Colonial America: Taxation and Representation

The biggest problem for England was the debt. Britain's debt jumped from the troops. The colonists didn't believe they should pay for the aftermath of the war or troops.

The Real Whigs believed powerful governments were dangerous, especially those headed by monarchs, and that standing armies were a threat to liberty. They warned that a corrupt government could destroy adequate representation, impose unjust taxes, or replace jury trials with arbitrary proceedings.

The Stamp Act was the first internal direct tax levied on the American colonies.

<p>It was a broad revenue measure that applied to a wide range of printed materials.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Declaratory Act asserted Parliament's right to tax and pass laws for the American colonies 'in all cases whatsoever.'</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Sugar</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Currency Act made it illegal for the colonies to issue paper money. They were required to pay in gold or silver instead.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting of delegations from many of the colonies, where they drafted a Declaration of Rights and Grievances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Declaration of Rights and Grievances declared that taxes imposed on British colonists without their formal consent were unconstitutional.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Declaratory Act asserted Parliament's right to tax and pass laws for England's American colonies in all cases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>King George III played a significant role in the American Revolution. He was known as a stubborn and unpopular ruler who ultimately rejected the colonists' pleas for reconciliation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>George Grenville, a British Prime Minister, believed that the American colonies should be more tightly controlled by the British government.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>James Otis Jr.'s work was one of the first powerful arguments against British laws imposed on the colonists. He famously argued that &quot;taxation without representation is tyranny.&quot;</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Patrick Henry was known for his fiery speeches, most notably the declaration 'Give me liberty or give me death!' He was a strong advocate for colonial rights, but did not support complete independence from Great Britain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Sons of Liberty was an intercolonial association formed to control radical elements of the population and prevent any unrest or violence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Lord Rockingham, a British Whig leader, repealed the Stamp Act and modified the Sugar Act.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Virginia House of Burgesses passed resolutions denying the British Parliament's authority to tax the colonies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Townshend Duties were levied on items imported from Great Britain, while the Navigation Acts focused on goods imported from foreign countries.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Coercive Acts were a set of four measures designed to punish Massachusetts for its resistance to British policies. These included:</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Quartering Act, which required colonists to house British troops in their homes or provide alternative accommodations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The East India Company was a vital part of the events leading to the American Revolution. The company's troubles led to the passing of the Tea Act, which allowed the company to sell tea directly to American colonists, bypassing colonial merchants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Charles Townshend was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who imposed new taxes on goods imported from Great Britain, known as the Townshend Duties. These taxes targeted items such as glass, paper, and tea.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Lord North was the Prime Minister of Great Britain during the American Revolution. He initially supported the Townshend Duties but later recognized their unpopularity and advocated for their repeal.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Samuel Adams was a key figure in the American Revolution, known for his leadership of the Sons of Liberty and for his role in organizing the Boston Tea Party.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Daughters of Liberty, inspired by the 1765 Stamp Act protests, mobilized women as political actors to support the non-importation movement of 1767-1768, promoting boycotts of British goods and urging colonial women to shop only with merchants who signed non-importation agreements.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Boston Massacre was a violent clash between British soldiers and a group of local colonists who were protesting British policies. After a heated confrontation, British soldiers fired on the crowd, killing five.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Boston Tea Party, carried out by colonists disguised as Native Americans, was meant to protest the Tea Act by destroying 342 chests of British tea. The East India Company had been granted a monopoly to sell tea directly to American colonists, bypassing colonial merchants, and colonists saw this as a means to further restrict their trade and economic autonomy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The delegates to the Continental Congress (1) defined their grievances against Great Britain, (2) developed a plan for resistance, (3) prepared for a possible attack against Boston, and (4) determined their desired relationship with England.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The First Continental Congress drafted the Articles of Association, an agreement to boycott British goods, and established the Second Continental Congress.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The 'shot heard around the world,' as it is often called, marked the beginning of the American Revolution, as the first shots were fired at Lexington, Massachusetts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Prohibitory Act effectively declared war on King George III's colonies, cutting off all trade and communication with Great Britain while also authorizing the British Navy to seize American ships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Thomas Paine's pamphlet, <em>Common Sense</em>, made a powerful case for American independence. He argued that it was time for the colonists to break free from British rule and establish a republican government based on the principles of self-governance and popular sovereignty.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To peacefully resolve disputes with Great Britain by withdrawing troops and repealing the Intolerable Acts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Articles of Association, a major accomplishment of the First Continental Congress, was an agreement to boycott British goods, aiming to disrupt British trade and exert economic pressure on the British government.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The American Prohibitory Act, a declaration of war by Great Britain against the colonies, sought to block all trade and communication with the colonies as a way to suppress the rebellion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Thomas Jefferson was one of the five committee members tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence. He was primarily responsible for writing the document, which laid out the colonists' grievances against Great Britain and their rationale for declaring independence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Battle of Lexington and Concord, a pivotal event at the beginning of the American Revolution, saw colonists exchanging fire with British soldiers, marking the start of the conflict.