Life in the Colonies
Land in America was plentiful.
In England less than 5% of people owned land.
In the colonies generally only white male landowners or property owners could vote.
City dwellers could vote by paying a fee.
Because cash was scarce, farm wives bartered with their neighbors for goods and services.
Families were large.
Children helped around the farm.
Around age six boys were "breeched" - they were given a pair of pants
Around 11 many boys became apprentices.
An apprentice learned a trade from an experienced craftsman.
Most children were taught to read so that they could understand the Bible.
Only children from wealthy families went beyond reading to learn writing and arithmetic.
Most children finished their formal education at age 7.
Colonial America had high literacy rates.
Colonial readers supported a publishing industry. from 1700-1770 80 different newspapers appeared in America.
Almanacs and the "captivity narrative" were popular
Almanacs - calendar, weather predictions, star charts, farming advice, remedies, recipes, jokes and proverbs
"captivity narrative" - a colonist captured by Native Americans described living among them.
The Great Awakening- religious movement.
Traveling ministers preached that inner religious emotion was more important than outward religious behavior.
Churches gained 20 to 50,000 new members.
Inspired colonists to help others.
Princeton and Brown (colleges) were founded to train ministers.
The Enlightenment
emphasized reason and sciences as the paths to knowledge
began in Europe
John Locke (English philosopher) argued people have natural rights such as life, liberty and property.
He challenged the belief that kings had a God-given right to rule.
Winning Freedom - British Policies
Grenville Acts
- Made colonists strictly follow Navigation Acts
(colonists had been trading illegally with other countries)
- Sugar Act - tax on sugar, wines and coffee and molasses
- Stamp Act - tax on almost all paper documents (newspapers, wills, contracts, pamphlets, etc.)
-Quartering Act - Required colonists to provide shelter and food for British troops
Virtual Representation - People who represented ALL of the people of the British Empire
Direct Representation - when voters of a certain area selected a representative who worked for that area
Direct tax - a tax that must be paid to the government directly but is not passed on to the consumer in the price of goods
Boycott - refusing to buy certain goods/services
Townshend Acts -
import taxes were placed on goods entering the colonies
New York's elected assembly was dissolved
Writs of assistance - search warrants
used to enter houses or business to look for smuggled goods
Proclamation of 1763 - forbade colonists to settle West of the Appalachians
Boston Massacre - 1,000 British soldiers (known as Red Coats) in the streets of Boston
5 colonists killed after insults from both sides were hurled
Boston Tea Party- Dec. 16, 1773 members of the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Mohawk Indians, dumped the tea cargo from three ships into the Boston harbor.
Intolerable Acts - moved to punish MA for destroying the tea
- closed port of Boston
- wanted colonists to repay govt. for tea
- MA legislature dissolved
- British soldiers quartered in private homes
Quebec Act - allowed French Canadians to retain their laws, language and Roman Catholic religion.
Said lands W of the Appalachian Mountains and N of the Ohio River belonged to Quebec (colonists could not move to the Ohio Valley)
Continental Congress- rep. from all colonies except GA met in Philadelphia - letter to King George III - boycotted English goods
Lexington & Concord-
1775 - General Gage (British General)
sent 800 soldiers to take Patriots' military supplies
At dawn British soldiers at Lexington met by 70 minutemen - shooting broke out/ 8 minutemen killed
British continued their march to Concord.
Fighting ended by noon - British turned back to Boston
All minutemen called to arms
15mile march back to Boston shot at British from behind trees and stone walls
The British march became a wild retreat!
Second Continental Congress- Representative from ALL the colonies meet in Philadelphia
sign -Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776
Early War -
Advantages/Disadvantages of Colonists and British
Advantages - Colonists
familiar with the turf
used guerrilla tactics
handled weapons well (used to hunting)
spread out
supplies at hand
Disadvantages - Colonists
not trained in warfare
hadn't followed orders
smaller numbers
Advantages - British
more soldiers
weapons
trained in warfare
had additional help - Loyalists and mercenaries (Hessians)
Disadvantages - British
not at home/ unfamiliar with terrain
supplies far away
used old war tactics
Battles in the Northeast - colonistss lost battle of Bunker Hill in Boston
Washington crossed the Delaware River on Xmas - defeated British
British Strategy - went N got help, came down
British Defeated
Significance of Saratoga - turning point of war
France began to help with guns, ships and money
In return - France was given a free hand in the West Indies
Organizing the War - Colonists had to borrow $
Colonists weren't used to fighting
Few military leaders
War in the W - British commander (Colonel Henry Hamilton) told Indians colonists wanted to take their land - bought scalps
With victory in 1779 colonists established control of area btwn Appalachian mts. and Mississippi River.
War at Sea - John Paul Jones (a sea captain) forced the British to keep part of its naval force close to home.
When asked to surrender he said "Sir, I have not yet begun to fight."
War in the S - fighting at end of war in S
lots of Loyalists in S.
