Chapter 2 Revolution And The Early Republic

Chapter 2 Revolution and the Early Republic

Section 1: Colonial Resistance and Rebellion

* Britain’s financial crisis (Debt) led King George III to look at the colonies to lower debt through taxation British pass a series of taxes and laws on the colonists * Writs of assistance: general warrant allows British government to search ships and buildings of smugglers * Sugar act: molasses and sugar is taxed and establishes that colonists tried in England, not the colonies * Stamp act: Taxes all paper products and proof of the tax with stamp. * Declaratory Act: British Government can make any laws or taxes binding on the colonies * Townshend Act: Taxed goods from Britain such as lead, glass, paper, and tea * Colonists responses to acts are to Boycott and protest * Sam Adams is a leader of the Sons of Liberty that protest these acts * Boston Massacre: Colonists protests outside a government building and turns violent. Five colonists killed including Crispus Attucks (First African American) * Boston Tea Party: Colonists forced to buy East Indian Company tea from Britain to bail out company of debt. The colonists respond by dumping 18000 pounds of tea into the harbor dressed as Native Americans. * Intolerable Acts: Response to the tea party, the colonists were forced to pay the back by closing the harbor, and quartering acts. * The First Continental Congress came up with the declaration of colonial rights. * Minutemen were colonial militias as war moved closer. * The first shots fired at Lexington and Concord * The Second Continental Congress organizes an army for the colonies, the continental army headed by George Washington. * The first major battle: Bunker Hill, British win land but lose more then the colonists * The second continental congress sends and Olive Branch petition to try to make a mends with the King and flatly denies it. * July 4, 1776, Second Continental congress sends Declaration of Independence to King. * Ideas in the Declaration; * John Locke- Life, liberty, and property * Magna Carta/Great Charter 1215- Gives citizens certain rights * Thomas Paines Common Sense- Government and people are in a contract, if the government is not serving the peoples best interests, the government should be dissolved.

Section 2 The War for Independence

The War Begins: * Loyalists: Those who opposed independence and remained loyal to the King * Patriots: The supporters of the independence * US Strengths: familiar territories, leadership with George Washington, and inspiring cause * US Weaknesses: Untrained and unequipped soldiers, shortage food and ammunition, and no central government * British Strengths: strong well-trained army, strong central government, and support of loyalists, hired German soldiers (Hessians) and native Americans * British Weaknesses: large distance to travel, unfamiliar territory, weak military leaders, and sympathy for the American cause * Early British Victories * Turning Point for Americans: Battle of Saratoga, other victories such as Valley forge * Marquis De Lafayette , French and foreign leaders came to aide the Americans and cause * The British unsuccessful in the north, try to get victories in the south where there are less troops and more British supporters. * The British finally surrender at Yorktown by being surrounded by the Americans on land the French blockading the water. General Cornwallis surrenders.

Life During the Revolution in Americas * High inflation * Women filled men’s roles in the workplace

Treaty of Paris 1783 * Sets boundaries for the United States * Confirms US independence * Borders: Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi river and south border of Florida and strip of land along Gulf Coast that was Spanish territory.

Section 3 Confederation and the Constitution

* Articles of Confederation No Executive Branch No Judicial Branch/national court system Congress made up of 1 delegate from each state regardless of population Powers were divided between states and federal government Articles only amended if all states approved 9 of 13 states had to pass all laws * Powers of Congress included: Declare war Make peace Sign treaties Borrow money Set standards of coins and measures Establish a postal system * Articles Greatest Achievement Land Ordinance of 1785: system divided up land for sale Northwest Ordinance of 1787: Set a method of how many states came out of the Northwest and a method of becoming a state. No less then three and no more then five

Constitution * Shay’s Rebellion: farmers rebel against taxes being imposed on them results in the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 * James Madison comes up with Virginia plan: representation based on states for congress * William Patterson comes up with the New Jersey plan: representation is equal for congress * Great Compromise: Combines both Madison and Patterson plans for congress, lower house based on population, and the upper house base on 2 people per state * Three-fifths compromise: for every five slaves, three were counted toward representation in the south * Federalism: Division of power between national and state governments * Federal Government has enumerated or delegated powers designated to them.

Separation of Powers for the federal government

* A legislative branch to make the laws * A executive branch to carry out the laws * A Judicial branch to interpret the law and settle disputes * Checks and Balance System: Each branch has system of checks on the other so that each branch does not get to much power. * Amendment Process: to add laws into the constitution Ratification

* 9 out of 13 states needed to ratify it. * Federalists favored strong central government * Antifederalists did not favor strong central government * The adoption of the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments) secured passage of the constitution * Elastic clause: the government can stretch its powers to meet the need of the people.

Section 4 Launching the New Nation

George Washington is the first President and sets precedents for other presidents

* Judiciary Act: sets up Supreme court, federal circuit courts, and district courts for the US * Cabinet: Alexander Hamilton secretary of treasury, Thomas Jefferson secretary of State, and Henry Knox secretary of War. * Washington only takes two terms in office * Hamilton: start a bank, and collect taxes from the citizens * Jefferson: government should not interfere with agriculture society * First two party system, federalists=Hamilton and democratic republicans=Jefferson * Jays Treaty: tries to settle Northwest area to get the British out

John Adams: Second President

* Provokes controversy by all during that time period. * Xyz affair: the French try to get the US involved on their side with the war against Britain, the US stays neutral * Alien and Sedition Acts: raised resident requirements from 5 to 14 years, and punished anyone with a fine and possible jail time for malicious statements against the government. * Kentucky resolution results: The southern states assert they can void any law they don’t feel necessary for their state.