Unit 3 - · PDF fileThe Treaty of Paris •Early 1783 –representatives of the United States & Great Britain signed a peace treaty in Paris •3 main parts: •Great...

Unit 3

The Power of Kings &

Men

How did the documents in place help the

Colonists in their eventual cause for freedom?

Divine Right of Kings

• Political idea that kings get their authority from God &

could not be held accountable for their actions by any

earthly power (like parliament)

• Mostly disappeared from English politics around 1688

Magna Carta

• (1215) – power of the monarch is limited

• Led to the founding of Parliament - grew in power until

James II didn’t want to share

• Parliament forced James II off his throne (Glorious

Revolution)

English Bill of Rights

• Peace offering between William of Orange (& wife Mary)

and Parliament

• Has a list of rights given to the people

Before 1763

How do events before 1763 change the

course of the colonies?

Times are changing

• Rapid population growth – from 50,000 to more than a million by

1750

• 100(+) years of the British government ignoring the colonies

• Colonial citizens are governing themselves

• Assembly determines how taxes will be spent

Conflict in Ohio Valley

• Population growth encouraged the movement of people West –

over the Appalachian mountains – land claimed by France AND

Britain

• 1754 – French built a fort here

• Fort alarmed governor of Virginia – ordered George Washington

(age 22) & the militia to drive out French

• In the woods on the way Washington’s men opened fire on French troops & killed

them

French & Indian War

• Native Americans fought with French against the British

• General Braddock (British) – sent to clear out the French from the

Ohio Valley – Washington was a volunteer – FAILED MISERABLY

• Went on for 7 years

• British Troops capture Canada in 1755

• 1763 – peace treaty giving Canada to Great Britain

A change in Britain

• 1760 – George III became king (age 22)

• Loved to pay attention to detail and be involved in affairs of the

kingdom

• Surrounded himself with advisors which weren’t generally well-

liked by his people

Changing Colonies

(and Colonists)

How do the changes taking place in the

colonies create a new identity for British

citizens living in the colonies?

Repeal of Townshend Acts

• Lord North pushed Parliament to repeal Townshend

duties – were losing money for the British merchants

• Early 1770 – all except tax on tea was repealed

Boycotting the British Goods

• Samuel Adams – led the boycott

• A peaceful form of protest that even Loyalists could support

• Women were considered the most important – they did the shopping

• Sewed dresses of homemade cloth

• Brewed tea from pine needles

• Bought only American made goods

The Boston Tea Party

• Loyalists bought British tea (tax was NBD)

• Patriots buying Dutch tea (smuggled in)

• By 1773 – British East India Company in danger of going broke

because of lack of tea consumption

• Lowered the cost to entice buyers

• Colonists not fooled

• December 16, 1773 – Sons of Liberty “unloaded” the tea

upon arrival in Boston harbor

• Disguised as Mohawks

• 90,000 pounds of tea dumped into sea – touched nothing else

Intolerable Acts

• The Colonists called them this because they were harsh

• Parliament’s punishment for Massachusetts – for the Boston Tea Party

• Boston Harbor closed to all shipping

• Massachusetts governor couldn’t even hold a meeting without colonial governor’s permission

• George III thought they would keep remind colonies of British power

• Parliament thought they would cause colonies to rebel

• Colonies began to unite in support of Massachusetts

First Continental Congress

• September 1774

• 12 colonial leaders meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Goal was to come up with a solution to the problems with Britain

• Most colonists still considered themselves from their individual colonies – NOT American

• Agreed to:

• Boycott

• Form militias

• Meet again in May if boycott didn’t work

Colonies form Militias

• Colonies appointed committees to enforce the boycott

• Formed local militias just in case

• Many militias began to act on their own

Lexington & Concord

• April 1775 – spy told General Gage colonists hiding gunpowder & weapons in Concord

• 700 troops ordered to march & seize the weapons

• Patriots waiting

• Standoff

• Someone fired

• 8 colonists dead/dying – 10 more wounded

• British claimed victory – marched on to Concord

Concord, Part 2

• Soldiers couldn’t find gunpowder & weapons – set fire to tools, tens,

& gun carriages

• Capt. Davis marched volunteers toward British – shot dead

• British expected Patriots to flee – didn’t

• Inside 2 minutes British were running

• Colonists lined road to Boston & killed 74 British soldiers on retreat

The Final Breaks

How are these events just the first steps in a

war?

