Colonial America and the Seven Years' War

Colonial America

• The colonies were very prosperous
• There was less class distinction
• There were more job and land opportunities in the colonies
• The colonies provided the highest living standard in the world
• There was more freedom of religion and speech in the colonies
• Britain ruled the 13 colonies along the Eastern seaboard of the US
• Britain installed African enslavement in certain areas
• Britain took a large percentage of colonial dollars, natural resources, and crops
• From 1585-1760 the colonies were allowed self-rule in most areas
• Colonial assemblies had elected representatives, for example, the VA House of Burgesses
• Each colony had a British governor

How the Trouble Started

• The Seven Years' War occurred from 1756-1763
• British and American colonists fought the French and Native Americans
• Britain won the war, but was in debt
• Britain unfairly blamed colonists for the war
• From 1764-1774 Britain increased Colonial American taxes on food, legal documents, and building items
• More controls were placed on colonists
• Those who broke tax/smuggling laws were tried by British officials, not fellow colonists
• British troops were increased in the colonies

Stamp Act: Unified American Colonists

• The Stamp Act taxed Americans on all official papers
• It hurt the colonial economy
• Colonists were against British political tradition
• The King and House of Lords were not supposed to levy taxes
• The House of Commons, as people's reps, was the taxing body
• The British insisted colonists, as British subjects, were already represented in Parliament
• Colonists disagreed because Parliament had no colonial reps
• They feared "virtual representation” would enslave colonists to Britain
• They demanded Parliament abolish the tax since direct representation was impossible
• Patrick Henry, VA Rep, argued that Britain had no right to tax Virginians; only their elected reps could do that

Boston Tea Party (1773)

• From 1765-1773 colonists boycotted taxed goods
• The colonists sent tea shipments back to Britain
• In December 1773, Boston's British held 3 tea ships in the harbor
• The British insisted colonists pay for the tea
• Sons of Liberty threw the tea overboard
• Britain punished Boston by blockading the city and placing it under military rule
• Other colonists were sympathetic and scared

13 United Colonies

• In 1774, the 1st Continental Congress saw delegates from 13 colonies meet in Philadelphia
• They were concerned for the future based on the Boston situation
• In 1775, the Revolutionary War began
• MA militia fought British
• In 1775, the 2nd Continental Congress convened
• Delegates debated whether or not to join MA
• They agreed that representative government and liberty were worth war
• Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death"

Declaration of Independence 1776

• It was written by Thomas Jefferson
• 55 delegates from 13 colonies signed it
• The Declaration blamed the British Government for the King and Parliament's despotism
• The US declared the right to set up their own government
• The US was to be a republic
• 13 colonies became "free & independent States"
• Citizens were given rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
• In 1776, the rights were granted to all white males
• Later, expanded to include all genders & races

US Victory

• Defeating the British was difficult as the British had the world's best army, while the US soldiers were untrained farmers
• The US advantages were Gen. George Washington, the US army fighting on home soil, guerilla tactics, incompetent British generals, and French aid
• In 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed
• The British recognized US independence

Founders Against Democracy

• The US is a republic.
• Founders were against democracy because it is "rule by all"
• The majority of the population votes directly
• This presented the danger of mob rule and the neglect of minority rights
• Not everyone is qualified to govern as some are selfish and others lack knowledge, experience, and maturity
• Large groups are prone to crowd dynamics
• A historical example is the French Revolution where Monarchy became Republic and then Mob Rule/democracy/murder of nobility before finally being a monarchy again with Napoleon

US Constitution 1789

• The US has a Two-House Congress
• Voters elect members to the House of Representatives; the # of reps is based on the population of districts within states
• Each state has 2 senators in the Senate
• For the Executive branch, at first an Electoral college chose the president, after the vote of each state's population, the candidate with the most state's wins
• In the Judicial branch, there is a Hierarchy of courts within the nation, with Supremem Court justices being chosen by the president
• Bill of Rights
• Some were afraid important rights might be left out of the Constitution
• The original bill had 10 amendments
• The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly
• Today, there are a total of 27 Amendments

US a Republic

• The US government is built "by consent of the governed"
• People elect representatives to govern on their behalf
• Checks & balances that keep a government branch from becoming too powerful
• The President has a veto, Congress can override it and the Supreme Ct. judges laws as constitutional or unconstitutional
• The Senate & House have to agree for most decisions
• The Electoral vote is a check on the popular vote
• State power is a check on popular power
• There are Term limits on the President and Congress
• There is Freedom of religion, a New concept
• Citizens have freedom to worship or not
• There is Separation of church & state, government keeps out of religious affairs
• Any American religion could serve in government