American Revolution

http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road.html

United States

Purpose for fighting

Poorly trained Military

Lack of money

Home Field advantage

Weak leadership until George Washington

Great Britain

Strongest Navy and Army in the world

Superior leadership

No allied support

Home across the ocean

Had to supply own materials and supplies

1500-1700’s- America was broken and settled by the French, British, and Spanish

Colonies were mostly British

1754- French and Indian War

The French will give the Great Lakes area to the British

The British will have the area from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River

Will end with the Treaty of Paris

The British Government felt that the colonist should help pay for

the war costs

King George III

1760- 1820

King of Great Britain and Ireland

Son of Fredrick, Prince of Wales

Acts and Taxes

To help pay for the war the colonist were given taxes and acts

Sugar Act

1764

Taxed Sugar and other Imports

Stamp Act

1765

Taxed anything printed

“ No taxation without representation”

Loyalties divided among the colonist

Patriots- wanted independence from Great Britain and were willing to fight for it

Loyalists- opposed independence and wanted to stay part of Britain

Boston Tea Party

1773

East India Tea Company

Only place Colonist can buy the tea

Monopoly

Sons of Liberty dress up as Native Americans and dump the tea into the harbor

Dumping the tea off the side of the ships

Intolerable Act

1774

Numerous acts and taxes passed by Parliament

Was in response to the Boston Tea Party

King George wanted to punish the colonist

Will infringe upon the civil liberties of the colonist

1775

British troops marched to take over arsenals

Lexington and Concord

Capture leaders of the Sons of Liberty

Patriots are waiting for them

First shots fired

Declaration of Independence

Write a letter to King George III

Representatives of the colonies meet

Reasons why they revolted

List of grievances against the King

Written by Thomas Jefferson

Influenced by John Locke

Natural Law

“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”

Signed July 4,1776

Battle of Saratoga

October 1777

Turning point of the war

France enters the war as the U.S ally

Battle of Yorktown

1781

Last battle of the Revolutionary War

Treaty of Paris

1783

Benjamin Franklin negotiates peace

Americans gain more territory

Articles of Confederation

1777

Founding fathers met to establish

1st form of government in the United States

Weak-Americans feared a strong central government

Like England's

Wanted to ensure individual rights and freedoms

States have more power

National government couldn’t do anything for the good of the nation as a whole

Constitutional Convention

May 1787

State delegates meet to “revise” the Articles of Confederation

Writes a whole new Constitution

United States federal system of government

Idea of Hobbes, Locke, and Montesquieu

3 Branches of Government

Executive

President

Enforces laws

Legislative

Congress

Makes laws

Two houses

House of Representatives

Senate

Judicial

Supreme court

Interprets laws

Check and Balances

Bill of Rights First 10 amendments of the Constitution

Protects Civil liberties