British General Charles Cornwallis retreated to VA
Washington trapped Cornwallis by land
French warships block British from sea.
Cornwallis surrendered his 7,500 soldiers to Washington ending British hopes of winning the war
Treaty of Paris – 1783 - British and American leaders signed peace treaty in Paris, France ending the war
Great Britain recognized American independence.
Boundaries were set at Canada in the N, Mississippi River in W and Florida in S.
Spain was given Florida.
The 13 British colonies had become the United States.
The Meaning of Freedom
Political Results -
The British went home
The colonies set about forming a government.
Social Results -
Declaration of Independence emphasized the importance of human rights.
(except slaves)
Economic Results
The United States became one of the largest nations in the world.
America took an active role in world trade.
People in manufacturing, which had increased during the war, found new markets in Europe.
The U.S. govt. started out in debt to allies.
PEOPLE TO KNOW:
General Gage - British officer who sent 800 soldiers to Lexington to seize the Patriots weapons
Minute Men - Patriot's who could get ready to fight in a moments notice (farmers, merchants, etc.)
George Washington - named Commander in Chief of the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress
Benjamin Franklin - represented the Colonies in France
Colonel Henry Hamilton - British Commander - encouraged scalping of Patriots
George Rogers Clark - Commander of the Kentucky militia. Established American control of the area between the Appalachian Mts. and Mississippi River
John Paul Jones - Patriot sea commander. Forced the British to keep part of it's naval fleet close to home. When asked to surrender at the height of a battle he said, "Sir, I have not yet begun to fight."
Thomas Paine - Well known writer on behalf of the Patriots. Wrote pamphlet called "Common Sense"
King George III - British King during the American Revolution
Benedict Arnold - An American traitor
General Cornwallis - British Commander who surrendered to Washington in Yorktown. Cornwallis's surrender ended the British hopes of winning the war.
Patriots - Colonists who wanted to break away from Britain and establish a new country.
Loyalists - Colonists who were loyal to the king.
Continental Army - The Colonist's army (300,000 under the leadership of Gen. Washington)
Red Coats - The British Army
treaty of alliance - Treaty in which France agreed to give the colonies guns, ships and money in exchange for a free hand in the West Indies.
Treaty of Paris - Treaty that ended the war between America and Britain. Signed in Paris in 1783.
1st Continental Congress - Met in Philadelphia in 1774 to discuss ways to deal with the British government.
2nd Continental Congress - Ratified the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Land in America was plentiful.
In England less than 5% of people owned land.
In the colonies generally only white male landowners or property owners could vote.
City dwellers could vote by paying a fee.
Because cash was scarce, farm wives bartered with their neighbors for goods and services.
Families were large.
Children helped around the farm.
Around age six boys were "breeched" - they were given a pair of pants
Around 11 many boys became apprentices.
An apprentice learned a trade from an experienced craftsman.
Most children were taught to read so that they could understand the Bible.
Only children from wealthy families went beyond reading to learn writing and arithmetic.
Most children finished their formal education at age 7.
Colonial America had high literacy rates.
Colonial readers supported a publishing industry. from 1700-1770 80 different newspapers appeared in America.
Almanacs and the "captivity narrative" were popular
Almanacs - calendar, weather predictions, star charts, farming advice, remedies, recipes, jokes and proverbs
"captivity narrative" - a colonist captured by Native Americans described living among them.
The Great Awakening- religious movement.
Traveling ministers preached that inner religious emotion was more important than outward religious behavior.
Churches gained 20 to 50,000 new members.
Inspired colonists to help others.
Princeton and Brown (colleges) were founded to train ministers.
The Enlightenment
emphasized reason and sciences as the paths to knowledge
began in Europe
John Locke (English philosopher) argued people have natural rights such as life, liberty and property.
He challenged the belief that kings had a God-given right to rule.
Winning Freedom - British Policies
Grenville Acts
- Made colonists strictly follow Navigation Acts
(colonists had been trading illegally with other countries)
- Sugar Act - tax on sugar, wines and coffee and molasses
- Stamp Act - tax on almost all paper documents (newspapers, wills, contracts, pamphlets, etc.)
-Quartering Act - Required colonists to provide shelter and food for British troops
Virtual Representation - People who represented ALL of the people of the British Empire
Direct Representation - when voters of a certain area selected a representative who worked for that area
Direct tax - a tax that must be paid to the government directly but is not passed on to the consumer in the price of goods
Boycott - refusing to buy certain goods/services
Townshend Acts -
import taxes were placed on goods entering the colonies
New York's elected assembly was dissolved
Writs of assistance - search warrants
used to enter houses or business to look for smuggled goods
Proclamation of 1763 - forbade colonists to settle West of the Appalachians
Boston Massacre - 1,000 British soldiers (known as Red Coats) in the streets of Boston
5 colonists killed after insults from both sides were hurled
Boston Tea Party- Dec. 16, 1773 members of the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Mohawk Indians, dumped the tea cargo from three ships into the Boston harbor.
