Download unit 3 - Doral Academy Preparatory

UNIT 3: CREATING A NATION
CHAPTER 5: ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
--By 1763, many American colonists began to distrust Great Britain. After the French and
Indian War, Britain had sent an additional 10,000 soldiers in the colonies and the frontier
between the colonies and Native Americans. The colonists saw this as an interference with their
liberties. Also, they didn’t approve of the Proclamation of 1763 between it prevented them
from moving further west. What made everything worse is that Great Britain was left in debt
because of the French and Indian War. The British Parliament began plans to tax the colonists as
a source of money. This decision set off a chain of events that enraged the American colonists
and surprised British authorities.
--In 1764 George Grenville, the British finance minister, began to make laws and plans to tax
and make more money off the colonists. The first thing he did was to enforce trading laws,
because Britain knew that many colonists were smuggling goods. Grenville passed the writs of
assistance. These legal documents enabled officers to search homes and warehouses for goods
that might be smuggled.
--The following law that Grenville passed was call the _____________ in 1764. It was supposed
to stop the smuggling between the colonies and the French West Indies. The act lowered the tax
on molasses imported by the colonists. The British hoped the lower tax would encourage
colonists to pay the duty on foreign molasses. The British could then collect the tax on molasses
and increase their revenues.
--In 1765, the Parliament passed the _____________. This was the first direct taxation of
colonists, and it affected everyone in the colonies. This act taxed legal and commercial
documents and printed matter, such as newspapers, pamphlets, and even playing cards.
Colonists were extremely upset at the Stamp Act. There were lots of protestors. The
___________________ was started by Samuel Adams in Boston to protest the Stamp Act.
Eventually, the colonists united to actually __________ British goods, so Britain would lose
money. The boycott worked so well, that in 1766 Parliament repealed the Stamp Act because
they were losing so much business and money.
--After what happened with the Stamp Act, Charles Townshend became the new finance
minister, and he also wanted to raise money in the colonies. In 1767 he passed the Townshend
Acts. Import taxes on lead, paper, tea, paint, and glass were collected at port. Revenue from the
Townshend duties were used to support British troops, royal governors, and royal judges, taking
the power of the purse away from colonial assemblies. I
--Women took an active role in the protest against the Townshend Acts. In towns throughout the
colonies, women organized groups to support the boycott of British goods, sometimes calling
themselves the Daughters of Liberty. They urged Americans to wear homemade fabrics and
produce other goods that were previously available only from Britain. In this way, they believed,
the American colonies could become economically independent.
BUILDING COLONIAL UNITY
--Britain, by the late 1760s, figured that the colonists would soon rebel because of everything
that had been happening. Soldiers were being dispatched into major cities in the colonies, to try
to set control in the colonies. One of these cities was Boston, Massachusetts. In March of 1770
there was a big crowd gathering on King street, where there had been trouble between British
troops and colonists. This crowd attracted a larger crowd, and the colonists were even bring
rocks, sticks, shovels, and other tools for weapons. After one of the soldiers was knocked down,
the other soldiers fired their rifles. Five colonists were killed. Among the dead was Crispus
Attucks, an African American dockworker who some said was the leader of the crowd. The
colonists called the tragic encounter the Boston Massacre.
--The Boston Massacre enraged the colonists even more. An engraving by Paul Revere showed
a British officer giving the order to open fire on an orderly crowd. Nearly every colonist in
Boston saw copies of the engraving. The powerful image inflamed anti-British feeling.
Boycotts now grew stronger.
--To make matters worse, the Parliament passed a Tea Act in 1773. It was created to save the
ailing East India Company. It allowed the company to sell its surplus tea in the American
colonies. The act retained the import tax on tea. The colonists began to protest, claiming that
they did not want Britain to ship the tea to the colonies because they will refuse it. In Boston,
things took a different turn.
The tea ships docked in Boston Harbor in December 1773. A group of ____________________
disguised themselves as ____________ and armed themselves with hatches. They boarded the
ships and threw the chests of tea overboard, into the harbor. This became known as the
___________________. Word of the dramatic act of defiance spread throughout the colonies.
--When news of the Boston Tea Party reached London, King George III and parliament were
furious. The King as well as the Prime Minister Lord North, decided to punish Boston and
make an example out of them. In 1774, they passed the ________________, very harsh laws
intended to make Massachusetts pay for its resistance.
