P3 APUSH Wiley Making War & Republican Governments: Note Guide, D___ Name

P3 | APUSH | Wiley |Making War & Republican Governments: Note Guide, D___
Name:

This note guide will cover the period 1776-1791, from the onset of the Revolution (1776-’83) to the addition of the Bill of Rights (1791) to the Constitution (ratified in 1789). This will be one of the most important documents of the course, as it contains all of the vital information about the country’s founding and is often applicable to any future essay prompt (easy synthesis!).
The American Revolution (1776-1783)

Briefing: The American Revolution occurred because the American colonists, who had long been developing a strong sense of autonomy and self-government under ______, resisted British attempts to impose tighter ______imperial controls and higher taxes after the ______(1763 and beyond). The political ideals of the ______caused some American leaders to see British actions in the worst light. The intermittent conflict over political authority and taxation, enhanced by American agitators (like the ______) and perceived advantages to independence (see ______’s Common Sense), gradually moved Americans from asserting rights ______the British Empire to open warfare with the mother country.

Image Summary: Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware River (1851)
This event occurred on the night of Dec.25–26, 1776; it marked the first move in a surprise attack organized by Washington against the Hessian forces in Trenton, NJ. The British had been manhandling the Continental army through the summer and fall of ’76. Following custom, the British halted their military campaign for the cold months, allowing the Americans to catch them off guard. Washington led the Continental Army across the icy Delaware River and defeated the troops at Trenton the next morning.

Britain and Colonies/States Compared
Britain / Colonists
Advantages / Disadvantages / Advantages / Disadvantages

______army (of 50,000 +) and navy; few Europeans gave the rebels a chance
Strong central government with available funds
Support of Loyalists, some slaves, and ______Americans
Total population: 11 million

Large distance separating Britain from battlefields made communication difficult (took two months to cross the Atlantic)
Underestimated American capacity to fight
Believed they could easily reassert political control over the colonies
Initial military strategy called for restraint, in hopes of political compromise; this cost the British the opportunity to nip the rebellion in the bud
War became unpopular in Britain

Fighting a defensive war on home turf over a large territory; 1,500 miles of coastline and extending over 100 miles into the interior
European ______; French and Spanish
Resilient and popular military leadership
Continental Armyevolved into a powerful force for nationalist sentiment
Received loans from France and Holland and issued bonds to approx. 13,000 firms and individuals
French alliance of 1778 gave the Americans much needed money, supplies, and ______

______and undisciplined army (of 18,000)
Shortages of food
______conflict (see Zinn)
______central government and no steady tax revenue
Low ______for war
Faced wartime difficulties, such as a British naval blockade goods were scarce and pricey, leading to more class conflict
Total population: 2.5 million

The issue of revolution or loyalty to the crown divided communities. It is important that we understand this division, along with the British perspective, which is often left out of American discussions of the Revolution.

Loyalist Perspective & Context:

Loyalists (sometimes called Tories, the popular name for the conservative party in England which traditionally supported the authority of the king over Parliament) often lived far from cities and knew little of the events that turned other colonists into revolutionaries
Others remained loyal because they thought the British were going to win the war because of their military might and America’s lack of an established military; these Loyalists, like Rev. ______, wanted to avoid being punished as rebels
Some were recent migrants that had been born in England
Others were royal officeholders who depended on the British government for their salaries
Others were conservative and fearful of political or social upheaval
The poor initially regarded the Patriot movement with suspicion, since nearly all Patriot leaders were wealthy
Were Patriot leaders subverting British rule only to advance their own selfish interests?
Other critics of the movement worried that resistance to Britain would undermine all political institutions and introduce “anarchy and disorder”; many feared mob rule that seemed to have emerged in places like Boston
Some chose to be neutral due to religious convictions (pacifist ______, for example)
Historians estimate that some 15-20% of the white population were loyal to the Crown throughout the Revolutionary Era
Many would be pressured to join the boycotts and were subjected to violence/humiliation if they refused
Many were forced out of their homes and forced into silence once Patriots took command of local government
Patriots passed state treason acts that prohibited speaking/writing against the Revolution and in some cases passed laws that took away rights/property from those refusing to swear allegiance to the Patriot cause
Loyalists faced mob violence and endured tarring and ______
As many as 100,000 Loyalists fled the country during and after the Revolution; many went to British Canada

