American Revolution What is it? What were the causes? What were the effects?

Review of Events Leading to the Revolution 1676, Bacon’s Rebellion Increase in population in Virginia push colonists out to new land Colonists were angry about: 1) bad soil; 2) angry Indians; and 3) high taxes Colonists attacked Indians and the Gov. Berkeley, and burned Jamestown Significance: showed that farmers would not tolerate a govt that catered only to the wealthy 1689, the Glorious Revolution in England English nobles overthrow King James II; replaced by Queen Mary and King William Led to the establishment of the English Bill of Rights Significance: 1) The King cannot be the sole ruler, power must be shared; and 2) English Bill of Rights will eventually set the standard for American Bill of Rights

Review of Events Leading to the Revolution 1689—mid-1700s, development of mercantilism Queen Mary and King William give charters back to colonies in exchange for economic cooperation Colonists agree to ship raw materials (i.e. tobacco and lumber) to England exclusively (only) in exchange for manufactured goods However, colonists had to either pay duties to the English or higher taxes on foreign goods Colonies imported more than exported Significance: 1) Beginning of unbalanced trade between the colonies and England; 2) led to the development of Triangular trade; and 3) led to change in Navigation Acts 1700—Change in Navigation Acts First navigation act established in 1651, created to destroy Dutch trade in colonies But, by 1700, England had cheaper, higher quality goods  colonists only bought from England This led to consumer dependency in the colonies and unfair trade with England

New Events Leading up to the Revolution Enlightenment 1600s and 1700s A movement headed by thinkers who believed that all problems could be solved using science and human reasoning Challenged old ways of thinking about science, religion, and government in Europe Rousseau and Voltaire (France), and John Locke (England) looked for natural laws that could be applied to govt, society, and economics Locke challenged the unlimited power of the monarchs; believed in natural rights from God, not monarchs European Competition Mid-1700’s, England, France, Spain, and the Netherlands (Dutch) in worldwide struggle for empire (territories) Especially, England and France in colonies  a series of wars (mainly in Europe)

European Competition Leads to War The British wanted France out of North America The French had support of most Indians in the region Result of English/ Indian relations, including Pequot War and King Phillip’s War However, Indians benefited as both the French and English gave gifts; but land was at stake causing them to want to maintain balance of power The English population of 1.5 mil outnumbered the 70k French French forts along Great Lakes, and down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers depended on Indians for protection The fertile unsettled land near the Ohio River became a main point of conflict Both France and England claimed the land, but it remained unsettled In 1754, French built Fort Duquense in western Pennsylvania to keep English from moving westward

French and Indian War Virginia governor, Robert Dinwiddie sent colonial troops led by George Washington to evict the French; but, instead, Washington and troops attacked the French In a counterattack by the French, Washington surrendered  his defeat kicked off a world war that spread from America to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the West Indies French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War In the beginning the English suffered, then they beat two French troops, but then suffered a huge defeat at Fort Dusquense after French ambush However, Washington skillfully retreated and saved half of the British soldiers The French, then, destroyed British forts around the Great Lakes and Indians raided British frontier settlements in Pennsylvania and Virginia

French and Indian War Between 1758 and 1759, the British managed to cut off French shipping to the Americas The Indians deserted the French in favor of the British The English captured important forts: 1) Fort Duquense and 2) the French fortress of Louisbourg at the entrance of the St. Lawrence River 1759, English take over Quebec 1760, British capture Montreal and force the French to surrender the rest of Canada Treaty of Paris (1763) Fighting continued around the world, with England gaining victory also in India, the Phillippines, West Africa But, the Treaty ended the war with British getting to keep Canada, the Great Lakes, the Ohio River valley, and Florida

After the War The British win was also a loss for American Indians Indians could no longer play French against England English settlers expanded onto Indian land in the interior English ended delivery of goods to the Indians 1763, multiple Indian groups captured most of the British forts along the Great Lakes, as wells as raided settlements of western Penn., MD, and VA—this was known as Pontiac’s Rebellion Britain wanted quick less costly end to war  respect the Indians instead of fight them (war costs money), so English settlers were restrained This also led to Proclamation of 1763, a document ordering colonial settlers to remain east of the Appalachian Mountains However, this did not last long Large war debt would soon increase tensions between England and colonies

After the War The British had an extensive (large) war debt, plus the expensive job of protecting their territories from the French Colonies were unhappy with each other and called to review the Albany Plan of Union (a document calling for the colonies to unite under British rule and to cooperate during war) However, colonies did not accept the plan in fear of losing some of their own autonomy and ability to (kind of) self-rule The British began imposing new taxes on colonists and new trade regulations to recover from the war  led to issues with the colonies