Declaring Independence The States United Objectives Understand the

Declaring Independence & The States United • Objectives: – Understand the reasons for America declaring independence and what united them. – Understand the different political ideologies and how the affected the Declaration of Independence. • Do Now: – Read the Declaration of Independence in textbook, back of book, pg. A-5 – Read and Complete “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine, in packets. • Homework: – War for Independence pg. 33

1 st and 2 nd Continental Congress • First Continental Congress (September 5, 1774) • Second Continental Congress (May 1775) – Signs of political unity. – Establishes rights of the colonists. – Signs of Government - republicanism

Olive Branch Petition • Sent to king asking him to stop Parliament’s actions. • Affirms loyalty to the King • Ideas and beginning motivations for independence but no cooperative action. Americans still want to go back to a period of Salutary neglect.

Thomas Paine, “Common Sense” • January 15, 1776 • Written by Thomas Paine • Made the argument why America should be independent • Became extremely popular • He wrote, He could not see a “single advantage” in “being connected with Great Britain. ” • Argued against the logic of the Olive Branch Petition.

Decision for Independence • New wave of Independence movements inspired by Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense. ” • Influenced by John Locke and Enlightenment – Political Thinking and Great Awakening – Protestant Evangelism

Declaration of Independence • Ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

John Locke, Enlightenment • Second Treatise of Government 1689 – Ruler gains legitimacy through the consent of the governed. – Responsibility of the government to protect the natural rights of the people. – If government fails to protect these rights, it is the right of the citizens to overthrow the government. – Power to govern comes from the people. – Main intellectual influence in writing the Declaration.

Voltaire, Enlightenment • His major contribution to our founding fathers was probably his indefatigable quest for civil rights. • He was an especially strong supporter of fair trials and the freedom of religion. • These rights were also held in high esteem by the founding fathers. – "All sects are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God. " – "All men have equal rights to liberty, to their property, and to the protection of the laws. " http: //glbthoughts. blogspot. com/2009/06/thinkingabout-american-revolution_25. html

Rousseau, Enlightenment • "To renounce liberty is to renounce being a man, to surrender the rights of humanity and even its duties. For he who renounces everything no indemnity is possible. Such a renunciation is incompatible with man's nature; to remove all liberty from his will is to remove all morality from his acts. " http: //glbthoughts. blogspot. com/2009/06/thinkingabout-american-revolution_25. html

Impacts of the Declaration of Independence • Contextualization – “Haitian Declaration of Independence” – “Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, 1789” • What is the historical Impact of the Declaration of Independence?

War for Independence • Objectives: – Understand the advantages and disadvantages of both sides. – Understand the turning point of the war and why it is significant. – Understand the terms of the Treaty of Paris • Do Now: – 2 Documents in packet and questions • “Life of Joseph Brant…” • “Thoughts Upon the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic” • Homework: – Creation of State Governments pg. 150

The American Revolution Brinkley pgs. 131 -146

Lecture Questions • How was the United State’s able to beat a world super power, such as England? • What is the significance of the Battle of Saratoga? • What were some of the strategies and motivations for fighting? • What are the social political and economic effects of the war including the effect on African slavery Native Americans and women?

The Significance of the American Revolution By. Gordon S. Wood Brown University

American Advantages • Fighting on their own land, Home-field advantage. • American Patriots were deeply committed to the conflict. • Americans benefited from substantial aid from abroad – France.

American Militia – Militias were formed for defense – NOT professional soldiers – Were citizen soldiers, served from age 16 to 60 – Militia sometimes stopped fighting when they felt like it – No formal terms of enlistment – Only supposed to protect local areas

3 Phases of the War • First Phase: 1775 -1776 New England – British did not take American Revolt Seriously. – Battle of Bunker Hill – Evacuation Day March 17, 1776 • British Leave Boston for Nova-Scotia

Second Phase • Second Phase: 1776 -1778 The Middle Colonies – British thought if they maintain control of New York they could isolate New England. – Turning Point in the War: • Battle of Saratoga October 1777. – Difficult for British to control vast wilderness of North America – Showed France that colonists were a formidable force. » 1778 France formally recognized the United States and agreed to supply it with military assistance.

Treaty of Paris • Third Phase: 1778 -1781 Southern Colonies – British hoping to rally Loyalist sentiment. • Did not get the support they were counting on. – October 1781 Joint American French campaign forces General Cornwallis to surrender essentially ending the war • Treaty of Paris 1783 • American delegates – – Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay Agreed to treaty without French Peace Treaty signed September 3, 1783 Britain, France, Spain and United States agreed • England recognize US independence • US boundaries set at Mississippi River – US have trading access to river – Americans could fish off Canada • America should pay debts owed to Britain • Congress agreed to recommend returning Loyalist property

Costs of the American Revolution Andrew Robertson

Economic Effect • Inflation • Common people unwilling to join war effort, distinct division between rich and the poor. • End of imperial restrictions on American shipping opened up enormous new areas of trade to the nation. • American begin making their own cloth, industrial enterprise. • Revolution did not revolutionize the economy “but it did serve to release a wide range of entrepreneurial energies that, despite the temporary dislocations, encouraged growth and diversification. ” (Brinkley pg. 146)

Women and the War • Wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters were left in charge of farms and businesses. • Those whose husband did not have a farm or shop to fall back on struggles significant populations of impoverished women. • Out of economic necessity and out of fear of being driven from there home by the British or disease (smallpox) women “flocked in increasing numbers to the camps of the Patriot armies to join their male relatives. ” (Brinkley pg. 144) • Women in the army increase morale, performed necessary tasks cooking laundry and nursing. • Women became involved in battle.

