Chapter 2
American Revolution
1) What were the main effects of the French and Indian war on the colonies?
After the British defeated France, French power was virtually
eliminated in North America. Colonial leaders began to think about
joining together for their common defense.
2) Why did the Stamp Act anger colonists more than previous taxes?
The Stamp Act was the first direct tax placed upon the colonists.
Notes
Proclamation of 1763:
1) The Ottawa people decided to go to war with the British. This united several
native tribes leading these tribes to attack forts and burn down towns.
2) The reason for the attacks was due to settlers moving into western
Pennsylvania, which was against a previous treaty.
3) King George III orders the Proclamation of 1763, which drew a line (northsouth) along the Appalachian Mountains.
4) Colonists cannot settle west of that line without permission.
Sugar Act/ Currency Act
1) American Revenue Act of 1764 aka Sugar Act.
2) Sugar Act: raised taxes on imports of raw sugar and molasses.
3) New taxes on silk, wine, coffee, pimento, and indigo.
4) The act let officials seize goods without due process.
5) No taxation without representation.
6) Lack of representation in Parliament.
Currency Act of 1764
1) Banned the of paper money in colonies
2) Angered those who used paper money to repay loans
Stamp Act Crisis
1) Taxed most printed materials
2) 1st direct tax levied on the colonists
Townshend Acts
1) Revenue Act of 1767: put new customs duties on glass, lead, paper, paint, and
tea imported by the colonies.
2) Violators had to face trial
3) Legalized the writ of assistance: general search warrants that enable custom
officers to enter any location during the day to look for evidence of
smuggling.
Boston Massacre
 Sparked by the Townshend Acts
 4 additional British regiments arrived in 1768
 Boston natives called the British troops “Lobster Backs”
 Boston crowds harassed troops
 March 5 1770, crowd of colonists began taunting and throwing snowballs at
a British soldier.
 Troops began firing into the crowd
 1st colonists to die was Crispus Attucks
 3 people dead, 2 more would die later, and 6 others were wounded.
 Colonial newspapers portrayed the British as tyrants
 British repeal all taxes except on tea
The Gaspee Affair
 Trade resumes and so does smuggling
 British customs sent ships to patrol North American waters
 Gaspee is a ship
 150 colonists seize the ship and burnt it
 British people wanted to find who was responsible and bring them to trial.
(But not by a jury of their peers)
Boston Tea Party
 Tea Act of 1773
 Colonists were smuggling in cheaper Dutch Tea
 East India company shipped 1,253 chest of tea
 Dec. 16 1773 150 men gathered at the dock
 The men dumped 342 chest of tea into Boston Harbor
Questions
1) Who had the most to lose from the Tea Act?
A: colonial merchants
B: British East India Company
2) Who had the most to gain from the Tea Act?
A: Colonial merchants
B: British East India Company
3) What was the significance of the Boston Tea Party as a demonstration of
protest?
4) What were the Coercive Acts? (Explain)
1) Boston Port Act
2) Massachusetts Government Act
3) Administration of Justice Act
4) Quartering Act
The 1st Continental Congress
 May 1774 VA House of Burgesses called for a day of fasting to protest the
arrival of British troops.
 Similar appeals made in New York and Rhode Island
 Sept. 5 1774 colonial delegates met in Philadelphia for the 1st Continental
Congress.
 12 colonies represented (FL, GA, Nova Scotia and Quebec did not attend)
 Issued Declaration of Rights and Grievances and expressed loyalty to the
King and condemned the Coercive Acts.
 Form committees to protest British goods
Revolution Begins
 October 1774 Massachusetts Provincial Congress assembled. They formed
the Committee of Safety and chose John Hancock to lead it.
 Militias began drill and practice shooting.
 Concord had a special unit called the “MINUTEMEN.”
Loyalist and Patriots
 Americans who supported the British in the conflict known as Loyalist or
Tories. Many where govt officials, Anglican ministers, merchants, and
landowners.
 Believed the British are tyrants where known as Patriots or Whigs. Mainly
artisans, farmers, merchants, planters, lawyers, and urban workers.
 Patriots supported boycotts.
Lexington and Concord
 Patriot leaders heard of the British plan to capture MPC, General Gage. They
sent Paul Revere and William Dawes to sound the alarm. The 2 rode to
Lexington to warn the people.
