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People, Places and Events
in American History
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/explorer.htm
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French and Indian War
A war fought in North
America from 1754 to
1763. The British and
American colonists
fought in the war
against the French
and their Native
American allies, hence
the American name
for the war. After the
war, the British
emerged as a strong
European power. The
Treaty of Paris of 1763
ended the war and
France gave all its land
east of the Mississippi
River Great Britain.
Proclamation of 1763
Despite his previous promise to award western lands to all colonial militiamen who
fought in the French and Indian War, after the war King George III issued the
Proclamation Line of 1763 prohibiting all settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Sugar Act
George Grenville, British
Prime Minister, was in
charge of increasing
revenue for Great Britain
after the French and Indian
War.
This is a port and behind it is a molasses plant.
Because of the French and Indian
War was so costly to the British,
they passed the 1764 Sugar Act.
This put a three-cent tax on all
molasses and sugar imported by
the colonies from the French
and West indies. The British
were determine to enforce the
Sugar Act. They sent inspectors
to search warehouses and
homes. Rewards were offered
by the British to citizens who
reported smuggling these
products. When a smuggler was
arrested, the judge who found
him guilty received an award.
The colonists and merchants
objected to taxation without
representation. This was one of
the first instances in which
colonists wanted a say in how
much they were taxed.
Declaratory Acts
Following angry protest by colonists,
Parliament eventually conceded
and repealed the Stamp Act in
1766. Quietly, however,
Parliament also passed the
Declaratory Act to reserve
Britain's right to govern and
“bind” the colonies whenever and
however it deemed necessary.
The Declaratory Act proved far more
damaging than the Stamp Act had
ever been, because it
emboldened Britain to feel that it
could pass strict legislation freely,
with few repercussions. It was
during the aftermath of the
Declaratory Act, from 1766 to
1773, that colonial resistance to
the Crown intensified and became
quite violent.
Growing Conflict Between Britain and America
BRITISH ACTION
COLONIAL PROTEST
1763—Proclamation of 1763 forbids colonial settlement
west of the Appalachians.
Colonists protest; some ignore the law.
1764—Sugar Act cuts in half the import duty on foreign
molasses but enforces law strictly.
Colonists raise cry of “no taxation without
representation” and boycott British products.
1765—Quartering Act requires colonists to furnish food
and lodging for British troops.
Colonial assemblies pass resolutions. Colonists boycott
British products. Sons of Liberty attack Stamp
Agents. Stamp Act Congress sends Declaration of
Rights and Grievances to Parliament.
1765—Stamp Act passed
Boycott of British goods
1766—Repeal of Stamp Act. Parliament passes
Declaratory Act stating it rights to tax the colonists.
1767—Townshend Acts impose duties on paper, tea,
lead, and other items.
Boycott ended; New York refuses to enforce Quartering
Act. Colonists ignore Declaratory Act.
Colonial assemblies pass resolutions challenging
Parliament’s right to tax them. Colonists boycott
British products. Sons of Liberty enforce boycotts.
Taxation without Representation
In protest, the American public
began to cry out against
“taxation without
representation.” In reality,
most colonists weren't
seriously calling for
representation in Parliament;
a few minor representatives in
Parliament likely would have
been too politically weak to
accomplish anything
substantive for the colonies.
Rather, the slogan was
symbolic and voiced the
colonists' distaste for paying
taxes they hadn't themselves
legislated.
Quartering Act
In 1765, Parliament
passed the Quartering
Act, which required
residents of some
colonies to feed and
house British soldiers
serving in America. This
act outraged colonists.
British Soldiers Plundering an American
Colonist's Home under the Quartering
Act
Townsend Acts
The Townshend Acts 1767, British
legislation intended to raise
revenue, tighten customs
enforcement, and assert
imperial authority in America,
were sponsored by Chancellor
of the Exchequer Charles
Townshend. They levied import
duties on glass, lead, paint,
paper, and tea. Its purpose was
to provide salaries for some
colonial officials so that the
provincial assemblies could not
coerce them by withholding
wages.
Americans protested the additional
taxes with boycotts and violence-including "tar and feathering.” This
led Parliament to altered the Acts in
1770. Taxes on all items except tea
were repealed. The tea tax was
retained because it brought in more
money and to show Americans that
Parliament still had the right to tax
them.
The Boston Massacre
To prevent serious disorder,
Britain dispatched 4,000
troops to Boston in 1768—the
soldiers' presence in the city
only made the situation
worse.
Bostonians, required to house the
soldiers in their own homes,
resented their presence greatly.
Tensions mounted until March
5, 1770, when a mob of angry
Bostonians began throwing
rocks and sticks at the British
troops who were occupying the
city. The troops shot several
members of the crowd, killing
five. Patriots throughout the
colonies dubbed the incident a
“massacre” and used it to fuel
anti-British sentiment.
Boston Tea Party
An incident that took place
on December 16, 1773,
when a band of 60 men
led by the Sons of Liberty
disguised themselves as
Native Americans and
destroyed chests of tea
aboard ships in the
harbor. The Tea Party
prompted the passage of
the Intolerable Acts to
punish Bostonians and
make them pay for the
destroyed tea.
Boston Tea Party Document
The Intolerable Acts
The Boston Tea Party had mixed results: some Americans hailed
the Bostonians as heroes, while others condemned them as
radicals. Parliament, very displeased, passed the Coercive Acts
in 1774 in an effort to punish the colonists and restore order.
Colonists quickly renamed these acts the Intolerable Acts.
First Continental Congress
A meeting convened in Philadelphia in
late 1774 that brought together
delegates from twelve of the thirteen
colonies (Georgia abstained) in order
to protest the Intolerable Acts.
Colonial leaders stood united against
these and other British acts and
begged Parliament and King George
III to repeal them. The Congress also
created an association to organize
and supervise a boycott on all British
goods. Although the delegates did
not request home rule or desire
independence, they believed that the
colonies should be given more power
to legislate themselves.
This is the Carpenter's Hall, which
was used by the local carpenter's
guild. It was the site for the First
Continental Congress in 1774.
