Brinkley, Chapter 5 Notes

Defining American War Aims

When te Second Contnental Congress met tey agreed t support te war but disagreed about its purpose.

Brinkley, Chaptr 5 Nots Te Adams Cousins - Favored Independence Tomas Paine, autor ofC ommon Sense Te American Revoluton argued tat te greatst problem facing te colonists was te English Consttuton and geting rid of it was wort fightng for.

Moderats - Quick reconciliaton wit Britain( John Dickinson) Most Americans believed at first tat tey were fightng not for independence but for a redress of grievances witin te Britsh Empire, but tey changed teir minds as te fightng spread t teir backyards.

Declaraton of Independence Mobilizing for War Contnental Congress, July 4 1776 Financing te war was difficult because Congress had no autorit t levy taxes on “Tat tese Unitd Colonies are, and, of right, ought t be, fee and independents tats; tat its own and had t borrow fom stat governments. tey are absolved fom al alegiance t te Britsh crown, and tat al politcal connexion between tem and te stat of Great Britain is, and ought t be, ttaly dissolved.” Most of te money used t finance te war came

Launched a period of energetc politcal innovaton, as fom France and oter natons. one colony aftr anoter considered itself as a “stat.” Volunter soldiers were scarce. Stats had t pay Jefferson wrot most of te Declaraton, but had bountes or draft tem int service. help fom Ben Franklin and . Borrowed many concepts circulatng troughout At first, militamen remained under contol of teir respectve stats but Congress te colonies and fom te Enlightnment. recognized te need for a centalized military command and creatd a By 1777, Congress adoptd a plan for union, te Artcles of Confederaton - a weak Contnental Army wit George Washingtn as te Commander. decentalized systm of government.

War for Independence Te First Phase

Britsh Advantages: American Advantages: Parliament did not believe it was a “real” war, but quarrels Americans suffered many losses wit some exceptons like Bunker Hil Greatst Navy Fightng on own trritry If not for a series of Britsh mistakes, te war would More commited t te conflict Best Equipped Army probably have ended by 1778

Resources of an empire Substantal aid fom abroad Te Second Phase Britsh General Wiliam Howe offered te colonists: Coherent stucture of command surrender wit a royal pardon or face a batle against overwhelming odds. Americans rejectd Howe’s offer.

Te Britsh statgy relied on dividing te Contnental Army int 2. Americans suffer more losses. Luck: In al te defeats, te Colonists managed a huge victry at Saratga () Early Britsh blunders andm iscalculatons Saratga changed EVERYTHING = French Diplomatc Recogniton, Military Support, Skiled Generals, and MONEY.

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Securing Aid From Abroad American Canada Te French stod t gain te most of a Britsh defeat Revolution Battles and Cities At first tey provided te Colonists wit badly needed supplies but no formal diplomatc recogniton. French foreign ministr, Charles Gravier de Vergennes Saratoga wantd evidence tat te Americans had a real chance of winning. (Saratga) Boston Delaware River Lexington & Concord Battles Prime Ministr Lord Nort offered te colonists complet home rule witin te Philadelphia Cities empire for Americans if tey would quit te war. Valley Forge Richmond Vergennes feared te Americans would accept te offer and destoy France’s opportunit t support Britain. Formal

Charleston recogniton was grantd t America.

One of te greatst gifts fom France was Le Marquis de Lafayete. George Washingtn at Valey Forge

Te Final Phase: Te Sout Winning te Peace

Aftr Saratga, te Britsh relied on heavily Loyalist sentment in te Sout. Tey Conwalis’s defeat provoked outcries in England

overestmatd Loyalist sentment. Tey also tied t convince slaves t fight for tem. Lord Nort resigned as Prime Ministr

Aftr Britsh victries in Savannah and te Carolinas, Cornwalis moved Nort t Britsh emissaries appeared in France t negotat a peace setlement for te final batle of te war which tok place at Yorktwn, VA.

American and French forces Ben Franklin, John Adams, and quickly descended on Yorktwn. John Jay were te American George Washingtn and French diplomats General Count de Rochambeau marched t Yorktwn t meet te Treat signed on Septmber 3, 1783 Marquis de Lafayete. Tis joint operaton caused te surrender of Cornwalis. Te war for independence was over.