The Coercive Acts closed Boston Harbor until the Massachusetts colonists paid for the ruined
tea. This action prevented the arrival of food and other supplies that normally came by ship.
Instead, the other colonists sent food and clothing to demonstrate their support for Boston. The
feelings of the colonists were made clear by their name for the new laws—the _______________
A CALL TO ARMS
--In September of 1774, 56 men arrived in Philadelphia to establish a political body to represent
the American interests. They called the new organization the ___________________. The
delegates in the congress included Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Jay, Richard Henry
Lee, Patrick Henry, and George Washington. This congress put their views aside and worked
together. They wrote up a list of grievances to repeal the laws and acts that the British
parliament passed. They also voted to boycott all British goods. Most importantly, they passed
a resolution to form __________, groups of citizen soldiers. If fighting broke out, the colonies
would be ready with their own armed forces.
--The British saw that the American colonies were establishing their own troops; by this time
both sides knew that a war would erupt. By April 1775 the British began to send thousands of
troops to the colonies. One night, on April 18, 1775, American colonists noticed unusual activity
by the British army. A regiment was forming ranks in Boston Common and marched out of the
city. Paul Revere and William Dawes, leading members of the Sons of Liberty rode to
Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming. “The
British are coming! The British are coming!” (By the way, this quote was never really said by
Paul Revere; the most widely accepted quote is “The regulars are out!”)
--The first battles of the Revolutionary War were at ___________ and ____________ on April
19, 1775. The __________ won the battle at Lexington, but the ____________ won the battle at
Concord. The British were under the command of Major Pitcairn. The Americans were being
led by Captain John Parker.
--On May 10, the Americans captured the British Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. The
British were caught by surprise. The Americans responsible for the capture of the fort were New
Englanders known as the Green Mountain Boys, led by Ethan Allen.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was on June 16, 1775 across the harbor from Boston. The American
militiamen were led by Colonel William Prescott. The Americans were firing heavily upon the
British, who were trying to drive the Americans out. Eventually, the Americans ran out of
ammo. The British won the Battle of Bunker Hill but suffered heavy losses—more than 1,000
dead and wounded.
--As American colonists heard about these battles, they faced a major decision. Should they join
the rebels or remain loyal to Britain? Those who chose to stay with Britain were called
_________ and __________. The Americans who wanted independence were called ________,
who were determined to fight the British to the end—until American independence was won.
MOVING TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE
--On May 10, 1775, the ____________________ held its first meeting. The majority of the
delegates that met in the First Continental Congress were present for the second one as well,
along with new delegates including Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas
Jefferson. The Second Continental Congress began to govern the colonies, set up committees to
communicate with Native Americans, and created the Continental Army to fight against the
British. They appointed _________________ to be the commander of the Continental Army
because he had the most military experience. Washington offered to serve without pay.
--In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense. Paine called for
complete independence from Britain. He argued that it was simply ‘common sense’ to stop
following the ‘royal brute,’ King George III. Paine told the colonists their cause was not just a
squabble over taxes but a struggle for freedom—‘in great measure the cause of all mankind.’
Common Sense inspired thousands of Americans.
--By April 1776, the delegates were talking about declaring independence. They felt since
fighting already had begun, a full out war is bound to erupt as well. The best thing, they decided,
would be to declare independence. The Congress chose a committee to draft a
_________________________ which included Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams. ___________
was selected to write the document. On July 2, 1776, the Congress finally voted on the
resolution for independence. The motion passed unanimously. Next the delegates took up
Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence. After making some changes, they
approved the document on July 4, 1776. ________________ was the first to sign it, writing his
name big enough for King George to read it without his glasses. In total, 55 delegates signed the
document.
--The Declaration of Independence is divided into 4 major parts. The first part is called the
Preamble, which means introduction. It states that people who wish to form a new country
should explain their reasons for doing so. It also lists the rights that the colonists believed they
should have and their complaints against Britain.
The second part demands basic rights.
The third part lists British abuse and grievances Americans held against the King and Parliament.
The fourth is the actual declaration of independence. The Americans declared themselves a new
nation.
