1. Chapter 5- The American Revolution and Confederation

2. Beginning of the Conflict
First Continental Congress
Purpose:
To respond to Britain’s “threats” to liberty
Still no strong desire for Independence
Who was there?
Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, John Adams, George Washington, John Dickinson, John Jay, Joseph Galloway
Who wasn’t there?
Loyalists

3. Actions of Congress Joseph Galloway’s plan: rejected Measures adopted?
Similar to Albany Plan of Union
Measures adopted?
Suffolk Resolves
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
Meet again in May 1775 if rights aren’t recognized
Suffolk Resolves-immediate repeal of Intolerable Acts; boycott of goods
Declaration- list of grievances, recognized Parliament’s authority to regulate commerce

4. Fighting Begins King George III responds- declares Mass in rebellion
Sent more troops
Lexington and Concord
Minutemen
Humiliation of British
Bunker Hill
Who wins?
Moral victory

5. Second Continental Congress
How did the violence around Boston in the spring of 1775 affect proceedings in the Second Continental Congress?
Military Actions- G. Wash
Peace efforts- Olive Branch Petition
Contradictory?
British response- Prohibitory Act

7. Why did many colonists still desire peace with Britain in 1775?
Valued British heritage, protection; part of great empire

8. Moving Toward Independence
Thomas Paine- Common Sense
Declaration of Independence
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson

9. Patriots and Loyalists
Loyalists (Tories)
40% of population
New England, Virginia
Militia served locally so could return home
African Americans- GW matched British offer for freedom
5,000 served
20-30% of population
New York, New Jersey, Georgia
Helped Br army
Many left at end of war
Wealthier, more conservative
American Indians- Br promised them land

11. Strengths and Weaknesses of Britain
Large population (7.5 million)
Large military
Well supplied, well trained
Mercenaries- Hessians
Loyalists in colonies
Support on Natives
Distractions in Europe (probs with Ireland)
France hates them
Government weak
Some even cheered for colonists
Poor military leadership
No passion
Distance- hard to get reinforcements, supplies, etc
Unfamiliar with terrain

12. Strengths and Weaknesses of America
Good leadership- both political and military
Washington, Franklin, Adams
Defensive War
Fighting for a cause/passion
Agriculturally self-sustaining
No urban center/capital- too spread out for 1 victory to end it
Smaller Population (2.5 million)
No training/ organization
Regional division and jealousy
No weapons
No money- overprinted $$
Didn’t want to tax to pay for war
Inflation
British blocked ports- no imports

14. The Revolutionary War Early losses for Americans
The Continental Army
Valley Forge
Saratoga- TURNING POINT
What were the most important results of the Patriot victory at Saratoga?
**Benjamin Franklin and France- helped convince France to ally with US

16. Victory British tried southern strategy- close to loyalists
Yorktown- last major battle
Surrounded Br, forced surrender
Treaty of Paris
Provisions?
1- recognation of US as sovereign nation
2- Miss River was boundary
3- Fishing rights off coast of Canada
4- Americans would pay debts to Br merchants and honor Loyalists land claims from before war

18. ***Despite being at a clear disadvantage at the start of the war, the American Patriots won. Why?
Distance
Support in Britain?
Struggles

19. New Governments State Governments Commonalities
Conservatives v liberals
Commonalities
List of Rights
Separation of Powers
Voting- why land-owning?
Office-holding

20. Articles of Confederation
In what ways did the Articles of Confederation function effectively? What were its greatest failings?
Ratification
Structure
Powers
Accomplishments
Problems
Shays’s Rebellion
Ratification land arguments
Structure- unicameral, 1 vote each, 9/13 required to pass laws, unanimous for amendments
Powers- ware, treaties, diplomats, borrow money- could NOT regulate commerce, collect taxes
Accomplishments- Land Ordinance of 1785 ( policy for surveying and selling western land- set aside one piece of land in each township for public edu) and Northwest Ordinance1787 (set rules for creating new states- gave limited self government, prohibited slavery)
Problems- financial, foreign power (no respect, no enforcement), Domestic- SHAYS REBELLION

23. Weakness of Articles Outcome
Congress has no power to levy or collect taxes
Congress has no power to regulate foreign trade
Congress has no power to enforce laws
Approval of 9/13 states to enact laws
Unanimous approval for amendments
No executive branch
No national court system
The government was always short on money
Fighting between states/trading difficult
The government depended on states for enforcing laws
Too difficult to enact laws
No way to change government
No way to coordinate government work
No ways to settle disputes between states

25. Issue Articles Constitution Taxes Can REQUEST states to pay taxes
Can tax
Federal Courts
No court system
Court system to deal with issues b/t states, or citizens
Trade
Couldn’t regulate interstate trade
Regulates interstate trade
Executive
No executive- only a Pres of Congress
Exec Branch w/ President; has cabinet; checks power of judiciary and legislature
Amending
Required unanimous approval
2/3 of both house of Congress; 3/4 of state approval
Rep of States
Each state gets 1 vote
Senate- each state gets 2 votes, House of Rep- based on population
Army
Can’t draft troops; states contribute
Can raise an army
Disputes b/t States
Complicated system
Federal court system
Sovereignty
States have power
Constitution the supreme law of the land
Passing laws
9/13 needed to pass law
50% +1 (a majority) of both houses, plus signature of President

26. Social Change Aristocratic Titles- gone Separation of Church and State
Women
Molly McCauley, Deborah Sampson
Colonial Economy
Abigail Adams
Slavery
Contradiction to Declaration of Independence?
Small steps?

27. What was the impact of the Revolution on slaves, women, and Native Americans?

29. Big Idea
How revolutionary was the American Revolution? What political, social, and economic changes did it produce, and what stayed the same?