US History: Revolution & Colonial Policies

• The United States transitioned from British colonies to an independent country and later a world power through a revolution in the late 18th century.

Internal Factors in the American Revolution

• Discontent arose from British colonial policies and taxation without representation.

Formation of British Colonies in North America

• The East Coast of the US consisted of British colonies prior to independence.
• Since 1492 when Columbus discovered the New World, Europeans gradually migrated to North and South America.
• Britain established the Colony of Virginia in the early 17th century.
• By the 1730s, thirteen colonies were established on the East Coast.

British Colonial Policies in North America

• Colonies were governed by British-appointed governors.
• Colonies had their own assemblies with elected representatives.
• Laws passed by colonial assemblies required approval from the British Parliament.
• Governors possessed the power to veto bills or dissolve assemblies.
• The existing political structure created dissatisfaction among the local population.
• Britain and France fought the Seven Years' War from 1756-1763 for colonial control.
• France was defeated, and Britain gained some French colonies in North America.
• The presence of more British troops led to increased conflicts with the local population.

Economic Grievances

• British economic policies prioritized British interests in North America.
• The American economic policies were unfavorable to the colonies' development.
• Colonies were restricted to exporting local products like tobacco, sugar, and cotton, exclusively to Britain.
• Colonies were forbidden from producing goods that would compete with British industries.
• Colonies were mandated to use British ships for transportation.
• Free trade was limited, and the North American people were discontented with Britain due to these trade restrictions.

Taxation

• Following the Seven Years' War, Britain imposed heavy taxation on North American colonies to cover war expenses.
• Taxation included the Sugar Act (1764), Stamp Act (1765), and Townshend Acts (1767).
• The Sugar Act taxed sugar, syrup, and wine.
• The Stamp Act taxed stamps on documents and printed materials.
• The Townshend Acts were taxation on daily supplies such as paper, lead, tea, and glass.
• Colonies were required to provide food, accommodation, and supplies for British troops.
• These taxes harmed the South economies and the overseas trade in North America.
• There was strong opposition to these taxes.
• North Americans believed that Britain should not tax them since they lacked any representatives in the British Parliament.
• Colonialists claimed 'no taxation without representation'.
• The relationship between colonialists and Britain became worse.

Tradition of Pursuing Liberty

• Starting in the early 17th century, British and other European people migrated to North America.
• Immigrants wanted to escape religious and political persecution and pursue liberty.
• Life in the colonies was challenging for people as Britain long exploited and suppressed them.
• By the second half of the 18th century, North Americans resisted the situation.
• Colonialists fought against the British rule.

Dutch War of Independence

• Holland, also known as the Netherlands, fought against Spanish Rule.
• Spain heavily taxed and persecuted Dutch Protestants, leading to the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648).
• In 1648, Spain recognized Dutch independence.
• The Dutch War of Independence served as a model for the American Revolution.

British Glorious Revolution

• In late Medieval Times, most European countries were ruled by absolute monarchy.
• In the mid-17th people especially the bourgeoisie were discontent towards the rule of absolute monarchy.
• Charles I (reigned 1625-1649) ruled as an absolute monarch that was often criticized.
• Charles I often introduced new taxations without calling for parliament sessions and would even breakup the Parliament for a long time.
• In 1640, Charles I called for a Parliament session to raise money for the military, but Parliament rejected his request and Charles I was executed.
• Britain abolished monarchy after the civil war, but absolute monarch James II, was restored in 1688.
• William III, came to the throne.
• William III was willing to obey Parliament led to the Glorious Revolution.
• After the Glorious Revolution, the Parliament passed the Bill of Rights in 1689.
• Since then, the Parliament was controlled by the bourgeoisie.
• The Glorious Revolution Influenced the American Revolution.
• The Bill of Rights provided the foundation for the Constitution of the United States of America.

Impact of the Enlightenment

• In the 18th century, British and French Enlightenment thinkers' ideas spread to North America.
• Philosopher such as John Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, etc. pursing liberty and equality were known as natural rights.
• Thinkers such as John Adams, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson supported freedom and independence in North America.
• The spread of the Enlightenment thinking was an important factor in the fight of North Americans against British rule.

North American Thinkers

• John Adams thought the Republic was the only good form of a government, and executive, legislative and judicial powers had to be separated.
• Thomas Paine thought the government must protect the freedom of citizens.
• Thomas Jefferson though the North American people had a right for independence and establishment of their own countries.
• Jefferson believe all men were born with three natural rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and Britain's suppression on colonies was unreasonable.

Conflicts Before the Revolution

• In March 1770, British troops shot and killed people in Boston known as the Boston Massacre.
• In 1773, the British government gave the British East India Company the right to sell tea to the colonies duty-free.
• People in Boston poured 300 boxes of tea into the sea known as the Boston Tea Party.

First Continental Congress

• Philadelphia representatives of the colonies formed the First Continental Congress asked and for Britain to abolish taxation.
• Britain refuted.
• The colonies formed their own militias.

Battle of Lexington

• A group of the British troops started fighting with North American militias in Lexington, Massachusetts officially broke out the American War of Independence.

Second Continental Congress

• Philadelphia representatives met again for the Second Continental Congress.
• Militias were reorganized as the Continental Army.
• George Washington became commander-in-chief.

Declaration of Independence

• Colonial representatives passed the Declaration of Independence which declared for the independence of the thirteen colonies of North America from Britain.

Battle of Yorktown

• Continental Army fought the British army.
• France, Spain and Holland helped.
• British army was defeated.

Treaty of Paris

• Britain and the North American colonies signed the Treaty of Paris
• After the Treaty of Paris, Britain recognized the independence of the US.

Birth of the United States of America

• Thirteen colonies formed a nation and drafted their government.
• The Declaration of Independence was passed which became the US national day.
• The War of Independence ended, and Britain recognized independence.

Formation of a Republican Government

• The thirteen states met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to form a new government.
• The Convention passed the Constitution of the United States of America.
• The US became a federal republic led by a central government handling national affairs.
• The US federal government was created with three branches of power: legislative, executive and judicial.
• Each branch had different powers and responsibilities.

Significance of the Revolution

• The American Revolution was a fight by the people in the colonies against foreign oppression for independence,
• After its independence, the US adopted the republican political system including the separation of powers.
• The Declaration of Independence was the first political influenced by Europe.
• Revolution inspired freedom and democracy.

Lafayette

• Lafayette contributed to the success of the French and American revolutions.
• Lafayette was assigned US Hero of the Two Worlds.

Movements in Latin America

• The American Revolution effected the colonies in Central and South America.
• Haiti overthrew the French Colonial rule.
• Latin America declared independence.

British Colonial Policies

• Britain recognised the autonomy, changed colonial policies.

Symbol of Liberty

• The US was built to remember the success.

Republican Political System

• It set a new model.