American Revolution Unit 5 Notes (P. 2)

Britain becomes a Global Power By the 1750s, string of colonies in North America (Boston, New York, Philadelphia) were used by Britain to strengthen its economy by exporting more than it imported. Parliament passed the Navigation Act to regulate colonial trade and manufacturing. Unknowing to the British, Colonies were developing independence by having some control over local affairs, and the lack of enforcement.

Rebelling by Colonists begins… The Seven Years War (Imperial war of Britain v. France), and the French and Indian War (French & Indians vs. Britain & Loyalists) drained the British treasury. King George III thought the colonists should help with the debt and implemented the Stamp Act in 1765. Colonists protested “No taxation without representation.” They had no representatives in Parliament Parliament repealed the act in 1766, but issued the Declaratory Act stating it had complete authority over the colonist.

The colonists rebelled in many ways. (1) Boston Massacre – colonists were pelting British soldiers with stones and snowballs, so they opened fire and killed five protesters. (2) Boston Tea Party – A group protestors threw the tea into the Boston harbor to protest the tax on tea.

Thus began the American Revolutionary War. All this began the American Revolutionary War. On their path to independence, representatives (such as John Adams MA & George Washington VA) from each colony gathered in Philadelphia for the Continental Congress. They established the continental Army (under Washington) Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, a document that reflects Locke’s ideas. Such as to “alter or to abolish” unjust governments influenced popular sovereignty.

Pros & Cons for colonists The Americans were at a disadvantage because they had less people, funds, and resources. Some colonists were loyalists, or supported Britain, and others refused to fight. An advantage the Americans had was fighting on their own terrain. This allowed them to triumph at the Battle of Saratoga. The victory persuaded France to join the Americans.

Colonists are victorious In 1781, the French blocked the British at the Chesapeake Bay, forcing them to surrender at Yorktown, Virginia. In 1783, American, British, and French diplomats signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the wars, 7, Indian, Revolutionary and recognizing the independence of the United States of America.

United States of America Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin redrafted the Articles of Confederation stating that “We the People of the United States” entered a social contract, created a federal republic, established Washington as the President, and introduced the Bill of Rights as the first 10 amendments stating the government must protect citizen’s basic rights.