Unit 2 - American History

Southern Retreat

- 1780: Congress appointed Nathaniel Green to be commander of troops in the South - Nathaniel Greene: Quaker from Rhode Island who was skilled and capable of surviving a drawn-out war - arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina, to a "shadow army" that was lacking proper supplies and wrote to Washington explaining the dismal situation, but knew that if they didn't succeed the South would fall once more to the British - Greene adopted guerilla warfare - Greene took his armies east and sent General Morgan and his men west to Cowpens (west of Cornwallis's HQ in Winnsboro, SC) - In Cowpens, Morgan lured Tarleton's army out into a trap, where they were ambushed, but Tarleton escaped - Cowpens was the most complete victory in the Revolutionary War; one of the few times that both sides were evenly matched and the Patriots won - The two armies met at Guilford Courthouse, hoping to lure the starving British troops north and attack them there - The Patriots lost the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, but they inflicted such heavy losses on the British that Cornwallis abandoned his wounded men and took what was left of his army to Wilmington to resupply - Greene went back to South Carolina, hoping to draw the British out or have them relinquish the state - Greene connected with other guerrilla bands and helped take out outlying British troops one by one, forcing the British back into Charleston and Savannah

The Virginia Campaign

- 1781: Americans narrowed British control in the South to Charleston and Savannah; loyalists in patriots would continue fighting for more than a year in the backcountry - Cornwallis decided to try and eliminate Virginia as a source of resupply and reinforcements for the Patriots - Benedict Arnold, who had been bribed by the British had plotted to sell out his commander at West Point, a critical fortress, but Major Andre, a British spy, was captured and spilled everything - Arnold then joined the British; Andre was hanged

Bill of Rights

- As promised, Congress approved 12 amendments in September 1789, and states approved with 3/4ths majority for 10 of them - They were written as if not to exclude anyone, but they did not apply to Indians, slaves, or women, only white males - Didn't protect citizens from states violating their rights

A Loose Alliance of States

- 1781: AoC ratified - Aoc created a loose alliance of thirteen independent states that were united only in theory; "each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence" - weak national government, one-house legislature; no president, no executive branch, no national court system; state legislatures, not the people, appointed national representatives; each state had one vote no matter size - national government could not regulate trade or create taxes to pay nation's debt; instead, it relied on money provided by states, which wasn't enough, so the national government printed more money, which lead to decrease in value of money (Continental); national congress had no power to enforce its laws, treaties, or force men to serve in an army - difficult to find anyone who would serve in the weak government and many people doubted its stability

The Confederation Government

- 1783-1787 was known as the "Critical Period" in which leaders developed differences about economic policies, international relations, and the proper relationship between the national and state governments - These differences gave birth to political parties and influence the American experiment in federalism - Post-war many Patriots, who feared the abuse of power from the British, turned their attacks to state and national governments after the state legislatures initiated taxes to pay off war debts - For many leaders, the "Critical Period" was a time of frustrated hopes and regret at the absence of national loyalty and international respect - The weakness of the AoC lead to a new constitution and federal government

Transfer of Power

- 1796: Washington, tired of the criticism and trials of being in office, retired after two terms - Left behind legacy: 1) new national gov't 2) prosperous economy 3) recovery of territory 4) stable frontier 5) three new states (Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee) - Only slave-owning president that released his slaves upon his death

The Federalist Papers

- A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison to defend the Constitution in detail - published between 1787-1788 - In them, Madison stressed how democracies would lead to tyrannical factions, but with the size and diversity of the country and the type of government laid out in the Constitution would minimize the influence of factions

Hamilton's Vision of a Prosperous America

- Adam Smith, a Scottish philosopher, publish his book "An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations," argued for a capitalist economy with "free enterprise," which would lead to a prosperous economy - also argued that for the strongest national economy, all major sectors had to flourish - with investors funneling money into enterprises, jobs would increase, profits soar, economic growth - Alexander Hamilton admired Smith's book and sought to apply it to America's economy as the secretary of the Treasury; he believed the U.S. was too dependent on agriculture and the future of America was in trade, banking, finance, investment, manufacturing, and commercial cities - Alexander Hamilton: born out of wedlock in the West Indies in 1755; abandoned by his Scottish father when he was ten and his mother died when he was thirteen; with help from friends/family he made it New Jersey and then New York City and later King's College; married into an aristocratic family; with the war, he joined the Continental Army; served in the Confederation Congress

The War with France

- Adams faced a war with the French over Jay's Treaty with the British - The navies of France and Britain were attacking and capturing American ships - Adams sent three Americans to Paris to ease tensions and end the attacks on U.S. ships - The Americans were met by three French officials, which demanded $250,000 and $12 mil. in loans before negotiations began. - The Americans refused and when the XYZ (names of the French) Affair came out, anti-France feelings soared - Many Republicans were even calling for war (not Jefferson) - Federalists voted to build more warships and increase the size of the army; Washington accepted Adams' request to be commander of the army on the condition Hamilton served as a major general - 1798: undeclared navel war between French and American ships had begun in the Caribbean

Adams Institution

- Adams was a better political theorist than a political leader - independent thinker, combative spirit, volcanic temper - During Revolution, Adams was a valued diplomat and was the hardest worker during the Continental Congress - Adams despised democracy and despised equality, and he was level-headed, which probably cost him reelection

War in the Carolinas

- Carolina campaign led by generals Clinton and Cornwallis trapped an entire army led by Benjamin Lincoln on the Charleston Peninsula, until they surrendered - British troops defeated another force led by General Gates - British sought to intimidate by hanging Patriots - Cornwallis had Georgia and most of South Carolina under his control until he sent out lieutenants to recruit Loyalists; their destructive behaviors caused many neutral frontier citizens to turn against Britain - small bands of Patriots engaged in guerilla warfare, wearing down British - Fighting in the Carolinas was brutal: there were families and family members fighting each other; Charles Lynch whipped Loyalists, while other Patriots covered them in hot tar and feathers; in the backcountry, British commanders encouraged scorched-earth war of terror, arson, and intimidation

Land Policy

- After the Treat of Paris (1783) was signed the land America owned almost doubled; the land gained was deemed as public domain (owned/administered by national government) under AoC - 1784-1787: the federal government came up with three major ordinances laying out how western lands could be surveyed, sold, and developed; thus creating the framework for western settlement - Land Ordinance Act of 1784: urged states to stop claims to western lands and let the national government divide it into 14 self-governing territories; all adult white males could votes, hold office, and create constitutions; when the territory's population equaled the population of the smallest existing state, the territory would become a state; territories were not colonies so much as future states abiding by republican principles - Jefferson had assumed pioneers would be able to settle territories themselves, but other leaders, like George Washington, predicted that there would be fighting over land and boundaries - Land Ordinance Act of 1785: the Northwest Territory would be divided into 36 square-mile townships that would be surveyed and then sold; surveyors would move westward creating more townships - Indian Lands were divided into six square-mile townships, which were then divided into thirty-six one square-mile sections, with each section being divided into four farms; the sections were sold at actions with proceeds going to the National Treasury

