American History – a survey By Alan Brinkley
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| American History – A Survey
By Alan Brinkley Chapter 5 The American Revolution Two struggles happening during the seven years of war in America Military conflict w/ Great Britain Revolutionary war for liberation Political struggle w/in the colonies Demand independence from Britain? How to structure the new nation they had proclaimed? Thomas Paine – The American War for Independence “contributed more to enlighten the world, and diffuse a spirit of freedom and liberality among mankind, than any human event…that ever preceded it.” The States United Colonies were unprepared for a conflict w/ Britain Faced the task of defending themselves against the world’s greatest armed power Faced the deeply divided about what they were fighting for Defining American War Aims Second Continental Congress met three weeks after Lexington and Concord in Philadelphia One side was for complete independence from Great Britain Lead by Samuel Adams, John Adams, Richard Henry Lee, etc. Other side hoped for modest reforms in the imperial relationship, early reconciliation w/ Great Britain Lead by John Dickinson, etc. Everyone else tried to find ground between the two sides Finally agreed to the “Olive Branch Petition” Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms – July 6, 1775 Proclaimed that the British government had left the American people w/ only two alternatives, “unconditional submission to the tyranny of irritated ministers or resistance by force.” Americans first believed that they were fighting for a redress of grievances w/in British Empire Began to change their minds as the first year of the war went on Costs of war – human and financial – were so high that original war aims seemed too modest to justify them Any affection that Patriots had toward British was quickly dispersed when British tried recruiting the Indians, slaves, and foreign mercenaries to fight the Americans Colonist came to believe that the British government was forcing them toward independence by rejecting the Olive Branch Petition and instead enacting the Prohibitory Act Prohibitory Act – closed the colonies to all overseas trade – enforced by a British naval blockade Common Sense – Thomas Paine It was the king to blame, not the Parliament, and the system that allowed him to rule that was the root of America’s problems The island kingdom of England was no more fit to rule the American continent, than a satellite was fit to rule the sun The Decision for Independence Continental Congress – still in Philly – moved more slowly for a break w/ Britain Declared that all American ports open to every country, EXCEPT for Great Britain July 2, 1776 Congress adopted a resolution “That these United Colonies are, and, of right, ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved” July 4, 1776 Congress adopted this Declaration of Independence “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” “All men are created equal” Now claimed themselves as the United States of America Responses to Independence News of Declaration of Independence lead to rejoicing in many places Loyalists – those who did not want to fight in the war for independence – called Tories by American Patriots Colonies began to call themselves states after the Declaration of Independence was signed Created new government in their states by 1781 – republican ones A need for central government November 1777 Articles of Confederation Continental Congress would survive as the chief coordinating agency of the war effort Mobilizing for War Congress created an arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1777 Relied heavily on the equipment that they could capture or steal from the British Got most of their war supplies from European countries, France Government had problems raising money to fund the war Ended up having to issue paper money Inflation Able to finance the war only by borrowing heavily from European nations Had problems recruiting for the war Spring of 1775 Continental Army lead by George Washington Conspirators against Washington – Conway Cabal Aid from Marquis de Lafayette from France and Baron von Steuben from Prussia Washington provided the army w/ a symbol of stability The War for Independence It seemed that all of the military advantages went to Britain in the war However, Americans had their advantages Fighting on their own land, w/ their own resources Patriots fully committed to fight, while British half-heartedly cared Substantial aid from aboard Britain made too many mistakes and misjudgments The First Phase: New England 1775-1776 Americans besieged the army of General Thomas Gage in Boston – 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill – June 17, 1775 Actually fought on Breed’s Hill Britain found that Boston was not the best place to fight Center of the most fervently anti-British region of colonies Tactically indefensible March 17, 1776 – Evacuation Day – British left Boston for Nova Scotia Departure of the British marked a shift in strategy more than an admission of defeat Moore’s Creek Bridge in North Carolina Band of Patriots crushed Loyalist uprising – February 27, 1776 Benedict Arnold threatened Quebec Richard Montgomery helped him Canada was not to become part of the new nation The Second Phase: The Mid-Atlantic Regions 1776-1778 New York City William Howe – British – Sent w/ 32,000 troops Washington mustered 19,000 British decided to try and split the colonies in two William Howe would take the northern