articles, and chose to write a ________________________ instead.
– Set up a ____________________________ in which power was divided between national and state
government.
The Constitution
•
The delegates used the ideas from the great thinkers of the ___________________________________
to form the new constitution.
•
Divided power among three branches: executive, legislative and judicial, like
________________________________ had suggested.
– Created a system of _______________________________________ so the government could not get
too powerful.
Republic
•
The constitution made the United States a ________________________.
– A president would be elected by the ______________________ rather than ______________________
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_________________________________________________________ was elected the first president of the
United States in 1789.
The Constitution and Enlightenment
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The Constitution was formed using key ideas of the Enlightenment.
– ___________________________________________________- the idea that the government receives its
power from the people.
– ______________________________________- the idea that a government may use only those
powers given to it by the people.
The Bill of Rights
•
Eventually, the _______________________________ was added to the constitution.
– ___________________________________- the first _________ amendments added to the constitution
that guarantee certain rights to all citizens and defined powers of the government.
•
The Bill of Rights was also formed using ideas from the Enlightenment on protecting
____________________________ of all citizens.
The Amendments
1. Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion, and Petition
2. Right to keep and bear arms
3. Conditions for quarters of soldiers
4. Right of search and seizure
5. Provisions concerning prosecution
6. Right to a speedy trial and witnesses
7. Right to a trial by jury
8. Excessive bail, cruel punishment
9. Rule of construction of Constitution
10. Rights of the States under Constitution.
The First Amendment
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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of __________________, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of ________________, or of the
_______________; or the right of the people peaceably to _________________, and to
_______________ the Government for a redress of grievances.
What does this mean?
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The government cannot create a law establishing a national ____________________.
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The government cannot regulate what _________________ is acceptable.
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The government cannot regulate what the ________________ covers or prints
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The government cannot forbid people from _________________________ in a peaceful manner.