Hamilton's Economic Reforms

- After the war, America was essentially bankrupt, with no national bank and no national currency - It was up to Hamilton to figure out how to pay off the debt - Four ways for a government to pay off debts: 1) impose taxes/fees on individuals/businesses 2) levy tariffs 3) borrow money by selling interest-paying government bonds to investors 4) print money - Hamilton did them all; he suggested 5%-10% tariffs on select imported items - Tariffs were hotly debated; they provided a large chunk of national income and protected American manufacturers by taxing foreign competitors; however, it also allowed for businesses to raise prices on consumers in the U.S., which negatively impacted southern states who depended upon imports from manufacturers and farming products were rarely imported, which didn't benefit southern farmers - In Hamilton's first "Reports on Public Credit," he argued that the debts had to be repaid because the robust economy depended upon its integrity and reliability to pay debts, enforce contracts, and protect private property; he suggested selling bonds to pay interest due on the war-related debts, would attract investors and provide them with a stake in the future success of the country; he also said that the national government should assume state debts because the fight for independence was a national conflict

Treaty of Paris (1783)

- Although there were still large amounts of British troops left in America, with British control in Savannah, Charleston, and New York, and naval blockades, the British pretty much gave up after Yorktown - December 1781: King George decided against sending any more troops - 1782: Parliament asked Benjamin Franklin in Paris if America was willing to negotiate a treaty without the French, to which he said no - February 1782: Parliament consented to begin negotiations, partly to focus more on the global war with France and Spain; Lord North quit; French was also ready to sign a treaty with the British

Women and liberty

- America's war for freedom led many women to argue that they should also have freedom - Abigail Adams wrote to her husband saying that they would form a rebellion should they be denied any choice or representation in the making of new laws and left to the abusive patriarchal society they were stuck in - John Adams did not share his wife's viewpoint and argued that should they decide to give equality to women other groups would want it as well; he also argued that it was not a woman's place in politics

Republican Ideology

- American Revolutionaries adopted a republican ideology, where people would elect representatives to represent them; voting members were free, property-owning men - To protect the balance of liberty and power, leaders believed that they must protect individual liberties and states from being violated by national government - The Revolutionary War also lead to state constitutions, creating state governments - Both levels of government were aimed to limit the government and protect the rights of the people

A Negotiated Peace

- Americans sent a committee of John Jay, Benjamin Franklin (already in Paris), and John Adams to Paris to negotiate the terms of the treaty; Jay and Franklin did most of the work - Negotiations went on for months until September, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, establishing America's western border as the Mississippi River; however, the north and southern borders were not clarified, leading to disputes; Florida was returned to Spain; U.S. negotiators promised that there would be no legal impediments of British merchants collecting on what they were owed by the Americans - No Native American representatives were present, making them the biggest losers - The Revolution established America as separate from Great Britain and showed that they could stand up to the British empire - November 1783: British troops left New York City and on December 23, Washington asked the Congress to accept his resignation

War at Home

- At home, there was a division between the nation's leaders; Federalists wanted a formal declaration of war, while Republicans were sympathetic with the French - Republicans were convinced that the French crisis was only to give Federalists an excuse to quiet their American critics - No issue was more divisive in the 1790s than the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which were passed due to the Federalists being worried that people fleeing from the French Revolution would bring their radical ideas to America - The Alien and Sedition Acts limited freedom of speech and press, as well as the liberties of "aliens;" gave the president extraordinary powers and showed that the Federalists were willing to go as far as they needed to suppress freedom - Supporting the Alien and Sedition Acts proved to be the worst mistake of Adams' career; he supported them without consulting anyone else because he knew they would oppose it - These acts reflected hostility towards French and Irish immigrants who had favored the rebellions happening in their countries - There were four acts within the Alien and Sedition Acts: 1) Naturalization Act - lengthened the time to become a citizen from 5 to 14 years; required all immigrants to register with the federal government 2) Alien Friends Act - gave president power to jail/deport "dangerous" aliens 3) Alien Enemies Act - gave president power to imprison/expel aliens from enemy nations 4) Sedition Act - outlawed writing, publishing, or speaking anything of false or harmful nature about the government or its employees - Of the people convicted under the Sedition Act, all were Republicans, which in the case of Matthew Lyon, served to boost their popularity and exposure - To counter the Alien and Sedition Acts, Jefferson/Madison drafted the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which threatened disunion, claiming that state legislatures could nullify acts of Congress when they violate their basic rights - Meanwhile, Adams sent diplomats to France to negotiate with the government under the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte; the resulting treaty was called Convention of 1800, which established that the Americans would drop their demands to be repaid for taken ships, and the military alliance established during the Revolution was voided - The Senate ratified the agreement in 1801

Articles of Confederation

- Before March 1781, the Continental Congress had been exercising emergency power without any legal/official authority - draft was written for AoC in 1776, but it was ratified in 1781 - The ratification of AoC basically legalized what the national government had been doing up to that point - Continental Congress became Confederation Congress - AoC did not establish a head executive/president - AoC congressional powers: power over foreign affairs and disputes between the states; - AoC didn't establish national courts or give the national government the power to enforce laws; also didn't give Congress the power to levy taxes, instead, it depended upon the states to pay their requisitions which they didn't do very often - Under AoC, Congress was given less power than what the colonists had accepted under Parliament; could not regulate interstate or foreign commerce - Under AoC, nine out of thirteen states had to approve measures dealing with war, treaties, coinage, finances, and military; unanimous consent had to be given to amend the Articles or impose taxes - AoC reflected the colonist's desires at the time to have a weak federal government that wouldn't threaten their freedoms

Freedom of Religion

- Before the Revolution, people tolerated religious dissent, but now it was a complete freedom in religion (embodied by separation of church and state) - Anglican Church was severely impacted by these changes (were supported by taxes from colonists), and since there was no established religion, they stopped receiving support. All colonies except Virginia had gotten rid of these taxes before the fighting was over and Virginia got rid of it soon after; Anglicanism survived but was not of its original stature - 1776: Virginia Declaration of Rights guaranteed the free exercise of religion - 1786: Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom declares that everyone is allowed to believe in whatever they want religiously and are not required to frequent any religious worship

What happened with the Indian tribes during the American Revolution?

