BritainBritain AmericansAmericans

AdvantagesAdvantages ?? ??

DisadvantagesDisadvantages ?? ??

On the Eve of the On the Eve of the Revolution Revolution

LoyalistLoyalist

StrongholdStrongholdss

Washington’s HeadachesWashington’s Headaches

Only 1/3 of the colonists were in favor of a war for independence [the other third were Loyalists, and the final third were neutral].

State/colony loyalties.

Congress couldn’t tax to raise money for the Continental Army.

Poor training (until the arrival of Baron von Steuben).

Exports & Imports: 1768-Exports & Imports: 1768-17831783

Military StrategiesMilitary Strategies

Time/Attrition: the Brits had a long supply line.

Space: Avoid “pitched” battles v. superior forces

Gain official recognition from one of Britain’s enemies.

The American

s

The British

Break the colonies in half by getting between the No. & the So.

Blockade the ports to prevent the flow of goods and supplies from an ally.

“Divide and Conquer”: enlist the Loyalists.

Phase IPhase I:: The Northern The Northern CampaignCampaign1775-17761775-1776

Bunker Hill (June, 1775)Bunker Hill (June, 1775)

The British suffered over 40% casualties.

Phase IIPhase II::

NY & PANY & PA[1777-1778][1777-1778]

New York City in FlamesNew York City in Flames(1776)(1776)

Washington Crossing the Washington Crossing the DelawareDelaware

Painted by Emanuel Leutze, 1851

Saratoga: Saratoga: “Turning “Turning Point”Point” of the War? of the War?

A modern-day re-enactment

Phase IIIPhase III:: The Southern The Southern Strategy Strategy [1780-1781][1780-1781]

Britain’s “Southern Britain’s “Southern Strategy”Strategy”

Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South.

Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving.

The British win a number of small victories, but cannot pacify the countryside [similar to U. S. failures in Vietnam!]

Good US General:Nathanial Greene

The Battle of Yorktown The Battle of Yorktown (1781)(1781)

Count de Rochambeau

AdmiralDe Grasse

Cornwallis’ Surrender at Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown:Yorktown:

Painted by John Trumbull, 1797

““The World Turned Upside The World Turned Upside Down!” Down!”

The Decisive FactorsThe Decisive Factors

• The Alliance with FranceThe Alliance with France• Washington’s Ability to LearnWashington’s Ability to Learn• SpaceSpace• The Mediocrity of the British The Mediocrity of the British

CommandersCommanders

North America After theNorth America After theTreaty of Paris, 1783Treaty of Paris, 1783

Why was Great Britain so Why was Great Britain so Generous?Generous?

• They feared the growing They feared the growing American relations with FranceAmerican relations with France

• They wanted to be sure that They wanted to be sure that America was big enough to America was big enough to maintain independencemaintain independence

• They still wanted to keep They still wanted to keep America as a viable market for America as a viable market for tradetrade

Essential Question:

To what extent were the Articles of Confederation effective in

solving the problems that confronted the new nation?

Social Results of the Social Results of the RevolutionRevolution

• Anti-Slavery MovementsAnti-Slavery Movements• Criminal Code ReformsCriminal Code Reforms• Separation of Church and StateSeparation of Church and State• EducationEducation• Land ReformLand Reform

Political Results of the Political Results of the RevolutionRevolution

• Creation of State Creation of State governments/written governments/written constitutionsconstitutions

• New constitutions placed more New constitutions placed more power in the legislative branch power in the legislative branch and less in the executive branchand less in the executive branch

• Political base broadened (more Political base broadened (more voters)voters)

• Bicameral legislaturesBicameral legislatures• No Political PartiesNo Political Parties

Occupational Composition of Occupational Composition of Several State AssembliesSeveral State Assemblies

in the 1780sin the 1780s

Weaknesses of theWeaknesses of theArticles of Articles of

ConfederationConfederationA unicameral Congress 9 of 13 votes to pass a law

Unanimous vote to amend.

Representatives were frequently absent

Could not tax

No executive or judicial branches

Indian Land Cessions:Indian Land Cessions:1768-17991768-1799

Disputed Territorial ClaimsDisputed Territorial ClaimsBetween Spain & the U. S.:Between Spain & the U. S.:

1783-17961783-1796

State Claims to Western State Claims to Western LandsLands

Land Ordinance of 1785Land Ordinance of 1785

Northwest Ordinance of Northwest Ordinance of 17871787

One of the major accomplishments of the Confederation Congress!

Statehood achieved in three stages:

1. Congress appointed 3 judges & a governor to govern the territory.

2. When population reached 5,000 adult male landowners elect territorial legislature.

3. When population reached 60,000 elect delegates to a state constitutional convention.

The United States in The United States in 17871787

WholesaleWholesalePricePriceIndex:Index:1770-1770-17891789

American Exports, To & American Exports, To & From Britain: 1783-1789From Britain: 1783-1789

Annapolis Convention Annapolis Convention (1786)(1786)

12 representatives from 5 states[NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA]

GOAL address barriers that limited trade and commerce between the states.

Not enough states were represented to make any real progress.

Sent a report to the Congress to call a meeting of all the states to meet in Philadelphia to examine areas broader than just trade and commerce.

Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-77

Daniel Shays

Western MA

Small farmers angered by crushing debts and taxes.

Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-77

Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-77

There could be no stronger evidence of the want of energy in our governments than these disorders.

-- George Washington-- George Washington

Importance of the Importance of the ArticlesArticles

• Landmark in GovernmentLandmark in Government• Steppingstone toward the Steppingstone toward the

Constitution Constitution • Fought and won a war and Fought and won a war and

concluded a favorable peaceconcluded a favorable peace• Weathered a depression and a Weathered a depression and a

rebellionrebellion• Established long-standing policy Established long-standing policy

on western landson western lands

The Constitutional The Constitutional ConventionConvention

• OriginsOrigins– Concern over Shays’ RebellionConcern over Shays’ Rebellion– Economic difficultiesEconomic difficulties– Lack of respect diplomaticallyLack of respect diplomatically– Inability to amend the ArticlesInability to amend the Articles

The Constitutional The Constitutional ConventionConvention

• Areas of AgreementAreas of Agreement– Sense of UrgencySense of Urgency– National government must be National government must be

strengthenedstrengthened• TaxTax• Regulate trade: foreign and interstateRegulate trade: foreign and interstate• Act w/o consent of statesAct w/o consent of states• Act through own agencies and Act through own agencies and

departmentsdepartments

– Safeguards against abuse of Safeguards against abuse of powerpower

The Constitutional The Constitutional ConventionConvention

•Major CompromisesMajor Compromises– Great CompromiseGreat Compromise– Three-fifths CompromiseThree-fifths Compromise– Commerce CompromiseCommerce Compromise

Federalist vs. Anti-FederalistFederalist vs. Anti-FederalistStrongholds at the End of the Strongholds at the End of the

WarWar