Study Guide Unit 2 Revolution and

Independence
Conflicts In Colonies Pre-Revolution
Seven Years War:
The Seven Years War took place starting in the 1750s between the European
powers that controlled land in the Americas. It was preceded by a lot of
smaller wars that took place, such as King Williams War, Queen Annes War,
and King Georges War. All of these were started by European issues that
spiraled out to the colonies. In The colonies, this conflict was known as the
French-Indian War, which is the name well use to discuss it in more depth.
French-Indian War:
Preceding Issues in Colonies In the colonies, the issues that led to the onset
of the French-Indian War included some tension over land claims between
the European powers and the Natives, and disputes over the control of
trading posts.
Preceding Issues in Europe In Europe, this conflict was originally started as
an offset of the War of Austrian Succession, which pitted Prussia (backed by
Great Britain) against Austria (backed by France). This conflict eventually
spiraled out into the territories these two countries and their allies held,
including the Americas.
Fighting This war was fought on many fronts in the Americas, including the
Ohio River Valley (where the fighting began), Newfoundland/Nova Scotia, and
the St. Lawrence River Valley. The French were allied which the Native
population during this war. However, their brutal fighting techniques were at
odds with the highly refined French code of conduct. Because of tis, the
French were a little off put by the brutality of their Native counterparts.
British Strategy The British, under cabinet member William Pitt, changed
the precedent for wars, in deciding that it was acceptable to win the war by
simply outspending the opposition. Pitt and Parliament purchase many
Prussian mercenaries for this war, and help to change the tide for their
eventual victory.
Native Policy The natives originally sided with the French, due to their
disdain for the British. However, as the war continued, it became more
evident that the British were going to be the eventual victors, and some

tribes, such as the Iroquois, attempted to switch their allegiance, albeit

unsuccessfully.
Results Of War The British eventually win, however there are different
feelings about the outcome in the colonies and mainland Britain. The people
from mainland Britain feel as though the war was won mainly through their
financial support and superior tactics. However, the colonists have a different
sentiment entirely. They feel as though they played a vital role in the
eventual victory of their cause, and feel very proud to be British. Another
important piece that came from this war is that for the first time, the colonies
attempted to band together, and tried to establish what was then known as
the Albany Plan of Union.
Treaty of Paris 1763 This treaty effectively ends the French-Indian War and
established new boundaries in the Americas between the major powers.
France, under this treaty, leaves the Americas entirely, with the exception of
Haiti. Spain receives all of Frances possessions West of Louisiana, while
Britain assumes control of everything East of there.
Reactions To The Treaty
Native Americans: The Native American have mixed emotions
regarding this treaty. Because of Frances departure from the continent, they
have one fewer major power to interact with, which hurts the Native due to
their mastery of subterfuge any playing these powers off of each other.
However, a result of this treaty is the creation of the Proclamation Line of
1763, which draws a line through the Appalachian Range, and prohibits
colonial settlements west of his line. This benefits the natives, as they can
now live (technically) without European encroachment being a concern.
Colonists: The colonists were both sad and angry at the treaty, as they
felt that their efforts in the war were not recognized enough. They are also
upset at the Proclamation Line, which prohibits expansion. However, people
cross anyway, which result in conflicts such as Pontiacs War, which
attempted to remove settlers from West of the line on what is now Michigan
and Illinois.
Results of The War In The Colonies The colonists felt proud of their
contribution to the war, and gained a heightened sense of individuality. They
also gain some military expertise form the war, which will come in handy
later. However, the biggest result from the war colonially is the build-up of
resentment towards the British.