- Both British and Patriots tried recruiting Native Americans, but British were more successful because they promised to protect their land/long-standing relationship w/ chieftains - The Iroquois League split; some tribes sided with the British and others sided with the Patriots - Carolinas, Cherokees joined British in hopes of getting the Americans off their land - New England, most Indians tried to stay neutral/joined the Patriots

Washington's Cabinet

- Congress appointed leaders to executive departments formed by the Constitution, which ended up serving as advisers to George Washington about matters of policy - Thomas Jefferson -> Dept. of State - Alexander Hamilton -> Dept. of Treasury - John Jay -> Chief Justice - Henry Knox -> Sec. of war

December of 1766

- Congress gave Washington "large powers" to recruit and build the army, and he learned that he needed to involve the soldiers more in the decision-making and use guerilla warfare not front-on attack - General Howe decided to hunker down in New York City during the winter - Washington takes advantage of this, and enacts plan before more of his soldiers leave; They cross the Delaware River into New Jersey and make it across the third time; The Patriots then surprise-attacked Hessians and fought in what became known as the Battle of Trenton; with minimal losses, they took the German prisoners back and attack again four days later - After the Battle of Trenton, the Americans then attacked British forces in Princeton and then took shelter in Morristown - The victories of The Battle of Trent and Princeton refueled the revolution, causing more people to join the army

Judiciary

- Constitution called for a supreme court headed by a chief justice - charged with interpreting the laws and ensure every citizen received equal justice under law - has final authority in interpreting the Constitution and constitutional debates between states

Disaster in Canada

- Continental Congress sent soldiers to Quebec to recruit French Canadians - By the time they arrived, they were exhausted and then a breakout of smallpox struck - General Richard Montgomery saw little choice other than attacking, and authorized an attack on the British forces defending Quebec - Major loss, most were taken prisoner, the rest retreated back to camp to call for aid - British attacked the camp, forcing the remaining soldiers to retreat back to New England - Caused the Patriots to realize this wouldn't be quick or easy

The Battle of Kings Mountain

- Cornwallis's cavalry officers, Sir Banastre Tarleton and Major Patrick Ferguson, threatened to climb over the Blue Ridge Mountains to hang the mostly Scots-Irish Presbyterian Patriot leaders and destroy their farms - In return, these men from southwestern Virginia and western North and South Carolina were hunting for Tarleton and Ferguson - The two sides clashed near Kings Mountain near the border between North and South Carolina, the Patriots destroyed the Loyalists - resembled a family feud, family fighting family - American victory undermined the strategy in the South; Cornwallis's forces withdrew to South Carolina, where they found it very difficult to recruit more Loyalists

State Decisions

- Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey were among the first to ratify - Massachusetts approved in a close vote - New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify - However, it wouldn't matter without the approval of Virginia and New York, which included large groups in opposition of the Constitution, but were convinced to ratify after being promised a bill of rights - New York became the capital and the new government would begin in 1789, and the Bill of Rights were added - Founders weren't sure whether the Constitution would last long, but believed it was the best frame of government - It wasn't perfect, but the Constitution was flexible and laid out the groundwork for future generations to improve upon - Constitution is the oldest national constitution in the world and established the first democratic republic - Founders believed it combined the best qualities of a democracy and republic, protecting individual liberties and the public welfare

Citizen Genet

- Despite the neutrality proclamation, Washington agreed with Jefferson that the U.S. should recognize the French revolutionary gov't and welcome its ambassador: Edmond-Charles Genet - In April 1793, in Charleston, SC, Citizen Genet, as he became to be know, received a hero's welcome, but immediately broke the neutrality by recruiting four American privateers to capture British and Spanish ships - He then went to Philadelphia, where he tried to persuade the America to join the French, which embarrassed his friends in the Republican party; he then even threatened to go around Washington and straight to the people, at which point, even Jefferson disavowed him; in August 1793, Washington demanded that the French gov't replace Genet - The growing excesses of the radicals in France led to less support from Americans for the French - Jefferson was disgusted by his feud with Hamilton and by Washington's refusal to support the French that he resigned as secretary of state which was met with a joyous goodbye from Adams and Washington (he never forgave Jefferson/Madison for organizing clubs to oppose his policies)

Exodus of Loyalists

- During and after the Revolution the Loyalists were assaulted, brutalized, and executed for supporting King George III - After Yorktown, Loyalists, freed slaves and mostly escaped slaves flocked to New York City, Savannah, and Charleston to leave the U.S. - General Carleton, commander in chief of British forces in America coordinated the evacuation; intentionally violated terms of Treaty of Paris by refusing to return escaped slaves to their "masters" - Some 80,000 people escaped, largest group went to Canada; some freed slaves went to Sierra Leone, where British abolitionists helped them establish Freetown - 12,000 Georgia and South Carolina colonists went to East Florida before it was given to Spain, to which they had to either pledge allegiance to the Spanish King and Catholicism or leave; some went back to the U.S., but most went to the British-controlled Caribbean - The departure of Loyalists left vacated homes, jobs, and lands, that created new social, economic, and political opportunities for Patriots

Scarce money

- During the Critical Period, there was no stable national currency; farmers who were struggling to pay debts and taxes found it difficult with the lack of hard money in the states and lowered crop prices - 1785: indebted citizens urged states to print their own money, which only served in lowering value of the dollar; the states, however, printed money to pay soldiers and help ease burdens for farmers

Foreign and Domestic Crises

- During the French Revolution, radical group called Jacobins, executed the king and queen, along with priests/aristocrats; believed in democracy, religious toleration, and human rights, but social, racial, and sexual equality - Later in the Revolution (1793-1794), came the Reign of Terror, where Jacobins executed thousands of "counterrevolutionary" political prisoners, revolutionary leaders, and Catholic priests; Barbarism ruled - Jefferson, who admired French culture, praised these actions and supported the French, claiming the tree of liberty had to be fed once in a while with the blood of patriots and tyrants - Hamilton/Adams saw it as vicious and godless; they sided with Great Britain/allies - These differing views became a hotbed for conflict in America - Washington who was now in his second term faced a problem because Americans wanted the U.S. to remain neutral, but the 1778 Treaty of Alliance made America a perpetual ally of France - Hamilton and Jefferson agreed that staying out of the conflict was best, but Hamilton wanted to present the case that seeing as the government under which the U.S. had formed the treaty was gone, the treaty was void; Jefferson wanted to use the alliance with France as a bargaining chip with Britain - Washington decided to issue a neutrality proclamation declaring the U.S. would remain neutral and that its citizens could face charges should they choose to act in a way that favors one side; even though the treaty was meant to settle things, tension between Jefferson and Hamilton continued to heat up

