Colonial Resistance and Rebellion
England is in Debt
 The French and Indian
War cost way, way too
much money.
 England started taxing
the American Colonies to
pay the debt back.
 They also started
tightening control over
the colonies.
The Colonies get Upset!
 Sugar Tax, Stamp Tax
(tax on all types of
paper goods)
 Colonies upset – they
felt that it was unfair to
be forced to pay a tax
without having
representation in
Parliament.
The Colonies get Upset (cont.)
 Colonists began to protest and
boycott all the paper goods – it
worked, England repealed the
Stamp Tax.
 Then, England passed the
Townsend Acts – tax on glass,
lead, tea and other goods.
 Colonists boycotted again, it
worked again, England
repealed the taxes – except on
tea.
Things Start to Happen
 Boston Massacre –
a bunch of
colonists are killed
while harassing
British soldiers.
 Boston Tea Party
– in protest of the
Tea Act, a bunch
of colonists dump
English tea in the
harbor.
England Tightens Control
 Intolerable Acts –
punishment for the
Boston Tea Party
 Closed Boston Harbor
 Quartering Act – forced
people to let soldiers stay
in their homes
 Placed Boston under
military control
 Made some gun
ownership illegal
Lexington and Concord
 British troops march to
from Boston to Concord
to capture a supply of
rifles.
 70 Colonists ambushed
them in Lexington and
open fire (only 1 British
soldier died).
 On the way back they are
ambushed by over 3000
colonists (LOTS British
soldiers die).
Colonies Raise an Army
 Second Continental
Congress (the group of
colonial leaders) decide to
raise a militia (army) and
select George Washington
as the commander.
More Trouble in Boston
 Colonial Militia and
tries to free Boston.
 Battle of Bunker Hill
(over 1000 British
soldiers die).
 Colonials capture
Boston.
 British Navy blockades
Boston Harbor.
Moving Toward Independence
 Ideas of John Locke –
Enlightenment Philosopher
 Believed that people were born with
natural rights (life, liberty,
property).
 It is the government’s responsibility
to protect people’s rights.
 If a government does not, then
people have the right to rebel
against that government!
…Toward Independence (cont.)
 Common Sense –
pamphlet/essay written by
Thomas Paine.
 Written to promote rebellion
against English rule (chance
to create a new society,
better control over trade,
etc.).
Declaration of Independence
 Colonists finally
decide that they
should fight to become
a new nation (not just
to earn better
treatment from
England).
 Now all they had to do
was win the war!
The War for Independence
Opposing Sides
For Independence
For English Control
 Patriots – colonists fighting
 English Soldiers
for against England.
 Help and money from the
French, Dutch, Polish.
 Hessians (hired mercenaries
from Germany).
 Loyalists – colonists who were
loyal to the King.
The War
 Patriots lost many battles
early on.
 The first major battle we
won was the Battle of
Saratoga – which
convinced France to help.
 After five years of
fighting, the British
surrendered after the
Battle of Yorktown
(1781).
Why the Colonies Won
 Colonial soldiers fought
hard to defend their homes.
 Colonial soldiers knew the
land better (used guerilla
tactics).
 The British made several
mistakes.
 The war was unpopular in
England, cost too much
money… so they decided to
stop fighting.
Treaty of Paris (1783)
 Officially ended the
war.
 Confirmed that the
Colonies were
independent.
 Set the boundaries of
the new nation.
Confederation and Constitution
Articles of Confederation
 Now that they were
independent, the colonies had
to make a government.
 Articles of Confederation –
created a WEAK central
government with little
cooperation among the states.
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
 Could not collect taxes from
the states.
 Each state had one vote
(regardless of size).
 9 out of 13 states had to
agree to pass laws.
 No executive branch.
 No national court system.
 Could not regulate
interstate commerce
(business).
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
 Plan for settling the
Northwest Territory.
 Would create 3-5 new
states (ignored the rights
of Native Americans).
 This was the only successful thing
that was accomplished by the
Articles of Confederation.
Shay’s Rebellion
 Massachusetts farmers
protested increased state
taxes.
 Protests became a riot, state
militia ended up killing some
farmers.
 Scared all of the colonies –
people decided that a stronger
government was needed to
solve the county’s problems.
Constitutional Convention
 Meeting of colonial leaders to
discuss a plan to fix the Articles of
Confederation.
 They ended up creating a whole
new form of government:
 Federalism – system where the
central (federal) government
shares power with the states.
Conflict over Representation
 Large states wanted
representation in congress based
on population.
 Small states wanted each state to
be represented equally.
 Great Compromise – two houses
of congress: one based on
population (House of
Representatives), one with equal
representation (Senate).
Conflict over Slaves
 Southern states wanted
slaves to be counted for
representation.
 Northern states did not
want them counted.
 Three-Fifths Compromise –
they agreed that a slave
would be counted as 3/5ths
of a person for
representation (and taxing).
Separation of Powers
 Legislative Branch –
makes the laws.
 Executive Branch –
enforces the laws.
 Judicial Branch –
interprets the laws and
settles disputes.
 Checks and balances –
each branch can prevent
the others from
becoming too powerful.
Ratifying the Constitution
 Federalists – favored the
Constitution.
 Anti-federalists – against the
Constitution.
 Bill of Rights – first 10
Amendments that
guaranteed people’
individual rights – protected
against government
becoming too powerful.
Launching the New Nation
Washington is President
 Judiciary Act of 1789 – created
the Supreme Court (and other
federal courts).
 Cabinet – the president’s main
advisors.
 Secretary of State – Thomas
Jefferson
 Secretary of War – Henry Knox
 Secretary of Treasury –
Alexander Hamilton
Political Differences
Alexander Hamilton
Thomas Jefferson
 Favored strong federal
 Favored states having more
government
 Favored business interests
 Loose interpretation of the
Constitution
power – “states rights”
 Favored farming interests
 Strict interpretation of the
Constitution
 FEDERALISTS
 DEMOCRATIC-
REPUBLICANS
Problems Facing the Nation
 Financial problems (debt
from the Revolution)  Created the National Bank.
 Protective Tariffs– taxes on
imported goods (designed to
encourage local production).
 Foreign Affairs
 stayed neutral in conflict
between England and
France.
Conflict over the National Bank
 Federalists felt that it was
necessary to manage the
nation’s economy.
 Anti-federalists felt that
it was unconstitutional
(the constitution didn’t
give the federal
government the right to
do it).
John Adams is President
 Adams was a Federalist
 Alien and Sedition Acts –
 Extended the length it took for immigrants to
become citizens to 14 years.
 Made it illegal to make statements against the US
government.
 Nullification – principle that says that states can
nullify/ignore any law that they believe is
unconstitutional (it never became a law).
 Inspired by the Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions