Road to Independence:

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French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War)

          The British and French were trying to claim the same area in North America. The French explored the interior of the country and built forts to protect their claimed lands. While the English colonies built homes, farms and townships. France and its colonies claimed the area west the Appalachian Mtns to the Rocky Mtns. Although the French and English had been carrying on war in Europe off and on for many years, this War originally began in 1754, in the North American colonies.  This war then carried over to Europe.

          Delegates of the northern colonies met and established an organization, which enabled them to form a league with the Iroquois Indians. Ben Franklin offered a suggestion, which would have created a new governing body for the colonies. THE ALBANY PLAN OF UNION was presented as a way of uniting the colonies in order to develop a stronger base of common defense and other advantages brought about due to alliances. This Union would be loyal to the King and Queen of England and be headed a representative selected by the King. Delegates to the meeting accepted the plan, while the colonists, as a whole did not want to give that much power to a central government.

          The war in the colonies was fought by British troops and MILITIA (armed civilians who serve as soldiers in emergencies). The British raise taxes and borrows money in order to provide a strong military, which will protect and support the great British Empire. With the capture of Quebec, the British and colonies defeat the French and their allies, Spain. The French and Indian War is ended with the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty of 1763.

                    Results of Treaty: France gives up claims to lands east of Mississippi River

Canada is given to England New Orleans is given to Spain, as well as exchanging Florida for Cuba

 

ISSUES BEHIND THE REVOLUTION   

          With the war being over, the colonies saw no reason they could not, explore and claim the newly acquired lands east of the Mississippi. The British’s approach to dealings with the Native Americans was quite different than the French. Showing no respect to the Indians, the leader of the British forces stopped the flow of supplies and trade goods. This led to the uniting of tribes, which led to an Indian uprising in 1763, known as Pontiac’s Rebellion. The Indians destroyed many ports and forts, and wanting peace the British signed peace treaties with the Indians. In order to provide for the continued peace, the British government issued a proclamation, which called for the end to western expansion and exploration. Known as the PROCLAMATION OF 1763, this order was not taken well by the colonists, who continued to expand western and thus weaken the power of the English over the colonies.

EVENTS WHICH LEAD TO THE REVOLUTION:

                    PROCLAMATION OF 1763

                    SUGAR ACT AND QUARTERING ACT

                    STAMP ACT

                             STAMP ACT CONGRESS

                             DECLARATORY ACT

                    TOWNSEND ACT

                             TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

                             BOSTON MASSACRE

                    TEA ACT

                             BOSTON TEA PARTY

                    INTOLERABLE ACTS

                             FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

                    PAUL REVERE, WILLIAM DAWES, AND DR. SAMUEL PRESCOTT

                    RIDE TO WARN MILITIA OF LEXINGTON AND CONCORD.

LEXINGTON AND CONCORD SKIRMISHES ARE SUCCESSFUL FOR BRITISH, HOWEVER, THE RETURN TRIP TO BOSTON WAS FATEFUL MANY OF THE 700 SOLDIERS WERE WOUNDED OR KILLED BY THE COLONISTS AS THEY HID BEHIND TREES AND SUCH. 

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IDEAS BEHIND THE REVOLUTION

          The thoughts of revolution were now on two levels: the battlefield and the expression of ideas of freedom. Colonists were now beginning to talk out about the relationship between a government and its citizens. Thomas Paine and his pamphlet “Common Sense” provided the colonies with an easy to read and understandable commentary on the conflict between England and the citizens of the colonies. This newspaper was written in such a manner as to provide all levels of educated men the opportunity to read and understand the aspect of the conflicts.

          THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS was meeting in Philadelphia in May of 1775. Those in attendance included many of those who were present at the 1st Continental Congress. The purpose was to come to some sort of compromise with Britain regarding colonial self-rule or government. The delegates sent the OLIVE BRANCH PETITION to King George the 3rd of England. These delegates included the following important individuals: Ben Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

A committee was created to prepare a statement of reasons for separation these included

          Ben Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman,  Robert Livingston. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence.

One aspect of this document included the philosophy of John Locke.  NATURAL RIGHTS

Were given to man simply because he is man, not because some king or government gave him certain rights. According to Locke, people formed governments to protect their natural rights.

Parts of the Declaration:

1.                 The introduction or preamble stated the purpose of the Declaration.

2.                 Based on Locke’s theory of Natural Rights, Jefferson stated the belief behind the purpose of the correspondence.

3.                 List of the wrongs committed by the King of England against the Colonies.

4.                 Conclusion, which provides for the naming of the United Colonies or as we know it today, the United States of America.

Declaration is adopted, but is not all inclusive of the population of the Colonies. Women, slaves, non land owners, and Indians were not considered for coverage of this document. Abigail Adams sent a letter to her husband requesting that the women not be forgotten or a rebellion would be started by the wives and women of the colonies. She also suggested that the women could not be held to a document with which they had had no representation in compiling.

                    END OF SECTION 3 OF CHAPTER 4

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