Unit1 Lecture Notes: Birth of Our Nation to Ratification of the Constitution
I. Colonial America
A. New England Colonies
1. Massachusetts * Pilgrims – 1620 Plymouth, Mayflower Contract: stated that
2. New Hampshire
Government derives its just powers from the people
3. Rhode Island
* Massachusetts Bay Company - 1630 Royal Charter established
4. Connecticut
the Massachusetts Bay Colony settled by English Puritans who
believed they had a special agreement with God to create a moral
society to serve as a model for others to follow.
Roger Williams (Providence, Rhode Island): Separation of church
and state / religious freedom
Economy: Trade, ship building , farming, fishing, lumber,
manufacturing (non-slave)
B. Middle Colonies
1. New York
* New Amsterdam 1625 – established by the Dutch
2. Pennsylvania
Religious tolerance & open door policy = large,
3. New Jersey
diverse population. 1644 – English re-named New Amsterdam
4. Delaware
New York
*William Penn – Pennsylvania 1660 Quakers: established a
society based on equality, cooperation, religious tolerance
Economy: Ship building, shipping, trade, farming, manufacturing
C. Southern Colonies
1. Maryland
Jamestown 1607: First permanent American colony
2. Virginia
Plantation economy – rural, independent
3. North Carolina
Indentured servants = replaced by slave trade
4. South Carolina
Cash Crops: Tobacco, Cotton, Rice, Indigo
5. Georgia
D.
Mercantilism: theory that a nation could increase its wealth and power in two ways.
1. By obtaining as much gold and silver as possible
2. By establishing a favorable balance of trade in which it sold more goods than its bought.
a. Ultimate goal was for a nation to become self-sufficient so that it did not need to depend
on other countries for goods.
b. The key to this process was the establishment of colonies
3. American Colonies: by 1732, 13 English colonies had been established which provided raw
materials that could not be found in England & a market to purchase English goods.
E.
American Colonial Governments: most colonies were similar in structure of their
Governments (Republicanism = Representative Government)
1. Governor appointed by the Crown served as the highest authority
2. Local assembly elected by landowning white males – collected taxes and made laws. Power of
the purse (control of money & payment of the Governor) gave local assemblies power to
influence the actions of Governors
F.
The Enlightenment: intellectual movement that began in Europe during the early 1700’s
1. Philosophers stressed reason and scientific method
2. Movement spread through American colonies due to high literacy of the Puritan
population (public education needed to be able to read the bible)
3. John Locke’s theory of Social Contract:
a. Government came from the consent of the governed
b. Natural rights of life, liberty, and property are guaranteed by birth
c. The people have the right to abolish a government that is a tyranny
d. Rulers have the authority to enforce the law only for public good.
e. Primary influence of the Declaration of Independence!
G.
The Great Awakening: Massachusetts charter of 1691 required Puritans to practice religious
tolerance and to no longer limit voting privileges to members of their own church.
1. Series of revivals aimed at restoring the intensity and dedication of the early Puritan
church in the American colonies.
2. Jonathan Edwards: preached that it was not enough to simply attend church. In order to
be saved, they must feel their sinfulness and feel God’s love for them.
3. Preachers travelled the colonies attracting thousands to outdoor revival meetings giving
impassioned sermons – stirring people to rededicate themselves to God.
4. Impact: democratized the religious experience de-emphasizing the role of the church
authority, led to growth of Baptist and Methodist, increased interest in higher education (new
Universities established)
H.
Both the Enlightenment & the Great Awakening helped lead the colonists to question Britain’s
authority over their lives, they were important in creating the intellectual and social atmosphere
that eventually led to the American Revolution.
II. Road to Independence
A. French & Indian War: officially ended in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris, Great Britain claimed
Canada and virtually all of North America east of the Mississippi river
1. Result: cost of war creates debt in England = King & Parliament initiate new policies and taxes
in America to make up cost.
B. Proclamation of 1763: to avoid further costly conflicts with Native Americans, the British
government prohibited Colonist from settling west of the Appalachians – convinced colonist that
the British government did not care about their needs
C. Sugar Act, 1764 / Stamp Act, 1765 / Townshend Act, 1767: British Parliament imposes greater
taxes on the colonists to help pay the massive war debt & post troops in major ports
1. First collective response by all 13 colonies: Americans protested the increased duties as
taxation without representation, boycotted
British goods.
D. Coercive or Intolerable Acts, 1774: In response to the Boston Tea Party - British tightened control
over Massachusetts by closing Boston Harbor and quartering troops.
1. Colonial leaders form the First Continental Congress met and drew up a declaration of
colonial rights & stated that if the British used force against the colonies, the colonies
should fight back.
E.
Battles of Lexington & Concord, 1775: First fighting between British and American Colonist.
1. led to colonial leaders convening a Second Continental Congress
F.
G.
H.
III.
