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The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was an unorganized but widespread movement of evangelical Christian sermons and church meetings. It changed religious, social, and political life in the colonies. Jonathan Edwards was one of the most important leaders of the Great Awakening. Edwards's dramatic sermons emphasized that sinners must ask forgiveness of their sins or face eternal punishment. In 1738, British minister George Whitefield came to America and began a series of revivals in Georgia and Virginia. -
The Great Awakening (cont.)
The ministers of the Great Awakening preached that salvation could only be gained through the acceptance of God's grace and the confession of sins. Edwards and other ministers of the Great Awakening preached that all people, regardless of their social status, were born sinners. Charles Chauncy did not believe that the enthusiasm of the Great Awakening could truly awaken one's spirituality. Presbyterian minister Gilbert Tennent, a leader of the evangelical movement, published a pamphlet called -
The Great Awakening (cont. 3)
The colonists began to question the British authority. The Great Awakening took place during the 1730s and 1740s. This movement started because in the early 1700s, many church leaders feared that many colonists' dedication to their religion was declining and that the religious commitment of previous generations had been lost. Therefore, ministers tried to renew their enthusiasm with revivals. The Great Awakening took place in the colonies from Georgia to the New England colonies. -
The Great Awakening (cont. 2)
The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry. The Great Awakening was important because many women sought spiritual renewal around the time of childbirth, when their lives were often at risk. Some African Americans, both free and enslaved, found the Great Awakening's message of acceptance and spiritual equality appealing. It also affected colonial politics. There was more communication between different colonies. It helped bring equality between different races and people from different places. -
The French and Indian War
In 1763, Britain and France signed the Treaty of Paris. Beginning in the late 1600s, France and England fought to become the dominant European and colonial power in a series of wars in Europe and America. Benjamin Franklin wrote the Albany Plan of Union, which called for the colonies to unite for the first rime under a president, general, and a grand council. However, this was rejected because the colonial governments did not want to give up their individual authority. -
The French and Indian War (cont.)
The French drove off the British troops and built Fort Duquesne on the site. The fighting at Fort Necessity was the first battle of the French and Indian War. General Edward Braddock decided to attack Fort Duquesne and were ambushed by French and American Indian troops. The turning point came when British General James Wolfe prepared a daring attack on Quebec, the capital of French Canada. The warring countries signed the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the war. -
The French and Indian War (cont. 2)
The colonists kept moving west and the British helped them. This war led to the Proclamation of 1763, the Quartering Act, and the British running out of money. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was important because it banned any further British colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, creating a dividing line between colonial and Indian lands. It was also important because it avoided loss of life. Pontiac's Rebellion caused a great concern in the British government. Leaders feared that more fighting would occur if colonists continued to move onto Indian lands. This proclamaton created a dividing line between colonial and Indian lands and ordered -
Proclamation of 1763 (cont.)
colonists who already moved to the upper Ohio River valley "to remove themselves from such settlements". Many colonists hated the Proclamation of 1763. Some felt that Britain should allow the colonies to expand rapidly following France's defeat. This proclamation never ended. It did lead to the expansion of the colonies since the colonists hated and forgot it. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was important because it helped in paying off the debt from the French and Indian War. Parliament had a large amount of debt from the French and Indian War. Therefore, Parliament decided to raise money by taxing the colonists. The colonists were getting taxed on molasses and sugar imported. James Otis discussed the issue of unfair taxation. The colonists planned a boycott and adopted the ideas of James Otis and Samuel Adams and the slogan -
Sugar Act (cont.)
"No taxation without representation" could be heard. There was also smuggling going on. The colonists joined in on the boycott and hoped British officials would end the new taxes. The Sugar Act led to the Stamp Act. -
Stamp Act (cont.)
Liberty. The Stamp Act ended because colonists protested against it and delegates from nine colonies asked to repeal it. This led to the Declaratory Act, which stated Parliament had authority to make laws for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever". -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was important because it was a good alternative to the Sugar Act. This new act required colonists to pay for an official stamp, or seal, whenever they bought paper items. In early 1765, Prime Minister Grenville heard complaints about the Sugar Act. He then asked the colonists for a better plan for paying off the military expenses. The colonists did not like it and began protesting the Stamp Act almost immediately. From these protests, they formed secret societies called the Sons of -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were important because the Crown used the revenue from these duties to pay for the military expenses and salaries of colonial governors. The repeal of the Stamp Act did not resolve the strong disagreements between Parliament and the colonies. The colonists again did not like the Townshend Acts. Women played a key role in boycotts and were called the Daughters of Liberty. The colonists responded with a large-scale boycott of British goods. -
Townshend Acts (cont.)
Colonists along with colonial legislatures protested against it, ending the Townshend Acts. This was followed by the Boston Massacre. -
Boston Massacre (cont.)