Loyalists
The Sons of Liberty tarring and
featherings a tax collector underneath
the Liberty Tree
Loyalists were about
1/3 of the
colonists and did
not support the
Declaration of
Independence.
They believed the
colonies should
stay loyal or
faithful to the
king.
At the time the Declaration of
Independence was written, about
1/3 of the colonists wanted
independence. They were called
Patriots. They agreed with ideas
and arguments in the Declaration
of Independence. The Sons of
Liberty were Patriots.
Betsy Ross
joined the
Fighting
Quakers after
her husband
died. Unlike
the traditional
Quakers these
were for the
war--Patriots
Patriots
One of the most well-known
Patriots of the Revolutionary War
was Patrick Henry (1736-1799)
whose legendary words, "Give me
liberty or give me death," motivated
the colonists into supporting the
Revolutionary War.
Mercy Otis Warren
Mercy Otis Warren was born in
1728 into a family of all boys,
and there were many of them.
She was born in
Massachusetts. Mercy became
a Patriot writer, and she wrote
plays, poems and lots of other
writings that supported
independence. She used her
writing to display her ideas.
Her ideas and writings
convinced many people in
Massachusetts to become
Patriots. Of all the people
writing to support the patriotic
cause, Mercy Otis Warren was
the only woman who published
plays, books, and poetry.
“Our situation is truly delicate &
critical. On the one hand we are in
need of a strong federal government
founded on principles of the colonies.
On the other we have struggled for
liberty & made costly sacrifices at
her shrine and there are still many
among us who revere her name to
much to relinquish (beyond a certain
medium) the rights of man for the
dignity of government.”
Mercy Otis Warren
Thomas Jefferson
Virginian planter and lawyer who eventually became president of the United
States. Jefferson was invaluable to the revolutionary cause. In 1776, he
drafted the Declaration of Independence, which justified American
independence from Britain. Later, he served as the first secretary of state
under President George Washington and as vice president to John Adams.
Jefferson then was elected president himself in 1800 and 1804.
Declaration of Independence
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee
of Virginia introduced a
resolution in the Second
Continental Congress that said,
“These United colonies are, and
of right ought to be, free and
independent States.” A
committee of 5--Benjamin
Franklin, John Adams, Robert
Livingston, Roger Sherman and
Thomas Jefferson-- were selected
to write a formal declaration
explaining the reasons for
independence. Thomas Jefferson
was the primary author.
Jefferson kept the Declaration
relatively short and to explain why
the colonists wanted to be free.
The document that he wrote
describes the basic principles
(beliefs or rules) about how to
behave.
Declaration of Independence
Basic ideas about people and government
1. All people are created
equal
2. They are born with
certain inalienable rights
that no one take away
– Life
– Liberty
– Pursuit of happiness
3. The purpose of
government is to protect
these rights.
Declaration of Independence
Why they had a right to be free from British rule
1. Power of the
government comes
from the consent of
the people
2. If a government
violates the rights of
its people, they can
change the
government or get rid
of it and create a new
one.
Declaration of Independence
Complaints against the British King
These complaints are based on
the idea that government
should protect the rights of
the people and serve the
common good.
1. He refused to approve laws
made by the colonists that
were necessary for common
good.
2. He closed the colonists’
legislatures when the
opposed his violation of the
rights of the people.
3. He kept a standing army in
the colonies even though
there was no war.
4.
5.
6.
He stopped the colonists’
trade with other countries
He taxed the colonists without
representation (consent)
He took away the colonists
right to a trial by jury.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Preparations for War
England
Population
Manufacturing
Approximately 12,000,000
Highly developed and
flourishing
Thirteen Colonies
Approximately 2,800,000
Practically none
Richest country in the world
No money to support the
war effort
Army
Large, well-trained army
plus mercenary Hessians
All-volunteer forces—willing
to fight but poorly equipped
Leaders
Many dedicated and able
soldiers
Few officers capable of
leading
Strange land with long
distance to base of supplies
Familiar land with easy
access to limited amounts of
supplies
Money
Geography
Who Supported to War?
Men
When the Revolutionary War began,
Britain made a costly and fatal error
in assuming that opposition to
British policies came only from a
core group of rabble-rousing
ringleaders such as Washington,
Jefferson, and the Adams cousins.
The British believed that if they
arrested these men, the revolt
would collapse. However, a
significant majority of Americans
disliked British rule. Historians
estimate that the majority of
eligible American men served at
some point in the Continental Army,
the militias, or both.
Women
Many American women supported the
war effort as well as nurses,
attendants, cooks, and even spies
on the battlefields. Others, such as
the famous “Molly Pitcher” (a
woman named Mary Hays
McCauley, who fought in her
husband's place) and Deborah
Sampson (who disguised herself as
a man) saw action in battle. As
more husbands and fathers left
home to fight, more wives and
mothers took to managing the
farms and businesses. A majority of
women helped by making yarn and
homespun necessities such as socks
and underwear, both to send to
militiamen and to support the
boycott of British goods.
Who Supported to War?
Native Americans
They were fearful of future
American expansion into their
lands and the majority chose
to support Britain. In
particular, the influential
Mohawk chief Joseph Brant
convinced the Iroquois tribes
to support the British. As a
result of his efforts and others,
thousands of Iroquois, Creek,
Cherokee, Choctaw, and other
warriors joined forces with the
British and raided American
arsenals and settlements along
the western frontier.
This proved to be a fatal one
decision. Most believed that
the British were a sure bet and
that the rebellious colonies
stood almost no chance of
winning. The ultimate British
surrender was a huge loss for
Native Americans: white
settlers were already pushing
westward, and after the war,
they felt justified in their
taking of native lands.
Who Supported to War?
African Americans
Blacks, too, generally supported the
British because an American
victory would only keep them in
bondage. Although roughly 5,000
blacks did serve in militias for the
United States, most who had the
opportunity chose to flee to British
and Loyalist areas that promised
freedom from slavery.
Consequently, colonies both north
and south lost tens of thousands of
slaves.
To some degree, blacks fared better
after the war than before.
Faced with the somewhat
embarrassing predicament of
supporting the premise that “all
men are created equal,” as stated in
the Declaration of Independence,
while at the same time practicing
human bondage, many states, such
as Vermont, eventually abolished
slavery. Other states legislated
more gradual forms of
emancipation. As a result, the
number of free blacks in the United
States skyrocketed into the tens of
thousands by the end of the
century. Slavery was by no means a
dead institution (as the early 1800s
proved), but these liberal decisions
made during the war were
significant steps forward on the
road to equality.
Battle of Lexington and Concord
“The shot heard around the world”
”Don’t fire unless fired upon”
Two battles, fought on April
19, 1775, that opened the
Revolutionary War. When
British troops engaged a
small group of colonial
militiamen in the small towns
of Lexington and Concord,
Massachusetts, the
militiamen fought back and
eventually forced the British
to retreat, harrying the
redcoats on the route back to
Boston using guerrilla tactics.
more unlikely.
The battle sent shockwaves
throughout the colonies and the
world, as it was astonishing that
farmers were able to beat the
British forces. This battle
marked a significant turning
point because open military
conflict made reconciliation
between Britain and the
colonies all the more unlikely.
Thomas Paine
“These are the times that try men’s souls.”
He was a famous writer whose words
greatly influenced the leaders of the
American Revolution.
Born in England, he became friends with
Benjamin Franklin who encouraged
him to go to America.
He wrote and published the pamphlet
“Common Sense" which demanded
complete independence from Great
Britain. It also stated a strong case
against the monarchy and inherited
privilege. It was the most widely
distributed pamphlet in American
history at that time - popular with
the highly educated as well as the
common man.
After “Common Sense," he published a
series of pamphlets called "The
Crisis," which begins with the words,
"These are the times that try men's
souls." Washington read these
pamphlets to his troops, which gave
them great encouragement during
the hardest times of the war.
•
Battle of Saratoga
A 1777 British defeat
that was a major
turning point in the
Revolutionary War—
The defeat allowed Ben
Franklin to convince
the French to ally
themselves with the
United States and
enter the war against
Britain. France, eager
to weaken the British,
began to send
supplies, money, and
troops to help the
Continental Army.
British general John
Burgoyne earned the
nickname "Gentleman
Johnny" for his love of leisure
and his tendency to throw
parties between battles. His
surrender to American forces
at the Battle of Saratoga
marked a turning point in the
Revolutionary War.
Winter at Valley Forge
Winter of 1777-1778
In Pennsylvania the Continental
Army suffered worst time of
the war. 2,500 men died of
starvation, cold, and disease.
With the British Army secure
in Philadelphia, the American
army settled into winter
quarters at Valley Forge. It
was a winter of hardship and
suffering for the troops. It was
also a winter of training, in
which the American troops
were taught how to be
professional soldiers.
Battle of Yorktown
Virginia, 1781
Marked the end of the Revolution
Fortified by the Franco-American
Alliance, the Americans
maintained an impasse with the
British until 1781, when the
Americans laid siege to a large
encampment of British forces
under Lord Charles Cornwallis at
Yorktown, Virginia. Scattered
battles persisted until 1783, but
the British, weary of the
stalemate, decided to negotiate
peace. This was the last major
battle of the Revolutionary War.
Treaty of Paris 1783
Ends American Revolution
The Treaty of Paris was signed on
September 3, 1782 by American
representatives Benjamin Franklin,
John Adams and John Jay. It was
ratified on April 17, 1783. It officially
recognized American independence.
Terms of the Treaty
• Britain recognized the
independent nation of the
United States of America.
• Britain agreed to remove all of
its troops from America.
• The treaty set new borders for
the United States including all
land from the Great Lakes on the
north to Florida on the south,
and from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Mississippi River.
• The United States agreed to
allow British troops still in
America to leave.
• The United States agreed to pay
all existing debts owed to Britain.
• The United States agreed not to
persecute loyalists still in
America, and allow those that
left America to return.
Second Continental Congress
The day that the Second Continental Congress
met, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had
captured Fort Ticonderoga on Lake
Champlain in New York.
On May 15, 1776, they decided to completely
break from Great Britain.
They organized the American Continental
Army
On June 14, 1776, they appointed George
Washington as commander-in-chief of the
army
They organized the militia of the colonies
called the American Continental Army
On June 14, 1776, they appointed George
Washington as commander-in-chief of the
army He was elected unanimously
George Washington knew that this army
would face great difficulty. He later wrote
that Americans were "not then organized
as a nation, or known as a people upon
the earth. We had no preparation.
Money, the nerve of war, was wanting."
Great Britain was the most powerful
nation on earth.
The Second Continental Congress was one
of the most important government
meetings in the history of the United
States of America.
It wrote and signed The Declaration of
Independence.
At the signing of the Declaration of
Independence, John Hancock wrote his
name first and biggest on the
Declaration of Independence. He said,
"The British ministry can read that
name without spectacles; let them
double their reward."
He was talking about the reward offered
by King George III offered a reward to
anyone who could capture one of the
Sons of Liberty, especially Samuel
Adams and John Hancock.
This was the first plan of government for
the United States. The Articles set up a
loose union of states with equal powers.
We call such a union a confederation.
The Founding Fathers faced two problems
when they wrote the Articles:
1. People feared a strong national
government
2. People feared some states would have
more power than others.
3 Solutions to people’s fears:
1. Set up a weak national government
with limited powers.
2. Power to Congress but limited—no
president
3. Each state had one vote in Congress-Had to have approval of states to do
anything important
Articles of
Confederation
What was accomplished under the
Articles of Confederation?
1. Kept the states
together during the
war against Great
Britain
2. Winning the war for
independence
3. Making peace treaty
with Great Britain
4. Preventing each state
from conducting its
own foreign affairs,
making treaties, and
declaring war
Why did the Articles of Confederation
fail? The primary answer to the
question was that the federal
government was given important
responsibilities but no real power. The
federal government was relatively weak
because most of the law making power
was given to the states.