CHAPTER 6: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
THE EARLY YEARS
--The British had many advantages: strongest navy in the world, an experience well-trained army
and the wealth of a world-wide empire. The colonists suffered serious disadvantages: they
lacked a regular army and strong navy, lacked military experience, and short on weapons and
ammunition. Most people expected this war to be short, and that the British would surely win.
--There were three types of Americans during the revolution: the Patriots, Loyalists or Tories,
and people who remained _________. About ______________ remained loyal to Britain.
--Many ______________ joined the British side and the Loyalists because they were promised
their freedom after the war was over.
--The Americans did have a few advantages in the war. They were fighting on their own ground
and fought with great determination to protect it. They also had George Washington. Few
individuals could match him for courage, honesty, and determination.
--The British were using ______________, or hired soldiers from other countries, to fight the
war against America. They hired about 100,000 ___________ soldiers to fight in the war. The
Patriots thought they had an advantage to this because since they were fighting for their own land
that encourages you to fight harder. The Germans on the other hand, were fighting only for a
____________.
--In August 1776, British commander General William Howe moved in on New York. The
Battle of Long Island started, with George Washington leading the Continental Army. The
Americans lost this battle because they were outnumbered and lacked supplies, but the morale
stayed high among the soldiers.
--The Continental Army needed more soldiers, so Washington asked the Continental
Congress to enlist African Americans. Soon, every state except South Carolina enlisted
African Americans to fight for the Patriot cause. African Americans fought because they
believed in the Patriot cause, or they needed the money. Some soldiers were enslaved Africans
who had run away from their slave holders. Others fought to earn their freedom.
--During the winter of 1776 to 1777 the British army settled in New York. They were also
settled in New Jersey, at Trenton and Princeton. Washington decided to cross the Delaware
River on Christmas night 1776, to surprise the British. The Battles of Trenton and Princeton
were won by the Americans, and it was a successful win.
--In September 1777, the British were able to capture Philadelphia. These British troops were
led by General John Burgoyne. The British wanted to march to Albany to capture it too, but
American forces led by Benedict Arnold stopped them. The British had no choice to retreat to
Saratoga, a town in New York. In October 1777, the British arrived in Saratoga expecting more
British troops to arrive as well. No one else showed up, except for several thousand Americans.
The Battle of Saratoga took place and, outnumbered and surprised, the British lost.
THE WAR CONTINUES
--Gaining allies: After the Americans won the Battle of Saratoga, France realized that the
Americans had a chance to win the war. _______________ convinced France to become allies.
--A Difficult winter: During the winter of 1777 to 1778, Washington and his troops set up camp
at ____________. This became a very memorable time during the war because the troops
endured terrible suffering, lacking decent food, clothing, and shelter. Many died, and some even
deserted the army because of how terrible things were. However, Washington was able to keep
the Continental Army together.
--An important Frenchman who helped Washington and his army was ____________________.
He became Washington’s trusted aid and helped a lot during the war.
--Life on the Home Front: With thousands of men away in military service, women took over
the duties that had once been the responsibility of their husbands or fathers. Some managed
family farms and others ran their husband’s business. With the movement for independence,
women also began questioning their role in society and began to demand for equal rights,
including for education.
Many Loyalists left the colonies when the war began; but many were also left behind. Loyalists
who remained in the colonies faced discrimination and sometimes were victims of crimes.
Loyalists were arrested and tried as traitors. Some were even executed, but such extreme
measures were unusual.
THE WAR MOVES WEST AND SOUTH
--Many Native Americans along the western frontier allied themselves with the British,
because they seemed to be less of a threat than the Americans were. The British and their Indian
allies were raiding American settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains.
--the Americans were able to capture a very important town in the west called Vincennes in
present-day Indiana. With this success, the American position was strengthened in the west.
--Glory at Sea: Great Britain used its powerful navy to patrol American waterways, keeping the
ships of the Patriots and their allies from entering or leaving American harbors. This British
____________ prevented supplies and reinforcements from reaching the Continental Army.
Americans tried to break the blockade, but the navy had little success. Instead, ____________,
privately owned merchant ships equipped with weapons, were able to capture many British
vessels. _______________ was a famous American naval officer who had many successes at
defeating the British navy. He sailed along the British coast and defeated a powerful warship.
--Struggles in the South: The British launched a new plan to defeat the Americans. They
concentrated their efforts in the South, were there were many Loyalists. They hoped to use
British sea power and the support of the Loyalists to win decisive victories in the Southern states.
