Class Notes – Coach Smith’s U.S. History
Timeline Items
(1215) Magna Carta – guaranteed trial by jury, due process and limited government
(1265) English Parliament – English Government
(1492) Columbus sails to New World – Columbus discovers the New World for Spain
(1607) Jamestown Colony – the first permanent English colony in the Americas
(1619) Virginia House of Burgesses – the first example of representative government in America
(1620) Mayflower Compact – established self-government and majority rule (signed by all the men)
(1689) English Bill of Rights – Listed the basic rights of the people and inspired our own Bill of Rights
(1720) First Great Awakening – a religious movement spread by traveling preachers; focused on the idea that all men were equal under God
(1754) Albany Plan of Union – Adopted by Ben Franklin, the plan called for “one general government” for 11 of the colonies. This was the first attempt to establish a central government. None of the colonies approved it.
(1754) French and Indian War – The British and the Colonists fought against French and Native American forces. George Washington gets his first command.
(1763) Treaty of Paris – Ends the French and Indian War; forces France to give up Canada and most of its land east of the Mississippi River.
(1763) Proclamation of 1763 – Even though the Treaty of Paris gave the British additional land, the colonists weren’t allowed to move into it. England chose to protect Native American lands by keeping the colonists out of them.
(1765) Stamp Act – Required colonists to pay an extra amount of money for every printed piece of paper they used. This included newspapers, playing cards, pamphlets, legal documents, and advertisements.
(1766) Stamp Act Repealed – After colonists began protesting, rioting and even attacking the King’s tax agents, the Stamp Act was repealed or cancelled.
(1774) First Continental Congress – 55 delegates from every colony except Georgia arrive in Philadelphia, Pa. to establish a new government for the colonies.
(1775) Battle of Lexington and Concord – The first battle of the Revolutionary War. The shots fired at Lexington is referred to as the “shot heard ‘round the world.” British troops were on their way to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams.
(
1775) Second Continental Congress – Delegates created the Continental Army and chose George Washington as commander-in-chief. Its most important accomplishment was the Declaration of Independence.
(1777) Battle of Saratoga – An important American victory that convinced the French to assist the colonists in the war against England.
(1777) Valley Forge – Winter campsite of the Continental Army in Pennsylvania. Washington’s greatest challenge; winter cold, smallpox, a lack of shoes, blankets and uniforms almost destroy the Continental Army.
(1777) Articles of Confederation – America’s first Constitution; created a new form of government for the colonies. It gave the states too much power and was replaced in 1787.
(1783) Treaty of Paris – The British recognized The United States as an independent nation and promised to withdraw all troops. U.S. territory now extended from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the Mississippi River.
(1787) Northwest Ordinance – The plan was proposed by Thomas Jefferson; Created a single Northwest Territory of the lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. The lands were to be divided into three to five smaller territories (states). When a territory reached a population of 60,000, it could apply for statehood. Slavery and involuntary servitude were outlawed.
(1787) Philadelphia Convention – 55 delegates from every state except Rhode Island met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation; George Washington was chosen to preside over the convention; No meetings could be held unless at least seven of the 13 states were represented.
(
1787) Virginia Plan – Edmund Randolph suggested that instead of revising the Articles of Confederation, they should create a strong, national government; The plan was largely the work of James Madison and called for a two-house legislature, a court system and a chief executive chosen by the legislature; The plan proposed representation based on population size
(1787) New Jersey Plan – The plan called for the Articles of Confederation’s one-house legislature; It gave Congress the power to raise taxes and regulate trade; called for a weak Executive Branch consisting of more than one person; Called for equal representation regardless of population
(1787) The Great Compromise – Suggested by Roger Sherman of Connecticut; Resulted in a two-house legislature with a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation for all states.
(1787) U.S. Constitution – Approved on September 17, 1787; the day the government of the United States came into existence; No state can make laws or take actions that go against the Constitution – the supreme law of the land; Divided the government into three branches – legislative, executive and judicial, as described in the first three Articles of the Constitution
(1791) Bill of Rights – The first 10 amendments of the U.S. Constitution. They protect the basic rights and liberties most of us take for granted. Written by James Madison, the idea for them comes from the English Bill of Rights (1689).
Political, Economic, Religious and Social Reasons for Establishing the 13 Colonies
• Political – Competition with Spain, France and Portugal
• Economic – Increase trade and markets for English exports; source for raw materials
• Religious – Seeking Religious Freedom
• Social – England was overcrowded; settlers wanted to own land
Slaves during the Colonial Period
Political – No political voice; no rights
Economic – Considered property; Children also considered property and sold with no regard for parents
Social – Not a part of the American identity
Free Blacks during the Colonial Period
Political – No political voice; no rights
Economic – Low wages
Social – Lowest social class; limited education; socially isolated
How Religion and Virtue contributed to the growth of Representative Government
Puritans – people who wanted to reform (change) the English church
Separatists – people who wanted to leave and start their own church
The Pilgrims (or Separatists) came over on the Mayflower and settled at Plymouth.