King George III
King of Great Britain during the
American Revolution. George
III inherited the throne at the
age of twelve. He ruled Britain
throughout the Seven Years'
War, the French and Indian
War, the American Revolution,
the Napoleonic Wars, and the
War of 1812. After the
conclusion of the French and
Indian War, his popularity
declined in the American
colonies. In the Declaration of
Independence, Thomas
Jefferson vilifies George III and
argues that his neglect and
misuse of the American
colonies justified their
revolution.
Anyone who
does not
agree with me
is a traitor and
a scoundrel!
Lord North
Lord North (1732-1792), originally
Frederick North, held many elite
British offices before becoming Prime
Minister in 1770. North maintained
that post until the British defeat at
Yorktown in 1781, after which he
resigned his post.
North extended Parliament's version of
an "olive branch" in early 1775, when
the English government offered to
desist from taxing any colony that
made adequate provisions to support
its civil and military government. But
then Parliament proceeded to pass
laws restraining trade and fisheries in
New England, and later in all the
colonies. North's "olive branch" offer
did not succeed and the first shots of
the war were fired a few months later
at Lexington and Concord.
John Adams
A prominent Boston lawyer
who first became famous
for defending the British
soldiers accused of
murdering five civilians in
the Boston Massacre.
Adams was a delegate from
Massachusetts in the
Continental Congresses,
where he rejected
proposals for reconciliation
with Britain. He served as
vice president to George
Washington and was
president of the United
States from 1797 to 1801.
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams was a fierce
patriot, passionate, rebellious
and rabble-rousing. He was an
intelligent man, whose ideas
are woven into the Declaration
of Independence and the
Constitution. He was a founder
and leader of the Boston Sons
of Liberty, which included Paul
Revere and his second cousin
John Adams (who later
became the second President).
The Sons were semi-secret
groups that existed
throughout the colonies with
little or no central
organization, and were known
as radicals; they were among
the earliest advocates of
independence.
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
On the night of April
18/April 19, 1775, when
Paul Revere and William
Dawes were instructed by
Dr. Joseph Warren to ride
from Boston to Lexington
to warn John Hancock
and Samuel Adams of the
movements of the British
Army, which was
beginning a march from
Boston to Lexington,
ostensibly to arrest
Hancock and Adams and
seize the weapons stores
in Concord.
Ben Franklin
A Philadelphia printer,
inventor, and patriot.
Franklin drew the
famous “Join or Die”
political cartoon for the
Albany Congress. He was
also a delegate for the
Second Continental
Congress and a member
of the committee
responsible for helping
to draft the Declaration
of Independence in
1776.
Patrick Henry
A radical colonist
famous for his “Give
me liberty or give
me death” speech.
Henry openly
advocated rebellion
against the Crown in
the years prior to
the Revolutionary
War. Loyalist accused
him of treason.
George Washington
A Virginia planter and militia
officer who eventually became
the first president of the
United States. Washington
participated in the first
engagement of the French and
Indian War in 1754 and later
became commander in chief
of the American forces during
the Revolutionary War. In
1789, he became president of
the United States. Although
Washington actually lost most
of the military battles he
fought, his leadership skills
were unparalleled and were
integral to the creation of the
United States.
Marquis de Lafayette
Washington Marquis de Lafayette
Valley Forge Winter Camp
Lafayette was a 19 year old officer
in the French Royal Army in
1775, when he first learned of
the American Revolution. He
was so inspired by the rebellion
of the colonists against the
British that he left France to
serve in the Continental Army
saying that, “the welfare of
America is intimately
connected with the happiness
of all mankind.” He served
without pay. He soon
developed a close friendship
with General Washington.
Lafayette, a Major-General,
was at Yorktown in 1781 with
General George Washington
when the British surrendered
Hessians
The Hessians were mercenary
soldiers-for-hire brought to
America from Germany to
fight for the British during the
American Revolution. As in
most armies of the eighteenth
century, the men were mainly
recruits, debtors, or had been
forced into the army; some
were also petty criminals. Pay
was low; some soldiers
apparently received nothing
but their daily food. Some
Hessian units were respected
for their discipline and
excellent military skills.
Hessians made up about onequarter of the British forces in
the Revolution.
Battle of Trenton
Lord Cornwallis
Battle of Camden
Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown
Lord Cornwallis is best
remembered as one of the
leading British generals in the
American War of
Independence. His surrender
in 1781 to a combined
American and French force
led by General Washington at
the Siege of Yorktown ended
significant hostilities in North
America. Cornwallis,
apparently not wanting to
face Washington, claimed to
be ill on the day of the
surrender, and sent another
officer in his place.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
An ordinance is an order or law
made by a government. This
government order was a plan
for adding new states. It allow
people living in the Northwest
Territories—the land between
the Mississippi River and the
Great Lakes and the Ohio
River—to organize their own
governments. When a territory
had a large enough population,
it could join the Union as equals
of the original states, not
colonies. They had to provide
land for public schools and
slavery was unlawful
Dramatic event in Massachusetts
that convinced people of the need
for a strong central government
Many farmers could not trade their
products in other states or
countries. They couldn’t pay their
bills and lost their farms or went to
prison as a result. People protested
the unfairness. In November 1786
more than 1000 angry farmers led
by Daniel Shays were ready to fight
the Massachusetts government.
They tried to take weapons the
arsenal in Springfield to use, but
the State troops stopped Shays’
rebellion. The rebellion frightened
many property owners who feared
similar problems might arise in
their states
Shays’ Rebellion
Shays Rebellion shut down the courts to
prevent the government from taking
their property and jailing them.
Constitutional Convention
Key Issues and Their Resolutions
1.
Made federal law the supreme law of the land when constitutional, but
otherwise gave the states considerable leeway to govern themselves.
2.
Balanced power between large and small states by creating a Senate
(where each state gets two senators) and a House of Representatives
(with membership based on population).
3.
Placated the Southern states by counting the slaves as three-fifths of
the population when determining representation in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
4.
Avoided a too-powerful central government by establishing three coequal branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—with numerous
checks and balances among them.
5.