part of the colonies John Burgoyne helped him Howe decided to quit his northern campaign Instead went head-to-head w/ Washington at the Battle of Brandywine Creek on September 11, 1777 Washington won a battle on October 4 in Germantown, PA Continental Congress met again, this time in York, PA Howe left Burgoyne on his own Burgoyne sent for Colonel Barry St. Leger Burgoyne seized Fort Ticonderoga Congress couldn’t believe what happened Replace General Philip Schuyler from command of American forces in the North Replaced him w/ Horatio Gates Burgoyne August 6 – Patriots lead by Nicholas Herkimer held off Indians and Tories. Gave Benedict Arnold time to go to the relief of Fort Stanwix August 16 – Bennington, Vermont – John Stark and militia mauled British October 17, 1777 – ordered a surrender of his men to the Americans New York victory in American helped to spur an alliance w/ France The Iroquois and the British American victory in New York not just bad for British, but also for the Indians Some Indians worked to play a role for Native Americans in the war Joseph and Mary Brant – brother and sister Persuaded their own tribes to contribute to the British cause Growing divisions in Iroquois Confederacy Only 3 of 6 nations supported the British 2 supported Americans 1 did their own thing Confederacy began to unravel Securing Aid from Abroad Saratoga Turning point in War French aided the Americans Militia diplomats – people from the United States sent to European countries to try and form treaties News of Saratoga reached England on December 2, 1777 Reached France December 4, 1777 On February 6, 1778 – France recognized the United States as a nation The Final Phase: The South British needed more support Thought that the majority of the Loyalists resided in the South – away from the New England colonies where all of the anti-British sentiments were British spent three years trying to find Loyalists that would help them FAILED Many were too scared Patriot forces would not let them join Could blend into civilian population, could move at will throughout the region, could live off the resources of the countryside This stage of the war was truly “revolutionary” War expanded into new communities Sir Henry Clinton replaced William Howe in 1778 George Rogers Clark captured settlements in the Illinois country from the British and their Indian Allies General Benedict Arnold became a traitor Thought that the British would win December 29, 1778 – British captured Savannah, GA May 12, 1780 – British took over Charleston, SC British constantly harassed by the Patriots Thomas Sumter, Andrew Pickens, Francis Marion, etc. Lord Cornwallis – Clinton’s choice as British commander in the South Crushed Patriots lead by Horatio Gates on August 16, 1780 Congress fired Gates and replaced him w/ Nathanael Greene King’s Mountain - October 7, 1780 – Patriots defeated British George Washington, Baptiste de Rochambeau French (1), Joseph Paul de Grasse French (2) 1) Land operations 2) Naval operations Winning the Peace Lord North resigned as prime minister Lord Shelburne took over England sent diplomats to talk w/ Americans in France – Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay Americans signed preliminary treaty w/ Great Britain on November 30, 1782 Treaty of Paris of 1783 United States had clear recognition of its independence War and Society Loyalists and Minorities Some Loyalists were office holders of imperial offices Some Loyalists were merchants engaged in trade tied to the imperial system Others were just isolated from the Patriots and had not heard news of the war Many of these loyalists and minorities were sent out of the United States This left positions open for the Patriots to fill Anglicans suffered greatly – people associated it w/ England Quakers also weakened because they would not fight in the war Improving the position of the Roman Catholic Church John Carroll of Carrollton Vatican provided the United States w/ its own Catholic hierarchy John Carroll was named the head of Catholic missions in America in 1784 Became the first American bishop in 1789 Became archbishop of Baltimore in 1808 African-Americans had increased exposure to the war Thoughts of freedoms and liberties Native Americans and the Revolution Many tribes chose to stay out of the war Some Indians chose to join the British cause Many used this chance to launch attacks of their own Chief Dragging Canoe – 1776 Revolutionary War weakened the position of Native Americans in several ways Increased demand for western lands for whites Americans resented the fact that many Indians helped the British Lord Dunmore’s War – Shawnee uprising – Failed Women’s Rights and Women’s Roles Some women followed their men into war Nurses, Soldiers Women increased army morale, cooking, laundry, nursing Molly Pitcher Some Women questioned their place in society after the war Judith Sargent Murray – women’s minds were as good as men’s and that girls as well as boys therefore deserved access to education Defender of Mary Wollstonecraft Unmarried women had some rights Could own property, enter contracts and others Married women had virtually no rights Everything she owned belonged to her husband After Revolution in New Jersey gave women the right to vote Repealed after 1807 Women not yet equal partners The War Economy Disrupted traditional economic patterns Strengthened American economies New areas of trade opened Substantial increase of trade in American states No great industrial expansion result Americans began to make their