The American Revolution

Background info… European nations were at odds during the 1700s. It spilled over into their colonies around the world. In the 1750s, France and Great Britain were at a war against each other in India and North America.

Background Info… When the French and Indian War was over, Great Britain controlled its 13 colonies in North America. It also controlled Canada and all French territory west of the Mississippi River. Great Britain had won control of a large part of India from the French.

Background Info… The war with the French, and all the newly acquired land made it hard on the British financially. (They were BROKE)…

Causes of the American Revolution European countries operated under the idea of mercantilism. Mercantilism was the idea that the country with the most $$ had the most power. So, colonies existed to make the home country rich.

Causes of the American Revolution How did they manage this? Trade with the colonies was regulated (managed) so that the home country got the most amount of money.

This kind of taxing worked until… The Stamp Act: this was a different kind of tax. This didn’t just regulate trade, but it was a tax added to the colonists to just raise money for England. Stamp act taxed all kinds of printed materials (newspapers, playing cards, marriage licenses etc.) A stamp was placed on document to show tax was paid.

How did the colonists respond to these new taxes? “No taxation without representation.” That meant that the colonists should only be taxed by their local colonial legislatures. They said being taxed by England without being represented in Parliament wasn’t fair.

What did Parliament do? They did eventually repeal (cancel) the Stamp Act after the colonists were so angry. But, Parliament refused to quit taxing colonists in general. There were many other taxes and events that angered the colonists.

After years and years of disagreement, the first shots were fired at Lexington, Massachusetts on April 18, 1775. July 4, 1776, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson wrote it. He used many ideas from John Locke.

American War of Independence The Americans had many disadvantages. For example: Britain was the largest and strongest professional army and navy in the world. American soldiers were made up of untrained recruits and had only a few small ships in their navy.

American Advantages Good leaders: George Washington; Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams to name a few. Washington inspired his men to want to fight. Ben Franklin convinced France, Spain and the Dutch to fight for the U.S. against Great Britain.

Battle at Yorktown Americans are able to block Great Britain’s Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown and defeat the British. The war ended in October of 1781.

The New Nation The new government adopted a federal system of government, where power was shared between a national government and state governments. Government was divided into 3 branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The Constitution was ratified in 1788 and the Bill of Rights was added.

Bill of Rights The bill of rights are the first 10 amendments of the Constitution which guarantee freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, right to bear arms, trial by jury, etc. Many of these rights are similar to the natural rights identified by philosophers of the Enlightenment.

Many people think the American Revolution was the fulfillment of Enlightenment ideas.

Horrible histories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8waBR2Hpsgk&safe=active Crash course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlUiSBXQHCw&safe=active