Intolerable Acts - moved to punish MA for destroying the tea
- closed port of Boston
- wanted colonists to repay govt. for tea
- MA legislature dissolved
- British soldiers quartered in private homes
Quebec Act - allowed French Canadians to retain their laws, language and Roman Catholic religion.
Said lands W of the Appalachian Mountains and N of the Ohio River belonged to Quebec (colonists could not move to the Ohio Valley)
Continental Congress- rep. from all colonies except GA met in Philadelphia
- letter to King George III
- boycotted English goods
Lexington & Concord-
1775 - General Gage (British General)
sent 800 soldiers to take Patriots' military supplies
At dawn British soldiers at Lexington met by 70 minutemen - shooting broke out/ 8 minutemen killed
British continued their march to Concord.
Fighting ended by noon - British turned back to Boston
All minutemen called to arms
15mile march back to Boston shot at British from behind trees and stone walls
The British march became a wild retreat!
Second Continental Congress- Representative from ALL the colonies meet in Philadelphia
sign -Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776
Early War -
Advantages/Disadvantages of Colonists and British
Advantages - Colonists
familiar with the turf
used guerrilla tactics
handled weapons well (used to hunting)
spread out
supplies at hand
Disadvantages - Colonists
not trained in warfare
hadn't followed orders
smaller numbers
Advantages - British
more soldiers
weapons
trained in warfare
had additional help - Loyalists and mercenaries (Hessians)
Disadvantages - British
not at home/ unfamiliar with terrain
supplies far away
used old war tactics
Battles in the Northeast - colonistss lost battle of Bunker Hill in Boston
Washington crossed the Delaware River on Xmas - defeated British
British Strategy - went N got help, came down
British Defeated
Significance of Saratoga - turning point of war
France began to help with guns, ships and money
In return - France was given a free hand in the West Indies
Organizing the War - Colonists had to borrow $
Colonists weren't used to fighting
Few military leaders
War in the W - British commander (Colonel Henry Hamilton) told Indians colonists wanted to take their land - bought scalps
With victory in 1779 colonists established control of area btwn Appalachian mts. and Mississippi River.
War at Sea - John Paul Jones (a sea captain) forced the British to keep part of its naval force close to home.
When asked to surrender he said "Sir, I have not yet begun to fight."
War in the S - fighting at end of war in S
lots of Loyalists in S.
British General Charles Cornwallis retreated to VA
Washington trapped Cornwallis by land
French warships block British from sea.
Cornwallis surrendered his 7,500 soldiers to Washington ending British hopes of winning the war
Treaty of Paris – 1783 - British and American leaders signed peace treaty in Paris, France ending the war
Great Britain recognized American independence.
Boundaries were set at Canada in the N, Mississippi River in W and Florida in S.
Spain was given Florida.
The 13 British colonies had become the United States.
The Meaning of Freedom
Political Results -
The British went home
The colonies set about forming a government.
Social Results -
Declaration of Independence emphasized the importance of human rights.
(except slaves)
Economic Results
The United States became one of the largest nations in the world.
America took an active role in world trade.
People in manufacturing, which had increased during the war, found new markets in Europe.
The U.S. govt. started out in debt to allies.
PEOPLE TO KNOW:
General Gage - British officer who sent 800 soldiers to Lexington to seize the Patriots weapons
Minute Men - Patriot's who could get ready to fight in a moments notice (farmers, merchants, etc.)
George Washington - named Commander in Chief of the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress
Benjamin Franklin - represented the Colonies in France
Colonel Henry Hamilton - British Commander - encouraged scalping of Patriots
George Rogers Clark - Commander of the Kentucky militia. Established American control of the area between the Appalachian Mts. and Mississippi River
John Paul Jones - Patriot sea commander. Forced the British to keep part of it's naval fleet close to home. When asked to surrender at the height of a battle he said, "Sir, I have not yet begun to fight."
Thomas Paine - Well known writer on behalf of the Patriots. Wrote pamphlet called "Common Sense"
King George III - British King during the American Revolution
Benedict Arnold - An American traitor
General Cornwallis - British Commander who surrendered to Washington in Yorktown. Cornwallis's surrender ended the British hopes of winning the war.
Patriots - Colonists who wanted to break away from Britain and establish a new country.
Loyalists - Colonists who were loyal to the king.
Continental Army - The Colonist's army (300,000 under the leadership of Gen. Washington)
Red Coats - The British Army
treaty of alliance - Treaty in which France agreed to give the colonies guns, ships and money in exchange for a free hand in the West Indies.
Treaty of Paris - Treaty that ended the war between America and Britain. Signed in Paris in 1783.
1st Continental Congress - Met in Philadelphia in 1774 to discuss ways to deal with the British government.
2nd Continental Congress - Ratified the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.