Limited the powers of the federal government to those identified in the
Constitution.
Constitutional Convention
Key Leaders: George Washington
George Washington
President of the Convention
Washington presided at the
Convention and, although
seldom participating in the
debates, lent his enormous
prestige to the proceedings.
Possessed of an extraordinary
strength of character and a
wealth of public virtues, he
exhibited an integrity, selfdiscipline, and devotion to duty
that made him the natural leader
in the task of nation building.
Constitutional Convention
Key Leaders: James Madison
Madison, a Virginian and a brilliant political
philosopher, often led the debate and
kept copious notes of the proceedings—
the best record historians have of what
transpired at the Constitutional
Convention.
At the Convention, Madison authored the
Virginia Plan, which proposed a federal
government of three separate branches
(legislative, executive, judicial) and
became the foundation for the structure
of the new government.
James Madison
Father of the Constitution
He later authored much of the Bill of Rights.
• George Mason was one of the five
most frequent speakers at the
Constitutional Convention of 1787.
He exerted great influence, but
during the last 2 weeks of the
convention he decided not to sign
the document.
• His reasons: lacked declaration of
rights; the House of Representatives
was not truly representative of the
nation; the Senate was too powerful;
the federal judiciary would destroy
the state judiciaries, render justice
unattainable, and enable the rich to
oppress and ruin the poor.
• Two of Mason's greatest concerns
were incorporated into the
Constitution. The Bill of Rights
answered his primary objection, and
the 11th amendment addressed his
call for strictures on the judiciary.
George Mason
George Mason was a Virginia
delegate to the Constitutional
Convention and author of the
Virginia Declaration of Rights,
considered a blueprint for the
U.S. Bill of Rights.
Great Compromise
Solution to Representation: Two Houses in Congress
The Senate
Each state, large or small, would
have two representatives in the
Senate.
House of Representatives
The number of representatives
from each state would be
based on the number of
people living in that state.
Ratification
Three-fourths of the 13 states (9) had to agree to the
Constitution before it would become law.
Anti-Federalists
•
•
•
•
•
Opposed the ratification of the
Constitution
Wanted important political powers to
remain with the states
Wanted the legislative branch to have
more power than the executive
Feared that a strong executive might
become a king or tyrant
Believed a bill of rights needed to be
added to the Constitution to protect
people’s right
Leaders:
George Mason
Samuel Adams
Richard Henry Lee
Patrick Henry
Mercy Otis Warren
Federalists
•
•
•
•
•
Supported the ratification of the
Constitution
Wanted the voters to ratify the
Constitution
Supported removing some powers
from the states and giving more
powers to the national government
Favored dividing powers among three
branches of government
Proposed a single person to lead the
executive branch
Leaders:
George Washington
John Adams
Alexander Hamilton
James Madison
Ben Franklin
•
•
•
The Federalist Papers were a series of
85 essays written by Alexander
Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison,
under the pen-name "Publius" urging
New York delegates to ratify the
Constitution. In 1788, the essays were
published in a bound volume entitled
the Federalist and eventually became
known as the Federalist Papers.
To address fears that the Constitution
would give the central government too
much power and would limit individual
freedom, Hamilton, Jay, and Madison
analyzed the Constitution in detail and
outlined the built in checks and
balances meant to divide power
between the three branches of
government and to preserve the rights
of the people and states.
The papers did not play a significant role
in New York's decision to ratify the
Constitution (delegates voted in favor of
the new government because New York
City threatened to secede if they did
not).
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the name for the
first ten amendments to the United
States Constitution and was adopted
four years after the original
Constitution was adopted.
When the Constitution was written, many
Founding Fathers were worried that
the rights of the people were not
protected enough. They said a Bill of
Rights had to be added before they
would help ratified the Constitution.
The Bill of Rights was introduced by
James Madison to the First United
States Congress in 1789 and came
into effect as Constitutional
Amendments on December 15, 1791,
through the process of ratification by
three-fourths of the States.
First Ten Amendments
1.
Freedom of religion, speech, press,
assembly, and petition.
2.
Right to keep and bear arms in order
to maintain a well regulated militia.
3.
No quartering of soldiers.
4.
Freedom from unreasonable
searches and seizures.
5.
Right to due process of law, freedom
from self-incrimination, double
jeopardy.
6.
Rights of accused persons, e.g.,
right to a speedy and public trial.
7.
Right of trial by jury in civil cases.
8.
Freedom from excessive bail, cruel
and unusual punishments.
9.
Other rights of the people.
10. Powers reserved to the states.
U.S. Constitution
6 Goals listed in the Preamble
1.
2.
3.
To form a more perfect union.
States should work together as
one united nation.
To establish justice. Laws and
rights must be the same for all
the people.
To ensure domestic tranquility.
The national, state and local
government needed the power to
keep the peace.
4.
5.
6.
To provide for common defense.
Military power would prevent
further attacks by foreign
nations.
To promote the general welfare.
The national government has the
power to take care of the
peoples’ needs.
To secure the blessings of liberty.
Liberty is the freedom to live as
you would like, as long as you
follow and obey the laws of the
country, and respect the rights of
others.
Goals of the Preamble
A Closer Look
Preamble
Explanation
•
Form a more perfect Union
•
•
Establish justice
•
•
Insure domestic tranquility
•
•
Provide for the common defense
•
Safeguard the country against
attack
•
Promote for the general welfare
•
Contribute to the happiness and
well-being of all the people
•
Secure the blessings of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity
•
Make sure future citizens remain
free
Create a nation in which states
work together
Make laws and set up courts
that are fair
Keep peace within the country
Preamble
What does it mean?
The preamble is the
introduction to the
Constitution.
It outlines the general goals
of the framers: to create a
just government, insure
peace, provide an adequate
national defense, and
promote a healthy, free
nation.
The Supreme Court held
in 1905 (in Jacobson v.
Massachusetts) that the
preamble is not a source
of federal power or
individuals’ rights.
With its first three words, “We
the People,” the preamble
emphasizes that the nation is to
be ruled by the people - not a
king or dictator, not the
president, Supreme Court
Justices, members of Congress
or state legislators.
