Birth of the American Republic Unit 4 Section 4 Essential Standards: How the enlightenment ideas and thinkers influenced revolution around the world. I can: identify enlightenment ideas and understand how they caused revolution and change around the world. How revolutions spark change in not only the political realm, but also economically, and socially.

The 13 Colonies Mid 1700s Colonists felt entitled to the rights of English citizens, & their colonial assemblies exercised much control over local affairs. Colonists shared common values, respect for individual enterprise, & an increasing sense of their own identity separate from that of Britain.

Growing Discontent After 1763, relations b/w Britain & the 13 colonies grew strained. George III wanted the colonists to help pay for the Seven Years’ War & troops still stationed along the frontier. “No taxation without representation.” Colonists protested that since they had no representation in Parliament, the British had no right to tax them.

British troops fired on a crowd of colonists in the “Boston Massacre.” Sons of Liberty lead by Samuel Adams, dumped British tea into Boston Harbor Boston Tea Party. Representatives from each colony met in Philadelphia & created the 1st Continental Congress & created the Olive Branch Petition. They wanted to remain a part of Great Britain, but wanted a say in Parliament. King George said NO.

War broke out b/w Britain & the colonists War broke out b/w Britain & the colonists. The first battles were fought at Lexington & Concord. The Second Continental Congress declared independence from Britain and issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The cry for independence was carried through Thomas Paine & has pamphlet Common Sense.

Colonials fighting on their own soil. Colonial Disadvantages: Continental Army had few men & little money. 1/3 of the American colonists were Loyalists, & remained loyal to the crown. British Advantages: Better trained troops were spread around the world. Alliances w/Native American tribes. Colonial Advantages: Colonials fighting on their own soil. Adopted gurrellia warfare of the Native Americans. Fighting for Independence.

The Battle of Saratoga turning point of the war. Victory brought open aid & recognition from France. In 1781 the Colonials & French forced General Cornwallis to surrender at Yorktown, VA. Treaty of Paris followed 2 yrs later. British recognized the colonies independence & accepted the nation’s western border as the Mississippi River.

A New Constitution Reflected the Enlightenment ideas of Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau. The Main author was Thomas Jefferson. The framers of the Constitution saw gov’t in terms of a social contract. They provided for an elective legislature & an elected president.

Created a federal republic, w/ power divided b/w the federal gov’t & the states. The federal gov’t was separated among the legislative, executive, & judicial branches. Each branch was provided with checks & balances on the other branches. The Bill of Rights, first 10 amendments to the Constitution, recognizing that people had certain basic rights.