Build-Up To the Revolution

After the French-Indian War, the British were faced with the problem of
repaying the debts that they incurred in the war. To do this, they began to

enforce a series of taxes on the colonies. However, the taxes began to

irritate the colonists more and more as time went on, due to their funds
being depleted by the British and apparent lack of gratitude for their role in
the war. These taxes included:
Sugar Act (Revenue Act) 1764:
This act actually lowered the tax on British Molasses, which increased their
profits by discouraging illegal routes for getting molasses. However, the part
of this act that did begin to upset the colonists was the founding of the Vice
Admiralty Court. This was court purely for those convicted of smuggling. In
this court, you were no longer given a jury of your peers, but instead a jury of
Naval Servicemen, who would be less sympathetic to ones cause. This
began to upset the colonists a bit.
Currency Act:
This act required that all taxed paid must be paid in gold and silver. This
follows the mercantilist principles of Britain, which said that wealth is
accrued in Gold and Silver. This meant that bank notes or IOUs, which were
previously used, were not acceptable anymore. This begins to restrict trade,
as the supply of gold and silver diminished drastically in the colonies. This
began to frustrate the colonists more and more.
Stamp Act:
This act required any official printed item to possess a stamp, which was
paid for by those printing it. This infuriated the printers in the colonies, who
complain about the act in their newspapers. Due to the highly literate
colonial population, this message spreads quickly, and causes a lot of
turmoil. Some of the reactions of this act include the foundation of the Sons
of Liberty in Boston who tried to protest violently, by harassing customs
officers and carrying out other mischievous deeds. Another result was
widespread rioting across the colonies, and the founding of the Stamp Act
Congress in New York. This group wrote a letter to Parliament entitled
Declaration of Rights and Grievances, lamenting this act. The result is that
Parliament repeals the Stamp Act, but passes some other acts in its wake.
Acts After Stamp Act Repealed:
Declaratory Act This act, in essence, established parliaments legislative
dominance over the colonies once again. This reiterated parliaments right to
created laws governing the colonies. However, due to the omission of taxes
in the Act, this leads some colonists to believe that taxes can not go up,
which is not held true in Parliament.
Revenue Act This minimally raises some taxes, but is not noticed by many
in the colonies.

More Events Leading To Revolution

Townshend Duties:
George Townsend, a Parliament member, proposed this list of taxes, known
as the Townshend Duties. They upset the colonists to the point that Samuel
Adams created he Massachusetts Circular Letter, which stated the
colonists disdain for these taxes. The colonists began to implement a policy
of non-importation, where British goods were not bought by colonists.
Boston Massacre:
In 1770, there was a killing of five Boston men by British soldiers during a
confrontation. This was immortalized in an engraving by Paul Revere, and
circulated widely through the colonies. These British soldiers were put on
trial and famously defended in court by John Adams, a Bostonian (and later
President) with a belief that all men had a right to a fair trial. He successfully
argued their case and ensured that not a single man got the death penalty.
Tea Act 1773:
The Tea Act was another act created by Parliament, with the intent being to
aid the British East India Co., who imported all British Tea from India.
Previously, any ships bound for the colonies had to make a stop in London,
which increased time spent en route and cost of the voyage. However, now
ships could head directly to the colonies from India, but with one caveat. All
taxes on the tea had to be paid at the moment the tea is unloaded from the
harbor. The colonists do not want to pay for this tea, and decide the only way
to stop this is to destroy the tea prior to its unloading.
Boston Tea Party:
To protest the previously mentioned Tea Act, some colonists dressed up as
natives and boarded ships containing British tea that were docked in Boston
Harbor. They then began to dump the entire contents of the ship into the
harbor. However, they were meticulous in their enforcement of two rules:
1. None of the Tea was to be stolen
2. The ships were not to be harmed in any way.
Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts):
Parliament replied to the Boston Tea Party by enacting a series of Acts on the
colonies, which were called Intolerable Acts by the colonists. These were:
1. A stricter Quartering Act, which said that colonists were required to
house and feed British troops if asked to
2. Administration of Justice Act If a British officer was accused of a
crime; he was tried in Britain as opposed to the colonies. This meant
he would most likely receive a more sympathetic jury.
3. Massachusetts Governing Act This act stated that the King of
England hereby appointed the Governor of Massachusetts, and no
town meetings were allowed without British approval. This had a