Note: Tarring and feathering (see image, right) was not fatal. In the 18th century, tar meant pine tar, which was not hot enough to injure someone. It did, however, cause pain and a lot of discomfort and inconvenience. Above all, it was meant to embarrass the victim in public and serve as a warning for others. This tactic was used in the pre-war period as well as during the Revolution. It was typically reserved for working-class individuals. “Gentlemen” were not targeted.

British Perspective:

The British felt the colonies were indebted to them and should have been more appreciative of British protection and provision of manufactures
Ordinary British subjects were confused at America’s call for representation in Parliament, as the Parliament was hardly democratic in the 1770s and taxes the colonists paid were often substantially lower than those Britons paid
Colonies were of vital importance to the British; a source of raw materials, particularly agricultural materials and tobacco
Also important as a source of pride
British were outraged by the ______(as were many colonists, like Ben Franklin, who said, “This was an act of piracy and Americans should repay the British for the tea.”)
Fear that American independence would lead to the independence of the West Indies, Ireland, etc.
British were shocked when war broke out but thought it would be an ______victory
War became very unpopular with increased taxes at home to pay for the war
British merchants were very much opposed to the war; they wanted trade to continue

Role of British Canada in the Revolution:

Former ______Canada, who felt little sympathy for the British empire, was called on join in the struggle for liberty but they failed to respond; this is likely due to several factors:
The French living in British Canada were pleased by the ______(which expanded the Quebec territory into Indian Country and established Catholicism as the state religion; both acts angered colonists in the years leading up to the Revolution)
French had disdain for New Englanders who had forcibly removed the French population from ______when the British captured that territory during the French and Indian War (see French and Indian War: Note Guide)
Congress voted to authorize a military expedition to eliminate any possibility of a British invasion; clashed with the British army and French Catholics in 1775 and 1776; American forces were ultimately defeated
Patriot attacks on Canada solidified Canadian opposition to the Revolution
Set a course toward the development of the separate nations of the U.S. and Canada

European Allies
France / Spain

During first two years of fighting, Americans were sustained by loans from France and other avenues
France's interest in the American fight for independence stemmed from France's humiliating defeat during the French and Indian War (17___ - 17___) at the hands of its ancient enemy, England
In a 1778 treaty of cooperation, France (led by King Louis XVI) recognized American independence and agreed not to make peace with Britain unless Britain recognized American ______
The French alliance was decisive for the cause of American Independence; between 1778 and 1782 the French provided supplies, arms, ammunition, uniforms, troops, and naval support

Provided substantial ammunition and provisions for American forts in the West (stationed in New Orleans)
Saw Revolution as opportunity to regain ______from the British and extend their control of the Mississippi Valley
Fought a campaign against the British on the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast

Subordinate Groups
Indian peoples / African Americans / Women

Both sides solicited Indian support but the ______proved more persuasive
Patriot victory would mean the extension of American settlements into native homelands
Indian peoples fought in the Revolution for some of the same reasons Patriots did—political independence, cultural integrity, and the protection of their land and property

The last royal governor of VA, Lord ______, declared the emancipation of all slaves and indentured servants who would desert their masters and take up arms for the British in 1775
MD, VA, NC attempted to recruit free persons of color and even slaves into their armed forces
In the Lower South, where the numerical superiority of slaves bred fears of ______among white people, there was no similar movement
Thousands of black fighters and their families departed with the Loyalists and the British at the end of the war
Thousands escaped during the wartime chaos
To many observers, there was an obvious ______in waging a war for “liberty” while continuing to support the institution of slavery