Slaves and the Revolution

- During the Revolution, Britain offered more opportunities for freedom to enslaved blacks than America - John Murray (royal gov. in Virg.) said that any indentured servants or slaves that joined the Loyalist cause would gain freedom; came to be known as the "Ethiopian Regime" - Southern plantation owners (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson) didn't like this and took action to make it stop - 1775: South Carolina authorities executed a freed, wealthy African American merchant, Thomas Jeremiah, for allegedly inciting a riot; his trial had no judge, jury, or attorneys; instead, he was tried by a southern planter who punished him with death - Such brutalities, lead some British to say that America was a land of slaves; many Southern revolutionaries were fighting less for independence, and more for their retention of slave labor

Power to the People

- During the Revolutionary War it was the desire to be free from Britain's tyrannical control, and then after it was the "pursuit of happiness" that drove America forward - Revolutionaries struggled with how large and involved the national government should be, and eventually would come up with the Constitution that protected individual liberty and made the national government strong enough - For now, America was only a nation in name; they were not "united states" so much as 13 sovereign identities squabbling amongst each other because the AoC established that all states would retain their "sovereignty freedom, and independence" - most significant transformation period in modern history because Americans would try to prove that sovereignty resided not in a king or aristocracy, but with the governed

Election of 1796

- With Washington gone, this would be the first contested election - Federalists nominated John Adams - Anti-federalists nominated Thomas Jefferson; Aaron Burr tried running for the Republican position as well - Federalists were attacked for taxes, abuses of power, and excessive spending; John Adams was labeled a monarchist because he like symbols of power and despised the people - Jefferson was attacked for being a French-loving atheist, who was eager to fight another war with Britain, and was not decisive enough to be president - Adams won with 71 electoral votes, and Jefferson became his VP; Federalists gained control of both houses of Congress

Executive

- Executive was a struggle; some wanted a powerful president, who could veto Congress; others wanted someone only to "execute" Congress's laws; others thought the executive should be a three-member body, not one - decided on having a single executive who was at least 35, which many felt was stepping too close to a monarchy; decided president would counterbalance Congress with power to veto (veto could be overturned by 2/3 vote in each house), serve four-year terms; would act as chief diplomat, commander in chief of the armed forces, and was charged with implementing Congress's laws - powers of president limited; could not declare war nor make peace (only Congress); House of Representatives could impeach president and any other civil servants, and by 2/3 vote in the Senate would be forced out of the office - president would be elected by electoral college, which was made up of the number of representatives each state has in both the Senate and House of Representatives; electoral college was chosen by the people; this was a compromise between direct voting by the people or Congress choosing

Shay's Rebellion (1786)

- Farmers in MA demanded more paper money and an extension on taxes; also resented state constitution making it harder for people to vote, hold office - When MA refused, farmers were angry and started protesting, shutting down courts to prevent seizures of farmer property - Didn't end until Daniel Shay and others marched on Springfield's arsenal, and the state sent militiamen, which stopped the incident; rebels were arrested, some hung - resulted in cuts in taxes and fees

Land Policy

- Federalists wanted western lands to be more expensive and sold in large parcels to speculators; wanted to keep political power and labor force required to grow manufacturing industry - Jefferson and Madison agreed with increased cost to pay debts, but wanted the land to be sold to farmers - Federalists won with the Land Act of 1796 - Land Act of 1796 buy 640 acres cost $2 - 1800 Land Act had to get 320 acres to pay over four years

The Campaign of 1777

- General Burgoyne led his army southward toward the Hudson, but they ran out of food and provisions and had to quickly reach Albany; they were repeatedly stopped by Patriots - New York's general, General Gates had fought alongside Burgoyne - Battles of Saratoga - Burgoyne pulled troops back to a village called Saratoga, where the Patriots surrounded them; after three weeks, Burgoyne surrendered

A Strategy of Evasion

- General Howe hoped to draw the American out into one open battle, which the British would win - Washington wouldn't take the bait and instead focused on attacking at the right times and places to wear down the enemy; British could destroy towns, but they would have to subdue the army to end the Revolution - British would have to crush American fighting spirit, which became more expensive as time went on; the British government and people would grow tired of the costs of the fighting

First President

- George Washington was elected the first president with 69 electoral votes - Washington would have rather stayed in "retirement" at Mt. Vernon, but went because he was called to serve his country - Some people argued that he wasn't fit to be president because he was cold and too uneducated - He brought in a lot of other things into the presidency though like leadership, patience, fearlessness, self-control, etc.; few doubted that he wasn't fit to be president; called "father of his country" - In his inaugural address, he warned against political parties and argued for a united outlook; people didn't listen - John Adams was Vice President

Three Branches of Constitution

- Great Compromise combined the two plans, creating a bicameral legislature in which one house would be based on state population and the other with equal representation, which imbedded the concept of separation of powers - Established Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary -

Whiskey Rebellion (1794)

- Hamilton established an excise tax on "distilled spirits" (1791) - Whiskey was most valuable resource throughout the western frontier - Poor farmers tried to repeal the tax, but when it failed, many turned to violence, angry groups of farmers, militiamen and laborers attacked tax collectors and marshals - Rebellion broke out in Pennsylvania in 1794, creating the first great domestic challenge to the federal government - After rebels didn't go back home on Sept. 1, Washington sent in 12,500 militiamen to end the rebellion, leading his troops into battle - The federal government won, with the commander Henry Lee panicking the whiskey rebels; government proved its point and rather than choosing violence, they voted more Republicans in the next election

A National Bank

- Hamilton wanted an urban-centered economy, anchored in finance/manufacturing - He called for the creation of a national bank, modeled after the Bank of England - Hamilton believe a bank would: 1) enable greater commerce among people 2) provide a safe place for the federal government's cash - Hamilton believed that the creation of a national bank would boost the economy - He was opposed by Jefferson/Madison - They argued that the Constitution did not outline any such power that would allow Congress to create such a thing; Jefferson argued that it would only benefit self-serving financiers and investors that would corrupt the government - The division of approval for Hamilton's plan for a national bank between the North and the South, accentuated those differences - Washington consulted his cabinet before voting and it was just as divided - Hamilton argued that the Necessary and Proper Clause allowed for the creation of a national bank - Jefferson argued that seeing as creating a bank wasn't written out in the Constitution, it fell under the state's purview due to the 10th Amendment - Hamilton sent a report to Washington explaining that this was an "implied" power, which gave the national government the power to do so; Washington gave in to Hamilton - Bank of the U.S. (B.U.S.) was based in Philadelphia and had 3 responsibilities: 1) hold government funds and pay its bills 2) provide loans to federal gov't and to other banks to promote economic development 3) manage the nation's money supply by regulating the power of state-chartered banks to issue paper currency/banknotes - B.U.S. could issue national banknotes in response to a shortage of gold and silver coins - 1800: Bank had branches in four cities, and four more to add