Quakers – believed that all men were equal under God. They left England and came to America seeking religious freedom like the Pilgrims and Puritans.
Three Colonial Regions
New England Colonies – New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Middle Colonies – Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey
Southern Colonies – Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
New England Colonies
Physical Characteristics: Atlantic Ocean; subsistence farming, poor soil, forests
Human Characteristics
Economic factors – raw materials, logging, fishing and shipbuilding
Political factors – representative government
Social factors – small towns; Boston is only major city
Religious factors – Puritans were major religion
Middle Colonies
Physical Characteristics: Atlantic Ocean; rich soil, deep rivers, raw materials
Human Characteristics
Economic factors – large farms (America’s Breadbasket), logging, fishing, shipbuilding
Political factors – more tolerance
Social factors – small towns; but more major cities (Philadelphia and New York)
Religious factors – Quakers and Catholics
Southern Colonies
Physical Characteristics: Atlantic Ocean; rich soil, deep rivers, raw materials
Human Characteristics
Economic factors – plantations (cash crops like tobacco, rice and indigo)
Political factors – more slaves, more class-based society
Social factors – small towns; but more major cities (Baltimore, Savannah and Charleston)
Religious factors – Many religious groups
13 Colonies
Physical/Geographic Factors: Colonial cities were initially close to the Atlantic coastline (transportation)
Human/Geographic Factors: Removal of Native Americans through disease or conflict
Population Factors
New England and Middle Colonies: higher population, bigger cities
Southern Colonies: large plantations for farming, not as many people, more open space
Economic Differences between the 13 Colonies
New England Colonies
Shipbuilding and manufacturing
Middle Colonies
Farming, shipbuilding and cattle
Southern Colonies
Plantations and cash crops
British Colonial Acts
Proclamation of 1763 – Issued by King George IV, the Proclamation of 1763 stated that the colonial border would be the Appalachian Mountains; the colonists were upset because many of them already had land west of the Appalachians.
| Sugar Act (1764) – Passed by the Parliament, the Sugar Act lowered the taxes on molasses that was sold by the colonists and shipped to England. The colonists lost money on their products.
Stamp Act (1765) – Passed by the Parliament, the Stamp Act passed a tax on all printed items, i.e. stamps, paper, newspaper, etc., the English pushed for this tax to be issued because they were still in debt from the French and Indian War. |
Quartering Act (1765) – The Quartering Act made Colonial authorities responsible for housing British troops in public buildings (not in private homes).
Declaratory Act (1766) – Stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the colonists. Parliament put this into place to regain control after the Stamp Act failed.
Townshend Act (1767) – Parliament declared a set of taxes (on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea) and laws on imported goods. Eventually, all the taxes were repealed except the one on tea.
| The Tea Act (1773) – This act gave a monopoly on tea sales to the East India Company. In other words, American colonists could buy no tea unless it came from that company. Why? Well, the East Indian Company wasn't doing so well, and the British wanted to give it some more business.
Intolerable Acts (1774) – (Also called the Coercive Acts) British reaction to the Boston Tea Party; consisted of four different acts (see class notes)
Strengths of the Articles of Confederation • States’ Rights (result of a fear of a tyrannical leader) • Confederation of States • Congress had the power to make war and peace, sign treaties, raise an army and navy, print money and set up a postal system
Strengths of the Articles of Confederation · The Government could not require the states to pay taxes · Debt from the American Revolution · Arguing among the states · No unity among the states
Shays’ Rebellion – Led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays in 1786; They forced courts in western Massachusetts to close so judges could not take their farms Shays and 1,000 others tried to take over a federal building before they were chased away by Army troops
The U.S. Constitution Federalists – Argued for a stronger national government because the weak government under the Articles of Confederation set the United States up for failure Key supporters – James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay (Ben Franklin and George Washington supported them) Key Publication – The Federalist Papers: a series of 85 articles or essays supporting the ratification of the Constitution
Anti-Federalists – Argued that states’ rights should remain powerful over key issues. They felt we fought the Revolution to get away from a strong central government; they wanted to protect individual rights Key supporters – Patrick Henry; George Mason Key Publication – The Anti-Federalist Papers, which wasn’t as popular as the Federalist Papers.
Roots of the U.S. Constitution Magna Carta (1215) – Limited the powers of the king
English Bill of Rights (1689) – Provided a model for our own Bill of Rights
Mayflower Compact (1620) – established the idea of self-government and majority rule
John Locke – Believed that all people had “natural rights,” (the ones in the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights); In his book, “Treatises on Government,” (1690) he wrote that government is based on an agreement, or contract, between the people and their ruler.