Initially the strategy worked. The British had control of South Carolina and most of Georgia. In
1780, General Charles Cornwallis took command of British forces in the South.
As British troops moved throughout the South, small forces of Patriots attacked them. These
bands of soldiers appeared suddenly, struck their blows, and then disappeared. This hit-and-run
technique of guerilla warfare caught the British off guard. Eventually, the Americans began to
win battles in the South and were forcing the British to retreat north. Cornwallis abandoned the
Carolina campaign and retreated north to Virginia to await orders. The battle for control of the
South was entering its final phase.
THE WAR IS WON
-- In 1780, many French soldiers and reinforcements had made it to America to help.
--Victory at Yorktown: Washington knew that the British army commanded by Cornwallis was
camped in Yorktown, Virginia. Washington would advance on the British at Yorktown. This
new strategy he came up with was secret. He wanted ________________________ to think the
Patriots planned to attack New York. This, he hoped, would keep Clinton from sending aid to
Cornwallis.
Washington rushed down to the South with his troops and the French troops that had just arrived.
Washington also ordered Patriot soldiers from the western territories to march toward Virginia.
Also, a new French naval fleet was supposed to meet at Yorktown. All of these forces were
supposed to meet at Yorktown and surround the British. Washington hoped this complicated
plan would work: and it did. The plan worked perfectly, and the British were thoroughly
confused. __________ American and French troops had trapped Cornwallis’s ________ British
troops. General Clinton and the rest of the British army waited in New York, unable to help the
besieged Cornwallis. This event was named the _________________. British supplies began
running low, and many soldiers were sick. On __________________ Cornwallis surrendered.
The Patriots had won the Battle of Yorktown.
--War is Over: After all the fighting was over, the two sides sent delegates to Paris to work out a
treaty. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay represented the United States. After
months of negotiation, the final _______________________ was signed on September 3, 1783.
--Terms of the Treaty: Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation. The
British promised to withdraw all their troops from American territory.
--Why the Americans won: They fought on their own land. Also, help from other nations
contributed to the American victory. Finally, George Washington’s leadership skills played a
critical role in the American victory.
CHAPTER 7: A MORE PERFECT UNION
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
--Because of their experience with a harsh British monarchy, Americans were afraid to give too
much power to just one person. When making their new government, they took this into account
--Americans agreed their new nation should be a ___________, a government in which citizens
rule through elected representatives. On March 1, 1781, the U.S. formally adopted its first
_____________, called the Articles of Confederation. This constitution favored a __________
____________. They assumed the states would be very much like small, independent countries.
The states would act independently on most issues, working together through a central
government only to wage war and handle relations with other nations. Also, each individual
state had its own state constitution and they had more power than the national government itself.
The national government had the authority to conduct foreign affairs, maintain armed forces,
borrow money, and issue currency. However, it could not regulate trade, force soldiers to join
the army, or impose taxes.
--Opposition to the Articles: The Articles of Confederation began to give problems because of
the way the government powers were set up. There were economic problems caused by the debt
of the Revolutionary War. The Articles offered no real solution to pay off these debts. Also,
many people voiced a concern about the problems a weak central government could bring. The
following are all criticisms of the Articles of Confederation:
One vote for each state, regardless of size
Congress cannot collect taxes to raise money
Congress powerless to regulate foreign and interstate commerce
No separate executive branch to enforce acts of Congress
No national court system to interpret laws
Amendment only with consent of all the states
A 9/13 majority required to pass laws
Articles only a “firm league of friendship”
--Something important that the Articles of Confederation did do is establish the Northwest
Ordinance of 1787 which created a single Northwest Territory out of the lands north of the
Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. Americans were allowed to settle in these lands,
because it was owned by the U.S. and they were even encouraged to settle and develop here.
This is important because this ordinance had enormous significance for American expansion and
development.
CONVENTION AND COMPROMISE
--Economic Depression: After the Revolutionary War, the U.S. went through a depression
because of high amounts of debt. American farmers suffered because they couldn’t sell their
goods and had a hard time paying the taxes that the state governments set. In 1786 and 87 angry
farmers took the law into their own hands. These farmers were led by ______________ and
would start a rebellion. Shays led more than 1,000 farmers towards an arsenal for arms and
ammunition. The Massachusetts militia told the farmers to stop and they didn’t listen. After
some shots were fired, the militia killed 4 farmers, and soon the rebellion was over. _________
frightened many Americans. They worried whether the government could control
unrest and prevent violence.
