Transcript First major battle of the war

Battle of Lexington and Concord
Old North Bridge
Lexington Green
The Road Back
Battle of Lexington and Concord: First battles of the War of Independence: Major
General Thomas Gage sent troops to capture two rebel leaders: John Hancock and Sam
Adams. On April 19th, the redcoats met the Minutemen on Lexington Green, someone fired
a shot and war began. British troops routed the militia, but suffered over 250 casualties on
their return to Boston. 93 colonials died in the battles. With shots finally fired, all of New
England prepared for war.
The other colonial regions were less united in their response to Lexington and Concord. In
some, patriots organized the militia, while Tories (a.k.a. loyalists) opposed war.
Loyalism was stronger in the Lower South, particularly in the back-country among the
Scots-Irish who distrusted the Low Country planters. But a strong patriot contingent also
existed in the Carolinas, as well as Georgia.
On May 20th, Mecklenburg County issued four
resolutions and declared its independence: “We do
hereby declare ourselves a free and independent
people; are, and of right ought to be a sovereign
and self-governing association, under the control of
no power, other than that of our God and . . .
Congress: To the maintenance of which
Independence we solemnly pledge to each other
our mutual co-operation, our Lives, our Fortunes,
and our most Sacred Honor.”
“There is something charming to me in the conduct of Washington: a gentleman of one of
the first fortunes upon the continent, leaving his delicious retirement, his family and
friends, sacrificing his ease and hazarding all in the cause of his country.” John Adams
Second Continental Congress: Meeting, beginning
in May 1775 in Philadelphia, after the Battles of
Lexington and Concord, it was the first to include
delegates from all of the colonies. The delegates were
split. There was strong sentiment to avoid further conflict,
but preparedness was important. The Congress named
George Washington as Commander-in-Chief of
the Continental Army.
“ Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” Colonel William Prescott
Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775): First major battle
of the war; 2,200 Redcoats fought to take the heights
north of Boston. Overdressed on a blistering hot day and with
the colonists holding the better position on Breed’s Hill, wave
after wave of British soldiers attacked and was mowed down.
The British won the battle but it was a pyrrhic victory;
they suffered 1,054 casualties.
“I HAVE never met with a man, either in England or America, who hath not confessed his
opinion, that a separation between the countries would take place one time or other: And
there is no instance in which we have shown less judgment, than in endeavoring to describe,
what we call, the ripeness or fitness of the continent for independence.” Tom Paine
Common Sense (1776): Pamphlet written by radical English Quaker
Tom Paine and published in January 1776. It argued that it made no
sense for the colonies to stay part of England. Its fiery language and clear
reasoning helped convince a large segment of the undecided to join
the independence movement
Halifax Resolves: North Carolina was the first “province” to declare its support for
independence. In April 1776, the North Carolina Provincial Congress met in Halifax
County to debate responses to events and to decide what instructions to give its delegates
to the Second Continental Congress. On April 12th, its 83 delegates unanimously agreed to
permit NC’s delegates to support independence. The Resolves did not, however, give
NC’s delegation permission to introduce an independence resolution at the Philadelphia
meeting.
Virginia Resolves: In early June 1776, Richard Henry Lee, the leading delegate from
Virginia offered a resolution for independence. A unanimous vote of all provinces was
required for passage. To overcome opposition, the Congress decided to draw up a
declaration of the theory and causes of why the United States should be free from British
rule. On July 2nd, amendments to the declaration were complete and the unanimous vote
taken.
John Adams: Boston lawyer, led the Independence
Movement at Second Continental Congress. He was
ambassador to Britain during the Confederation era, 1st
Vice-POTUS and 2nd POTUS.
Thomas Jefferson: Main author of the Declaration of
Independence, inventor, writer, and musician: ambassador
to France during the Confederation era, the 1st Secretary of
State, 2nd Vice-POTUS, and 3rd POTUS.
Declaration of Independence: Founding document of the U.S. signed on July 4, 1776.
It was written by committee (Ben Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston)
with most of the work done by Thomas Jefferson: the document is in four parts:
1. a preamble, offering an introduction as to the purpose of the document
2. explanation of natural rights, based on Locke's “social contract:” life, liberty,
pursuit of happiness
3. presentation of the list of complaints against King George III
4. statement of intent, i.e. the actual declaration that the colonies are sovereign and
independent
The War in the South: American troops
were commanded by Nathaniel Greene (called
Washington’s “ablest general”). After Cowpens,
King’s Mountain, Greene’s troops chased the
retreating British to Guilford Court House
(Greensboro) where another pyrrhic victory for
the British marked the beginning of the end
British control in the U.S.
Battle of Yorktown (August – October 1781): Just miles from the site of Jamestown,
the U.S., under the command of George Washington and with considerable help from the
French, defeated the British after a long siege and Cornwallis surrendered, ending the war.
Treaty of Paris (Sept. 1783): Treaty ending the War of Independence: with it the U.S.
gained control of all the land east of the Mississippi River, north of Florida, and south of
British Canada. In November, the British evacuated New York City. A month later, General
Washington resigned his commission as Commander of Continental Army, showing that a
civilian government would run the U.S.
