Basic Causes of the American Revolution

1. Economic Causes

---> mercantilist laws

Colonist view

hampered colonial trade & industry

raised the cost of consumer goods

(merchants, shipowners, manufacturers)

attempted halt westward migration

(frontiersmen & Southern planters

British view

colonies producers of raw materials

(proper role in a mercantilistic system)

armed might protected colonial frontiers and shipping

2. Political Causes

Colonist view

entitled to self-government

taxed by own elected colonial legislatures

("no taxation without representation")

writs of assistance

(search warrants)

denial of trial by jury

British view

London Parliament had unquestionable right to legislate for entire empire

(virtual representation)

armed might protected colonial frontiers and shipping

taxes levied were used for defense of colonies

colonial defiance of authority made harsher laws necessary

3. Misunderstandings

Colonist view

"transformed" by their environment

unwilling/unable to see English point of view

many non-English immigrants

(traditionally hostile to England)

small, active minority wanted independence

British view

George III

(sought to revive royal executive power)

rejected compromise

would suppress by force

2. Colonists believed that captured soldiers would have "prisoners of war" status, rather than "traitors"

3. Thomas Paine - Common Sense

A continent should not be subservient to an island

Forbade loyalty to a king who did not protect them

4. American forces had fared well against British at Bunker/Breeds Hill

Army could be inspired to continue war

5. Independence would help secure aide from foreign nations

(especially France --- revenge 1763)

"all men are created equal"

"deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"

right of people to abolish it

2. List of Grievances

"injuries and usurpations"
against George III Hanover

3. Conclusion

"these united colonies are free and independents states"

encouraged France & Spain to assist the colonists

1778 Anglo-French Alliance

2. Long-term - World-wide

source of inspiration

France - Declaration of the Rights of Man - 1789

Latin America - independence from Spain (19th Century)

Asia and Africa - nationalists fought against imperialism (20th C)

3. Long-term Effects in the U.S.

social and democratic reform movements (eg. abolition of slavery, equal rights for women, civil rights, etc.

2. superior wilderness fighters

3. forces led by men of courage, determination, and ability

(G. Washington, George Rogers Clark, Nathaniel Green, John Paul Jones)

4. foreign volunteers

Marquis de Lafayette (France)

Baron von Steuben (Prussia)

5. As war progressed, other nations officially joined the conflict against Great Britain

6. divided opinion within England

Whigs <--------------------->Tories

-> 2nd Continental Congress 1775-1781

- it lacked essential gov't powers

+ held 13 states together

+ authorized army & appt G. Wash

+ encouraged navy - privateering

+ issued Declaration of Independence

+ arranged military alliance w/ France

+ raised funds to finance war

+ proposed Articles of Confederation (1781)

2. Raising Funds

issued paper money (Continentals)

$250 million by end of war

issued requests to the states

domestic & foreign loans

3. Maintaining an Army

Continental Army

vs.

State Militias

4. Dealing w/Tories (Loyalists)

one third Patiots

one third undecided

one third Loyalists

"Civil War" within the colonies

Ben Franklin, John Jay, John Adams

1. Britain recognized 13 American states as independent

BOUNDARIES

North - Canada & Great Lakes

West - _|_ East -

Miss Riv. | Atlantic

South - Spanish Florida

2. Retained fishing rights off coast of New Foundland

3. The U.S. agreed to restore confiscated Loyalist properties and payment of debts owed to British merchantsFactors that encouraged unity:

(1) common English language and culture

(2) North Atlantic - single geographic unit.

(3) no tradition of hostility against one another.

(4) The states had cooperated in a common effort to win independence from England.

Other forces that worked against unity:

(1) divided by strong loyalties to their individual states

(2) large area and lacked close contact

(3) not interdependent economically

(4) The states no longer faced a common enemy.

(1) passage of a bill required a vote of 9 out of the 13 states, (2) delegates from more than 10 states were rarely present at any one time.

2. No chief executive - law enforcement

3. No central courts

4. Amending the Articles required a unanimous vote

5. Congress had no power to levy taxes directly upon the people

(> 75% of these requests were ignored)

6. Congress could issue money, but had no power to prevent each state from issuing its own currency.

7. No power to raise an army

Massachusetts - Shays' Rebellion- led debtors in an armed rebellion in 1786-1787 seeking to end imprisonment for debt, halt the foreclosure of farm mortgages, and compel the state to issue cheap paper money.

8. No power to control interstate commerce

9. No power to control foreign commerce, and each state maintained its own tariffs on foreign goods.

10. Congress commanded little respect abroad and was ineffective in dealing with foreign govt's

(2) negotiated and signed the advantageous Treaty of Paris of 1783

(3) kept the states united in name, if not always in fact, through a period of great difficulty

(4) passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.

Land be sold in 640-acre sections at no less than $1 per acre.

5000 male adults - elect a legislature.

60,000 inhabitants - adopt a constitution and apply for statehood "on an equal footing with the original states."

Slavery was forbidden in the NW Territory.

"bill of rights" guaranteed basic civil liberties

Public education was to be encouraged

***precedent for admission of new states

Virginia Plan - based on population. New Jersey Plan - equal representation.

House of Representatives - representation based on population

Senate - each state was to have equal representation.

2. Slavery

Congress was forbidden for 20 years (until 1808) to interfere with the importation of slaves into the country.

3. Tariffs

The issue was settled by granting Congress the power to control foreign commerce and to levy tariffs on imports but not on exports.

Northern manufacturers vs. Southern Planters

4. Presidency

(A) by authorizing a tenure of 4 yrs

(B) establishing a complex procedure - electoral college

(disregarded unanimous vote required in the Articles of Confederation)

Federalists, supporters of the Constitution, consisted of men with business and property interests, and of others who considered the nation more important than their state. They argued that the Constitution would provide a stable government capable of maintaining law and order, furthering economic prosperity, and commanding respect abroad.