Sectional Differences

- Hamilton's economic plans were met with resistance in Congress, especially from James Madison, who didn't believe it was right for the southern states to have to help pay for the debts of the northern states. Madison also didn't agree with the national government assuming state debts - The "assumption" plan was voted down, and Hamilton couldn't get the votes to make it - So, Hamilton turned to Thomas Jefferson to help him get the votes - The Compromise of 1790 was agreed upon by Madison, Jefferson, and Hamilton; it established that the capital would move from New York City to Philadelphia for ten years, and when that time was over, it would move to a new city to be built in a "federal district" between Maryland and Virginia; Hamilton would get the votes to make that end of the bargain happen and in return, Jefferson would get the votes to approve Hamilton's economic plan - The compromise led to the building of Washington D.C. - Hamilton's plan was successful: 1) Investors bought bonds, creating money to begin paying off debts 2) Hamilton was able to secure loans from European governments 3) Hamilton convinced Congress to create excise taxes on products - By 1794, U.S. had a higher financial credit rating than all the nations of Europe

Encouraging Manufacturing

- In 1971, Hamilton made the last of his recommendations - Hamilton recommended the government promote industrialization (more manufacturing/factories) by increasing tariffs on imports to discourage importing items, and providing incentives (bounties) to manufacturing industries that were producing what they would have imported - This would encourage the growth of existing manufacturers and the development of others - Also suggested transportation improvements (roads, canals, harbors) - Most of Hamilton's suggestions were never created due to opposition by Madison and Jefferson, but it created a platform for future advocates

Legislative

- In the branches of government, the Founders didn't want one branch being stronger than the others, even within the legislative branch, thus creating two houses - House of Representatives would be chosen by voters every two years, giving even the common people a voice in the government which was essential for a representative democracy; Senate would be made up of the elite, elected every six years, and could overrule decisions of the House or president

Virginia and New Jersey Plans

- James Madison's Virginia Plan: 1) called for the AoC to be scrapped 2) called for a supreme legislative, executive, and judiciary 3) called for a bicameral legislature in which a lower House of Representatives would have members chosen by the people and an upper house of senators chosen by state legislatures 4) representation was based on population 5) Congress could veto state laws - Small states didn't like it because larger states would always have their way in what laws were made, and so they proposed the New Jersey plan, developed by William Paterson 1) States received equal representation in national legislature 2) Congress had power to collect taxes and regulate commerce, choose a chief executive and supreme court, but no right to veto

State Governments

- Most of political experimentation from 1776-1787 happened at the state level - The first state constitutions established during the Revolutionary War established elected governors and senates - They also included a bill of rights

The Status of Women

- Pre-Revolution: women were governed by British common law, which limited them to raising children and tending the household; women, until married, were governed by their fathers and then, once married, governed by their husbands, and the property they brought into the marriage belonged to their husbands; women could not buy/sell/manage property, wages belonged to husbands, could not sign contracts, file lawsuits, or testify in court; obtaining a divorce was very hard and didn't end well - During the Revolution, women handled supplies, served as messengers or spies, and worked as "camp followers," cooking washing, sewing, and nursing in exchange for rations; some were paid to be personal servants - Most women followed their husbands into war because they had no place to live or food to eat, and they brought their children along; camp followers tended livestock, guarded supplies, sold items, and single women became prostitutes - Washington would have preferred no women or children, but knew that most men would follow their wives back home - Women risked their lives tending the wounded and bringing water; In Pittsfield, Vermont, a group of women armed themselves to fend off the British and Native Americans until help arrived; Some women even disguised themselves as men (Deborah Sampson, Ann Bailey)

Trade and the Economy

- Revolution nearly bankrupted America; soldiers hadn't been paid and the owners of food and animals who helped support soldiers hadn't been reimbursed - British treated U.S. as an enemy, impressing English-born sailors into the British navy, arguing that those born in England still were bound by allegiance to King George III - British closed American access to its Caribbean island colonies leading to negative impacts on New England shipowners and southern plantation owners who depended upon those imports - Post 1783: American ships allowed to deliver American products to Britain, and British products to America but were not allowed to take the British products anywhere else for trade - To punish the British for closing access to the Caribbean island colonies, states imposed tariffs on British imports, to which the British went to cheaper ports; this caused bickering and fighting between the states, proving that the federal government needed to be in charge of international trade and foreign relations

War of Endurance

- Revolution was now a battle of endurance, in which the Americans held the upper hand, as long as they didn't face a catastrophic loss, they could win

Fight for Ratification

- September 1787: the Constitution had been completed and sent off to state conventions for ratification - Debate for ratification created the nation's first two political parties: Federalists and Anti-federalists - Federalists: led by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton argued for the Constitution; were more organized and had solid arguments using the Constitution - Anti-federalists: were made up of a diverse group of individuals who opposed the constitution; some wanted to retain AoC, some wanted to start over, some wanted to revise the proposed constitution; criticized the Constitution for fear it would lead to a tyrannical government and had no bill of rights to protect individual liberties; had no alternative to Constitution

Creating the Constitution

- Shay's Rebellion led leaders to reassess the state of the republic and how democracy had gotten out of hand and the federal government was too weak to do anything about it; lead to a convention meant to revise the AoC, which turned into the creation of the Constitution

Valley Forge and Stalemate

- Soldiers were suffering in the winter without proper food and supplies - To energize troops, Washington organized training program with help from Friedrich Wilhelm, Baron von Steuben, who taught colonists how to fight - Marquis de Lafayette was another foreigner who helped; he helped bolster troops through financial means in exchange for major general status; he proved to a good military partner and diplomat for securing French alliance - Spring 1778 - British forces withdrew to New York City, and from then on it was a stalemate in the North

Diplomacy

- Tension remained between America and Britain, and America and Spain - Both had soldiers, forts, and trading posts on American land and encouraged Indians to resist American expansion - British kept soldiers south of the Canadian border in protest of Americans still not paying their prewar debts and seizing of Loyalist property - Spanish disputes came from the debate on where southern border of America lied and the right of Americans to use the Mississippi, which belonged to Spain; Spanish still controlled Florida, which included southern Alabama, and they provided firearms to Indians to combat South Georgians from taking their lands