Women assumed the management of family farms and businesses during war
Thousands volunteered by working as seamstresses, nurses, and spies
Hundreds followed their husbands to the battlefield, where they washed, mended, and cooked for the troops
Post-war years witnessed an increase in opportunities for some women seeking an education; done so as to enable ______motherhood

An Olive Branch (of sorts) from Britain:

Worried over the consequences of French involvement, Britain sent a peace commission to America in 1778 with promises to repeal the legislation that had provoked the crisis in the first place, and pledged never to impose revenue taxes on the colonies
Just a few years earlier, such a pledge would surely have ______the movement toward independence
But Congress now declared that anyone coming to terms with the British peace commission would be considered a traitor
Only possible topics of discussion were the withdrawal of British forces and the recognition of American independence

Treaty of Paris, 1783:

Britain surrendered in 1781 but peace talks took two years
Britain recognized the U.S. as independent and granted it all the land south of Canada and north of Florida, from the Atlantic Ocean in the East to the ______River in the West
Britain agreed to withdraw troops from all forts within American territory with “all convenient speed” (which they did not do)
America promised to cease confiscating Loyalist property and fairly compensate Loyalist exiles (which they did not do)
Spain regained Florida

Remember, Spain ceded Florida to Britain at the end of the French and Indian War in return for all its Caribbean colonies and the Philippines (in the Pacific), which it had lost to Britain during the War for Empire in the 1750s and 1760s

France gained island of Tobago in the Caribbean and Senegal in Africa
Congress pushed hard for ______but it remained a British colony
Take a moment to review the Treaty of 1763 information and map (French and Indian War: Note Guide) so you do not get confused between the two treaties

Looking West:

After the war, an armed American nation pressed for large grants of territory according to the right of conquest
Viewed victory over Great Britain as a ______over Indians as well
Destructive violence continued along the frontier
British troops continued to occupy posts in the Northwest and encouraged Indian attacks against Americans

Miscellaneous:

Approximately 25,000 American men died in the war
George Washington’s popularity was so high it is predicted that he could have assumed the role of American dictator after the war and the American people would have accepted it
Instead, by his actions and example, the principle of military subordination to civil authority was firmly established
The American Revolution and the ideals set forth in the Declaration had reverberations in ______(1789), Haiti (1793), and Latin America (1804-1825), inspiring future rebellions

War’s Short- and Long-Term Impact on the Institution of Slavery:

The Declaration and war for independence spurred the growth of opposition to slavery
Several abolitionist organizations emerged: Pennsylvania Abolition Society and New York Manumission Society
In the North, slavery—which had always been of ______significance there—was first abolished by VT in 1777, MA in 1780, NH in 1784; PA, CT, RI adopted gradual emancipation during these years, freeing the children of slaves at birth; by 1804, every northern state had provided for abolition or gradual emancipation, although as late as 1810, 30,000 African Americans remained enslaved in the North
Where free, blacks were often ______from voting, marrying or living with whites, filing lawsuits, or sitting on juries
Unlike former white indentured servants who could become respected members of their communities after their indentures ended, free blacks rarely had the same opportunity; it was rare for free blacks in the North to rise above the level of common laborers or washerwomen
In some Northern states, freemen were required to carry passes when traveling, work on roads a certain number of days a year, and could not own certain animals or houses
Many Northern states prohibited blacks from entering the state to settle, due to anti-black attitudes and a belief that their [inexpensive] competition would be injurious to white workers
Planters in the South heavily depended on slavery and resisted the calls for an end to slavery; many of the principal revolutionaries, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were themselves ______and showed little inclination to abolish the institution of slavery
Consider if the information in this section conforms to Zinn and Hancock’s common thesis (consequences of Revolution were evolutionary rather than revolutionary)

Creating Republican Documents & Institutions:

The Declaration (1776)

State Constitutions (1776-1780)

Federal Constitutions:

Articles of Confederation, 1777-1789;
replaced by the Constitution, 1789-present

The Declaration of Independence, 1776:
(see excerpt in Revolution-Era Primary Sources)

