The Road to The Road to Revolution:Revolution:1754-17831754-1783*The Approaching Conflict*The Approaching Conflict

*The War*The War*The End of the Colonial Era in *The End of the Colonial Era in

AmericaAmerica

I. The Approaching Conflict

A. Anglo-French Rivalries

1. The two countries battle for land in North America at a great expense

2. French & Indian War (1756-1763)

a) Final conflict: British win

b) Problems for British

1) Significant financial debt

2) Pontiac’s Rebellion

Proclamation of 1763

3) Colonists begin meeting and organizing Albany

Plan of Union

B. Changes Impact the Colonies

1. Parliamentary taxes end salutary neglect

a) Stamp Act (revenue raising)

b) Declaratory Act (exercise of Parliament’s authority)

c) Townsend Act

2. Tensions increase and colonists act out

a) Boston Tea Party

b) Boston Massacre

c) Committees of correspondence

d) Boycotts

e) Petitions (Olive Branch Petition)

C. Ideology of Revolution

1. Natural rights (life, liberty, happiness)

2. Social contract (consent of governed)

3. Civil rights (“no taxation without representation”)

4. Independence

5. Key Works

a) Second Treatise on Government

b) “Common Sense”

c) Declaration of Independence

II. The War (1776-1783)

A. Continental Congress

1. Initially exercised little leadership

2. Chose Washington as head of military

3. Stayed in session throughout the war

B. French Alliance

1. Battle of Saratoga was the turning point

2. Provided navy and money to the war effort

3. Becomes an entangling alliance for US

C. Impacts on Society

1. In essence a civil war Patriots v. Loyalists

2. African-Americans offered freedom to fight by BOTH the British and the Americans

3. Native Americans help British in hopes of preventing further land expansion by the Americans

D. Economic Struggles

1. Inflation

2. Decrease in trade due to British occupation of ports

3. Paper money is virtually worthless

E. New Government Developed Articles of Confederation

1. State constitutions provide for separation of powers, voting and office holding guidelines

2. Powers of central government are vague and limited

III. The End of the Colonial Era in America

A. Treaty of Paris of 1783

1. Officially ends the war

2. US independence is recognized

3. Western boundary

set at the

Mississippi River

4. Persecution of Loyalists is to end

5. Fishing rights off

coast of Canada granted to US

B. Political Outcomes

1. New government is struggling

2. Problems for government under Articles

a) Congress has no real power

b) Little respect for US on world scene

c) Shays’s Rebellion

C. Economic Outcomes

1. HUGE debt to France

2. Paper money issued by Congress and states is worthless

D. Social Outcomes

1. Women helped maintain economy and provided supplies and service to the

war, yet remain second class citizens

2. Slavery remains intact, even though it is a violation of the ideals of the

Revolution

3. Native Americans face continued expansion by American settlers