US History: Causes and Consequences of Independence (PDF)

A close-up of a form Description automatically generated Consequences for Europe included **reduced population pressures** and **economic benefits** from trade with the colonies. For America, colonization brought **cultural diversity**, **economic development**, and **conflicts with Native American...

A close-up of a form Description automatically generated Consequences for Europe included **reduced population pressures** and **economic benefits** from trade with the colonies. For America, colonization brought **cultural diversity**, **economic development**, and **conflicts with Native Americans**, including land dispossession and violent confrontations. 2\. Understand the causes, development, and consequences of the American claim for independence and analyse the impact it had on Europe and the USA themselves. **Causes:** The first cause, which started this whole process of the American claim for independence, was the taxation (The stamp act) of the settlers by Great Britain to compensate for the money lost in the French/Indian War. The settler protested this act, as they believed that no king or no parliament had the right to interfere in their internal affairs and that no tax could be levied without the consent of the people or their chosen representatives. Therefore, argued that they won\'t accept these taxes without representation in the parliament. **Development:** Great Britain did not listen to the settlers and imposed more taxes on the settlers e.g. the Townshend duty act or the tea act. In the middle of all these events, there was a caesura in the development, a break. Thomas Paine published a pamphlet, called \"common sense\", which was distributed to the American population. This book showed that America should not be ruled by an island smaller than itself, namely Great Britain. It also encouraged the people to think rationally about this matter. After this caesura, the American population no longer demanded representation in parliament, but rather independence from Great Britain. After some demonstrations like the Boston Tea Party and several armed confrontations, this led to **the declaration of Independence on the 4th of July 1776.** **Consequences:** The USA gained Independence from the Great Britain Great Britain lost one of its biggest colonies. France got its revenge on Britain for the French and Indian War The entire world saw that the **small rebellious group of colonists had defeated their motherland** and had gained Independence, which inspired other revolutionary movements e.g. French Revolution 1. Comprehend the political system of the USA and judge how significant the American independence and the American Constitution were for Europe and its political formation in the 19th and 20th century and up to today.   - Federal State - Two House Parliament - Decided by Popular Sovereignty (Volkssouveranität) - Presidential democracy - Three branches of government - Balanced by checks and balances.   1. Understand and analyze the collateral effects of the establishment of the USA and its growth.     1. Understand the politics of the white Americans toward the Native Americans and the Afro-American population up to today.   1. Place the US Civil War as a cesura in US internal and foreign affairs politics of the 19th century up to today.   1. Review the American history and foreign policy of the last three centuries and scrutinize how it alternated between isolationism and interventionism.   2. Exceptionalism is the belief that the United States is uniquely different from other nations due to its history, values, and political system. This concept has significant and effects:  **Terms and Keywords** ***Chapter 1:*** Jamestown Colony Jamestown is the name of the first english settlement founded in the USA. It was established in 1607 by a trading company.   Puritans / Pilgrim Fathers The Puritans were English Protestants, and the Pilgrim Fathers were a group of Puritans, who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 to establish a colony in Massachusetts to freely practice their faith.   Mayflower Compact Signed by Pilgrims in 1620, it was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony, laying the foundation for self-governance based on majority rule.   \"City upon a Hill\" A phrase from John Winthrop's sermon, envisioning his colony as a model Christian community for the world.   ***Chapter 2:*** concept of enlightenment An intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries promoting ideas of reason, liberty, freedom, and individual rights, influencing American leaders like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.   French and Indian War (1756-1763) A war fought between the British on one side and the French and the Indians on the other side. At the end, the British emerged victorious, but not without costs. The british treasury was in a deficit, so they started to tax the settlers in America.   \'No taxation without representation\' A slogan created by the settler's demanding representation in the British parliament for the taxes they had imposed on the settlers with acts like the stamp act.   \'Boston Tea Party\' A protest against the British Tea Act. In 1773, American colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped tea into Boston Harbor to oppose unfair taxation. Those colonists were then shot dead by the English.   Continental Congress The Continental Congress was the governing body by which the American colonial governments coordinated their resistance to British rule during the first two years of the American Revolution.   Declaration of Independence (4 July 1776) The Declaration of Independence is the fouding document of the USA. It openly critized the british king and explained, why the 13 colonies of America from that point on, saw themselves independent sovereign states. It was adopted on the 4 July 1776   \"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness\" According to the settlers, these were some of the unalienable rights that each men (white males) had.   ***Chapter 3:***   Constitution: A constitution is a fundamental legal document that outlines the principles and framework by which a state or organization is governed.   \"We the People\" \"We the People\" are the opening words of the US Constitution. This emphasizes that authority of government derives from the people themselves.   Unitary State A political system in which most or all governing power resides in a centralized government. Example: France   Federal state A political system in which power is divided between a central government and regional or local parties. Example: USA or Switzerland   Confederation A confederation is a political union of sovereign states that come together for common purposes. Example: Belgium   checks and balances A system ensuring no branch of government (executive, legislative, or judicial) dominates. For instance, Congress passes laws, but the President can veto them, and courts can declare them unconstitutional.   Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) The legislative branch of the U.S. government. The House represents the population, while the Senate provides equal representation for each state.   Amendment: An Amendment is a formal addition of a article to the Constitution to improve it. One can only add to a preexisting constitution, not change it.   ***Chapter 4/5:***   \"Louisiana Purchase\" In 1803, the USA bought the territory of Louisiana from the French Republic. This was an effort to expand westwards and to strengthen the relationship and friendship between the two countries.   Pioneer The definition of the word \"Pioneer\" is: \"a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area.\" In reference to American history, this refers to the settlers, who first moved westwards into uncharted territories.   Frontier The frontier refers to the edge or boundary of settled land, beyond which lies unexplored or undeveloped territory. The \"frontier\" was not just a geographical boundary but a dynamic concept representing the meeting point between civilization and wilderness. As settlers moved westward, the frontier shifted, marking the gradual expansion of American territory.   Manifest destiny The ideology that states the U.S. was destined to expand across the North American continent, often justifying the displacement of Native Americans   Enslavement Enslavement is the act of forcing someone into a state of slavery, characterized by complete loss of personal freedom and being treated as property and exactly this was done to the African Americans.     Abolition The movement to end slavery, gaining momentum in the northern states in the 19th century. This also one of the main causes of the American Civil War, which had the Union (northern states) on the one side and the Confederacy (southern sides) on the other side.   Segregation The separation of the black population in daily life in the USA. This started after the introduction of the 13, 14 and 15th amendment and persisted until the 1960s.   \"Civil Rights Movement\" A movement created by the black population to fight against racial discrimination and secure equal rights for African Americans, led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr.     ***Chapter 6***   American Civil War/ War of Secession / War between the States (1861-1865) Fought between the North (Union) and South (Confederacy) over issues like slavery and states' rights. It resulted in the abolition of slavery and significant shifts in federal power.   ***Chapter 7***   Isolationism A foreign policy of avoiding involvement in world affairs and focusing on itself. This was the main foreign policy of the USA before World War I and between the wars.   Interventionism A foreign policy of active involvement in global affairs, such as during the World Wars and the Cold War. This reflects the U.S. becoming a global power.   ***Chapter 8:*** Protestant ethic The belief that hard work, discipline, and frugality are moral virtues. This ethic shaped American culture and economic success.   Thesis of Exceptionalism The idea that the U.S. has a unique role in history as a bastion of democracy and liberty, influencing its domestic and foreign policies.   Monroe Doctrine A policy declared in 1823, warning European powers not to interfere in the Western Hemisphere, marking the U.S. as a regional leader.