U.S. History Study Guide Chapters 3 & 4 PDF

# U.S. History and Comparative Nations ## Study Guide ### Chapter 3 - "The English Colonies" - Some reasons colonists came to the Southern colonies were to escape religious persecution, to farm, and to get a fresh start. - The Appalachian Mountains marked the western boundary of the Southern colonie...

# U.S. History and Comparative Nations ## Study Guide ### Chapter 3 - "The English Colonies" - Some reasons colonists came to the Southern colonies were to escape religious persecution, to farm, and to get a fresh start. - The Appalachian Mountains marked the western boundary of the Southern colonies. - Serious problems faced by settlers in Virginia included lack of preparation, disease-carrying mosquitoes, famine, and conflicts with Native Americans. - Slave labor increased in Virginia due to demand for labor outpacing the supply of people willing to work as indentured servants. In addition, the cost of slaves fell. - Slaves were in high demand in the Southern colonies because the main cash crops required lots of labor. - The Pilgrims and Puritans left Europe for the Americas to escape religious persecution. Puritans wanted to purify, or reform, the Anglican Church; Pilgrims wanted to separate from the Church of England. - Puritans had religious disagreements based on different views on religion, on mixing government and religion, and on relations with Native Americans. The result was that some people were forced to leave, and dissenters established new settlements in New England. - The Mayflower Compact was one of the first attempts at self-government in the English colonies. It was a legal contract in which the signers agreed to have fair laws to protect the general good. - The Mayflower Compact influenced later governments in America because it encouraged continued support of self-government. - In Massachusetts, religion was closely tied to government, ministers had a great deal of power, and only male church members could vote. - Education was important to the New England colonies because parents wanted their children to be able to read the Bible and to ensure that future generations had educated ministers. ### Economies of the Thirteen Colonies: - **Southern**-agriculture (most important cash crops - tobacco, rice, and indigo) - **Middle** - trade - staple crops (crops that are always needed) - **New England** - little reliance on cash crops - focus on trade, fishing, shipbuilding, and skilled crafts ### Colonial Governments - Colonial governments were led by a governor, who often had an advisory council. Some colonies also had elected assemblies (for passing laws) or held town meetings (for discussing issues of local importance). - English trade laws forced colonists to trade with only England and to use English ships to transport goods. In addition, all trade goods had to pass through English ports, where duties (import taxes) were added. - Triangular trade was a system in which goods and slaves were traded among the Americas, Britain, and Africa. - As farmers began to rely less on indentured servants, they needed more slaves to work their farms, which caused the slave trade to grow. - Slave traders placed as many slaves on ships as possible to increase profits, which created the terrifying and deadly conditions of the Middle Passage. - The Great Awakening was a religious movement in the 1730s and 1740s that affected colonial social and political life, and it changed colonial religion. The Enlightenment was a movement that took place during the 1700s and spread the idea that reason and logic could improve society. Both movements raised ideas of political equality. - The French and Indian War involved France, Britain, and Native Americans. It officially ended when Britain and France signed the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The treaty changed the balance of power in North America, as Britain gained land and France lost it. ### Chapter 4 - "The American Revolution" - **Noteworthy Battles:** - **Lexington** - first battle (along with Concord) of the Revolutionary War; "shot heard 'round the world" - **Saratoga** - turning point of the Revolutionary War - **Yorktown** - last major battle of the American Revolution - The First Continental Congress was a gathering of colonial leaders who were deeply troubled about the relationship between Great Britain and its colonies in America; some leaders believed violence was unavoidable; other delegates wanted peace; compromised to continue boycotting British goods while preparing colonial militias for war; drafted the Declaration of Rights for King George III; did not seek separation from Britain but instead stated the colonists' concerns and asked the king to correct the problems. - The Second Continental Congress represented the first attempt at a Republican government in the colonies; some delegates wanted war; others wanted peace; compromised by