U.S. History
EOCT test
Preparation
SSUSH 4
Declaration of Independence
• Explanation to Americans and other countries
as to why the colonist had not choice but to
break away from Great Britain.
• In this document Thomas Jefferson lists all the
unfair practices that Britain placed on the
colonist.
Declaration of Independence
• Written mainly by Thomas Jefferson
• In 1776
• Declared American Independence from
England
• Main Ideas taken from John Locke’s “Social
Contract” Theory
Declaration of Independence
• John Locke believed that if a government
failed to protect its citizens rights and instead
oppressed them, the citizens had a right to
overthrow the government and create a new
one.
John Locke
• Social Contract theory
influenced Thomas
Jefferson’s writing the
Declaration of
Independence.
• Protection of Life,
Liberty, and Property
is government’s job.
Baron de Montesquieu
Militia
• Volunteer colonist who fought against the
British
• Their use of hit and run tactics were
instrumental in winning the war.
Battle of Saratoga
• Called the turning point of the American
Revolution
• because the success of the colonists, even
though outnumbered, convinced France to
send aid like ships and guns to colonists.
• 1st time united States given Diplomatic
Recognition by a foreign country.
Continental Army
• Commanded by George Washington
• Fought the British during the Revolutionary
war.
Valley Forge
• Lowest point for the Continentals during the
Revolutionary War.
• Soldiers starved, experienced harsh winter,
and went without adequate clothing or
shelter.
Baron Frederick von Steuben
• Drilled Washington's
soldiers to make them
into a more
professional army.
Battle of Trenton
• New Jersey
• Washington crossed the Delaware river and
caught the British and German Hessians by
surprise.
• This victory was a much needed morale boost
for the Continentals.
Crossing the Delaware
Marquis de Lafayette
• Young French aristocrat who
experienced the hardships at
Valley Forge as he camped
with George Washington.
• Was instrumental in getting
French reinforcements.
• Created the strategy to win
the Battle of Yorktown (the
last battle in the war)
Battle of Yorktown, 1781
• General Lord
Cornwallis was
surrounded and
trapped by colonial
and French troops.
Treaty of Paris 1783
• Ended the
Revolutionary War
SSUSH 5
Articles of Confederation
• The first form of government for the newly
formed united states
• Gave too little power to congress (could not
tax or enforce laws)
• The State’s kept their power and authority
Constitutional Convention
Shay’s Rebellion
• An uprising of debt-ridden Massachusetts
farmers protesting increased state taxes in
1787.
• The states began to realize that a stronger
central government was needed.
• They decided to send delegates to revise the
Articles of Confederation but decided to write
a new Constitution.
Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
Provoked a need for Stronger
Government
Weakness in
Articles of
Confederation
Example
Change in Constitution
No Standing Army
In ability to deal with
the threat of "Shay's
Rebellion"
Federal Government is given the power
to raise and maintain a standing army
No Federal
Taxation
States did not pay
debts to Congress
and so federal gov't
had no $$
Congress is granted the power to tax,
impose duty and raise tariffs
No Single National
Currency
States minted money,
no set exchange
disrupted trade
among the states
Congress is granted sole power to coin
money
No Executive
Leadership
Failure of direct
leadership resulted in
indecision
A strong executive (President) is
created
Each State had
Equal Vote in
Congress
Smaller states with
low populations had
disproportional power
Bicameral Legislature with proportional
representation in the House of Reps.
Required
Unanimous Vote to
Amend
Complete inability to
correct the failures
under the articles
The 1787 Constitutional Convention
completely replaced the Articles rather
than amending them
Need for
stronger
Government!
James Madison
• Known as the “Father of the Constitution”
• Delegate to the constitution convention from
Virginia
• Proposed the Virginia Plan
• Also introduced a plan for sharing power
between the national Government and the
state governments. FEDERALISM
Virginia Plan
• Two House Legislature based on each state’s
population
• Bicameral Legislature
New Jersey Plan
• One House Legislature with equal
representation.
• Unicameral Legislature
Connecticut Plan “Great Compromise”
• Resolved the conflict between the Virginia
Plan and the New Jersey Plan
• Created a Bicameral Legislature (two houses).
• House of Representatives – representation
based on Population
• Senate – based on equal representation. Two
per state
The Constitution
• Begins with “We the People”
• Created the federal system of government /
“The Supreme Law of the Land”
• Created a Republic
• A Republic is a government in which the
people elect representatives to carry out the
work of government.
Organization of the Constitution
• Preamble – Introduces the constitution by
listing the six goals of the document.
• Seven Articles
• The first 3 set up the Three Branches of
government.
Bill of Rights
• 1st ten Amendments to the Constitution
• Added in 1791 because the Anti-federalists
insisted at list of rights be added before the
constitution could be ratified.
• Bill of Rights protects individual rights!
Federalist
• Believed the country would not survive
without the strong central government.
• Published the “Federalist Papers”
• James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander
Hamilton
Anti-Federalist
• Believed the constitution gave too much
power to the national government and that it
failed to provide a Bill of Rights to guarantee
protection to the People
• Demanded a Bill of Rights!
Patrick Henry, an anti – Federalist is
known for 2 quotes
“Give me Liberty or Give me death!”
“I believe I smell a rat!”
George Washington
• Presided over the
Constitutional Convention
• Overcome many obstacles
during the Revolutionary War
and is considered a great
military leader.
Whiskey Rebellion
• Unlike shay’s rebellion that showed the
country needed a strong central government,
• This rebellion showed the country that the
government we formed under the
Constitution was strong.
• George Washington used 13,000 troops to
enforce the Whiskey tax.
Federalist Era
John Adams – Alien & Sedition Acts
• Second President of the U.S.
• Passed a series of laws where U.S. citizens
were put in prison and their property seized if
spoke out against government.
• Many considered a violation of 1st amendment
freedom of speech and press.
VA & KY Resolutions
• Written by Thomas Jefferson and James
Madison
• Rebuked the Alien & Sedition Acts as
unconstitutional because violated 1st
amendment.
• Nullification theory – a state may declare a
federal law null and void if it is
unconstitutional.
“XYZ” Affair
• Led to an undeclared war with France
• Three French agents, originally called X, Y, and
Z, demanded a large cash bribe for the
delegation to speak to the French foreign
minister
• huge loan to help fund the French wars as a
condition for continuing negotiations
Neutrality Proclamation
• George Washington kept the U.S. neutral
during conflicts between Britain and France.
• Washington warned against entangling
alliances in his Farewell Address.
SSUSH 6