Frontier Tensions

- Tensions were rising between American settlers and Native Americans - "Mad" Anthony Wayne led an expedition into Northwest Territory's "Indian Country" and built Fort Greenville in western Ohio - This soon became a battle known as the Northwest Indian War, which happened after British transferred the Ohio Country to the U.S. - Indians felt British had no right to give away their land; formed the Western Confederacy to resist American settlement - August 1794: Western Confederacy along with British and Canadian militiamen attacked General Wayne's troops and Indian allies -> Battle of Fallen Timbers - Americans decisively won, destroyed Indian crops and villages, and built a line of forts in northern Ohio and Indiana; Indians agreed to Treaty of Greenville (Aug. 1795), through which U.S. bought most of the territory that would become the state of Ohio and clear boundaries of Indian land was established

Religious Freedom

- The Bill of Rights made no federal religion and ensured that the government would not interfere in the religious practices of its citizens - Also created a separation of church and state

Limits of the Consitution

- The Constitution didn't deal with slavery, women's rights, immigration, and left out the protection of people like the Native Americans (was established to ensure prosperity for white descendants)

Expansion of Political Participation

- The creation of state governments lead to an expansion in political opportunities, which made it where more people participated; after 1776, the requirements to vote were lowered - Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, and Georgia made it where any taxpayer could vote no matter whether or not he owned property - Soon farmers, shopkeepers, and tradesmen were elected to state legislatures

Hamilton's Visionary achievements

- The results of Hamilton's work led to a booming economy, with foreign investors and bankers investing in the country, and they established trade with European nations and even China - Jefferson and Madison were concerned that Hamilton's way of doing this was threatening the liberties of the people - Hamilton and Jefferson butted heads in the cabinet and outside the political stage; Jefferson wanted to model America after France, but Hamilton wanted it modeled after Britain - Their division helped develop the first two political parties: Federalists and Democratic-Republicans

Pinckney's Treaty (1795)

- This treaty between the U.S. and Spain which gave the U.S. the right to transport goods on the Mississippi River and to store goods in the Spanish port of New Orleans - Established American boundary in west Florida, along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico - Also known as Treaty of San Lorenzo - Negotiated by Thomas Pickney

Yorktown

- When Cornwallis and Arnold came together, their armies equaled 7,200 men - Cornwallis decided to take over Yorktown, a small port between the York and James rivers - Cornwallis wasn't worried about the Americans because they were busy trying to take back New York, and the British navy blocked the French ships near Rhode Island from providing reinforcements - Washington originally asked the French in Rhode Island to coordinate an attack on the British in New York City, but then found out that the French Admiral de Grasse was headed to Chesapeake Bay with warships and reinforcements - Washington then moved his army toward Yorktown, while the French ships in Rhode Island left the blockade and headed to Yorktown - The French and Patriots managed to all get to Yorktown together and sprang a trap on Cornwallis before he understood what was going on - Cornwallis sent out a plea for reinforcements - de Grasse's battleships forced the British ships to abandon Cornwallis, and then carried the American army from New York to Yorktown - Combined might of French and Americans = 19000 - Battle of Yorktown: after the American and French troops closed off Cornwallis's last escape route, they bombarded British troops with canons; the fighting lasted three weeks before Cornwallis surrendered - "World Turned Upside Down" was played to celebrate victory (Like in Hamilton!)

Robert Morris

- closest thing to an executive leader under the AoC - wanted make both himself and Confederation powerful - wanted to have a program where the debt was public and being paid for by the people - believed that powerful financiers that supported America during the war would be more inclined to ad to support the government if America would pay back its debts - to accomplish this, he supported enlarging the national debt by issuing new government bonds to help pay off those debts - then with a sounder national treasury, the bonds would rise in value, creating new capital with which to finance banks and economic development - to accomplish this, Morris secured a charter for a national bank, Bank of North America, to accommodate national financial needs - Morris's plan hinged upon America having a secure income, and fell apart because there wasn't a unanimous ratification of AoC

The "Gathering Crisis"

- fear among wealthy leaders that social classes were disappearing - political culture was changing; more men could vote and hold office due to reduction of property-owning qualifications - state legislatures increased taxes to pay off war debt and Americans objected taxation with representation - Exeter Riot: farmers surrounded the legislative building, demanding more money to printed; elite horrified at the other men's willingness to decrease the value of the currency

Immigration

- leaders had differing views on whether U.S. should remain open to the immigrants (Thomas Jefferson feared immigrants wouldn't accept the principles of the country) - Constitution said little about immigration or naturalization; Congress would create a process of naturalization and immigrants could not become president

Constitutional Convention (1787)

- met in what is now known as Independence Hall and in the same room where they had signed the Declaration of Independence; everyone came except Rhode Island - met five hours a day, six days a week - All together 55 delegates, but some left in disgust and some had other priorities; by the end only 39 delegates signed the new constitution, 3 refused - George Washington was the presiding officer over the Convention, but contributed little in debates, not wanting people to take his opinions too seriously; Benjamin Franklin was also in attendance and also didn't say much, but provided the Convention with his experience and wisdom behind the scenes; James Madison was the most active. Although he was soft-spoken, he was responsible for a number of compromises - Most agreed with Madison's arguments that the national government needed to be stronger, the state legislatures weaker, and needed to restrain the excessive democratic impulses - The ideas that the national government needed to have direct authority over the people, not the states, and the legitimacy of the national government came from the people led the Convention; the latter idea was unique in that America was the only one to say that power came from the people, and that it effectively limited state powers - Delegates also realized that the federal gov't needed the power to collect taxes, borrow/issue money, regulate commerce, fund army/navy, make laws; meaning states couldn't print money, make treaties, wage war, and levy taxes/tariffs on imported goods - Idea of divided authority -> federalism

Native Americans and the Revolution

- most Indians sought to remain neutral, but both British and American agents urged the tribes to fight on their side, resulting in chaos (Indians attacking village, burned crops, killed civilians) - During and after the war the national government promised that Indian lands and rights would be respected, but some colonists took advantage of the chaos to destroy and displace Native Americans; then after the war, land-hungry Americans continued pushing Indians off their lands

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

- set forth two key principles: new western territories would eventually become states and slavery would be banned in the region north of the Ohio River (existent slaves remained) - included promise that would be broken about not taking Indian lands without consent - To become state, three step process: 1) Congress would appoint a territorial governor and others officials to create a legal code and administer justice 2) When adult male reached 5,000, they could elect own territorial legislature 3) When population reached 60,000 "free inhabitants," adult males could draft a constitution and apply to Congress for statehood

Jay's Treaty (1794)