Treat of Paris 1783 War and Slavery For some Afican Americans, war meant feedom. Te Britsh helped many escape 1. Ful American independence te county as a way of disruptng te American war effort. recognized by Britain Nov. 7, 1775 Lord Dunmore issued a 2. Boundaries set: Proclamaton“A nd I hereby frter declare al Nort = indentured servants, Negroes, or oters fee, tat West = MS River are able and wiling t bear arms, tey joining Sout = 31st Paralel His Majest’s Troops...” 3. Americans gained fishing rights off Fewer tan 1,000 fought for Dunmore Newfoundland PA was te 1st stat t abolish About 5,000 served in te Contnental Army 4. Britain kept contol of Canada slavery (1780) Emancipaton of slaves in te Nort was VT was te 1st colony t abolish 5. Navigaton of te MS River was t slow, but te number of slaves dwindled slavery (1777) be open t bot Britsh & Americans over te next few decades.

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Tension Between Libert and Slavery Natve Americans and te Revoluton For some Afican Americans, teR evoluton meant an increased exposure t te Most tibes ultmatly chose t stay out of te war. Only te Iroquois alied wit concept of libert Britain - altough tey claimed t be neutal.

Te Revoluton exposed te contnuing tnsion between te natn’s commitment t Many Indians te Revoluton would replace a somewhat tustworty ruling group libert and its commitment t slavery. (te Britsh) wit a hostle ruling group bent on expansion (Americans) It seemed obvious t most tat slavery and libert were incompatble, but it was less obvious in te Sout Te Revoluton weakened te positon of te Natve Americans in several ways:

Many whit souterners believed tat enslaving Aficans was te best way t Increased whit demand for westrn land

ensure libert for whit people. Tey feared tat witout slaves, it would be Resentment twards Indians for not alying wit Colonists and carryingout raids necessary t recruit a servile whit workforce in te Sout, and tat te resultng inequalites would jeopardize te survival of libert Patrnalistc point of view tward te Indians led by Tomas Jefferson: Te Indians were “noble savages,” uncivilized in teir present stat but redeemable if One of te ironies of te American Revoluton was tat many whit Americans tey were wiling t adapt t te norms of whit societ. were fightng bot t secure feedom for temselves and t preserve slavery for oters.

Abigail Adams America, a Republic

Te emphasis on libert and te “rights of man” led somew ealty women t queston Most politcians ignored women’s requests, and most men insistd on te taditonal sexual teir positon in societ. and politcal prerogatves of teir sex. Husbands remained patiarchs who dominatd teir households. Even younger men did not Abigail Adams wrot t her husband John, “In te new code of support legal equalit for teir wives and daughtrs. In te new American republic, only whit laws which I suppose it wil be necessary for you t make, I men enjoyed fl citzenship. desire you would remember te ladies and be more generous Neverteless, te republican belief in an educatd citzenry creatd opportunites for some and favorable t tem tan your ancestrs.” She was caling women. In 1779, Judit Sargent Murray wrot an essay caled “On te Equalit of Sexes.” In for new protctons against abusive and trannical men. her essay she argued tat men and women had equal capacites for memory and tat women Eliza Wilkinson had superior imaginatons. She conceded tat most women were inferior t men in judgment and reasoning, but only fom lack of taining.

“Te men say we have no business [wit politcs]. Tey won’t even alow us libert of Tat situaton changed in te 1790s, when te atorney general of MA declared tat girls had tought, and tat is al I want.” Women did not insist on civic equalit wit men; an equal right t schooling under te stat consttuton. By 1850, te litracy rats of women tey sought only t an end t restictve custms and laws. and men in te norteastrn stats were equal, and educatd women again chalenged teir subordinat legal and politcal status.

Republican Moter Women’s Rights and Women’s Roles

Despit te efforts of Adams and oters like Judit Women were in charge of farms and businesses Sargent Murray (equal educaton), American while men fought societ became more patiarchal tan ever. Led protsts against price increases, riotd, No votng, al propert belonged t te husband, no or lootd food legal tansactons, no propert rights, no legal Atacked Britsh toops autorit over her children, could not initat when possible divorce. “Camp Folowers” - nurses, cooks, launderers; some Spies Out of tis tough, was te importance of te woman as moter - t produce a new disguised temselves as men kind of citzen, one steped in te principles of libert. Te “Republican Moter” t fight - Deborah Sampson

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Assumptons of Republicanism Equalit

“Al men are creatd equal.” If Americans agreed t noting else, tey agreed tat teir new governments would be republican. Al people have t earn teir success. Tere might be no equalit of conditon, but

Republic - government systm in which power comes fom te people, not a tere would be equalit of opportunit. supreme autorit But would tere realy be equalit of opportunit?

Te success of tis tpe of Afican Slaves government depended on te Exploitaton of Indians smal, independent land owner embedded wit civic virtue. Women not grantd access t educaton

Warned of a few powerfl aristcrats and a great mass of dependent workers

First Stat Consttutons Separaton of Church and Stat

Stat consttutons were t be writen down Most Americans contnued t believe tat religion should play some role in government but did not want t give special privileges t any partcular Power of te executve was t be limitd denominaton. 1786 Virginia enactd te No executve could hold office in te Statue of Religious Libert - legislature simultaneously caling for te complet separaton of church and stat. Did not embrace direct popular rule (Tomas Jefferson)

Propert requirements for votrs Not: Tere is NOTHING in te US Consttuton tat makes separaton of church and stat an official law. Tis is merely conventonal practce.

