1. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND THE NEW U.S. GOV’T

2. Great Britain and the 13 Colonies Great Britain defeated France in the French and Indian War, which led to France having to give up all its North American colonies – The war was expensive, so Britain decided to make the colonies pay part of the cost in the form of new taxes 1765 – Stamp Act = colonists had to pay taxes on newspapers, legal documents, all other public papers – “No Taxation Without Representation!” The colonists wanted a say in Parliament – Colonists called for a boycott of British goods, which led Parliament to repeal the act

3. The next year Britain placed new taxes on glass, paper, paints, and tea – This led to merchants in Boston calling for a new boycott and the British sent troops to keep order Boston Massacre – British shoot and kill five men – 1773 a group of Bostonians called the Sons of Liberty boarded ships and dumped tea into the harbor – This leads to the Intolerable Acts = regulations that limited the freedoms of the colonists First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774 to list their grievances against Britain – The colonists wanted to make peace, but the British voted down the plan

4. In April 1775 British troops marched out of Boston and fought with militiamen at Lexington and Concord – This started the American Revolution Thomas Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense to gain support for the rebellion against Britain The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776 – Written by Thomas Jefferson and incorporated ideas from John Locke and Rousseau

5. The American Revolution George Washington was made commanding general of the army – Crossing the Delaware River, winter at Valley Forge Battle of Saratoga proved to be a huge turning point in the war – Americans trapped British general Burgoyne’s army, which surrendered – Due to this victory, France entered the war on the side of the Americans – gave troops and money Wanted to gain revenge for defeats by the British Also supported by Spain and the Dutch

7. In autumn of 1781 the war ends after General Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown – He was surrounded by American and French troops and he was cut off from the British navy by the French navy 1783 the Treaty of Paris ends the war and the 13 colonies gain independence

9. The Articles of Confederation First gov’t of the new United States was established by the Articles of Confederation – Made the national gov’t weak Had no power to tax, negotiate with foreign nations, or raise an army – Gave all the power to the state gov’ts It failed and in 1787 delegates met in Philadelphia at the Constitutional Convention – The goal was to revise the Articles, but instead they wrote a new constitution

10. The United States Government The U.S. Constitution went into effect in 1789 – Founding principle of the Constitution is that gov’t exists for the people – Reflects Locke’s and Rousseau’s idea of government by the consent of the people Federal system = power shared between the national and state gov’ts – Enumerated powers – those that belong to the national gov’t Army, post office, foreign affairs, printing money

11. – Reserved powers – those that belong to the state gov’t Schools, establishing local gov’ts, marriage and divorce laws – Concurrent powers – those that are shared Taxes, enforcing the laws Separation of powers – Separate the legislative, executive, and judicial functions of gov’t and assign each to a separate branch of gov’t – Three branches of gov’t Executive = enforces the law Legislative = makes the law Judicial = interprets the law

12. Checks and Balances – Each branch of gov’t is able to check, or limit, the power of the others The Bill of Rights – Was included to win over opponents to the Constitution and it protects people’s rights – The first ten amendments to the Constitution – First Amendment R A P S

13. Supremacy Clause – The Constitution and the laws of the national gov’t are the “supreme law of the land” Preamble – six goals – “form a more perfect union” – “establish justice” – “insure domestic tranquility” – “provide for the common defense” – “promote the general welfare” – “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity” Posterity = generations not born yet States how long the Constitution is supposed to last