The American
Revolution
The Decision for Independence


Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson.
Natural rights had been “endowed” to all persons
“by their Creator.”
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No need to claim “rights as Englishmen”
Blamed King George III
Americans no longer considered themselves English
Upheld the right of the people to overthrow
oppressive rule.

Based its argument primarily on the contract theory of
government developed by John Locke: power comes from
the consent of the people.
The Declaration of
Independence


The Continental
Congress passed the
resolution on July 2,
1776
On July 4, 1776, each
member of the Second
Continental Congress
signed the document.
Choosing Sides

1/3 American Loyalists
(Tories)

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Often lived in urban and
coastal areas.
1/3 Patriots (actively
supported)
1/3 Did not care
enough to fight
Not just a war between
the British and
Americans; truly a civil
war.
Who should win? Why?
Turning Points


On Christmas night,
1776, Washington
slipped across the
Delaware River at
Trenton (New Jersey)
with 2,400 men and
surprised the drunken
Hessians, killing or
capturing over a
thousand.
6 American casualties.
Turning Points

Victory at Saratoga
(October 1777)

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Horatio Gates and
Benedict Arnold capture
John Burgoyne and 9,500
British
Saratoga changed
everything
Franco-American
Alliance


Turning Points
Battle of Yorktown
(Virginia)
 October 19, 1781
 Lord Charles Cornwallis
surrounded by French
fleet and surrenders to
Washington
 Over 7,000 British and
Hessians became
prisoners
Added to setbacks in other
parts of the world, the
British decided to end the
war.
Peace of Paris (1783)


An important factor in the
conclusion of peace negotiations
with Britain was the American
decision to negotiate separately
with the British.
Terms
 U.S. political independence
recognized
 Mississippi River recognized
as western border of the
United States
 Congress would not prevent
the British merchants from
collecting debts owed to
them by Americans
 Florida was given to Spain
Results of the American
Revolution: Social effects


Spirit of equality
weakened old habits
of deference
 Example: voting
qualifications were
lowered
Higher education
increased
 Example: 14
colleges founded
in 1780s and 90s
to go with the 9
before Revolution
Results of the American
Revolution: Social effects



Complete freedom of religion
 Transition from the toleration of religious
dissent to a complete freedom of religion
in the separation of church and state
Legislative representation for the backcountry
was increased
Weakened the major Indian tribes along the
frontier / cleared the way for rapid settlement
of the trans-Appalachian West
Results of the American
Revolution: Slavery


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British army freed
thousands of slaves; others
escaped
 55,000 slaves fled to
freedom during the
Revolution
Slaves who fought for the
colonies were given their
freedom
Northern states began to
outlaw slavery
 Only Georgia and South
Carolina continued to
import.
Results of the American
Revolution: Political

Most political experimentation
between 1776 and 1787 occurred
at the state level with new state
constitutions


The Articles of Confederation
were ratified by the states in 1781;
before then the Continental
Congress operated as an
extralegal body
Articles of Confederation (1781)

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Weak central government with
little authority
Congress was not intended as a
legislature, nor as a sovereign
entity unto itself, but as a
collective substitute for the
monarch – a plural executive
rather than a parliamentary body