1. “Birth of a Democratic Nation” (ch. 2.4)
Civics Unit 1
“Birth of a Democratic Nation” (ch. 2.4)

2. I. Colonial Resistance British Control
Mercantilism is the economic theory that a country’s power depends on its wealth
Great Britain needed the colonies to be a source of cheap, raw materials and a market for manufactured goods
Navigation Acts- forced colonies to get manufactured goods only from GB

3. Growing Tensions
Albany Plan of Union (1754)- plan to unify colonies for mutual defense, failed because colonies did not have enough common experience

4. French and Indian War (1754-1763)
GB and colonists vs. French and Native Americans
Effects: GB wartime debt, colonial resentment, GB control over most of N. America
Proclamation Line of colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains

5. Propaganda What is propaganda? Where have you seen it used?
What techniques of persuasion have you seen?

8. To pay off war debts, Britain placed taxes on the colonists (end of salutary neglect)
The Stamp Act of 1765 required colonists to attach tax stamps to newspapers and documents
Quartering Act required colonists to provide living and supplies for GB troops

9. Worsening Relations
Stamp Act Congress (1765)- nine colonies met sent a declaration against British actions to king
First time a majority of the colonies joined together to oppose British rule
GB gov’t repealed (cancelled) the Stamp Act

10. Townshend Acts (1767)- taxes of variety of goods and allowed British customs officers to search for smuggling
Colonists began to cause trouble for officials
The Boston Massacre (1770)- British soldiers fired into a crowd, killing five people

11. Open Resistance
“No taxation w/out representation”- slogan of Patriots because they had no representatives in Parliament
Colonists decided to boycott, refuse to buy, British goods

12. The Boston Tea Party (1773)- colonists dumped tea in Boston harbor in rebellion of Tea Act
Parliament responded with the Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)- punished city of Boston and restricted colonists’ civil rights including trial by jury

13. II. Independence First Continental Congress (1774)
They decided to boycott all British goods and organized militias
Wrote letter to king demanding that rights be restored, swore to meet again

14. Lexington and Concord (April 1775)- First battle of the American Revolution

15. Second Continental Congress (1775 on)
Met to decide what to do- divided opinion
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
Made the case for American Independence
Swayed public opinion
Moved closer to independence despite military failures

16. Declaration of Independence
Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson
Borrowed ideas from John Locke
Purpose
Argue legitimacy of cause to Parliament, other countries
Troop morale, support for cause

17. Conclusion of the War Small victories, evading bulk of British forces
French support turned war around

18. Battle of Yorktown (1781)- British surrender
Peace of Paris (1783)- officially won independence