Calls for Women’s rights • During and after the Revolution women’s rights to vote are debated. – Abigail Adams • Support for education of women and for other feminist reforms. • Few concrete reforms became either law or common social practice. – States dealt with individual women's rights such as obtaining divorce. • Patriarchal structure of American society, actually confirmed and strengthened. – Abigail Adams • Revolution encouraged people of both genders to reevaluate the contribution of women to the family and society. • “Wives were still far apart from equal partners in marriage but their ideas, interests, and domestic roles received increased respect. ”

Women and the American Revolution By. Carol Berkin City University of New York

Native Americans and the War • American patriots and British tried to persuade NA to remain neutral. – Most tribes ultimately chose to stay out of the war. – Weakened position of NA : • Increased white demand for western lands • Deeply resented the assistance the Mohawk and other Indian nations had given the British and insisted on threating them as conquered people. • Did little to settle conflict.

Slavery and the War • Limited but profound significance. Slavery and the American Revolution By. James O. Horton George Washington University

The Creation of State Governments • Objectives: – To understand how and why states went about constructing their own state constitutions during the revolutionary period. – Who could participate in state governments? – How did new state governments deal with the issues of religious toleration and slavery? • Do Now: – Pg. 157 1 -4 • Homework: – Read the Articles of Confederation and the Ordinance of 1785 Document and answer questions that follow each in your packets

The Assumptions of Republicanism – Republicanism meant all power came from people • active citizenry important and could not be just a few powerful aristocrats and mass of dependent workers • Opposed European ideas of inherited aristocracy – talents and energies of individuals and not birth would determine role in society » equality of opportunity

The First State Constitutions • States decided that constitutions had to be written b/c believed vagueness of England’s unwritten constitution produced corruption, • believed power of executive had to be limited, separation of executive from legislature • Except GA and PA upper and lower chambers, property requirements for voters

Revising State Governments • By late 1770 s state governments divided and unstable • believed to be so because they were too democratic – steps taken to limit popular power • To protect constitutions from ordinary politics created the constitutional convention – special assembly to draft constitution that would never meet again • Executive strengthened as response to weak governors, fixed salary + elected by people

Toleration and Slavery • New states allowed complete religious freedom – 1786 VA enacted Statue of Religious Liberty by Thomas Jefferson which called for separation of church and state • Slavery abolished in New England PA b/c of Quakers • every southern state but SC and GA prohibited further importation of slaves from abroad – slavery continued though b/c of racist assumptions about black inferiority, enormous economic investments in slaves, and lack of alternatives

The Search for A National Government • Objectives: – Understand the components of our first National Government and why it was constructed that way? – Understand the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. • Do Now: – Pg. 158 #5 • Homework: – The Constitution and New Republic pg. 160

The Confederation • Articles of Confed adopted in 1777, – Congress had power to • conduct wars • foreign relations • appropriate money- – Congress would not • regulate trade • draft troops • or levy taxes on people – Each state had one vote, articles ratified only after VA and NY gave up western land claims in 1781

Diplomatic Failures • GB failed to live up to terms of peace treaty of 1783 – forces continued to occupy posts – no restitution to slave-owners – restrictions on access to empire’s markets – 1784 John Adams sent to make deal but British refused • Treaty w/ Spain 1786 – solidified Florida’s borders – limited US rights to navigate Mississippi River – Southern states blocked ratification, weakened Articles

The Confederation and the Northwest • Ordinance of 1784 – divided western territory into 10 districts, • Ordinance of 1785 – Congress created surveying + sale system – areas north of Ohio R. were to be parceled and sold w/ some money going to create schools

The Confederation and the Northwest • Northwest Ordinance of 1787 – abandoned ten districts – designated five territories that when had 60, 000 people would become states – slavery prohibited • S of Ohio R. chaotic – Kentucky and Tennessee entrance conflict not resolved

Indians and the Western Lands • Western land policies meant to bring order and stability to white settlement – PROBLEM: many territories claimed by Confederation were also claimed by Indians • Series of treaties with Indians failed, – violence climaxed in early 1790 s. – Negations not continued until General Anthony Wayne defeated Indians 1794 at Battle of Fallen Timbers. – Treaty of Grenville w/ Miami Indians ceded lands

Debts, Taxes, and Daniel Shays • Confederation had war bonds to be repaid, – owed soldiers money – foreign debt- had no way to tax – states only paid 1/6 of requested funds • Group of nationalists led by Robert Morris, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison called for a 5% impost on imported goods – Congress rejected plan they withdrew involvement from Confederation • To pay war debts states increased taxes – poor farmers burdened by their own debt and new taxes rioted throughout New England – Some farmers rallied behind Daniel Shays, • 1786 Shayites prevented debt collection. • Boston legislature denounced them as traitors • when rebels advanced on Springfield state militia defeated them January 1787 • National Government did not have the power to raise a standing army – weakness.

Why were the Articles of Confederation so weak? Ao. C writers disliked… So under the Ao. C… Taxation without representation The federal government could not tax A large central government that had absolute power States didn’t have to follow federal laws and treaties Having to follow British legislation States had their own laws and didn’t have to follow other states’ laws Lots of power was in the king’s hands No executive branch or national court system The king could change laws at Any amendment required all any time 13 states’ approval

What was the Problem? • Since the federal government could not tax, it was very difficult to raise money • Since states didn’t have to follow laws and treaties • the federal government had no assurance that individual states would follow them • Each state had its own laws, which made it difficult for the country to act in a united way. • Congress couldn’t pay back debts from the revolution and couldn’t get states to work together to encourage commerce.

What was the Problem? • Since there was no executive branch, the government could not defend its borders. • Since there was no executive branch and national court system, the government could not enforce its laws • Any amendment required all 13 states’ approval, so the Ao. C was very difficult to modify