large effect on the population, as town meeting were a large source

of decision-making in the town.
4. Boston Port Act This stated that the Port of Boston was closed until
the value of destroyed tea was repaid.
5. Quebec Act This made Quebec bigger, but required that it was
ruled by a Governor. However, Catholics were now allowed in
Quebec.
Colonial Reaction:
1st Continental Congress - This meeting took place in 1774 in Philadelphia.
Here, the leading legislators finalized their agreement to non-importation,
and created Committees of Observation and Safety, who presided over
each state and observed the situation to ensure nothing was out of hand.
These committees were responsible for communicating with each other on
these matters.
2nd Continental Congress The second meeting of this group took place in
Mayof 1775, when war had already broken out in Massachusetts. Here, they
organized the individual states to resist and appointed George Washington
Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. However, it is worth noting that at
this point, their goal was not to create an independent nation, but to show
Parliament that the colonies are not to be messed with.

Revolution
1775:
February Parliament says that Massachusetts is in rebellion.
March Patrick Henry, when speaking in Virginia to rally the colonists against
the British, famously says, Give me liberty or give me death! He adds that
the war in Massachusetts has already started (which at this point, it hasnt),
and that we should all support this effort.
April The War Begins: The British believe that the colonists have a stockpile
of weapons in Concord, Mass. On the night of April 18th, Paul Revere
completes his now-famous midnight ride, proclaiming that the British soldiers
are coming to capture this weapons pile. On April 19th, the British soldiers
leave Boston, but run into a hastily-assembled force at Lexington. The first
shots that are fired are known as the Shot heard round the world, due to
the immense impact that this uprising has. The British win at Lexington, and
progress to Concord, where they win again. However, their retreat to Boston
is not as successful, and substantial numbers of soldiers are picked off by the
colonists during this retreat.

May The 2nd Continental Congress Meets during this month, as discussed
above. Also, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold capture Fort Ticonderoga in
upstate New York, and with it capture some cannon. They then begin the
nearly year-long process of dragging these cannon to Boston, where they are
of greater use.
June The Battle of Bunker Hill, near Boston took place. While the colonists
ended up losing, this is not before some serious damage in inflicted on the
British. This results in a large morale boost for the colonists hat are fighting.
July In July, Continental Congress send King George the Olive Branch
Petition, which is an offer of peace. However, King George refuses this offer,
and the fighting continues.
November At this point, Continental Congress begins to look for foreign aid,
as the situation is looking a bit bleak.
December Word reaches the colonies that the French may be interesting in
helping this effort out, which spurs some hope.
1776:
January In January, Thomas Paine writes Common Sense, a pamphlet that
convinces many people that this war should not simply be about teaching
the British to not mess with the colonies, but that the colonies should be an
independent nation.
March The cannon that have been manually dragged from Fort Ticonderoga
finally arrive in Boston. The British troops see this, and surrender. March 17th
is known as Evacuation Day for this reason.
July Thomas Jefferson writes and publishes the Declaration of
Independence, which commits members of Continental Congress to this war
on a new level, as a loss would now have dire consequences due to their
names being on this document.
Other Events The colonists keep attempting to break the stronghold that
the British still maintain, but attacks on both Quebec and New York fail.
However, on December 25th, the colonists win the Battle of Trenton. This
keeps their spirits high. As they have won a major battle to close out the
year.
1777:

October The Battle of Sarasota takes place. The British are trying to invade
from Canada; however, they are successfully stopped by Colonial forces at
Sarasota, in New York state. This is a major victory for the colonists, and has
one major effect. When news of this victory reaches Paris, the people there
are so happy, they are said to have been dancing in the street. This victory
prompts France to enter the war.
Other Events The British capture Philadelphia, and force the Continental
Congress to move to York, PA. Also, during the winter of 1777-1778, George
Washington takes his troops to Valley Forge, where they spend the winter
training together with the aid of Baron von Stuben. His troops improve in skill
immensely, and help significantly in the coming years.
1778-1779:
Fighting in the West Some of the most brutal fighting of the war occurs on
the western border of the colonies during this time. The natives largely side
with the British, and fight some brutal battles in what is now Kentucky and
western Pennsylvania.
Fighting in the South The fighting in the South during this time is classified
as highly guerilla warfare.
1780-1781:
Battle Of Yorktown (1781) The last major battle of the war, Washington and
his troops surround Commander Cornwallis (the man in charge of the British
Army) at Yorktown, and are finally met by the French troops, who have just
arrived to help. They force a surrender, and while there are still pockets of
resistance, the war is, for all intents and purposes, over.