- tension was growing between Britain and France after disagreements on their southern and western borders, which had been left unspecified by the Treaty of Paris (1783); British warships kept seizing American merchant ships carrying French goods and going to a French port; 1794, several hundred American ships had been taken and their crews either joined the British (impressment) or were imprisoned; British in the Ohio Valley gave weapons to Indians to attack American settlers - Washington sent John Jay to London to settle the disputes - The results: 1) America could not sell goods to France for warships 2) The British would still stop American merchant ships and "impress" the crew 3) British would not compensate U.S. citizens for the enslaved African Americans who had escaped with the British during the Revolutionary War 4) British would evacuate their six forts in northwest America by 1796 5) British would reimburse Americans for the seizures of ships and cargo in 1793-1794 6) British would grant U.S. merchants the right trade again with the British West Indies - Many Americans, especially Republicans, were outraged; it served to deepen the division between Federalists and Republicans - The treaty created the most serious crisis of Washington's career; some even called for his impeachment - Washington decided it was the only way to avoid a war they would lose with Britain - Despite objections, it passed with the approval of the northern and middle Atlantic states, while most disapproval came from the South - After this, Washington was done and wished to retire, but he gave America peace

Setbacks for the British (1777)

- the 3-pronged attack where an army in Canada led by General John Burgoyne would advance southward from Quebec across Lake Champlain to the Hudson River, another British move eastward from Oswego, in western New York, General How lead third army up the Hudson River from New York, all to wipe out the remaining Patriots - failed because lack of communication; Howe decided to go south to Philadelphia, instead - Washington assembled troops from New Jersey to defend Philadelphia and other American units assembled to defend New York - September 1777 - British overpowered the Patriot army and took control of Philadelphia; Washington and troops withdrew to Valley Forge for the winter

Immigration and Naturalization

- the Constitution called upon Congress to establish policies to accommodate the stream of immigrants coming in - George Washington urged Congress to craft a "liberal" naturalization law to attract immigrants because he believed that accepting immigrants was one of America's core values and that a growing population was a national blessing - Naturalization Act of 1790: established that any free white person could gain citizenship after living in the U.S. for two years (1795 would become five years) - The liberal policy has lead the U.S. to accept more immigrants than any other nation

American Society at War

- the Revolutionary War a civil war as much a world war - families were torn apart by differing opinions, - Franklin's illegitimate son was a royal governor of New Jersey and was a Loyalist; He was then cut out of Franklin's will - Colonies divided into three groups: Loyalists (viewed Revolution as an act of treason), Patriots (largest group), and a neutral group (eventually swayed by Patriots); some changed groups multiple times (ex. Benedict Arnold); often times whenever the British or Patriots took control of a city, they required the residents to sign a letter of allegiance to their cause - Loyalists most common in seaport cities (New York, Philadelphia, Carolinas); typically governors, royal officials, judges, or could be Anglican ministers and small farmers who were unaffected by British policies; there were very few places were there were enough Loyalists to take control w/out British support, nor could they keep control w/out British; their actions turned neutral colonists against them - Patriots, moderates and radicals, wanted to protect their liberty and become citizens, not subjects

Southern Backlash

- the actions of the British to recruit slaves caused many neutral southerners to join the Patriot cause - Revolutionary became less about freedom and more of a war to keep their slaves - George Washington tried to recruit any free African Americans to help bolster troop numbers, but southern representatives convinced the Continental Congress to tell Washington no more - South Carolina and Georgia refused to allow any African Americans to fight in their military units; as the war dragged on and the Americans struggled, Massachusetts organized two all-black units and Rhode Island created one unit, including Native Americans - Although large groups of African Americans fought in the Revolution, the vast majority chose freedom over sides; in the south, slaves took advantage of the chaos to get freedom, while others used the basis of the Revolution to promote freedom for all - Lemuel Haynes preached an abolitionist sermon, taking words from the Declaration of Independence ("self-evident truth," all men had the "unalienable right") - The ideals of liberty and freedom convinced most northern states to end slavery, while the slavery-dependent South wasn't significantly impacted by these ideals (causes problems later on)

Republican Victory in 1800

- the anger over the Naturalization and Sedition Acts resulted in a turn to Republicans when it came to the presidential election of 1800 - Jefferson/Burr ran for Republican; they both received 73 electoral votes, and so it went to the House for deliberation, and Jefferson became president; during deliberations, it was so tense that there was talk of a potential civil war - Adams ran again for the Federalists; he only received 36, so he lost - Both sides criticized each other's candidates - Before Adams stepped down, the Federalists established the Judiciary of 1801, which established Federalist control in the judicial branch; it created 16 federal circuit courts and reduced the number of SCOTUS justices from 6 to 5 to reduce the chances of a new justice being chosen by Jefferson; Adams also appointed Federalists to all the new positions - Federalists would never again exercise significant political power

Forging a New Nation

- the transition from war to developing a nation was filled with problems and trials; the people of America would have to figure out how to transform a confederation of thirteen rebellious states into one unified nation - one of the challenges the young nation would have to face was the war debt = $160 mil. - From the signing of Declaration of Independence in 1776 to the election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800, the nation faced political division, economic distress, and foreign troubles - Three questions faced the new nation: Where would sovereignty reside in? What was the proper relationship between the national and state governments and between states? What was required for the nation to flourish?

Alliance with France

- the victories in Saratoga brought about a new alliance with France, and under the terms of the Treaty of Alliance, both countries would fight until America was independent from Britain; could not conduct a truce without the other present; would protect each other's possessions from other powers - French determined the outcome of the war - Spanish and Dutch also helped, just not as much as the French - With the new alliances, Parliament tried to give colonists what they originally asked for, but at this point, colonists only wanted independence

War in the West

- there was also battles between Loyalists and Indians and Patriots living on the western and northern borders; in Ohio Valley, New York, Pennsylvania, the British offered to pay bounties for American scalps - to combat this, George Clark took frontiersmen down the Ohio River and took control of Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes; after British retook Vincennes, Clark led his men to reclaim it, and on the journey, they captured five Indians and executed them within sight of the fort; British surrendered without a fight - in western New York, Iroquois had killed Patriots; Washington sent, 4000 troops under General Sullivan to crush them; the army destroyed Indian villages and destroyed power of Iroquois League; also desecrated Indian graves, raped women, mutilated Indian warriors - in Kentucky territory, Daniel Boone and thirty men, with the help of wives and children, fended off 400 Indians - Northern Indians convinced Cherokees to attack frontier settlements in Virginia and Carolinas; retaliation brought by Andrew Pickens, burned villages - the destruction of tribes, opened west for easier expansion by the Americans

