Unit 2 Chapter 4 Notes -British North American Colonies * think of themselves as British still -they depend on the British

for military protection and trade -had to export tobacco and indigo to Britain because they cant use it all themselves -were not entirely self-sufficient * lack of unity -they had different motivations for settlement -Then Mercantilism developed * a zero-sum game -assumes theres a finite number of resources in the world -what one person gains someone else loses * the point of mercantilism was to achieve a favorable balance of trade -need to export more than you import -easiest way to do this is using colonies -So Britain created the Navigation Acts, a forced monopoly on their colonies * colonists had to buy from England -the problem with that: England can increases their prices and force Americans to lower theirs * the colonists decide to get their products from elsewhere -they smuggle in Dutch products -to counter this, Britain made vice-admiralty courts to stop smugglers * vice-admiralty courts were jury-less * judges were likely to convict because they received a portion of the smuggled goods for every conviction -America had been left under salutary neglect/benevolent neglect for the most part by Britain * England ignored America and let them do what they want -America was a haven for English rejects * America had made a representative government -British king was still supreme -America lacked a natural aristocracy -they had classes but not castes * A meritocracy developed -Americans succeeded or failed by their own merit -determined by their hard work * royal control is limited

-governors salaries were controlled by the colonies * so they obeyed the colonists -the colonists wouldnt pay them if the governors didnt do what they wanted * many colonists joined militias for protection from natives, the Spanish, and the French -officers were elected, so often they were just the most popular guys * very inefficient, based on popularity over skill * many Americans owned their own land -the benefit of working hard -working harder = more money -lack of dependence on aristocrats -control of their own destiny * religious freedom in most of the colonies -the major fear of the Puritans was losing Puritanism is England took control * rapid population growth and growing self-sufficiency -King Georges War * beneficial to the Middle Colonies but harmful to the rest of the colonies -New England: initial boom in shipbuilding and employment but that went to a depression and unemployment -Middle Colonies: sold grain, benefitted through the sales -The Carolinas: rice depression -The First Great Awakening * the established churches fracture * increased egalitarian thought * less respect for hierarchies -less respect for church hierarchies led to less respect for political ones -The Enlightenment * John Locke took the ideas of others and put them together: -we all live in a world of rules that forms the social contract -there are certain unalienable rights given to us by the Creator * life, liberty, and property -there needs to be a ruler to enforce it * has the consent of the governed * the people can kick out the rulers if they dont uphold their duties -Trouble on the Frontier * Pittsburgh is the place of contention, French wanted control of it * Albany Congress was called in 1754

-7 colonies went -the first instance of some colonists coming together to discuss problems -planned to get Iroquois neutrality and make a plan of union *achieved neither goal * George Washington, a British officer, was ordered to the Three Rivers to build a fort, but the French are already there -Jumonville Glen ambush: Washington ambushes the French, the start of the French and Indian War/7 Years War -he captured the French ambassador and his native ally beheaded him *Washington mistakenly took credit for the beheading -afterwards, he retreated to the bottom of a valley and built Ft. Necessity -many problems with the fort: bad position, easy to shoot at, rain gathers in the valley -Washington eventually surrenders and signs a treaty with the French * a second expedition to the frontier is led by Braddock -made Braddocks Road as they marches -were ambushed by the French in the Battle of Monongahela *Braddock was killed, the retreat of the troops was led by Washington *Washington sees the advantage of guerilla tactics * William Pitt takes over after the disasters -convinces the colonists to pay for the war and do the fighting -British invade Canada and conquer Quebec and Montreal to end the war *fighting in America ends but it continues in Europe *1754-1760 in America *1756-1763 in Europe -Effects of the 7 Years War/French and Indian War: * the French were ousted from North America * Americans were angry that they couldnt settle west -they had fought for it but got no reward *the soldiers were placed nearby * Americans dont like the British soldiers -professional, strict army, beat soldiers publicly -thought they were tyrannical -saw the British lose and lost respect for them *huge debt in Britain -100 million pounds -also had a lot of interest due on the debt

-Pontiacs Rebellion * Pontiac, a native who had lost French allies, organized a rebellion -it was put down quickly * the British formed the Proclamation Line of 1763 -Americans couldnt settle west of the line but some already had -wanted to stop the colonists from conflicting with the Indians *the British also stationed 10,000 troops in the north-west -this made the colonists angry; they saw this as Britain trying to control them