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Battle of Bunker Hill, while a victory for the British, was a costly one for them. The heavy casualties they sustained further convinced the British that the colonists were serious about resistance and that suppressing the rebellion would be a difficult and protracted endeavor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Second Continental Congress served as the first government for the newly independent United States, issuing the Declaration of Independence, creating the Continental Army, and drafting the Articles of Confederation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, issued by the Second Continental Congress, presented a formal declaration of war against Great Britain, outlining the colonists' reasons for fighting and their commitment to securing their freedom and independence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The colonists recognized that a single disastrous battle could potentially overturn their entire bid for independence. They needed to prioritize their military efforts and securing decisive victories on the battlefield before they could effectively establish a stable and functional government.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They gained recognition as an independent nation, with full control over their territory.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Though not a central part of the negotiations, the Treaty of Paris inadvertently resulted in the abandonment of many Native American tribes by their British allies. No Native American representatives were present at the Treaty of Paris, leaving them vulnerable and without a voice in the proceedings, and ultimately losing significant territories.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Treaty of Paris resulted in significant territorial losses for Great Britain, including the loss of their colonies. France, deeply in debt from supporting the American cause, ultimately wanted to limit the United States' power to prevent its future dominance. Spain, on the other hand, gained Florida from Great Britain and was cautiously optimistic about limiting the United States' expansion westward.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The American Revolution led to the formation of a new nation, the United States of America, that eventually gained control over much of North America. It also encouraged expansion westward and manifested the idea of Manifest Destiny, influencing future American policy. And it broadened the concept of democracy and revolutionized the world's views on colonialism and imperial rule.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Post-war inflation was rampant, making it difficult for citizens to meet their basic needs. Many soldiers were owed money for their service. A lack of national unity persisted, with states often prioritizing their own interests. The printing of money by individual states created economic instability. And, disputes over landownership, particularly in the western territories, led to tensions between states and fueled conflict.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Most state constitutions guaranteed citizens four fundamental rights: freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to a fair trial, and the right to consent of taxation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The right to make treaties with foreign nations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Any powers not explicitly granted to Congress belonged to the states.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Articles of Confederation created a weak national government because it lacked the power to impose taxes or enforce its laws. The weak national government left states with significant authority, leading to a lack of unity and coordination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Shay's Rebellion, led by Daniel Shays, was a desperate attempt by farmers, who were struggling due to high taxes and foreclosures, to prevent government actions against them. This rebellion exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, as the national government was unable to effectively respond to this crisis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Native Americans were incensed by the opening of the Northwest Territory for westward expansion by white settlers. They were not involved in the Paris Peace Treaty negotiations and felt betrayed by the government's decision to give away their land without their consent. They banded together to discourage white settlement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Virginia Plan, favored by larger states, called for a bicameral legislature with representation in both chambers based on population, while the New Jersey Plan, preferred by smaller states, proposed a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state. The Great Compromise emerged as a solution that created a bicameral legislature with a Senate, where each state had equal representation, and a House of Representatives, where representation was based on population.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Constitution established a federal system of government with clear separation of powers and a system of checks and balances, creating a structure for a more effective and stable government.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Federalists advocated for a strong central government, believing that it was necessary to strengthen the nation and ensure its stability, while the Anti-Federalists feared that a strong central government would infringe on individual liberties and the autonomy of the states.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Federalist Papers, a series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, were published to convince the American people to ratify the Constitution. They argued that a strong federal government was necessary to preserve the nation's unity and stability and to prevent chaos and anarchy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Edmund Randolph, a delegate from Virginia, played a critical role in the drafting of the Constitution. He was the primary author of the Virginia Plan, which proposed a strong national government with a bicameral legislature and a system of checks and balances. This plan was a key starting point for the deliberations of the Constitutional Convention and paved the way for the establishment of a more robust federal government.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>James Madison, often called the 'Father of the Constitution,' played a crucial role in shaping the U.S. government. He authored the Virginia Plan, advocated for a strong national government, and wrote many of the Federalist Papers, which helped to advance the ratification of the Constitution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>William Paterson was a delegate from New Jersey who proposed the New Jersey Plan at the Constitutional Convention. This plan countered the Virginia Plan by advocating for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for all states. While not ultimately adopted, it influenced the eventual compromise that led to the formation of the U.S. Senate, where each state has equal representation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Roger Sherman, a delegate from Connecticut, is credited with playing a pivotal role in reaching a compromise between the opposing proposals of the Virginia and New Jersey Plans. He proposed the Great Compromise, which created the bicameral legislature with a Senate, where each state has equal representation, and a House of Representatives, where representation is based on population.</p> Signup and view all the answers