--A Call for Change: After some years of the Articles of Confederation, most people in
government decided that we needed to change or revise our constitution. There were too many
problems and something needed to be done. James Madison and Alexander Hamilton
proposed calling a convention in Philadelphia to discuss this issue.
--The Constitutional Convention: The summer of 1787 was when the 55 delegates met to
discuss the problems with the Articles of Confederation. Someone very important at this
convention was ______________, who would later be called the “Father of the Constitution”.
Many of his ideas were incorporated into our future constitution. Eventually, the convention
decided that they can’t simply revise the Articles of Confederation. They had to do away with it
completely and start from scratch. Two new plans were proposed; the ________________ and
the ________________. The Virginia Plan favored states with bigger population and called for a
2-house legislature. The New Jersey Plan favored states with smaller population and called for a
1-house legislature. Since each plan favored only either small or large states, nobody wanted
either plan. Then Roger Sherman proposed the ________________. This would be a 2-house
legislature. In the House of Representatives the number of seats for each state would vary
according to the state’s population. In the Senate each state would have 2 members. With this
compromise, everybody’s happy.
--Another problem to deal with was slavery. Southern slave states wanted slaves to count as
people so they could have more representation in Congress. The northern states thought this was
unfair. The solution was the _________________ because every 3 out of 5 slaves would then be
counted towards the population and representation in Congress.
--The final document was finished on September 17, 1787. The delegates all approved and
signed it. This new document for the U.S. would simply be called the Constitution of the
United States. (The constitution is not yet ratified by the states at this time. That will be
discussed in section 4. Until then, the Articles of Confederation are still in effect.)
A NEW PLAN OF GOVERNMENT
--The new United States Constitution provided the framework for a strong central government
for the U.S. The delegates were hoping that the states would approve, or ratify, the Constitution.
--The Federal System: Federalism is sharing power between the federal and state government.
The federal government gained powers to tax, regulate trade, control the currency, raise an army,
and declare war. No state could make laws or take actions that went against the Constitution.
--The Organization of Government: The new government would be divided into three separate
branches; the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, and Judicial Branch. The Legislative
Branch is Congress, made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress makes
and passes laws. The Executive Branch is the President of the U.S. It is the President’s job to
enforce and carry out the laws. The last is the Judicial Branch, which are the court systems.
They interpret the laws.
--Separation of Powers: To keep any one branch from gaining too much power, the Framers
built in a system of checks and balances. The 3 branches have roles that check, or limit, the
others so that no single branch can dominate the government.
RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION
--Before the Constitution could go in effect, 9 states needed to ratify (approve) it. It was hard to
do because some Americans supported the Constitution and some did not.
--Supporters of the new Constitution were called _____________. The most famous Federalists
were George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. The
Federalists obviously favored a _____________________. They feared disorder without a
strong central government. To try to convince Americans to be Federalists, Madison and
Hamilton published a series of essays explaining and defending the Constitution. These essays
were published into a book called The Federalist.
--Those who did not support the Constitution were called _________________. They favored a
__________________________. Their main argument was that the new Constitution would take
away the liberties Americans had fought to win from Great Britain. They believed the federal
government would grow too strong and corrupt and take away people’s rights.
--Even though there were states that were ready to approve the Constitution, there were several
that threatened to NOT approve it without adding a ________________. Anti-Federalists
believed that no government can be trusted to protect the freedom of its citizens. Therefore, if
the Federalists wanted those states to approve the Constitution, they must add a Bill of Rights to
ensure freedom of its citizens. (The Bill of Rights are the first 10 amendments). The
Federalists were offended by this because they claimed that the Constitution itself was
guaranteeing Americans rights. They claimed that there was no need for a Bill of Rights.
However, they decided to draft one because they wanted the states to approve it. James Madison
is the one who wrote the Bill of Rights.
--After the Federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution, the 9th state ratified it
in _________. Now it could officially go into effect. The last and 13th state ratified it in 1790.
The Bill of Rights was officially added to the Constitution in ________.