After The War

Treaty Of Paris 1783:
This was actually a series of treaties, as each treaty in between the
individual countries was negotiated individually. In this, the United States
gained their Independence and land up to the Mississippi River. Spain retains
Florida and all land to the West of the Mississippi. Lastly, Britain keeps
Canada.
Consequences of The War/Adjusting To Independence:
After the war, black loyalists are moves all over the globe, with no real
pattern as to where they are headed. Additionally, now that the United
States is a new country, they have many problems that they must deal with,
including:
1. The state of the economy

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Hostile situations with Native Americans

Deciding stances on Foreign Policy
Deciding the form of government to take
Determining the best way to allocate land in the West
Demobilizing their Army
Determining an official currency

Post-War Changes:
Economy The United States is no longer limited to trading exclusively with
the British. However, the flip side to this is that the British do not want
American imports as much. The resulting lack of exports from the United
States results in a Trade Deficit. Also, they must figure out how to create a
currency, and curb inflation if at all possible.
Politics The requirements for being allowed to vote are decided upon. These
terms are: being a white male with x amount of property. Another change
that occurs is that some state capitals are moved, in order to make the
capital more accessible to all residents of the state Some examples include
New York (New York City Albany) and Pennsylvania (Philadelphia
Harrisburg).
Social All titles are eliminated in the new country (Lord, Baron). Also, a
policy of gradual emancipation is enacted. In 1799, New York passes a law
stating that all salves must be freed within 25 years, for example. However,
this is only applied in the northern states.
Women The idea of Republican Motherhood was embraced, meaning that
the job of a woman was to raise a good, law-abiding citizen. This distinction
of being a citizen of a country as opposed to a subject of a king is important,
as it is more liberating, and holds one to a higher standard.
State Governments:
After the war, constitutions were written in each state outlining the rights of
the people. These generally limited the power of the executive branch and
gave the legislative branch more power. This is ironic because of the mortal
enemy to the colonists that was the British Parliament.
Newburg Conspiracy:
During this period of indecision about government, a conspiracy was formed
to install George Washington as a military dictator of sorts by his officers.
These men planned to use force, if necessary. However, Washington himself
gained knowledge of the plot, and personally ensured it was suppressed.
Articles Of The Confederation:

The United States first attempt at a nationally governing document, this had
much to do with the powers that the national legislative branch had. Under
this document, Congress
1. Had the power to ________
a. Declare War
b. Handle foreign affairs
c. Coin currency
2. DID NOT have the power to _______
a. Raise an Army
b. Stop states from handling foreign affairs
c. Settle disputes between states
d. Stop states from coining currency
e. Tax the people
f. Make amendments easily
Essentially, this document severely limited the power of the central
government.
Issues In The West:
Problems:
1. Deciding who has jurisdiction
2. Navigating around Native Americans
3. Dealing with foreign influence
4. Stopping settlers from moving west
Land Ordinance 1785 This divided land in what is now Illinois, Ohio,
Michigan, and other surrounding states into parcels of 6x6 miles, known as
townships. This land could be split into 36 1 sq. mile sections that would be
sold to settlers. However, one section of each township would not be sold,
and would be used for a school or other government needs.
Northwest Ordinance 1787 This was one of the defining achievements of
the Continental Congress, where they outlined the process to statehood.
First, a territory would be designated by Congress. Once that territory
contained 5,000 males, they were allowed to create a legislature. One
60,000 males were reached, a census would be taken to confirm that
number, and once confirmed, a constitution would be written, ratified by
congress, and the territory would be admitted as a state. Also, none of these
territories were allowed to have slavery. To contrast this, a parallel document
was created known as the Southwest Ordinance, which outlined the same
process, but slavery was permissible.