All rights and powers
are set out in the
articles and
amendments that
follow.
U.S. Constitution
Supreme Law of the Land
Principals of the Constitution
•
Popular Sovereignty – the final
power and authority of the government
comes from the people.
•
Republicanism – a system of
government in which representatives
are elected by the people.
•
Federalism – the constitutional
system that share power between the
national and state governments.
Some powers are concurrent (ex: the
ability to tax).
•
Separation of Powers – the national
government is divided into three
separate branches, each with its own
power : Executive, Legislative and
Judicial.
•
Checks and Balances – the system
that allows each branch of government
to limit the powers of the other
branches.
•
Limited Government – The people
are protected by a system of
Constitutional laws that limit the power
of the government.
•
Individual Rights – The Bill of Rights
and laws insure personal freedoms ,
equality in treatment and protection to
all individuals.
Three Branches of Government
The legislative branch is to
write, debate, and pass
bills, which are then passed
on to the President for
approval.
The executive branch
makes sure that the
laws of the United
States are obeyed.
The judicial branch is made up of the
court system. The Supreme Court is
the highest court in the land. Courts
decide the meaning of laws and
whether they break the rules of the
Constitution.
Chief Justice John Marshall
4th Chief Justice of the
U. S. Supreme Court
The Marshall Court
On January 20, 1801 President John
Adams nominated John
Marshall, then Secretary of
State, as chief justice of the
United States Supreme Court.
Served as chief justice for thirty-four
years
Marshall heard cases and offered
groundbreaking opinions that
continue to guide the Supreme
Court and the United States
government today.
• Marbury v. Madison: Established the
principle of judicial review, in which
the court ruled that the Supreme
Court had the power to declare invalid
any act of Congress that was in
conflict with the U.S. Constitution.
• McCulloch v. Maryland: The Marshall
court also ruled that state judiciaries
could set aside state legislative acts if
they conflicted with the federal
Constitution and that the U.S.
• Supreme Court could reverse a
decision of a state court.
• By his opinions, Marshall increased
the power of the Supreme Court as a
branch of the federal government,
emphasized the role of the judiciary in
the states, and reinforced the national
supremacy of the federal government.
War of 1812: Why go to war?
War of 1812:
Effects
Effects of the War of 1812
1. The attacks on Canada weren't as
successful as originally planned by the
War Hawks because Canada didn't want
to be free from Britain and Britain's army
was much larger than that of the U.S.
2. Native American Armies Were Defeated
 When General Tecumseh died, the
Native Americans no longer had a
leader to gather large armies against
the U.S.
 The War of 1812 resulted in the Native
American's loss of land through the
signing of government treaties.
3. It exposed American militarily weakness and
made clear the importance of better
transportation systems.
4. The end of the party of the Wealthy Business
People
 Three ways the United States became
stronger after the War of 1812:
1. It proved its military power.
2. It increased its manufacturing ability.
3. The Federalist Party was ended.
5. Most importantly, the war stimulated domestic
manufacture.
Monroe Doctrine
•
•
•
The Monroe Doctrine was the
declaration by President James Monroe,
in December 1823, that the United
States would not tolerate a European
nation colonizing an independent
nation in North or South America. Any
such intervention in the western
hemisphere would be considered a
hostile act by the United States, though
the United States would respect existing
European colonies.
What prompted Monroe’s statement: A
fear that Spain would try to take over its
former colonies in South America,
which had declared their
independence.
The European powers took note of
Monroe’s declaration, but what kept
the Spanish (and presumably the
French) from meddling in the western
hemisphere was not so much Monroe’s
statements as very real threats from the
British. It seemed apparent that the
Royal Navy would stop the Spanish
involvement, as the British wanted to
protect their interests in the Caribbean.
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was one of the largest
land deals in history. In 1803, the United States
paid approximately $15 million dollars for over
800,000 square miles of land. This land deal was
arguably the greatest achievement of Thomas
Jefferson's presidency.
Why was this deal was necessary?
In 1801, Spain and France signed a
secret treaty ceding Louisiana to
France. France suddenly posed a
potential threat to America.
There was a fear that if America
did not purchase New Orleans
from France, it could lead to
war. The change of ownership of
this key port resulted in its
closing to Americans. Therefore,
Jefferson sent envoys to France
to try and secure its purchase.
Instead, they returned with an
agreement to buy the entire
Louisiana Territory. America did
not have the money to pay the
$15 million outright so they
instead borrowed the money
from Great Britain at 6%
interest.
•
Also called the Transcontinental Treaty
of 1819, the Adams-Onis Treaty was
one of the critical events that defined
the U.S.-Mexico border. The border
between the then-Spanish lands and
American territory was a source of
heated international debate. Spain’s
western colonies were on the brink of
revolution.
•
So he wouldn’t lose Florida without any
compensation, Spanish foreign minister
Onis signed a treaty with Secretary of
State John Quincy Adams. The treaty
drew a definite border between Spanish
land and the Louisiana Territory.
•
The United States ceded to Spain its
claims to Texas west of the Sabine River.
Spain retained possession not only of
Texas, but also California and the vast
region of New Mexico. At the time,
these two territories included all of
present-day California and New Mexico
along with modern Nevada, Utah,
Arizona and sections of Wyoming and
Colorado.
Acquisition of Florida
Adams-Onis Treaty
The treaty also mandated that Spain
relinquish its claims to the country of
Oregon north of the 42 degrees parallel
(the northern border of California).
Pre-Civil War Economics
Although the Civil War itself was caused by a number of
different factors, the divergent paths taken in the economic
development of North and South contributed to the animosity
between the regions.
The South was very dependent on cotton. Cotton, which
could be processed in greater quantities after the invention of
the cotton gin, depended on slavery.
In the North, factories were springing up. In the South,
plantations had developed. In surprising ways, these systems
resembled each other in their attempt at mass production.
Women weaving in the North
The South had almost 25% of the country's free population,
but only 10% of the country's capital in 1860. The North had
five times the number of factories as the South, and over ten
times the number of factory workers. In addition, 90% of the
nation's skilled workers were in the North.