Continental Army

• The idea of John Adams – a Continental army – troops from

all colonies

• George Washington chosen as leader – after the Battle of

Bunker Hill

• Very undersupplied – BUT Washington made rumors they had

plenty

British Abandon Boston

• March 1776 – cannons suddenly aimed at Boston

• General Howe (British) – chooses to run rather than

fight

• Go to Canada

• Many Loyalists run away also

Second Continental Congress

• July 1776 (Several months later than planned)

• 12 colonies voted for independence

• New York didn’t vote

• Slavery compromise - no mention of Jefferson’s original anti-slavery comments

• Southerners didn’t like Jefferson’s anti-slavery comments

• Northerners didn’t either

• July 4, 1776 – Declaration of Independence signed

The Beginning of the

End?

Why did the Colonials have little chance at

winning the War?

Great Britain Almost Wins

• Using New York City as a base, British troops would kill the

rebellion beginning with Massachusetts

• Washington had the declaration read out loud to his soldiers –

used it to build up their spirits – they had ALL of the colonies

behind them

Defeat in New York

• August 1776 – armies met in Brooklyn

• More than 3 times as many Continental soldiers lost than British

• Howe (British General) stopped the attack & waited for

Washington to surrender

• Officer Mifflin ordered retreat because Washington wouldn’t

The Beginning of the End?

• Many defeats followed the battle of New York City

• Little food made soldiers weak from hunger

• Weather became cold

• Soldiers began to lose faith – many began to leave

• The Continental army was running low of men

Another Pep Talk

• Washington read from The Crisis by Thomas Paine

• Men felt bolder & began to gain hope again

Minority Groups in the

War

How were minority groups such as African

Americans important to the war effort?

African Americans Early in the War

• Prince Estabrook – first man to fall at Lexington & Concord

• Several men also defended the Concord Bridge

• Cuff Wittenmore – awarded a British soldier’s sword for fighting

bravely at the Battle of Bunker & Breeds Hill

• Several other men recognized early on for their bravery &

victories

Washington’s Views

• Washington didn’t want the army to be a safe place for a runaway slave

• banned black men from joining the Continental army

• Many slave owners didn’t want to risk their property being damaged in

the war

• Many also afraid that the slaves would turn on their masters first

The British Intelligence

• British promised freedom to any slaves or indentured servants

who would join their side – many ran away

• Lord Dunmore soon had 300 soldiers (in a month) in the Ethopian

Regiment

• Had a patch which read “Liberty to Slaves”

• In 5 months – had 30,000 former slaves in various roles in the

army

• General Henry Knox certifies Romeo Smith's

status as a free man, January 9, 1784.

(Gilder Lehrman Collection)

Washington Changes His Mind

• December 1775 – Washington allows free black soldiers into Continental army

• Soldiers under him didn’t care if free or slave

• Later in 1776

• Middle & New England colonies – began to accept free blacks & slaves into integrated ranks

• Southern Colonies – slaves only recruited for support roles (didn’t like the idea of arming them)

• Slave owners promised money if their property was damaged/set free

• By end of war – several states begin to make steps to get rid of slavery

The End

How did the American Revolution change the

world?

Cornwallis Surrenders

• October 19, 1781 – 2 lines of American and French soldiers

watched 8,000 British troops laid down their weapons on the road

to Yorktown

• Cornwallis wasn’t there – stayed in his tent

British Reaction

• Many British in England easily accepted the defeat

• Months later, George III accepted it

The Treaty of Paris

• Early 1783 – representatives of the United States & Great Britain

signed a peace treaty in Paris

• 3 main parts:

• Great Britain recognized the US as an independent nation

• Great Britain gave up all claims to lands between the Atlantic Coast & Mississippi

river from the Canadian Border to Florida

• US agreed to return all rights & property taken from Loyalists during the war

Long-term Impact

• Led to the French Revolution – 1789

• King Louis & his wife & most nobles would be put to

death as a result