own cloth Patriotic and fashionable The Creation of State Governments Struggling to create new governments to run the new country Federal Constitution of 1789 Formation of state governments began in 1776 Two phases in creation of national government The Assumptions of Republicanism Americans agreed that new governments would be republican Ideal of small “freeholder” became basic to American political theology Crucial part of ideology – concept of equality What you do, not who you are American society more open than other nations However, Native Americans, Blacks and Women still repressed Americans were adopting a powerful, even revolutionary new ideology, one that would enable them to create a form of government never before seen in the world The First State Constitutions Two states saw no need for a national Constitution Rhode Island and Connecticut Accepted their charters as their governments Other 11 states chose to accept new governments Change from Britain’s regulations MAJOR DECISION Must be written down on paper Permanent laws MAJOR DECISION Power of executive branch must be limited Universal suffrage not accepted by all Americans Ten states completed the process of Constitution writing by 1776 Georgia, New York, Massachusetts delayed Massachusetts did not finally adopt its version until 1780 Revising State Governments Growing concern about the instability of the new state governments Governors unable to demonstrate real leadership States revised constitutions to cope w/ what they considered to be their problems MAJOR CHANGE Constitutional convention to meet only for the purpose of writing the constitution MAJOR CHANGE Significant strengthening of the executive Toleration and Slavery Freedom of Religion in all states 1786 – Virginia – Statue of Religious Freedom – complete separation of Church and State Slavery Pennsylvania – emancipation act in 1780 Massachusetts – 1783 – ownership of slaves was impermissible under the stat’s bill of rights Slavery survived in all southern states Racist assumptions about the natural inferiority of African Americas Enormous economic investments Inability of most southerners The Search for a National Government Most believed that central government should remain relatively weak and unimportant Each state a sovereign nation Articles of Confederation emerged The Confederation Articles of Confederation in 1777 Created government similar to the one already functioning Exceptions Authority to conduct wars and foreign relations, to appropriate, borrow and issue money. Could not regulate trade, draft troops, or levy taxes directly on the people No separate executive Each state would have a single vote in Congress Nine must approve for anything to pass All 13 would have to approve the Articles before they could be ratified or amended Small states wanted equal representation Large states wanted representation based on population Articles went into effect in 1781 Confederation lasted from 1781-1789 Complete failure Diplomatic Failures British continued to occupy Great Lakes territory Boundary disputes w/ the Spanish Treaty w/ Spain – 1786 Weakness seen by the British and Spanish The Confederation and the Northwest Resolution of conflicts over the northwest 1790 – 120,000 whites in western lands By 1784 states had ceded enough land to Congress to be able to begin making policy for the national domain Ordinance of 1784 – divided the western territory into ten self-governing districts Ordinance of 1785 – congress created a system for surveying and selling the western lands. Territory North of the Ohio River would be surveyed and marked off into neat rectangular townships Grids Every township would be divided into 36 sections Four reserved for government One for schools Each section 640 acres Dollar an acre to buy land A population of 60,000 was needed to be able to apply for statehood Guaranteed freedom of religion, right to trial by jury, prohibition of slavery in new territories Brought order and stability to the process of white settlement Indians and the Western Lands Indian problems tried to be resolved in 1784, 1785, 1786 Iroquois, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee Arthur St. Clair – tried and failed in 1789 to force an agreement on the Miami, Shawnee and Delaware Little Turtle – defeated Americans in two battles near the western border of Ohio November 4, 1791 – 630 white Americans died Greatest military victory Indians had ever achieved 1794 – General Anthony Wayne – moving troops toward the Maumee River Battle of Fallen Timbers – Americans won Miami Indians sign Treaty of Greenville New lands to United States Acknowledgement of Indian territory First recognition by the United States government of the sovereignty of Indian nations Debts, Taxes, and Daniel Shays Postwar Depression – 1784 – 1787 Congress had a great debt Robert Morris, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison lobbying for a “continental impost” – 5% duty on imported goods to fund the debt First effort to secure the impost – 1781 – approved by 12 states Second effort – 1783 – failed Farmers demanded paper currency Mobs and riots began Daniel Shays Demanded paper money, tax relief, moratorium on debt, the relocation of the state capital from Boston to the interior, abolition of imprisonment for debt Samuel Adams denounced Shays and his men as rebels and traitors 1787 – Shay’s army beaten Attack on distant authority Movement to produce a new national constitution Download 65.37 Kb. 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