🫡State and Federal Constitutions Unit 2 – Colonial America: Path to Independence

Key Events and Timeline

• 1607 Jamestown, Virginia established as the first permanent English settlement in North America
• 1620 Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts on the Mayflower seeking religious freedom
• 1754-1763 French and Indian War resulted in British victory and acquisition of French territories in North America
  • Treaty of Paris (1763) ended the war and solidified British control over the colonies
• 1765 Stamp Act imposed direct tax on printed materials in the colonies, sparking widespread protests
  • Stamp Act Congress convened to coordinate colonial response and petition against the act
• 1770 Boston Massacre heightened tensions between colonists and British soldiers stationed in the colonies
• 1773 Tea Act led to the Boston Tea Party, where colonists dumped British tea into the harbor in protest
• 1774 Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts) punished Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party and closed the port of Boston
  • First Continental Congress convened to coordinate colonial response to the Intolerable Acts
• 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War
• 1776 Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence, formally declaring the colonies' separation from Great Britain

Colonial Governance Structures

• Colonial charters granted by the British monarchy established the legal framework for colonial governance
• Royal colonies (Virginia, New York) were directly controlled by the British crown through appointed governors
• Proprietary colonies (Pennsylvania, Maryland) were governed by individuals or groups granted land by the British crown
• Charter colonies (Massachusetts, Connecticut) had more autonomy and elected their own governors and assemblies
• Colonial legislatures, such as the Virginia House of Burgesses, represented colonial interests and passed local laws
  • Bicameral legislatures consisted of an upper house appointed by the governor and a lower house elected by property-owning males
• Colonial governors, appointed by the British crown or proprietors, held executive power and could veto legislation
• Colonial courts administered justice based on English common law and colonial statutes
• Town meetings in New England colonies allowed for direct participation in local governance

British Policies and Colonial Reactions

• Mercantilism shaped British economic policies, aiming to maximize wealth through favorable trade balances and colonial control
• Navigation Acts (1651-1733) restricted colonial trade to benefit British merchants and manufacturers
  • Required goods to be shipped on British ships and certain commodities (tobacco, sugar) to be sold only to Britain
• Proclamation of 1763 prohibited colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains to maintain peace with Native Americans
• Sugar Act (1764) reduced the tax on molasses but increased enforcement, affecting the colonial rum industry
• Currency Act (1764) restricted colonial ability to print paper money, limiting economic flexibility
• Quartering Act (1765) required colonies to provide housing and supplies for British soldiers
• Declaratory Act (1766) asserted British Parliament's authority to legislate for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever"
• Townshend Acts (1767) placed duties on imported goods (glass, lead, paper, tea) and established the American Customs Board
• Colonists responded with protests, boycotts, and petitions arguing against taxation without representation in British Parliament
  • "No taxation without representation" became a rallying cry for colonial resistance

Economic Factors and Trade Relations

• Mercantilism dominated British-colonial economic relations, with the colonies providing raw materials and markets for British goods
• Colonial industries included agriculture (tobacco, rice, indigo), fishing, shipbuilding, and rum production
  • Triangular Trade connected the colonies, Africa, and the Caribbean through the exchange of goods and enslaved people
• British trade regulations (Navigation Acts) restricted colonial trade with other nations to protect British economic interests
• Colonies lacked representation in British Parliament, leading to grievances over taxes and regulations imposed without their consent
• Growing colonial population and economic development increased desire for greater autonomy in trade and governance
• Colonial merchants and planters sought access to global markets and resisted British attempts to monopolize trade
• Boycotts of British goods, such as the Non-Importation Agreements (1765-1770), demonstrated colonial economic leverage
• Economic disputes, including opposition to British taxes (Stamp Act, Townshend Acts), fueled political tensions and resistance

Ideological Influences and Enlightenment Thought

• Enlightenment ideas emphasizing reason, individual rights, and limited government influenced colonial political thought
• John Locke's Two Treatises of Government (1689) argued for natural rights (life, liberty, property) and the social contract theory
  • Locke's ideas justified resistance against tyrannical rule and influenced the Declaration of Independence
• Montesquieu's The Spirit of Laws (1748) advocated for the separation of powers in government to prevent despotism
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Social Contract (1762) emphasized popular sovereignty and the general will of the people
• Thomas Paine's Common Sense (1776) challenged monarchical rule and argued for American independence
• Colonial leaders, such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, were well-versed in Enlightenment political philosophy
• Enlightenment ideas spread through colonial newspapers, pamphlets, and discussions in social spaces (coffeehouses, taverns)
• Great Awakening, a religious revival movement, emphasized individual spiritual authority and challenged traditional hierarchies
  • Contributed to a sense of shared colonial identity and resistance to centralized control

Revolutionary Leaders and Their Roles

• Samuel Adams organized the Sons of Liberty in Boston to protest British policies and coordinate resistance
  • Played a key role in the Boston Tea Party and advocated for independence
• John Adams served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and argued for colonial rights and independence
  • Later became the second President of the United States
• Benjamin Franklin, a prominent Enlightenment thinker, served as a colonial agent in London and advocated for colonial interests
  • Helped draft the Declaration of Independence and negotiate the Treaty of Paris (1783)
• Patrick Henry delivered fiery speeches, including "Give me liberty, or give me death!" to inspire colonial resistance
• Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, articulating the colonies' grievances and justifying revolution
  • Later served as the third President of the United States
• George Washington, a respected military leader, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army
  • Led the colonial forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War and became the first U.S. President
• John Hancock, a wealthy Boston merchant, served as President of the Second Continental Congress
  • His prominent signature on the Declaration of Independence became a symbol of American defiance

Path to the Declaration of Independence

• Mounting tensions and conflicts between the colonies and Great Britain led to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
• Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 1775) marked the beginning of armed conflict between colonial militias and British troops
• Second Continental Congress convened in May 1775 to manage colonial war effort and coordinate resistance
  • Appointed George Washington as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army
• Olive Branch Petition (July 1775) sought reconciliation with Great Britain, but King George III rejected the appeal
• Thomas Paine's Common Sense (January 1776) argued for independence and challenged the legitimacy of British rule
• Richard Henry Lee's resolution (June 1776) declared the colonies' independence from Great Britain
• Committee of Five, including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, drafted the Declaration of Independence
• Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, formally declared the colonies' separation from Great Britain
  • Outlined colonial grievances against King George III and asserted the colonies' right to self-governance
• Declaration's principles, including "unalienable rights" and "consent of the governed," laid the foundation for American political thought

Constitutional Foundations and Legacy

• Declaration of Independence established the philosophical basis for American self-governance and individual rights
• Articles of Confederation (1777-1781) served as the first governing document of the United States
  • Created a loose confederation of states with a weak central government
• Constitutional Convention (1787) convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
  • Delegates, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, drafted the U.S. Constitution
• Federalist Papers, written by Madison, Hamilton, and John Jay, advocated for the ratification of the Constitution
• U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, established a federal system of government with checks and balances
  • Bill of Rights (1791) added ten amendments protecting individual liberties and limiting government power
• Constitution's separation of powers, federalism, and protection of individual rights reflected Enlightenment ideals
• American Revolution and the U.S. Constitution inspired later democratic revolutions and constitutional governments worldwide
• Constitutional principles, such as the rule of law and limited government, continue to shape American political discourse
• Ongoing debates over the scope of federal power and the balance between individual rights and collective interests trace back to the Constitution's founding principles