1. American Revolution: The Birth of a Republic

2. Britain and its American Colonies
By the mid- 1700s colonists had been living in America for nearly 150 years
They saw themselves as less British– than as Virginians or Pennsylvanians; however they were still British subjects
England passed the Navigation Acts in the 1660s in order to control the colonial trade but the Americans mostly ignored these laws
Colonists can only sell goods to Britain
Higher taxes on imported French and Dutch goods
Very difficult to enforce  lead to smuggling
Did not truly enforce until after the French and Indian War

3. Americans Win Independence
After the French and Indian War ended in 1763 England began to toughen its trade laws
Colonists expected to help cover the costs by paying taxes
In 1765, the Stamp Act was passed. Colonists had to pay a tax to have an official stamp put on wills, deeds, newspapers, and other printed material
Colonists believed it violated their natural rights
They argued they should not pay the tax because they had no representation “No taxation without representation”!!!!  repealed Stamp Act in 1766

4. Continental Congress(es)
After the Boston Tea Party British troops occupied the cities.
Representatives from each colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia to form the 1st Constitutional Convention.
British troops and American militiamen battled at Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775
The 2nd Continental Congress voted to raise an army to be commanded by George Washington and the Revolution began.

5. Americans Win Independence
In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson
Firmly based on the ideas of John Locke
Jefferson argued that Britain violated American natural rights

6. Americans Win Independence
Success for the Colonies
Washington’s ragtag army beat the strongest army in the world
Why?
Americans had the support of the French
People of Britian were weary of taxes after six years
British army surrendered and was trapped at Yorktown

7. Americans Create a Republic
The first plan of government of the U.S. was the Articles of Confederation
This new government was a republic
Citizens ruled through representatives
Created a weak national government because of their experience with the British
No executive or judicial branches, only one body of government  Congress
Concerned leaders called for a Constitutional Convention
February 1787: Constitutional Convention to REVISE the AOC
The 55 delegates were well-rehearsed in the theories of Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau----ENLIGHTNEMENT IDEAS

8. Enlightenment Thinkers Ideas
The new Constitution and Bill of Rights showed the influence of many enlightenment thinkers
Montesquieu: checks and balances and separation of powers
Rousseau: public elections
Voltaire: free speech and religion
Beccaria: Bill of Rights which protect the accused
Locke: natural rights