In the North, labor was expensive, and workers were mobile
and active. The influx of immigrants from Europe and Asia
provided competition in the labor market, however, keeping
wages from growing very quickly. The Southern economy,
however, was built on the labor of African American slaves,
who were oppressed into providing cheap labor.
The Cotton Press in the South
Nullification Crisis
Toward the end of his first term in office, Jackson was
forced into a Constitutional confrontation with his former
Vice President, John C. Calhoun, and the state of
South Carolina on the issue of the protective tariff.
In their view, South Carolina thought all the benefits of
protection were going to Northern manufacturers, and
while the country as a whole grew richer, South
Carolina grew poorer, with its planters bearing the
burden of higher prices.
South Carolina claimed the right to "nullify," or declare
void the tariff. This would have meant that the states
didn't have to pay the tariff. More importantly, it would
have meant that the states would have had authority
over the federal government in a basic economic matter
like the tariff.
Jackson declared that nullification was tantamount to
treason and quickly dispatched ships to Charleston
harbor and began strengthening federal fortifications
there. After Jackson issued his proclamation, Congress
passed the Force Act that authorized the use of military
force against any state that resisted the tariff acts
Nullification leaders in South Carolina had expected the
support of other Southern states, but without exception,
the rest of the South declared South Carolina's course
unwise and unconstitutional. The states withdrew their
objection to the tariff, mainly because Henry Clay
introduced a compromise bill which would gradually
reduced tariffs for 11 years, putting off the nullification
question until then.
In 1823 the Supreme Court handed down a
decision (Johnson v. M’Intosh) which stated that
Indians could occupy lands within the United
States, but could not hold title to those lands. The
Indian Removal Act, part of a United States
government policy known as Indian removal, was
signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on
May 26, 1830.
The Removal Act was strongly supported in the
South, where states were eager to gain access to
lands inhabited by the “Five Civilized Tribes”. In
particular, Georgia, the largest state at that time,
was involved in a contentious jurisdictional dispute
with the Cherokee nation. President Jackson
hoped removal would resolve the Georgia crisis.
While Native American removal was, in theory,
supposed to be voluntary, in practice great
pressure was put on Native American leaders to
sign removal treaties. Most observers, whether
they were in favor of the Indian removal policy or
not, realized that the passage of the act meant the
inevitable removal of most Indians from the states.
Some Native American leaders who had previously
resisted removal now began to reconsider their
positions, especially after Jackson’s landslide reelection in 1832. The Indian Removal Act paved the
way for the reluctant—and often forcible—
emigration of tens of thousands of American
Indians to the West.
Impact of Indian Removals
As a division developed in the early 19th century
regarding the morality of slavery, those who wanted it
stopped (abolished) were called abolitionists. The idea of
opposing slavery makes it abolitionism. Most arguments
for abolition centered on the premise of the founding of
the nation, that all people have an inherent right to
personal freedom. European nations began outlawing
slavery during the same period. During the US Civil War,
Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
was the first document to address an end to slavery.
The Underground Railroad was a secret system in
northern U.S. states to help escaping slaves. Its name
derived from the need for secrecy and the railway terms
used in the conduct of the system. Various routes in 14
states, called lines, provided safe stopping places
(stations) for the leaders (conductors) and their charges
(packages) while fleeing north, sometimes to Canada.
The system developed in defiance of the Fugitive Slave
Acts and was active mainly from 1830 to 1860. An
estimated 40,000 to 100,000 slaves used the network.
Assistance was provided mainly by free blacks, including
Harriet Tubman, and philanthropists, church leaders, and
abolitionists. Its existence aroused support for the
antislavery cause and convinced Southerners that the
North would never allow slavery to remain unchallenged.
Abolition/Underground
Railroad
Abolitionism was a movement to do away with slavery,
notably in the US from 1800 to 1863. Actual slavery in the
US was outlawed by the 13th Amendment in 1865.
New Harmony, Indiana: A Communitarian Experiment
Founded in 1814 by the Harmony Society, a group of
Separatists from the German Lutheran Church Sold to
Robert Owens in 1825. The Harmonists combined the
Swabian work ethic ("Work, work, work! Save, save,
save!") with the Benedictine rule ("Pray and work!"). This
resulted in an unheard of economic achievement that was
recognized as "the wonder of the west."
Robert Owen's ambition was to create a more perfect
society through free education and the abolition of social
classes and personal wealth. World-renowned scientists
and educators settled in New Harmony. With the help of
William Maclure, the Scottish geologist and businessman,
they introduced vocation education, kindergarten and
other educational reforms.
New Harmony is also the site of the early headquarters of
the U.S. Geological Survey and provided the earliest
geological and natural science collections for the
beginnings of the Smithsonian Institute. David Dale Owen
turned to geology under the influence of William Maclure.
From 1830 until 1860 New Harmony was one of the most
important training and research centers for the study of
geology in America.
Utopian Experiments
Utopian societies were created in reaction to urban
growth and industrialization. Emphasis was on
community and withdrawal from society.
Reform Leaders
William Lloyd
Garrison was an
American newspaper
publisher who lived
during the 19th
century. Called "The
Liberator," the
newspaper he
published spoke out
against the evils of
slavery, making
Garrison a notable
member of the
abolitionist movement
Susan B. Anthony is
remembered as a women's
rights leader, but she also
campaigned against slavery
and in favor of temperance
(the abolition of liquor). Along
with Elizabeth Cady Stanton
she founded the American
Equal Rights Association in
1866, and she spent the better
part of her life trying to win
voting rights for women in the
United States.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a
leading figure in the American
women's rights movement of the
19th century. She was a cofounder (with Lucretia Mott) of
the famous 1848 Women's
Rights Convention held at
Seneca Falls, New York, and
drafted the convention's
Declaration of Sentiments.
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the long held belief that
white Americans had a given right to
occupy the entire North American
continent.