With independence, it became necessary for each state to reconstitute its government. Given
their unhappiness with the monarchical experience, all states chose a republican form of
government.
Each state had an elected governor and a senate, and most wrote bills of rights to protect
people’s basic rights. The rights included: freedom of speech, the right to petition, trial by
jury, and freedom from self-incrimination.
Articles of Confederation: First U.S. constitution, ratified in 1781. It created a
“diplomatic congress of autonomous states.”
The federal government had little power: it consisted of a legislature, but no executive and
no judicial branch. It lacked the power to tax or regulate interstate or foreign trade. It did
create administrative departments, such as for war/defense and foreign affairs, but most of
the power remained in the states.
These weaknesses led to conflict between and among states, a disorganized foreign policy,
and an ineffectual national government.
Shays’ Rebellion: Uprising by farmers in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays to protest
debt and foreclosures on property by creditors. The farmers took over courts to stop
judgments against their farms. Some began a march on Boston and rumors abounded that
they were on a rampage to overthrow the government. The federal government’s inability to
stop the uprising showed the weakness of the Articles and caused a national emergency.
“Miracle at Philadelphia”: Constitutional Convention of 1787
After the Confederation’s failure, the country’s leaders met in Philadelphia to make a new
government. Washington presided and Franklin gave his authority to the project. Jefferson and Adams
were not there. In the summer heat, with windows nailed shut and doors locked because of armed
protesters marching outside, the delegates debated, disagreed, compromised, and drafted the
Constitution of the United States, the oldest written constitution still in use.
Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804):
One of New York’s delegates at the Philadelphia convention,
he led the Federalist faction, calling for a strong central
government. Washington named him first Secretary of the
Treasury. His economic policies helped create a foundation on
which a national economy could grow. An opponent of
Jefferson, he helped create the Federalist Party in the 1790s. He
was killed in a duel with Vice-POTUS Aaron Burr in 1804.
James Madison (1751-1836):
Called the “Father of the Constitution,” he led the Virginia
delegation at the convention; kept notes on convention
proceedings; devised the Virginia Plan; and, with Hamilton,
led the Federalist faction. To satisfy foes of the Constitution,
he wrote the Bill of Rights (1791). He joined Jefferson’s
Republican Party in the mid-1790s. He was 4th POTUS.
Separation of Powers: Built on Montesquieu’s ideas of “divided sovereignty,” this
divides power and authority among three branches of government so that government will
not become too powerful.
Checks and Balances: Coinciding with the separation of powers, this system gives each
branch of government a check (control) on the power of the other branches and thereby
balances power among the three: in theory, no one branch is more powerful than the others.
A primary example of the system is the presidential veto.
The Preamble:
WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, in order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the
general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do
ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America
The Federalist Papers: One of the most important documents
in U.S. history, this series of essays by Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison, and John Jay explains and defends the Constitution from
the perspective of the Federalists (supporters of a strong central
government).
Anti-Federalists: Unorganized group opposing the Constitution, they defended the
basic structure of the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-Federalists demanded that the
Constitution be amended to protect the people and the states from an aggressive federal
government.
Ratification of the Constitution in North Carolina
Given the state’s past reluctance to be governed by central authorities, Anti-Federalists
composed a majority in North Carolina.
Led by Willie (Wylie) Jones, a planter and slaveowner
in Northampton County who as a younger man led
opposition to the Regulators at Alamance and as an
older man refused nomination as a delegate to
Philadelphia, Anti-Federalists feared the Constitution
created an over-powerful central government. They
believed it would result in a standing army, a U.S.
Supreme Court that could overrule state courts, and a
federal government that could regulate the economy for
the benefit of a few well-placed men.
At the Hillsborough Convention of July-August 1788,
they rejected the Constitution, even though eleven
states had approved it (only nine were needed for it to
take effect).
To establish a philosophical foundation for their
opposition, Jones and the Anti-Federalists demanded
that a Bill of Rights be added to the Constitution and
until it was done, North Carolina was no longer part of
the United States.
The Constitution did have some supporters in
North Carolina. Most notable among them were
James Iredell and William R. Davie.
Iredell was born in England and came to Edenton
to serve as a tax collector. But he was an early
supporter of American independence. He wrote
an essay, Principles of an American Whig, before
the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Iredell led the successful Federalist movement at
the “Second Convention” at Fayetteville in 1789.
Because of his role in NC’s eventual ratification
of the Constitution, George Washington named
him to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1790.
William R. Davie, born in England and educated in Charlotte, was an NC delegate to the
Philadelphia Convention. Like Iredell and other Federalists, Davie believed that a stronger
central government was needed to ensure the safety of citizens and protection of property.
They were particularly struck by Shays’ Rebellion as a threat to the very existence of the
country.
Later elected NC Governor, Davie was an important negotiator in the Convention of 1800
(Treaty of Mortfontaine) with Napoleon, ending the “Quasi-War” with France. With Willie
Jones, he was a principal founder of the University of North Carolina.
Bill of Rights:
First 10 amendments to the Constitution,
drafted by James Madison to satisfy concerns
of Anti-Federalists. It was necessary to win the
support of North Carolina.
It describes the rights retained by the people
and the states under the new more centralized
system.