Slavery

- there was great debate between the southern and northern delegates; northern delegates believed that the very institution went against the ideas and principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution; southern delegates argued that interest was the governing power of nations and that the South could not do without slaves - Most southern delegates would have left the Convention if abolishing slavery was on the table, so nothing was done to try to end or shorten slavery - Representation of slaves lead to Three-fifths compromise in which three out of five slaves would count as one person; the issue of slavery would continue to plague the nation and go against the principles of the Constitution - The word "slavery" isn't even mentioned in the Constitution, which seemed to suggest that the omission of the word was an endeavor to conceal a principle that we were ashamed of

The Federalist Era

- time following the ratification of the Constitution was filled with conflicts, states threatening to secede, tensions, and foreign wars - Gave birth to two political parts: Federalists and Democratic Republicans (Jeffersonian Republicans, Republicans) - Democratic Republicans: mostly southerners, who wanted the country to remain a rural nation of small farmers dedicated to republican values; distrusted national government, defended states' rights, "strict" interpretation of Constitution, faith in the masses - Federalists: New Englanders and New York; embraced urban culture, industrial development, and commercial growth; distrusted the masses and supported a "flexible" interpretation

The Wilderness Road

- western lands had an appeal to settlers for being rich with resources (Ex: Kansas with rich soil, bluegrass meadows, abundant forests, and countless wildlife) - Daniel Boone (wildlife survivalist guy) left Pennsylvania in 1969 to cross over the Appalachian Mountains to reach Kentucky; he used the path called the Warriors' Path (path worn down animals and Native Americans) - 1773: Boone led a group of settlers into Kentucky and two years later, he and thirty woodsmen widened the Warriors' Path into the Wilderness road

Women's Rights

- women's rights wasn't even considered during the Convention, but instead, delegates decided they should stay in their subordinate roles - women, however, had gotten a taste of political equality during the Revolution and strongly believed they should not be treated any less than a man - Ex: Eliza Wilkinson and Judith Murray were women who argued against staying in subordinate roles to men - Women are also not mentioned in the Constitution

What other problems did the British face?

1) Had assumed there would be enough food and forage for soldiers and horses in America, but they learned that they would have to ship supplies to troops from Great Britain 2) Military force never had a consistent strategy

What did the British attempt to do to squash the American rebellion?

1) Hired German mercenaries -> Hessians 2) Enlisted Loyalists, Native Americans, and African Americans (not very successful) 3) Tried to use naval force to enforce a blockade of New England ports 5) Tried to destroy Washington's troops in New York, however, they couldn't catch all of the Continental Army 6) Tried to split New York and New England apart 7) Moved the main army to the South in hopes of recruiting Loyalists

Advantages and disadvantages experienced by Continental Army

Adv.: 1) fighting on their own turf Disadv.: 1) Army had to be created from scratch and was poorly funded 2) Prior to the war, fighting force was militiamen (citizen-soldiers), who would show up to fight and then go back home; these civilians were undisciplined and unreliable

The American Crisis

An essay by Thomas Paine read by George Washington to his troops shortly before crossing the Delaware River; inspired American revolutionists

Winter in Morristown

Brutal winter for the Continental army, making camp in Morristown, NJ. Washington inoculates his army to stop spread of smallpox, and the army is low on food and clothing. Continental Army decreases to 1,000 troops. Troops came back in the spring

True or false: the Patriots won most of the battles during the Revolutionary War

False; the British won the majority of the battles, the Patriots just outlasted the British

Federalists and Democratic Repubicans

Federalists - prominent in New York, New England, and powerful in South Carolina; feared excesses of democracy, distrusting the "common people," and wanted a strong central government led by wise leaders committed to national defense, economic growth, and social stability; feared the "poison" of "democracy;" believed people were always changing and never made right decisions Democratic Republicans - most concerned about threats to individual freedoms and states' rights; trusted the people; believed it was the people who prevent corrupt leaders; strongest in the southern states (Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia); promoted an agricultural economy - Outside events also affected the two parties, like the French Revolution, which was modeled after the American Revolution; Democratic Republicans hosted rallies to show support for the French Revolution and local Republican candidates.

The War Moves South

General Clinton initiated British plan to capture southern states with the help of Loyalists and Indian allies to pinch the United States between Canada and the South; worked for a while, but it fell apart for three reasons: Loyalist strength in the South was overestimated, the British encouragement of Indian attacks pushed neutral individuals to support the Patriots, and the harsh behavior of Loyalist soldier caused some Loyalists to switch sides

What did George Washington do knowing that the militiamen were unreliable?

He convinced Congress to provide a full-time, well-trained army, which constituted of poor farmers, laborers, indentured servants, or recent immigrants

After the Patriots fled from New York City (1776), what happened?

New York City became HQ for British and Tories/Loyalists December 1776 - the Revolution was near collapse due to lack of supplies

What happened to people who violated rules in the training of Continental Army?

No mistakes could be made with the British, so people who violated rules were jailed, flogged, hung, etc.

Summer of 1776

Summer of 1776 - British decided to invade New York City to capture the national seaport; British commanders, William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe tried negotiating unsuccessfully with Patriots; British fleet carrying soldiers started their assault February 1776 - George Washington set up defensive positions around New York City; army was too small, but Congress insisted New York City not fall August 1776 - the assault began and the inexperienced fighters fell back in confusion when faced with British muskets and cannonballs; British commanders believed Revolution was now ending, and Admiral Howe hosted two captured American generals on his ship; Knowing there wasn't going to be a surrender, Washington and his men retreated in the night, thanks to some boatmen, all the way to Pennsylvania

What did the Continental Congress do to combat shortage in funding?

They took over and sold abandoned Loyalist homes, farms, plantations, but this still left it short on what it needed, leading to more printed money (decreased value of money)

War as an Engine of Change

The revolution lead to changes in political, economic, and social changes, and lead to political experimentation

What was a problem the British faced with financing the Revolutionary War?

The war was 3,000 miles away, which increased the time in which officials received news to make decisions; tough getting supplies and soldiers that far

How did colonists react to army life?

They found it unbearable and combat was horrifying, and with people dying/leaving, Congress eventually offered land grants and cash bonuses to encourage recruits to serve in the army

Why was financing the war difficult for the Continental Congress?

They relied on state donations and several states didn't pay their part; had to allow soldiers to take food from farmers with the promise of later compensation; making farmers soldiers hurt the national economy

Washington's Farewell

Washington's speech covered three things 1) criticized the spirit of political partisanship because they endangered the republic and pursued the interests of the minority rather than the good of the nation 2) the U.S. should stay out of foreign affairs and not form permanent alliances; this policy would serve as a fundamental principle until the early 20th century

Western Settlement

the treaties created by John Jay and Thomas Pinckney spurred a new way of settlers into the west