BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC

I. The 13 English Colonies

a. Common Sense – Thomas Paine – encourage colonists to revolt against England

i. Very popular book which caused much debate in America

ii. Reject tyranny and call for natural laws of Enlightenment thinkers

b. Mercantilist policies towards colonies

c. Navigation Acts – regulate commerce and manufacturing (1600’s)

i. Were ignored by colonists

d. Was much discussion of politics in colonies

e. Less distinction between classes

f. Increased sense of separation from England

II. Growing Discontent

a. 1763 – Seven Year’s War (French and Indian War)

i. cost Britain a lot of money – so George III say colonists should pay

ii. keep troops in colonies to protect border

iii. begin enforcing laws that had been ignored

b. Colonists upset at reduction of their rights

i. Since weren’t represented in Parliament, they shouldn’t be taxed

c. Early clashes

i. 1770 Boston Massacre

1. crowd taunt British soldiers, soldiers shoot at crowd

ii. 1773 Boston Tea Party

1. threw tea into harbor to protest tax

iii. Parliament pass laws to punish Boston

1. results in other colonies supporting Boston

d. Fighting begins

i. April 1775 – fighting starts in colonies

ii. Call for Continental Congress

e. Declaring Independence

i. Congress set up Army with Washington at head

ii. Jefferson wrote Declaration of Independence – inspired by Locke

1. right to abolish unjust government

III. American Revolution

a. British had huge army, lots of money and 1/3 colonists stayed Loyal

b. Americans – were small and no money, but control countryside

c. French Alliance

i. 1777 win at Saratoga convince France to join colonists

ii. Netherlands and Spain also join after France

d. Treaty of Paris 1783

i. 1781 – British surrender at Yorktown VA

ii. 1783 – British recognize USA with Mississippi River as border

IV. New Constitution

a. 1787 Constitution made to replace Articles of Confederation

b. Impact of Enlightenment Ideas

i. Influenced by Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu

ii. Government as a Social Contract

iii. Created elective legislature and president instead of monarch

iv. Federal government

1. power split between federal and state governments

v. Separation of powers – Montesquieu

1. legislative, judicial and executive branches

2. provides checks and balances on each other

vi. Bill of Rights

1. recognize basic rights of people

2. government obligated to protect these rights

c. Limited freedom

i. Most people still didn’t have right to vote

1. only white men with property

2. women, blacks, Native Americans excluded

V. Global Impact

a. Most liberal government in world

b. Inspired other nations – constitution would be copied

c. French Revolution in 1789

d. Wave of European revolutions in mid 1800’s