U.S. History

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Mercantalism

- 17th and 18th century, England and many other European countries believed that power depended upon monetary wealth principals of Mercantalism

-The belief that the amount of wealth in the world was relatively static

-The belief that a country's wealth could best be judged by the amount of precious metals or buillon it possesed

-The need to encourage exports over imports as a means for obtaining a favorable balance of foreign trade that would yield such metals

-Viewed counties as a source of wealth

Colony Responsibilities

-Provided new materials for the mother country

-Imported manufactured goods of higher values from England

-Could not compete with the mother country in economic activities

Navigation Acts

-All commerce with the colonies had to be carried on English built/owned ships

The Albany Congress, 1754

-In 1754, colonists from across the British colonies met at the Albany Congress to discuss the common problem of Indian Attacks:

-Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union for a coordinated colonial army

-The plan was not approved

-The colonists lacked the unity to solve a common problem

Albany Plan of Union

Key Concepts:

-Parliament must create one general government

-Each colony may retain its present constitution

-President General- administer government

-Grand council- congress

-King/Queen- appoint President/General

The Treaty of Paris- 1763

The war officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763

Terrorism: An act of terror in one's own country, spread usually by a religious act.

-hurt

-scare

-spread fear

-foreign

-atrocity

-chaos

-destruction

-attack

-example of others

Boston Tea Party

The makings of a revolution

-Monday morning: November 29th, 1773- handbills were posted all over Boston saying that the tea had arrived

-Tea came in a glass bottle

-British East India Company could send tea to America without paying taxes

-Americans refused to buy tea and unload it from the British ships in American ports

-50 men from the Sons of Liberty dressed up as Mohawk Indians

-Boarded a British ship and threw 342 tea chests overboard- $75,000

-Most important event that led to the start of the war between the colonists and British

Intolerable Acts

1) The port of Boston was closed until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea

2) The royal governor could ban town meetings

3) British officials accused of crimes would stand trial in Britain instead of in Massachusetts

4) A new Quaternary Act has passed allowing British troops to be quartered in unoccupied colonial buildings and homes

British Action: King George 3 tightens control over Massachusetts by closing Boston Harbour and quartering troops

Colonial Reaction: Colonial leaders from the first continental congress drew up a declaration of colonial rights

Battle of Bunker Hill

-American troops are dug in along the high ground of Breed's Hill and are attacked by a frontal assault of over 2,000 British soldiers who storm up the hill. The Americans ordered not to fire until they can see "the whites of their eyes". As the British get within 15 paces, the Americans let loose a deadly valley of rifle fire and halt the British advance. The British then regroup and attack 30 minutes later with the same result. A third communication and are left only with bayonette and stones to defend themselves. The British succeed in taking the hill, with the Americans losing about 400, including important colonial leader General Joseph Warren.

Asserting Independence

-The second continental Congress opened on May 10th, 1775 following the fighting at Lexington and Concord

-Unlike the first continental congress, all thirteen colonies sent a delegation

-The proceedings quickly split between a more conservative faction led by John Dickinson and a more radical faction led by John and Samuel Adams

Last Try for Peace

-July 5th, 1775: The Continental Congress adopts the Olive Branch Petition which expresses hopes for a reconciliation with Britain, appealing directly to the king for help in achieving this. In August, King George 3 refuses even to look at the petition and instead issues a proclamation declaring the Americans to be in a state of open rebellion

American Advantages: fighting for their homes and freedom and leadership of George Washington

American Disadvantages: no navy, untrained soldiers, and few canons and little gunpowder

British Advantages: highly trained and experienced soldiers, plentiful weapons and supplies, and most powerful navy in the world

British Disadvantages: The war was far from home, less reasons to fight hard and risked constant attack

Loyalists: Those who opposed independence and remained loyal to the crown. (judges, councilors, governors, people who lived far from the city, thought Britain would win the war, wanted to avoid being punished, thought the crown would protect their rights more effectively)

Patriots: Those who wanted independence. (People who saw economic opportunity in an independent America, farmers, artisans, merchants, landowners, elected officials, highly educated and wealthy)

The Role of George Washington

-As leader of the Continental Army, George Washington was the symbol of the American cause:

-he had to build a professional army and coordinate the militas

-encouraged common citizens and volunteer soldiers to support the war even when the British seemed destined to win in the early years of the Revolution

General Washington: outlast the British, defend colonial lands and drag out the war, guerilla tactics, make an alliance with France

General Gage: divide and conquer, use loyalists, seize property, encourage slave revolts, split the northern and southern colonies, blockade ports to prevent trade

Battle of Trenton

-The Battle of Trenton began on Christmas Day, December 1776, when General Washington's army was in a painful condition, and growing weaker. Troops were diserting, it was bitter cold and they lacked food, shoes, and blankets

-It was under these conditions that Washington made his famous crossing at the Delaware River. He had heard from a scout that the Hessians were spreading