Unit 2 Chapter 5 Notes -Sugar Act 1764 * actually lowers the tax from 1763 so the colonists are more likely to pay the tax -stops smuggling, its more expensive and not worth the risk * the British keep tightening control -writs of assistance were blanket search-warrants *a British official could search anything if they suspected smuggling -some other items had taxes too -royal governors had more control because England paid them *the colonists couldnt control them -American colonists still had the highest living standards in the world -Stamp Act 1765 * finally sets the colonists off because each of them is affected by it *violent protests -in Boston, protestors hung an effigy of the governor, burned his house and office *Stamp Act Congress was made with 9 colonies present

-planned colonial boycotts, which were effective -the Stamp Act was repealed -Declaratory Act was passed instead in 1766 * stated that Parliament had control over the colonies in all matters * essentially just England stating its power, no real effects -The Sons of Liberty organized acceptable political protests -Townshend Acts 1767 * placed more taxes on certain good, especially tea * the British sent troops to enforce the tax -tangible intimidation, 1 soldier for every 4 colonists *the Daughters of Liberty encouraged and helped the boycotts -smuggled in Dutch tea -drank coffee or herbal tea to stop buying tea from England -Boston Massacre in 1770 * soldiers in Boston caused tension -they camped in the Boston commons -officers punished troops publicly *didnt fit with the Great Awakening/egalitarian ideas * biggest conflict was when soldiers took jobs from other people -stealing Bostonians jobs -conflicts and assaults at night * soldiers finally reacted and shot at a crowd -citizens had thrown rocks and snowballs at the soldiers -Paul Reveres engraving became idealistic though only 5 were killed -it emphasized the brutality of the soldiers and hid the antagonism of the colonists -Response to the Boston Massacre: * Committees of Correspondence were formed to help the colonies communicate -they talked of ways to protest the British *Townshend Acts were repealed except for the tax on tea -Tea Act 1773 * like the Sugar Act, it lowered tax to stop smuggling -colonists saw it as a trick -thought they would be accepting the right of England to tax them * the British immediately sent tea to the colonies

-many ships went home when the colonists wouldnt buy it but the Boston one didnt * the governor planned to remove the tea forcibly to the shore -the colonists find out about the plan *implement the Boston Tea Party -they go to the docks and boarded the ships dressed like Indians -threw chests of tea overboard into the harbor -Coercive Acts/Intolerable Acts 1774 * 4 different parts: 1) Boston Port Bill closed Boston harbor until the tea was paid for -caused economic devastation for Boston 2) Justice Act any British soldier who killed a rioting colonist would be tried in Britain -which meant they would probably not be convicted -intimidation for the colonists, a warning from Britain that the soldiers wouldnt tolerate riots 3) Quartering Act British troops could occupy any home/building 4) Massachusetts Government Act dissolved the Massachusetts legislature -banned meetings to prevent uprisings *Britain imposed martial law on the American colonies -the military was in charge -Response to the Coercive Acts: * First Continental Congress met -agreed to a boycott system, called the Continental Association, on all British goods -listed their grievance against Britain and called for King George to right those complaints -created Committees of Observation *supposed to only enforce the boycott, but in reality they often tarred and feathered sellers of British goods -provided for a Second Continental Congress to meet the following year * colonists started gathering weapons in Lexington and Concord -British were suspicious and in 1775 marched to get them -at night they cross the channel and went to Concord *Paul Revere rode ahead to warn Hancock and Adams in Lexington -the militia goes to the north, and the colonists move the guns *the British burn what they find

*colonists, seeing the smoke, attack the British because they believe that the British are burning the town -Americans fire the first shots, first shot was probably accidental *8 Americans are killed * the start of the American Revolution -the British are tired and march back to Boston -the colonists hid in the bushes and attacked the British with guerilla tactics -a blood bath for the English -Second Continental Congress 1775 * primarily to organize the rebellion/war effort * formed the Continental Army -Washington is put in charge of it * hes from Virginia, in the middle of the colonies, not from New England *tall, confident, had experience * printed money for war supplies * committee was formed for relationships with international allies * they dont actually declare independence yet -only one third of colonists supported the rebellion effort at this time -Battle of Bunker Hill 1775 (actually took place at Breeds Hill and was misnamed) * after Lexington and Concord, militiamen gather around Boston -not led by Washington * they isolate the British and place cannons on Breeds Hill * the British marched by the hill multiple times to attack, lost many soldiers -finally the colonists retreated from lack of ammo * Britain lost 1100 while America lost only 400 * effects for the colonists: -stood up to a professional army -retreated only when out of ammunition, not from loss of troops -1 in 2 British casualties, 1 in 4 American casualties -British lost more men * effects for the British: -took the hill, a military victory -showed their resolve to put down the rebellion