Baron de Montesquieu – declared that the powers of government should be separate and balanced against each other (System of Checks and Balances)
Federalist Papers – Supported ratification of the Constitution with a focus on the need for a strong central government
Anti-Federalist Papers – Anti-federalists opposed ratification of the Constitution because it lacked a Bill of Rights
Article I – Legislative Branch – Establishes the Legislative, or lawmaking branch of government. Congress is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Article II – Executive Branch – Establishes the Executive Branch, which is headed by the President and carries out the nation’s laws and policies; The President serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces (military).
Article III – Judicial Branch – Judicial power resides in “one supreme court” and any lower federal court Congress might establish; The Supreme Court and federal courts hear cases involving the Constitution, laws passed by Congress and disputes between the states. |
Vocabulary
Era – A period of time characterized by particular circumstances, events, or people
Chronology – The science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time, such as the use of a timeline
Absolute Chronology – Exact dates
Relative Chronology – Eras or time periods
Exploration – searching for the purpose of discovery
Charter – a document that gives the holder the right to organize settlements
Colonize – To form or establish a colony or colonies
Representative Government – government founded on elected individuals representing the people
Indentured Servant – a person who came to America and was placed under contract to work, usually for seven years
Plantation – A large estate or farm on which crops are raised, often by resident workers. (Cash crops)
Ohio River Valley – The British and French attempted to move into this territory near modern-day Pittsburgh, Pa. The Native Americans felt it was their land.
Militia – a group of civilians trained to fight in emergencies (reserves)
Mercantilism – A system by which a nation increases its wealth and power by obtaining gold, silver and other raw materials from its colonies.
British Economic Policies – The British enacted laws to raise money to pay off the debt from the French & Indian War
Unalienable Rights – Rights guaranteed to the people naturally instead of by law (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness).
Patriots – Colonists who favored separation from England and becoming an independent nation
Neutralists – Those who chose not to take sides
Loyalists – Colonists who remained loyal to the British and disagreed with the Declaration of Independence
Minutemen – Colonial militia; stated they’d be ready to fight in a minute’s notice.
Confederation – a union of states in which each member state retains some independent control
Constitution – the fundamental law; written or unwritten that establishes the character of the government
Ratification – the process of approving the Constitution
Compromise – an agreement between opposing parties to reach an agreement
Important People
Charles de Montesquieu – French writer and philosopher whose ideas on freedom helped inspire the American Revolution
Montesquieu’s main contribution was his
theory of the Separation of Powers.
He believed the state is divided into branches or estates, each with separate and independent powers and areas of responsibility.
Today this is known as the
System of Checks and Balances.
John Locke – English writer and philosopher whose “Treatise on Government” helped inspire the American Revolution
William Blackstone – Wrote “Commentaries on the Laws of England” which influenced the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers.
Ben Franklin – One of our Founding Fathers and signers of the Declaration of Independence. Created bifocals (glasses) and formed the first lending library in America.
George Washington – Will go on to lead our country through the American Revolution and become our first president. A Virginia farmer, slave owner and representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses
Abigail Adams – Wife of John Adams, who attended the Continental Congress; reminded her husband to watch out for the rights of women in a letter written in March 1776, “remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.”
John Adams – Lawyer and politician from Massachusetts; Strong supporter of independence and assisted Thomas Jefferson in writing the Declaration of Independence (1776); Husband of Abigail Adams
Wentworth Chesswell – African-American Patriot; Like Paul Revere, he made a midnight ride to warn of the British invasion in 1775; Served in the army and fought at the Battle of Saratoga
Mercy Otis Warren – One of the first women to write on political matters during the Revolutionary Era; Wife of a Massachusetts Patriot; wrote several articles supporting independence (1772)
Bernardo de Galvez – A Spanish military leader and governor of Louisiana who led Spanish troops against the British in the Revolutionary War (1781). Galveston, Texas is named after him
Crispus Attucks – First man to die in the American Revolution; killed in the Boston Massacre (1770)
King George III – King of England during the French & Indian War and the American Revolution (1775-1783); Feared that losing the 13 Colonies would cause the British to lose others; led to aggressive stance toward the colonists
Haym Salomon – One of the main financiers (money) of the Continental Army during the American Revolution (1776-1781); Member of the Sons of Liberty
Patrick Henry – Famous for his “Give me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech (1775); spoke out against the Stamp Act (1765); Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses; served in the Continental Army
Thomas Jefferson – Principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776); Member of the Continental Congress
Marquis de Lafayette – French nobleman who paid his own way to America; believed in liberty, freedom and constitutional government; Helped Washington at Valley Forge (1778) and Yorktown (1781)
Thomas Paine – Influential writer; Published “Common Sense” (1776) and “Rights of Man.”
John Paul Jones – Father of the American Navy and Naval hero of the American Revolution; Famous quote: “I have not yet begun to fight!”
