Why the big Break UP?Why the big Break UP?

England believedEngland believed that that parliament parliament represented the colonistsrepresented the colonists. .

The colonists believedThe colonists believed they were they were represented by their own represented by their own representativesrepresentatives. .

No Taxation No Taxation without Representationwithout Representation!!

To make people pay taxes, England gave To make people pay taxes, England gave the governor’s greater power. People the governor’s greater power. People were thrown were thrown in jail for not paying in jail for not paying taxestaxes. .

The Cry went The Cry went out… out…

A United FrontA United Front

Colonists decided they needed a Colonists decided they needed a united united responseresponse to Parliament’s threats. to Parliament’s threats.

11stst Continental Congress Continental Congress In In 17741774 delegates from delegates from

12 colonies met in 12 colonies met in Philadelphia for the Philadelphia for the First First Continental Congress.Continental Congress. To pressure England, they To pressure England, they

pledged to pledged to cut off all cut off all trade with Englandtrade with England. .

They agreed to meet They agreed to meet again again in a yearin a year if the if the situation did not improve. situation did not improve.

One year later…..One year later…..

By the time the By the time the Second Second Continental Continental CongressCongress met in met in 1775, in 1775, in Massachusetts Massachusetts were already were already fightingfighting English English soldiers. soldiers.

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!Death!

Patrick Henry, Patrick Henry, argued for argued for independenceindependence. . He stated, that He stated, that there was no there was no turning back now. turning back now.

COMMON SENSECOMMON SENSE

In 1776, In 1776, Thomas Thomas PainePaine wrote and wrote and published published COMMON SENSECOMMON SENSE. .

He said He said England England belongs to Europe belongs to Europe and America to and America to itself.itself.

The Declaration of The Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

The members of the The members of the Second Continental Second Continental CongressCongress voted for voted for independenceindependence and and appointed a committee to write the appointed a committee to write the Declaration Of IndependenceDeclaration Of Independence. .

Committee MembersCommittee Members

Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams.Adams. Jefferson was asked to do the actual Jefferson was asked to do the actual writing. writing.

Natural Rights Natural Rights John Locke’s influenceJohn Locke’s influence

““We hold these truths to We hold these truths to be self-evident, that be self-evident, that all all men are created men are created equalequal, ,

that they are endowed by that they are endowed by their Creator with certain their Creator with certain unalienable Rightsunalienable Rights that that among these are among these are Life, Life, Liberty, and the Liberty, and the pursuit of Happinesspursuit of Happiness.” .” --

Office of the CitizenOffice of the CitizenThe people The people give give their power to the their power to the

governmentgovernment as long as it protects their as long as it protects their rights.rights.To secure these rights, Governments are To secure these rights, Governments are

instituted among Men, deriving their just powers instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the from the consent of the Governedconsent of the Governed.”.”

If the government abuses this power – they If the government abuses this power – they the people may change it. the people may change it. ““Whenever any form of government Whenever any form of government

becomes destructive of these ends, it is becomes destructive of these ends, it is the the Right of the PeopleRight of the People to alter or to to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new abolish it, and to institute new Government.”Government.”

The Declaration is adoptedThe Declaration is adopted

This Declaration of Independence was This Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. adopted in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.

It proclaimed that “It proclaimed that “these colonies are, and these colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent of Right ought to be Free and Independent States.”States.”

New GovernmentNew Government

Now that the colonies were Now that the colonies were free and free and independentindependent states states, they had to organize , they had to organize their own government. their own government.

A A COMPACTCOMPACT is a is a writtenwritten agreement to agreement to make and obey the laws for the make and obey the laws for the welfare of the groupwelfare of the group..

State ConstitutionsState Constitutions

Each stateEach state created a created a CONSTITUTIONCONSTITUTION – – or plan of or plan of governmentgovernment. . included rights for citizens, limits included rights for citizens, limits

of the government power, and to of the government power, and to protect against tyranny – the # of protect against tyranny – the # of years a governor could hold office.years a governor could hold office.

MontesquieuMontesquieu

Each stateEach state also used also used MONTESQUIEU’MONTESQUIEU’s ideas idea of of separating powers into separating powers into three branchesthree branches. . Legislature was given the Legislature was given the most power because it most power because it most directly represented most directly represented interests of the interests of the citizenscitizens..

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

A plan was drawn up for an alliance of A plan was drawn up for an alliance of independent states in 1777. This compact, independent states in 1777. This compact, known as known as THE ARTICLES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATIONCONFEDERATION

Under the Articles of Under the Articles of ConfederationConfederation

There would be There would be no executive or no executive or judicial branchesjudicial branches of national of national government under the Articles of government under the Articles of Confederation.Confederation.The national legislature – known as The national legislature – known as

CONGRESSCONGRESS – was given power to – was given power to declare wardeclare war, make treaties, and , make treaties, and work out trade agreement between work out trade agreement between states. states.

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

No power to tax or enforce lawsNo power to tax or enforce laws – – this power was only given to states. this power was only given to states.

It neededIt needed RATIFICATIONRATIFICATION (approval) (approval) before it could go into before it could go into effect.effect.

All 13 statesAll 13 states had to had to approveapprove the plan. the plan. It took It took 4 years4 years before the Articles of before the Articles of

Confederation was ratified in Confederation was ratified in 17811781..

THE LIMPING GOVERNMENTTHE LIMPING GOVERNMENT

The Revolutionary The Revolutionary War was won by War was won by General George General George WashingtonWashington and and his troops. his troops. However, the However, the government had government had new challenges to new challenges to face. face.

Debt & TradeDebt & Trade

The colonies had borrowed The colonies had borrowed moneymoney to buy war supplies to buy war supplies to fight for independence. to fight for independence.

Congress could not regulate Congress could not regulate trade. trade.

England England would not allowwould not allow Americans to Americans to tradetrade in the in the British West IndiesBritish West Indies..

Farmers in DebtFarmers in Debt

Many farmers slid into debtMany farmers slid into debt – – because they because they couldn’t sell their couldn’t sell their crops.crops. In addition – to try and pay the In addition – to try and pay the war debts, states had raised taxes. war debts, states had raised taxes.

Farmers Farmers unable tounable to pay taxespay taxes,, or sell or sell their goods – faced losing their farms. their goods – faced losing their farms.

Courts threatened to sell their farms to Courts threatened to sell their farms to raise money to pay their taxes. raise money to pay their taxes.

Shays’ RebellionShays’ Rebellion

In 1786, angry In 1786, angry MA farmers led MA farmers led by a former war by a former war hero hero DANIEL DANIEL SHAYSSHAYS,, stormed stormed into the into the courthouse to courthouse to disrupt business.disrupt business.

Shays’ RebellionShays’ Rebellion

Congress Congress didn’t have powerdidn’t have power to force other to force other states to help put down the uprising because states to help put down the uprising because there was not a strong central government. there was not a strong central government.

MA had to use it’s own MA had to use it’s own state militiastate militia to crush to crush the rebellion.the rebellion.

Stronger GovernmentStronger Government

Many called for a Many called for a stronger national stronger national governmentgovernment that could keep that could keep law law and orderand order and solve the and solve the economic economic problemsproblems that led to Shays that led to Shays Rebellion.Rebellion.