Unit 2 Chapter 6 Notes -Decision for Independence * Thomas Paine published Common Sense -sold 100,000 copies, spread around to the colonists, half of colonists read it -it was the tipping point of independence and thinking * almost like Americas first civil war -split into thirds, one third supported, one third opposed, and one third didnt take sides -the South tended to be loyalistic -American Advantages: * home field advantage, locals would joining as the fighting came close to them * fighting for what they believed in, not for land * the British were suppressing a rebellion rather than capturing territory -they thought it would be a quick victory; like a war in Europe, they thought they would just have to capture the capital * the British had to transport their army thousands of miles, affected their strategy * America didnt need to win battles, just survive -American Disadvantages: * unreliable militia * lacked supplies and ammunition -made them more mobile though * America didnt have a navy * Britain had the best trained army in the world -Britain evacuated Boston over the winter to regroup in Canada in 1776 * came back to invade New York -the US kept getting defeated, retreating -the American army was chased out of New York/New Jersey to Pennsylvania * Washington kept the army together * revolution was falling apart -many people thought it was over -faith in the revolution disappeared

* people in New Jersey proclaimed loyalty to the king again *continental currency was worthless * soldiers enlistments were almost up, they started going home -only 5,000 troops remained in the army -Battle of Trenton saved it * Washington attacked suddenly in the winter -everyone thought it was a lost cause * they attacked a Hessian fort (German professional militia) -Hessian leader had been sent a letter in warning but couldnt read it * Americans captured 1000 troops * this convinced the army to keep fighting -many men re-enlist for another year -A new English general and plan in 1777 * wanted to separate New England from the south -controlling the Hudson would isolate New York City -they came up with a three-pronged attack * New York forces under Howe (British general) went to Philadelphia to capture the capital -broke the plan because he wants the credit * Burgoyne (another British general) needed backup but none showed up -didnt have enough food -they attacked but failed twice at Battle of Saratoga * Gates (American general) ordered the men to wait -Benedict Arnold defied orders, attacked, and won -Significance of Saratoga: * Franco-American alliance -provided money, weapons, troops, and a navy * Howe went to Philadelphia -Washington didnt try hard to stop him -troops were trapped at Valley Forge for the winter * at Valley Forge, the troops faced starvation, disease, cold -one fifth die *Congress ignored Washingtons pleas for help -gave them the opportunity to train though -soldiers became more committed to the war -British turned to the South

* believed more loyalists were in the South -but the longer they stay there, the angrier they make the citizens in the South -especially angered them by freeing slaves to have them join the army * wanted to created a base to attack the North -had early successes at Savannah and Charleston * in 1780, there was a disaster for the continental army at Camden -Gates, the hero of Saratoga, was sent south to stop the British -turned out disastrously, even though they had an advantage *Gates retreated without his troops and was removed from command -New colonial strategy with Nathaniel Greene * employed guerilla warfare, with Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox -Cornwallis divided his forces, with Colonel Tarleton taking some -Morgan, under Greene, defeated Tarletons forces and drove the British into the backcountry * Battle of Cowpens -victory for the Americans -colonial troops forced the British to chase them -Cornwallis needed mobility, so he burnt his wagons as he chased and lost when the Americans turned around the fight them *went to Yorktown to get reinforcements * at Yorktown he waited for help -French defeated the British navy and controlled the Chesapeake * the British troops were trapped on land by Washington -Cornwallis surrendered in 1781 -Treaty of Paris 1783 * the official end of the war, two years after the surrender of Cornwallis * gave unconditional independence to America -Florida was given back to the Spanish * the British still had troops in the frontier -America couldnt pay the debt that England demanded for removing the troops, so they stayed * there were also British in New York -Washington stayed outside the city for 2 years with the army -Congress refused to pay them -the soldiers plan a coup and want to put Washington in charge, but he refuses and puts it down

-known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, in 1783