11.1.The American Revolution
Original Colonies
Virginia - 1606
New York -1664
Pennsylvania - 1677
Wealthy because of cotton and tobacco.
Immigration from Britain, Germany and Ireland =
2 and 1/2 million people
British Rule
England = a constitutional monarchy
= king (George iii) that shared
power with Westminster parliament.
Appointed governers for the 13 colonies.
Each colony has an elected assembly.
War
1775 British governer; General Gage tried to seize weapons in Concord.
Americans attacked British in Lexington.
British fought to Concord but then had to retreat to Boston.
George Washington
-Virginia 1732
-Lived with Lawrence who died; 1752.
-Inherited Mount Vernon.
-1756 fought in French and Indian War
-1759 married Martha Dandridge = rich
-Member of Virginia Assembly.
-Attended 1st CC
-Seen as a patriot like BJ, TJ, JA.
-Appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army
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The Boston Massacre
1767 = Townshend Acts;
tax on everyday items.
Boston 1770; 5 protesters shot dead. British repealed Acts but kept tax on tea.
16-Dec-1773 = Boston Tea Party Group of colonists dumped tea into Boston harbour. British closed harbour. British closed port and made new laws, nicknamed: Intolerable Acts.
1774 = 1st Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Each colony will train its own militia.
Revolution Approaches
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Thomas Paine = 'Common Sense' encouraged Americans.
3rd CC in 1776
4th July = declared independence.
The Declaration of Independence by TJ.
1776 Washington beat British; Boston
British beat Americans; New York.
1777 British captured Philadelphia.
1777 Oct Americans won; Saratoga.(led by General Horatio Gates)
Valley Forge
Winter 1777-78 Washington trained army in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Aided by Frederik Von Steuben.
Victory:
Benjamin Franklin = ambassador
in Paris. Convinced French to fight
after victory in Saratoga. French
sent 6000 troops and attacked
British Royal Navy.
Washington beat General Cornwallis;
Yorktown, Virginia 19-Oct-1781; end of war.
British reps signed Treaty of Paris in 1783;
USA = independent
Effects
-USA = democratic country; all white men
had the right to vote -> big impact on France.
-Ireland was inspired -> United Irishmen.
-USA had a constitution and a Bill of Rights.
-Washington became the 1st president.
-USA expanded from 13 states to 50 states.
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Enlightenment =
realized the divine
right of kings was
stupid.
Immigrants called themselves Americans not British so they were angry they were being ruled by a foreign king.
Had no representation in parliament.
Thomas Jefferson,
John Adams,
Benjamin Franklin
= angry.
1756 = many fought in French and Indian war and gained confidence.
Navigation Acts - America had to sell tobacco at low prices but had to buy sugar from British colonies at high prices.
New taxes =
The Quartering Act - keeping British army for protection.
The Stamp Act - tax on legal documents.
=> No taxation without representation.