Richard Henry ______of VA offered a motion to the Continental Congress that the colonies were “free and independent states” – that they should be absolved from the British crown
The Congress composed a committee to prepare a draft declaration of American independence – the committee passed the task to Thomas Jefferson
On July 2, a large majority of the Congress supported independence in a vote
By July 4, Jefferson’s words (slightly modified) were approved without dissent
Drew on the concepts of the ______and John Locke
Man possesses natural rights that cannot be taken away (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness)
Government is formed to ______such rights
Emphasized one of John Locke’s key ideas: that the people have a right to abolish their government if that government becomes abusive or fails to do what the people had originally put in its hands to do
Locke had argued that government was the result of a “______” between people and their rulers; the people concede some of their liberty to create a government in order to protect themselves and their property rights; if that government fails to do its job, the people have a right—in fact, an obligation—to abolish that government
To bolster the case for Lockean rebellion, the Declaration details a long train of abuses
Stated flatly that all men are equal, but meant that free, ______male citizens were political equals
It was not meant to embrace poor white men, women, Native Americans, or African-Americans
Though most delegates, men of wealth and position, did not agree with the notion that “all men are created equal”, there was little debate over these words, as the delegates knew that the struggle for independence would require the steady support of common people
Jefferson’s words presented ideals that would later help these groups challenge traditional attitudes
Declaration won wide support at home and abroad (except in Britain, of course)
Sparked celebrations across the colonies/states
The Declaration, Common Sense style:
We have rights that were given to us by God and we form governments to protect those rights (Locke’s idea)
We’re allowed to abolish our government but we’ve got to have good reason and explain ourselves (Locke’s idea)
We can prove the time for independence has come
The King has tried to establish absolute tyranny:
He has forced us to house his troops
He has attempted to cut off our trade with other nations
He has imposed taxes on us even though we don’t have representation in Parliament
He has robbed us of our right to be tried by a jury
We’ve even tried to reconcile (Olive Branch and economic coercion)
Therefore, he is unfit to rule us – we’re right in dumping him

State Constitutions, 1776-1780:

States wrestled with how to put into practice the ideals of republicanism
Republicanism is a form of government that adheres to the notion of popular sovereignty (government derives its powers from the consent of the governed) and ______(where citizens exercise their power through elected representatives)
State constitutions varied in how much “democracy” they permitted
Most states adopted ______constitutions that limited the power of “the people” by excluding many from voting and office holding and including an upper legislative house made up of significant property owners to offset the popular, and potentially “misguided” majorities in the lower house
Despite these conservative impulses, the post-Revolution period saw an increase in the proportion of yeomen farmers (and the like) in [lower house] state legislatures in the North
The most radically democratic state constitution was in ____, which received much criticism from the Founders
Abolished property ownership as a qualification for voting; granted all taxpaying men the right to vote and hold office; ______had complete power, as the position of governor was eliminated
Followed the “majoritarian model” of democracy: power should be in the hands of the majority at all times
Founders warned of “majority tyranny”; the notion that the majority can be just as tyrannical as a despot; there must be checks on their power from elites
Commonalities between the state constitutions: enlarged the powers of the legislatures and weakened the powers of governors (who essentially serve as the president/executive within their respective states)

Diverging Interpretations of Republicanism, circa 1770s and 1780s
Democratic/Majoritarian Interpretation / Conservative Interpretation

Place power solidly in the hands of the ______
Localize government, bringing it as close to the people as possible; government institutions should reflect “direct democracy” as much as possible
All governmental officials should be directly elected by the people
Voting and office holding should be available for all taxpaying white men
Potential problems: Does the majority always know best? What’s to prevent the majority from acting tyrannical?

Keep government away from the uneducated many
Will of the people needs to be checked by strong executive/judicial actions, property qualifications, and long terms in office
A republic must be based on ______; its success depends on the people putting the good of the nation/community above their personal interests; the ______are best suited for this, due to their education
Potential problems: Creates an exclusive, elitist, and aristocratic system that is bound to create class conflict and disunity

Articles of Confederation, 1777-1789:
(see short excerpt on next page)