🇺🇸AP US History Unit 3 – Conflict and American Independence, 1754–1800

Key Events and Timeline

• French and Indian War (1754-1763) marked the beginning of tensions between the British and the American colonies
• Stamp Act (1765) imposed a direct tax on the colonies, leading to widespread protests and the slogan "No taxation without representation"
• Boston Massacre (1770) escalated tensions when British soldiers fired upon a mob, killing five colonists
• Boston Tea Party (1773) saw American patriots dump British tea into the harbor in protest of the Tea Act
• First Continental Congress (1774) convened to coordinate a response to the Intolerable Acts
  • Delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia
  • Issued a Declaration of Rights and Grievances
• Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) marked the beginning of armed conflict between the colonies and Great Britain
• Second Continental Congress (1775) managed colonial war effort and moved towards independence
• Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) formally declared the United States as an independent nation
• Treaty of Paris (1783) officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence

Causes of Conflict

• Diverging interests between the colonies and Great Britain, particularly regarding taxation and representation
• British attempts to assert greater control over the colonies following the French and Indian War
  • Proclamation Line of 1763 restricted westward expansion
  • Sugar Act (1764) and Stamp Act (1765) imposed new taxes without colonial consent
• Growing sense of American identity and desire for self-governance
• Enlightenment ideas of natural rights, liberty, and self-determination influenced colonial thinking
• Economic disputes, such as the Navigation Acts, which limited colonial trade
• Cultural differences between the colonies and the mother country
• Lack of colonial representation in British Parliament
• British military presence in the colonies, which was seen as a threat to liberty

Major Figures and Their Roles

• George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and first U.S. President
  • Led the colonial forces to victory against the British
  • Played a crucial role in shaping the new nation
• Benjamin Franklin, prominent Founding Father and diplomat
  • Helped draft the Declaration of Independence
  • Negotiated the Treaty of Paris to end the war
• Thomas Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration of Independence and third U.S. President
• John Adams, advocate for independence and second U.S. President
• Samuel Adams, organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence
• Thomas Paine, author of "Common Sense," which argued for American independence
• King George III, British monarch during the American Revolution
  • His policies and actions contributed to the growing rift between the colonies and Great Britain
• Lord North, British Prime Minister during much of the American Revolution

Revolutionary Ideas and Philosophies

• Enlightenment thinkers, such as John Locke, influenced the Founding Fathers with ideas of natural rights, social contract theory, and the right to revolt against tyranny
• The concept of republicanism, which emphasized liberty, civic virtue, and opposition to corruption, gained popularity
• Classical liberalism, which advocated for individual rights, limited government, and free markets, shaped the American political system
• The notion of popular sovereignty, the idea that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of the people, was central to the American cause
• The principle of separation of powers, as advocated by Montesquieu, influenced the structure of the U.S. government
• The idea of checks and balances, which prevents any one branch of government from becoming too powerful, was incorporated into the U.S. Constitution
• The concept of federalism, which divides power between a central government and smaller political units (states), became a key feature of the American political system

Military Strategies and Battles

• Guerrilla warfare tactics employed by the colonists, taking advantage of their knowledge of the terrain
• British strategy focused on capturing major cities and dividing the colonies
• Battle of Bunker Hill (1775) demonstrated the colonists' resolve and ability to inflict heavy casualties
• Battle of Saratoga (1777) was a turning point, as the American victory convinced France to ally with the colonies
  • This battle is considered one of the most important in the war
  • British General John Burgoyne surrendered his entire army to American forces
• Valley Forge (1777-1778) tested the endurance and resilience of the Continental Army
• Siege of Yorktown (1781) was the final major battle of the war, leading to the British surrender
• French military support, particularly the French Navy, played a crucial role in the American victory
• Spanish and Dutch support, through financing and naval assistance, also contributed to the American cause

Political Developments

• Olive Branch Petition (1775) was a final attempt at reconciliation with Great Britain
• Common Sense (1776), a pamphlet by Thomas Paine, argued for American independence and republicanism
• Declaration of Independence (1776) formally severed ties with Great Britain and declared the United States as an independent nation
  • Asserted the principles of natural rights and the right to revolt against tyranny
  • Influenced by Enlightenment ideas and the concept of popular sovereignty
• Articles of Confederation (1777) established the first national government of the United States
  • Created a loose confederation of states with a weak central government
  • Revealed the need for a stronger federal government
• Constitution of the United States (1787) replaced the Articles of Confederation and established a stronger federal government
  • Created a system of checks and balances and separation of powers
  • Ratified in 1788 after a series of debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists
• Bill of Rights (1791) added ten amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing individual rights and limiting federal power

Social and Economic Impact

• Disruption of trade and commerce during the war led to economic hardship
• Inflation and debt plagued the new nation, as the Continental Congress printed money to finance the war effort
• Social divisions emerged between Patriots, Loyalists, and those who remained neutral
  • Loyalists, who remained faithful to the British Crown, often faced persecution and property confiscation
  • Many Loyalists emigrated to other parts of the British Empire after the war
• Women played important roles in the revolution, including boycotting British goods, managing farms and businesses, and serving as spies and messengers
• Slavery and the status of African Americans remained largely unchanged, despite the revolutionary ideals of liberty and equality
  • Some slaves fought for the British in exchange for promised freedom
  • Others, like Crispus Attucks, fought for the American cause
• Native Americans were divided, with some tribes allying with the British and others with the colonies
  • The Iroquois Confederacy split, with the Oneida and Tuscarora siding with the Americans and the Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, and Cayuga allying with the British

Legacy and Significance

• The American Revolution inspired other colonial and independence movements around the world
  • French Revolution (1789) was influenced by American revolutionary ideals
  • Latin American independence movements in the early 19th century drew inspiration from the American Revolution
• The U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights became models for other nations seeking to establish representative governments and protect individual liberties
• The revolution led to the creation of a new nation founded on the principles of liberty, equality, and self-governance
• The American political system, based on federalism, separation of powers, and checks and balances, has endured for over two centuries
• The revolution and its ideals continue to shape American identity and political discourse
• The legacy of the revolution is complex, as the nation struggled to live up to its founding principles, particularly regarding slavery and the treatment of Native Americans
• The American Revolution remains a defining moment in world history, marking the birth of a new nation and the spread of democratic ideals