 William Prescott joined the 2 on their way to Concord. Prescott made it to
Concord as Revere and Dawes was stopped by British patrol.
 April 19 British troops were upon 20 minutemen then someone fired a shot.
 8 minutemen killed and 10 wounded
 British faced 400 colonial militia at North Bridge. The British retreated.
 British head to Boston while militia fired on them killing 73, wounding 174
and 26 missing.
 Colonial forces lost 49 men, 41 wounded, and 5 missing
 News spread and militias from allover wanted to help.
 Militia trap the British in Boston
2nd Continental Congress
 1st issue: Defense
 Vote to adopt the militia army in Boston and named them the Continental
Army.
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George Washington named General
June 16 1775 the Continental Army dug in on Breeds Hill and Bunker Hill to
build a for ton top.
British attacked the fort. The army stopped 2 British attacks but had to
retreat because they ran out of ammunition.
Battle of Bunker Hill built up American confidence
Declare Independence
 1776
 Call for Independence
 Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition (1775) to King George III
(written by John Dickenson) stated that the colonies were still loyal to the
King and asked that the colonies call off hostilities until the situation could be
peacefully negotiated.
 King did not look at it
 The King issued the Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion which called on
all loyalist to bring the traitors to justice
 Continental Congress begins to act like an independent government
 Sending ambassadors to negotiate with Native Americans, est. a postal
system, Navy, and Marine Corps.
 May 1776 Navy raided the Bahamas and had begun seizing British ships
Fighting Spreads
 VA gathers up 2 British armies: one all white and the other enslaved Africans
 Africans will be emancipated if they fight for loyalist
 Southern plantation owners now want independence more than ever
 South tries to create a large Patriot army
 1775 VA’s armies are beaten and British pull their troops out of VA
 NC and SC are also ruled by Patriots
 The Patriots also rule Boston after Washington’s troops defeat the British.
 Dec. 1775 Parliament passed the Prohibitory Act, which shut down trade
with the colonies and ordered a naval blockade.
Common Sense and Independence
 January 1776 Thomas Paine published the pamphlet “Common Sense.”
 Paine attacks King George III. Parliament did nothing without the King’s
support. King George III=tyrant
 July 4 1776 Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence
 The colonies have now become the United States of America
Questions
1) How did Thomas Paine help persuade colonists to declare Independence?
2) How many parts does the Declaration of Independence have? A: 3 B: 4 C: 5
3) What are Natural Rights?
Opposing Sides
 British troops “Red Coats”: well trained and well equipped
 Continental Army: inexperienced and poorly equipped
 Continental Army: 230,000 men served at various times. Hardly ever reached
20,000 men at one time.
 Continental Army: issued paper money-Continentals: not backed by gold or
silver and became worthless quickly.
 Robert Morris a wealthy Pennsylvania merchant helped fund the Continental
Army. Convinced Congress to create the Bank of North America to finance
the military.
 Militias fight differently
 Guerrilla warfare
 Many merchants and parliament members opposed the war on the British
side
 British needed to win quickly to maintain its empire
Opposing Sides Chart
Colonial
Advantages:
British
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Disadvantages:
Battles in the North
 British capture and control New York City. British head quarters for the rest
of the war.
 Nathan Hale was a colonial spy who was hanged by the British. His last
words where, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
Crossing the Delaware
 Troops for both sides go to Pennsylvania
 British troops took up camp in New Jersey
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Washington planned a winter attack
Dec. 25, 1776 Washington led 2,400 men across the Delaware River and
attacked at Trenton.
Killed or captured almost 1,000 Hessian mercenaries.
Philadelphia Falls
 Early 1777 British plan to isolate New England. They did not coordinate the
plan.
 Howe defeated Washington at the Battle of Brandywine Creek and captured
Philadelphia
 Continental Congress escaped set up in Valley Forge in winter
 2 generals join Washington
o de Lafayette from France
o von Stebben from Prussia
 helped Washingto discipline and improved morale
Battle of Saratoga
 General Gates surrounds the British troops in Saratoga forcing them to
surrender.