2nd Continental Congress
1. Established the Continental Army under George Washington
2. Sent Olive Branch petition to King George III which he denied
3. drafted the Declaration of Independence, 1776:
a. drafted by Thomas Jefferson – influenced by John Locke ‘s social contract
b. Unalienable rights: God given rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness
c. Governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed
d. Gave people the right to abolish any government that threatened their unalienable
rights
Thomas Paine’s - Common Sense: widely read pamphlet which stated independence would
give American colonists the chance to create a better society – one free from tyranny, with
equal social and economic opportunities for all.
Sons of Liberty – Colonial patriots that helped rebel against the British control by leading the
colonies into Revolution.
1. Founded by Samuel Adams
I.
Revolutionary War
a. 1776 – British capture New York, Washington crossed the Delaware & defeated the British at
Trenton, NJ and at Princeton.
b. 1777 - British northern army defeated at Saratoga – resulted in change of British strategy (kept
forces along coast) also led to French giving support to Americans.
c. 1778 – Winter at Valley Forge: Friedrich von Steuben trained American troops for battle.
d. 1780 - British captured Georgia & South Carolina, then Yorktown.
e. 1781 - Lafayette’s plan – French & American forces attack Yorktown with the support of the
French navy, British under Cornwallis surrendered.
g. 1783 – Treaty of Paris: ended the Revolutionary War confirming American Independence
J.
Egalitarianism: a belief in the equality of all people. Fostered a new attitude – idea that
ability, effort, and virtue, not wealth or family, defined one’s worth.
A New Nation
A. Articles of Confederation (1781-1787)
1. Republicanism: idea that governments should be based on the consent of the people, and
citizens rule through their elected representatives.
2. Articles set up a one house legislature (Congress in which each state would have one vote
regardless of population. (No executive or judicial branch)
a. Power was divided between the states and the national gov’t.
b. National government had power to declare war, make peace, sign treaties
3. National Government had NO POWER to:
a. regulate trade, tax, enforce laws
B. Northwest Ordinance of 1787: Congress provided a procedure for dividing the land into no
fewer than three and no more than five territories, and set requirements for the admission of
new states.
C. Problems America faced under the A of C:
1. weak national government = each state functioned independently by pursuing its own
interest rather than those of the nation as a whole
2. the Confederation didn’t recognize the differences in population among the states
a. Large and small states disagreed about representation in the government
3. Articles couldn’t be amended without the consent of all the states.
4. Result: Americans grew increasingly more agitated (upset) with the national government
under the Articles of Confederation
a. Revolutionary War debt & failing economy: States were expected to independently
raise money through new taxes to pay debt
b. Shay’s Rebellion: farmers led by Daniel Shay, who lost lands to banks staged an armed
rebellion against the government
1) led to talk of need for a stronger national government
D.
Constitutional Convention (1787-1788)
1. Delegates from 12 states met to discuss reforms to the Articles of Confederation
2. Randolph Resolution: decision to form a whole new government
3. Plans for the new government:
a. Virginia Plan (James Madison) – proposed a 3 branch government with a
2 house legislature (Congress) with representation based on each states population
1) Favored by large states who would gain more power
b. New Jersey Plan (William Paterson) – proposed a single house legislature in which
each state had one vote
4. Great Compromise (Robert Sherman) – offered a two-house Congress to satisfy both small
and big states.
a. Upper house: Senate - Each state would have equal representation
b. Lower house: Representatives -The size of population of each state would determine its
representation in the House of Representatives
5. 3/5ths Compromise: 3/5ths of the slave population would be counted for the purpose of taxes
and representation
a. Slave Trade & Commerce Comprise: slave trade would not be banned for 20 years,
no import tax.
E.
Principles of the Constitution
1. Limited Government – powers granted to the government are expressed in the
Constitution
2. Popular Sovereignty – the people hold the power of government
3. Federalism – divided power between the national government and the state governments
4. Separation of Powers – 3 branches of government: legislative – to make laws, executive – to
carry out laws, judicial – to hear cases
5. Checks and Balances – a system to prevent any one branch from dominating the other
two
6. Judicial Review – authority of the courts to determine actions of the government
unconstitutional.
F.
Preamble: 6 purposes for establishing the government
1. form a more perfect union
2. establish justice
3. domestic tranquility
4. common defense
5. provide for the general welfare
6. secure individual liberties.
G.
Ratification of the Constitution
1. Federalists: supported ratification of the Constitution which would establish a stronger
national government
a. Federalist Papers: (Madison, Jay, Hamilton – pen name Publius) 85 essays defending
ratification of the Constitution
1) Insisted the Constitution granted only limited powers to the national government, and
that the people had the power to protect their rights through the election of
trustworthy officials.
2. Antifederalist: opposed ratification - Constitution weakened the states, the people
needed a national bill of rights to protect them.
a. Letters from the Federal Farmer (Richard Henry Lee) – most widely read Antifederalist
publication, list individual rights and freedoms that are NOT mentioned in the Constitution
3. Compromise: promise to add a Bill of Rights as a first order of business.
H.
Bill of Rights: first 10 Amendments to the Constitution – added in 1791
1. created to protect individual liberties and freedoms from government interference