It was not a new idea, nor was it historically
confined to America. Manifest Destiny as a
concept was exercised in 1492 by
Christopher Columbus and the Spanish
monarchs who initially sanctioned the
colonization of South America. It was also
exercised by the Pilgrim Fathers when
they landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620.
Manifest Destiny was a phrase coined by
John O'Sullivan in 1845 referring to
Texas' annexation of Mexico. The Lewis
and Clark Expedition is considered the
finest example of Manifest Destiny, as the
annexed land from France expanded the
United States westward.
"(It is) ..our manifest destiny to over
spread and to possess the whole of the
continent which Providence has given us
for the development of the great
experiment of liberty.”
John O'Sullivan, editor
New York newspaper
The Morning Post
Territorial Acquisitions
Texas Annexation
By the Louisiana Purchase, Texas had
become a part of the United States; but in
1819 it had been ceded to Spain in the
negotiations for Florida. Two years later
Mexico, including Texas, had become
independent, and the United States made
two unsuccessful attempts to purchase
Texas from Mexico.
The settlement of Texas by immigrants
from the United States finally led to the
secession of Texas and its annexation by
the United States, with the result that the
Mexican War broke out in May, 1846.
The Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase was for the purpose of the US's
construction of a transcontinental railroad along a deep
southern route. It was also related to reconciliation of
outstanding border issues following the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican–American
War of 1846–48. This purchase included lands south of the
Gila River and west of the Rio Grande.
The purchase was the last major territorial acquisition in the
contiguous United States, adding a large area to the United
States.
It was closed by the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo by which the United States gained
not only Texas but New Mexico and Upper
California.
Mexico gives up all claim to Texas. U.S.
pays Mexico $15 million and agrees to
assume American citizens' claims
($3,250,000) against Mexico.
Eli Whitney's cotton gin was a leading factor in the
growth of industry and market development in the
North. While the South was producing and
providing the cotton, Northern entrepreneurs
created the factories to make cotton into cloth.
1. Expansion of cotton production
a) Price rose from 6 cents/lb. in 1845 to 14
cents/lb. in 1857
b) U.S. produced 7/8 of world cotton supply by
1860
2. Expansion of tobacco market (200 million lbs.
in 1850 to 430 million lbs. in 1860).
3. Cotton gin's invention increased productivity
(in 10 years production increased 800%)
4. Removal of Indians from Southeastern US
allowed expansion 5. 5. Success of cotton led
to one-crop economy
The increase in the number of cotton plantations
led to a marked increase in the slave market;
plantation owners needed cheap laborers to
tend and pick cotton crops.
In the North, the cotton economy led to the
construction of factories to spin the cotton into
cloth. These factories attracted a wide number
of rural workers, as well as immigrants, to
move into cities and large towns for work.
The Cotton Gin
Missouri Compromise
of 1850
North Gets
South Gets
California admitted as a free state
No slavery restrictions in Utah or
New Mexico territories
Slave trade prohibited in
Washington D.C.
Slaveholding permitted in
Washington D.C.
Texas loses boundary dispute with
New Mexico
Texas gets $10 million
Fugitive Slave Law
Kansas-Nebraska Act
1854
Stephen Douglas proposed that
1) Kansas and Nebraska territories be divided
into two sections
2) Missouri Compromise be repealed, with
settlers in each territory choosing whether or
not they wanted slavery (popular sovereignty
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's
Cabin (1852) convinced many
northerners of the evil of slavery.
Dred Scott Decision 1857
Chief Justice Taney ruled that
Scott (Dred Scott v. Sanford)
could not sue for his freedom
• Missouri Compromise was
unconstitutional (Congress
had no right to restrict
slavery from territories)
• Constitution and citizenship
did not apply to blacks
Impact of Brown’ Raid
1.
2.
3.
Northern abolitionists viewed him as
a martyr, taking action against the
evil of slavery
Southerners generally viewed Brown
as a madman, symbolizing the
fanatical hatred of the North
Moderates (Lincoln) condemned
Brown's action, while admiring his
commitment to countering slavery
John Brown’s Raid on
Harper’s Ferry
Brown and his followers planned a slave
insurrection to begin in western Virginia.
They seized federal arsenal at Harper's
Ferry, but was quickly captured, tried, and
hanged.
Significant Antebellum Events
Event
Annexation of
Texas
Year
1845
Compromise
of 1850
1850
Uncle Tom's
Cabin
1852
KansasNebraska Act
1854
Dred Scott
case
1857
LincolnDouglas
debates
1858
John Brown's
Raid
1859
Election of
1860
Firing on Ft.
Sumter
1860
April
1861
Significance
Addition of Texas to the U.S. adds a major slave state to the Union
While not satisfying either abolitionists or slavery advocates, this brings California in as a free state
and strengthens the Fugitive Slave Law. It also allows Utah and New Mexico territory residents to
decide on slavery.
Publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel takes the message of abolitionism to a broad
audience. Over 300,000 copies are sold in the first year. It is also produced as a play throughout
the world. Good, kindly blacks are portrayed as victims of a cruel system.
Repealing the Missouri Compromise, the K-N Act gives residents the right to decide on the issue of
slavery. Proposed by Stephen Douglas, this pushes many former Whigs into the new Republican
Party, which opposes the extension of slavery beyond its current locations.
Critical ruling by the Supreme Court that slaves are not citizens and that Congress has no authority
to ban slavery from the territories. Huge victory for pro-slavery forces.
In a race for an Illinois Senate seat, Douglas defends popular sovereignty and accuses the
Republicans of favoring war and social equality of the races. Lincoln opposes the extension of
slavery into the territories, but does not advocate its abolition in the South. The debate makes
Lincoln a national figure.
While failing in his attempt to begin a slave uprising, John Brown helps define the line between
abolitionists and those opposed to slavery, but unwilling to take a stand against it. Brown's action
convinces some Southerners that nothing but withdrawal from the nation would preserve slavery in
the South.
While winning less than 40% of the popular vote, Lincoln achieves a victory in the electoral college
over a divided Democratic Party.
Lincoln sends supplies to the fort in Charleston harbor, knowing the South would attack. Several
southern states secede and the conflict has become war.