 5,000 British soldiers taken as prisoners
 Benjamin Franklin sent to France to ask for troops
 The win at Saratoga convinced the French to help
 Feb. 6 1778 France became the 1st colony to recognize the United States as an
independent nation. France and USA now allies.
 June 1778 France is at war with Britain
War in the West
 1778 Patriot George Rogers Clark took 175 troops down the Ohio River and
captured several towns.
 Feb. 1779 British surrender giving Americans control of the region.
 Iroquois tribe attacked Pennsylvania and lost, loosing all their power.
 Cherokee tribes attacked VA and lost, loosing all their power.
War at Sea
 Americans attack British merchant ships
 John Paul Jones( naval officer) attacked British warship. The heavier guns
nearly sand Jones ships.
 British told Jones to surrender and he replied, “I have not yet begun to fight.”
 Battle lasted more than 3 hours: British surrender
Question:
How was the first treaty with France a turning point for the United States?
Battles in the South
 Washington orders troops to Valley Forge to stop British forces.
 Met at the Battle of Monmouth: last major battle in the North. No winner: but
for the first time American troops could stand up to the British troops.
 British started a campaign in the South
Struggles in the Carolina’s
 1778 British capture Savannah, GA
 1780 American surrender in South Carolina and 5,500 Americans taken
prisoner
 Largest American defeat
Battle of Kings Mountain
 Ferguson for the British became a very violent man.
 The “over mountain” men put together a militia
 They intercepted Ferguson at Kings Mountain and destroyed his army.
 By 1781 British controlled very little of the South
Battle of Yorktown
 1781 Cornwallis marched into VA: joined forces with Benedict Arnold
 Cornwallis retreats in VA and goes to Yorktown
 Washington marches on New York City with 6,000 French troops: cancelled
his attack on New York City and headed toward Yorktown.
 French cut off the sea preventing Cornwallis from escaping.
 Sept 1781 French and American soldiers bombard Yorktown.
 Oct 14th capture British defense: 3 days later Cornwallis begins negotiations
 October 19, 1781 some 8,000 British soldiers put down their weapons.
Treaty of Paris
 March 1782: Parliament votes to begin peace negotiations.
 John Adams, Ben Franklin, and John Jay conduct the talks
 September 3, 1783: 3 peace treaties signed. British and US, and Britain and
France and Spain.
 Britain recognizes the USA as a independent nation.
 Mississippi river: western boarder
 Florida goes to Spain
 France receives colonies in Africa and the Caribbean
 Nov. 1783 last British troops leave New York City
Questions 3,5, and 6 on page 62
New Political Ideas
 Est. a republic
 Power resides with a body of citizens who make laws for the whole.
 Elected officials
 Despite contradictions republican ideas change American society
New State Constitutions
 Limit federal government power
 Democracy: John Adams (majority rules)
 Checks and balances “to prevent one group from becoming to powerful
 3 Branches should be separate
 Legislative: Senators protect property Representatives protect common
people
Voting Rights Expand
 Belief in equality
 Easier for men to get the right to vote
 Own a certain amount of property/all white males who paid taxes
 Veteran land grants increased voting rights
Freedom of Religion
 State can not collect taxes for the church
 Separation of church and state
Slavery in the North
 The next 21 years all of the northern states put slavery on the road to
extinction
 Mason Dixon Line is a symbolic divide between free states and slave states.
Women at War
 Run the family farms
 Others traveled with the army
 Spies, couriers, some fought
 Can get a divorce; more access to education
 Schools for girls to learn to read
African Americans
 Thousands gained their freedom
 Opposition to slavery is growing
 Discrimination grows
 Low level jobs
 South showed no interest in ending slavery
An American Culture Emerges
 John Trumbell and Charles Wilson Peale
 Trumbell: served in the Continental Army as an aide to Washington. Best
known for his pics on the Revolution
 Peale was a soldier who survived the winter in Valley Forge. Best known for
portraits of Washington and other patriot leaders.
Changes in Education
 Government funded universities
 Elementary schools
 No more British textbooks
 Noah Webster: educator who believed that American needed to develop their
own educational system based on their own culture. Set the standard for
American English.
Questions:
Answer on page 67 questions 3 and 5
Answer on Chapter 2 Assessment questions 2,7, 10 and 12.