Toleraton and Slavery Te Artcles of Confederaton 1777

Slavery was more difficult t resolve. In many places in te Nort it was abolished. Natonal Government: 1 Branch = Confederaton Congress - A commitee of delegats composed of representatves fom Sout Carolina and Georgia prohibitd te frter importaton of slaves fom abroad each stat. Appointd by stat legislatures.

Virginia passed a law encouraging te voluntary feeing (manumission) of slaves Each stat had 1 vot. 9 vots needed t approve any measure. 13 vots needed t approve any amendments t te Artcles

Slavery survived noneteless in al soutern and border stats because: Each stat would tax itself t help contibut t common expenses (war debt) Racist assumptons among whits of te inferiorit of blacks

Washingtn and Jefferson owned slaves No stat was t be deprived of westrn lands.

What would happen t feed blacks? Each stat retained powers not explicitly delegatd t Congress. Belief tat blacks could be assimilatd int whit societ Stats retained sovereignt, feedom, and independence.

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Powers of Congress Weaknesses of Artcles Can: Cannot: Never solved te problem of representaton

Declare War and Peace Regulat tade Big stats wantd representaton based on Appoint military and naval officers Draft toops populaton

Requisiton te stats for men and Levy direct taxes Smal stats wantd equal representaton money Mediat intrstat issues Send and receive ambassadors No separat executve. Te “President” was Enforce its wil on te stats merely te residing officer at te sessions of Entr int teates and aliances Regulat Commerce Congress Establish a post office No judicial Branch t act as mediatr between te stats Coin money

Borrow money or issue paper money Inflexible as it needed al 13 stats t ratf amendments on credit

Problems Creatd by te Artcles Success of te Artcles Te Federal Government was weak and could not enforce te A of C Received intrnatonal recogniton Stats refsed t pay off foreign debts, refsed t pay taxes on tme, or at al (GA) Forged diplomatc relatons wit foreign natons Trade limits imposed by Britain, France & Spain. A of C to weak t contst

Could not protct American setlements in areas contoled by Spain and Britain. Borrowed money fom intrnatonal lenders

Stats violatd teates wit Indian natons - A of C could not punish stats Negotatd te Treat of Paris Stats would not send delegats t Congress - Congress could not hold session Fielded a Contnental Army and won a war Stats argued over boundaries, fishing rights, tading, etc. A of C could not resolve infightng Established of a systm of trritrial governance under federal autorit

Some stats wantd secession --> and te Nortwest Ordinance 1787 Turmoil between debtrs and creditrs - each stat had different currencies

Rebelions left te stats t defend temselves (Shay’s Rebelion)

Land Ordinance of 1784 Provided for te scientfic surveying of te trritry’s lands and for a systmatc subdivision of Untl about 1780 te lands of te Nortwest Territry were claimed by several existng stats, tem. including NY & VA. Tese stats soon ceded teir land holdings t te cental government.

Land was t be subdivided according t a rectangular grid systm; te basic unit of By te tme te Revoluton ended in 1783, specific measures were needed t guide te setlement, was te twnship, which was a square area measuring six miles on each side. division, and organizaton of te Nortwest Territry. A twnship could ten be subdivided int a number of rectangular parcels of individualy Te Ordinance of 1784, draftd by Tomas Jefferson and passed by Congress, divided te owned land. Te minimum land sale was set at one square mile (640 acres), and te minimum trritry int a handfl of self-governing disticts. price per acre was $1.

It stpulatd tat each distict could send one representatve t Congress upon its ataining a One secton in each twnship was t be set aside for a school. Tese procedures formed te basis populaton of 20,000, and it would become eligible for stathood when its populaton equaled of American public land policy untl te Homestad Act of 1862. tat of te least populous existng stat. (Tis ordinance was superseded by te Ordinance of It also required tat half of te twnships be sold in single blocks of 23,040 acres each, which 1787.) restictd teir sale t wel-t-do farmers.

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Te Nortwest Ordinance, 1787 Te Nortwest Ordinance. 1787

Te Nortwest Ordinance of 1787 was te most important of te land ordinances. Each distict was t be governed by a governor and judges appointd by Congress 1787 Ordinance - creatd a single Nortwest Territry out of te lands nort of te untl it atained a populaton of 5,000 adult fee males, at which tme it would River. Te trritry was ten subsequently divided int 5 trritries. become a trritry and could form its own representatve legislature.