asking colonial authorities for new state constitutions and authorizing the Massachusetts militia to become the Continental Army, while also pursuing peace with the Olive Branch Petition - The British army marched on Lexington and Concord to seize militia weapons stored at Concord. - **Events in the Early Days of the Revolution** - **Attempts at peace** - Declaration of Rights / ask king to address problems / Olive Branch Petition - **Movement toward war** - militias / boycott goods / create army - The Declaration of Independence formally announced the colonies' break from Great Britain. - **Three main ideas of the Declaration of Independence** - Argued that all people possess unalienable rights, including the rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" - Asserted that King George III had violated the colonists' rights by taxing them without their consent; accused the king of passing unfair laws and interfering with colonial governments - Stated that the colonies had the right to break from Britain - Patriots chose to fight for independence, while Loyalists remained loyal to Great Britain. - **Strengths and Weaknesses of Colonial and British Forces:** - **Colonial Forces** - **Strengths** - Fought for a cause they believed in - Got help from European nations - **Weaknesses** - Untrained, poorly-equipped soldiers - Small navy - **British Forces** - **Strengths** - Well-trained, well-equipped soldiers - Large, powerful navy - **Weaknesses** - Had to cross Atlantic Ocean - Used mercenaries as soldiers - **The War in Various Locations:** - **War at Sea** - colonists greatly aided by French navy; American naval force was small but effective - **War in the West** - both Patriots and British tried to enlist Native Americans to fight for them - **War in the South** - Americans fought against each other more than in the North; British destroyed crops, farm animals, and other property; Patriots used guerilla warfare - The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war because General Burgoyne surrendered his entire army, which was a much-needed victory and helped raise morale for the Patriots. - France and Spain helped the Patriots by providing supplies, ammunition, money, soldiers, and ships. - The Continental Army at Valley Forge faced harsh winter weather, lack of supplies, adequate shelter, clothing, and food; and illness. - The American and French forces trapped the British at Yorktown by surrounding them on land and by cutting off British ships so they could not rescue the British army. The victory at Yorktown ended the fighting because British general Cornwallis surrendered his army, the largest British army in America, to the Patriots at Yorktown. - Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States in the Treaty of Paris of 1783. (note: look over the map on p. 139 of the textbook for how land was controlled by various countries) ## Additional Information - **slave codes** - laws to control slaves - **Continental Army** - included soldiers from all colonies; carried out the fight against Britain - **Mercenaries** - foreign soldiers who fought for pay (not out of loyalty) - **William Penn** - founded Pennsylvania; attempted to create a colonial government that would be fair to all by limiting his own power, establishing an elected assembly that reflected the citizens' will, and providing religious freedom to all Christians - **George Washington** - commanded the Continental Army; first president of the United States - **Thomas Paine** - wrote _Common Sense_ anonymously as a common person speaking to a common audience; spoke against tyranny (abuse of government power); influenced colonists to view the king differently. - **Thomas Jefferson** - main author of the Declaration of Independence; signed the Declaration of Independence - **Benjamin Franklin** - signed the Declaration of Independence; persuaded the French king to join the Patriots' cause; had a key role in negotiating the Treaty of Paris of 1783 - **Baron Friedrich von Steuben** - experienced military officer from Prussia; trained American troops with basic military drills; turned the Continental Army into a finely-tuned fighting force ## Be ready to write a strong thesis statement (presenting your main idea) and use strong supporting details. (Note: Make sure you prepare for all of the following, since you do not know what will or will not show up on the test.) - Do you think England had the right to tax the colonists? Explain. - Do you think the colonists' argument of "No Taxation without Representation" was valid? Explain. - What caused conflict between the American colonists and England? Explain. - Be prepared to explain the purpose and main ideas of _Common Sense_ and the Declaration of Independence. Be prepared to use facts from the documents to back up your argument. - Do you think that the Patriots would have won the war without help from France and Spain? Why or why not?