APUSH: Guided Reading Notes Chapter 5 Loyalists government officials devout Anglicans merchants dependent on trade with England

land many religious and ethnic minorities who feared persecution by rebels many slaves believed their chances for liberty were better with British Patriots white Protestant property holders gentry urban artisans Who Thought What? Within the colonies, there was a small group that was for complete independence, and another group who just wanted moderate reforms in the imperial relationship Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition to the Crown in hopes of peace (and this was a year after Lexington & Concord) but the King refused to receive the petition Most of the population hoped the whole thing would blow over Propaganda Those who wanted complete independence were looking for a piece of propaganda to rally more colonists Common Sense, published in January 1776 by Thomas Paine o advocated colonial independence o touted the merits of republicanism over monarchy o in a nation of 2 million people, most of whom were illiterate, it sold more than 100,000 copies in the first 3 months of printing Ideals When the Congress was looking for a rousing statement of its ideals, it commissioned Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence o lists the complaints of the colonies against the Crown o articulates the principle of individual liberty and governments fundamental duty to serve the people Revolution exposed the continuing tension between commitment to liberty and its commitment to slavery. This seems incompatible to us today, but at the time, especially in the South, it didnt at all. British advantages: greatest navy and best-equipped army in world resources of a vast empire coherent structure of command 1

American advantages: fighting on own ground patriots deeply committed to conflict foreign aid (mostly from France) Phases: 1. 1775-76, mostly in New England. British uncertain about whether it was a war. Maybe it was just quashing a rebellion. Ultimately it became clear that England must be prepared to fight a much larger conflict. 2. 1776-78, mid-Atlantic region. Best position for England for victory. More a traditional/conventional war during this phase. British made mistakes, and surrendered at Saratoga turning point. 3. 1778-81, South. Very different from first two. British had new limits on commitment decided to try to enlist loyalists to undermine from within. Thought loyalists were strong in South, but failed to rally support, especially when they encouraged Southern slaves to desert. Treaty of Paris 9/3/1783 (originally agreed to at end of 1782) British and Americans finally settled when Spain and France agreed to stop fighting clear-cut recognition of U.S. independence territory from southern boundary of Canada to northern boundary of Florida, and from Atlantic to Mississippi Remember: the Revolution is political AND social -Impact of War on Native Americans: o both sides urged them to stay neutral o some, including Iroquois, joined British because the devil they knew was better than the devil they didnt o war weakened position Patriot victory led to increased white demand for western lands white attitudes toward tribes worsened fighting still continued on women: o some had to run farms or businesses while men at war o many became impoverished, especially in cities and towns o some became camp followers o first calls for womens rights o Mary Wollstonecraft authored Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792 o concept of Republican Motherhood is formed: additional value placed on the role of women as mothers. Nation was producing a new kind of citizen, steeped in the principles of liberty. Mothers were important instructors for their children, teaching them the virtues the republican citizenry was expected to possess.

on slaves: o some gained freedom by escaping and joining British o increased exposure to concept of liberty on religious minorities: o Catholics improve their position o Anglicans and Quakers lose

State Constitutions Revolution produced state governments with power vested in virtuous landholding white men belief that constitutions should be written power of executive must be limited (but later states realized they went too far and gave some power back) separation of legislature and executive most had bicameral legislatures Massachusetts created the constitutional convention (special assembly of people who met only to draft the constitution) Virginia enacted the Statute of Religious Liberty (written by Thomas Jefferson) to ensure complete separation of church and state slavery survived in all border states and southern states Articles of Confederation formulated in 1777 and sent to states for ratification (ratified in 1781) no national power to tax or regulate trade, draft troops amendments required unanimous consent no separate executive one vote per state failures: o British didnt fully evacuate o limited access to British markets o dispute with Spain over Florida boundary, problems with Mississippi River access successes: o Ordinance of 1785: established grid pattern of surveying and selling new land o Northwest Ordinance (1787): created a single Northwest Territory (that could be later divided into 3, 4, or 5 sections); established minimum population needed to apply for statehood; guaranteed freedom of religion and right to trial by jury in area; forbade slavery in NW Territory. Native Americans o Western land policies were supposed to bring stability but they didnt because much of the land being divided was territory claimed by Native Americans o Battle of Fallen Timbers (1790-1791) (new Constitution in effect) o Treaty of Greenville (1795) (new Constitution in effect)

Shays Rebellion postwar depression 1784-1787 exposed economic weakness of new nation National govt couldnt tax and thus couldnt pay debts (states increased state taxes to pay their debts) Daniel Shays was a farmer (and war vet) in western Massachusetts who rallied others t join him in taking over courthouses so that farms could not be foreclosed upon; since the national govt couldnt act, wealthy merchants paid a local militia to stop Shays and his followers. This rebellion exposed fundamental weaknesses in the govt and strengthened the movement to review the Articles of Confederation