Arguably te most important accomplishment of te Artcles of Confederaton. An individual trritry could be admited t stathood in te Union aftr having It laid te basis for te government of te atained a populaton of 60,000. Nortwest Territry and for te admission of its consttuent parts as stats int te Union. Under te ordinance, slavery was forever outlawed fom te lands of te Nortwest Territry; feedom of religion, tial by jury, and oter civil libertes were guaranted Under tis ordinance, te principle of grantng new stats equal rater tan inferior Indians were promised decent teatment; and educaton was provided for. status t older ones was firmly established.

Te Critcal Period, 1783-1789 Te Critcal Period, 1783-1789 A problematc era due t te weakness of te natonal government under te A of C Dissatsfied Groups Foreign problems Merchants wantd gov’t tat regulats commerce & can secure favorable teatment overseas Manufacturers wantd tariff barriers against foreign goods Britain wants debts paid t merchants and refsed t send a ministr t te US for diplomacy Land speculatrs wantd stong gov’t t keep Indians away & te fonter open for profit Britain stl maintained Nortwest tading posts--was not abiding by teates tat compeled Holders of government bonds wantd te government t pay off its debt tem t leave te trritry. US wil not pay debts untl te tading posts are desertd Creditrs and financiers wantd a stable currency and a less severe inflaton rat France, almost bankrupt, is upset wit Congress for not paying debts US unable t oppose te Barbary Pirats due t lack of a navy Post War Depression, 1784-1787 Exposed te problem of an inadequat money supply - partcularly a problem for debtrs. Domestc Problems No Standard Currency Enormous outstanding debt fom te War, and litle means t pay it. Stats lacked respect for te natonal government Creditrs hurt by stat laws forcing Congress could not tax, & stats only gave smal contibutons. On te verge of default Britsh goods dumped at low prices acceptance of paper money for debts Stats had war debts to and relied on heavy taxes fom its citzens. Poor farmers considered Military almost at te point of mutny--not being paid by te government such policies unfair. Demanded tat stat governments issue paper currency t increase te Bank-holders & creditrs lost fait in gov’t b/c it could not even pay intrest payments, let money supply and make it easier for tem t pay teir loans & taxes. alone pay its loan principal

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Shay’s Rebelion Shay’s Rebelion

In MA, lawmakers refsed t enact debtr relief legislaton. Shays issued a set of demands t te MA legislature: Issuance of paper money, tax relief, moratrium on Tey imposed high taxes t pay off te stat’s war debt and cut te supply of paper currency. debts, and aboliton of imprisonment for debts

Cash-stapped farmers could not pay bot teir Te MA gov’t was relatvely uninvolved in te taxes and teir debts. Creditrs treatned lawsuits. rebelion untl “Shayists” preventd te colecton of Courts were foreclosing on homes. Mobs of angry debts and used force t keep te courts fom siting farmers closed te courts by force. Tey were tying and sheriffs fom seling confiscatd propert.

t prevent “valuable and industious members of Wealty Bostnians in te West (including Abigail Adams) donatd money t form a milita societ being dragged fom teir families t prison.” t put down te rebelion.

Te rebels were routd in a skirmish in January 1787. Shays escaped t Vermont and was latr pardoned. 150 oters were captured and several sentnced t deat. George Washingtn Tese crowd actons grew int a fl-scale revolt led by Daniel Shays, former captain of te and oters urged compassionat teatment of te rebels and pardons were eventualy grantd. Contnental Army.

Shay’s Rebelion Effects of Shay’s Rebelion

Reversal fom te Revoluton Demonstatd tat many people realized tat stat governments undermined propert rights

Abigail Adams, in a leter t Tomas Jefferson, while she was in London & he in Paris, she People realized tat a stonger natonal government was required t answer t te needs of te described te uprising as: “Ignorant, restless desperadoes, witout conscience or principles, union and t stp te stats fom treatning teir peoples’ lives have led a deluded multtude t folow teir standard, under pretnse of grievances which have

no existnce but in teir imaginatons.” Many people (including Madison) felt tat te principles of te Revoluton were being treatned more by stat governments tan tey could be by a stonger cental Sam Adams had become an establishment government, IF it was t be creatd figure in Massachusets politcs and urged Led t cals for stonger natonal government--every stat except Rhode Island sent deat sentnces for te leading Shays rebels. delegats t Phily t revise te Artcles It is believed tat he said, “Te man who dares t rebel against te laws of a republic Te rebelion added urgency t te movement t produce a new, natonal consttuton. One ought t suffer deat.” wit a more centalized government, te power t tax, and te power t intrvene in stat affairs if needed.

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