A trial was held that helped prevent further violence. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was important because it not only got the king's attention, but it also turned the favor into the Sons of Liberty. Bostonians saw the presence of British troops as a threat by the British government against critics in Massachusetts. This massacre started when a British sentry standing guard got into an argument with a civilian and struck him. Many people were killed and Josiah Quincy and John Adams agreed to defend the soldiers. The colonists rioted and eventually five died. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was important because it could generate more tax revenue and help the British East India Company pay its debts. Parliament repealed the Townshend Acts to reduce further tension in the colonies, but kept the tax on tea. Three ships loaded with British tea arrived in Boston Harbor. The Sons of Liberty demanded the ships leave without unloading. When they refused to do so, a group of colonists disguised as Indians got onto the ships and dumped 90,000 pounds of tea. -
Tea Act (cont.)
Merchants and smugglers opposed it out of fear that the British East India Company's cheap tea would put them out of business. Colonists were concerned if the British East India's Company gained a monopoly on tea trade, other British companies would follow and threaten businesses. The Tea Act ended because colonists united to oppose it and dumped the tea into Boston Harbor and led to the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was important because it showed that colonists did not to have the Tea Act. The colonists opposed the Tea Act. Therefore, colonists disguised as Indians got onto the British ships and dumped all of the 90,000 pounds of tea. This event ended because colonists headed home to remove their disguises. -
Intolerable Acts (cont.)
General Thomas Gage replaced Thomas Hutchinson as governor of Massachusetts. The British hoped these steps would restore royal authority in the colonies by making an example in Massachusetts. The colonists wrote pamphlets, editorials, and plays to criticize the British government's actions. This led to the repeal of the Intolerable Acts in 1778. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were important because it was a punishment for the Boston Tea Party and these four laws kept the colonists civil and under control and make them pay for the cost of the destroyed tea. Lord North, the new British prime minister, heard of the Boston Tea Party and was furious. As punishment, Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts. Mercy Otis Warren wrote critical essays, poems, and plays to criticize the British government's actions. -
Battle of Lexington/Concord (cont. 2)
The badly outnumbered colonists had suffered eight dead and ten wounded. In the Battle of Concord, by the time the British reached Boston, they suffered more than 250 casualties. The Battle of Lexington and Concord ended because the colonists and British fought in both battles. The British won at Lexington while the colonists prevailed at Concord. These battles led to the Second Continental Congress. -
Battle of Lexington/Concord
The Battle of Lexington was important because it was the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Concord was important because it was a victory for the colonists and they pushed the British back. Paul Revere and William Dawes received word that the British were crossing the Charles River to march toward Concord. They rode through the countryside, warning the Minutemen that "The British are coming!". Fewer than 70 Minutemen met a much larger force of British troops at Lexington -
Battle of Lexington/Concord (cont.)
village green, near Concord. Two sides stared at each other for several moments. The British then marched onto Concord. They did not find many weapons because the colonists had already hidden them elsewhere. In anger, some British troops set fire to few buildings. As the British retreated back to Boston, the Minutemen fired upon them from behind trees and buildings. In the Battle of Lexington, a shot could be "heard 'round the world" then the fight began. The battle was over in minutes. -
Battle of Bunker Hill (cont.)
Since they were climbing the exposed hillside with heavy packs, the Redcoats were cut down. The British retreated twice. They marched back up the hill for a third attempt. The colonists were now out of ammunition. The colonists and British were fighting each other. This battle ended because the Americans retreated. For the British, it was a tragic victory. They suffered more than 1,000 casualties, which was about the double the number of American losses. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was important because it proved that the colonists could take on the British. Leaders in Boston authorized Benedict Arnold to raise a force of 400 men to attack the British at Fort Ticonderoga. On May 10, 1775, the Patriots took the fort and supply of weapons. The Minutemen kept the British inside Boston. Colonial forces had dug in at Breed's Hill. As a British force of 2,400 advanced, 1,600 Americans waited. Finally, the colonists rained down their fire on attackers. -
Common Sense
Common Sense was important because it was a 47-page pamphlet that urged separation from Great Britain. "There is something very absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island." This argument against British rule over America caused the and appeared in Common Sense. It was published anonymously. The author, Thomas Paine, argued that citizens, not kings and queens, should make laws. News of the work spread throughout the colonies, eventually selling some 500,000 copies. -
Common Sense (cont.)
Paine reached a wide audience. It changed the way many colonists viewed their king. It made a strong case for economic freedom and the right to military self-defense. It cried out against tyranny. Common Sense never ended, but it led to the Declaration of Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence has close to 1,400 words in total. There are 400 words divided at the beginning and end, which deal with the principals and beliefs. The remaining 1,000 words are in the middle, which outlines over 25 abuses by King George III. There are six basic components in this document. The first component is the introduction, which explains why it was written. The Declaration of Independence was written because we were declaring independence from England and we were -
Declaration of Independence (cont.)
separating from England. The second component is the self-evident truths. The truths are that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. All men are created equal means that everyone should have the same rights. Unalienable rights mean that they are rights that cannot be taken away. Life means to be alive. Liberty means justice and freedom. -
Declaration of Indpendence (cont. 2)
The pursuit of Happiness means we have the freedom to use our gifts and talents to satisfy and benefit ourselves and other people. The third component is the purposes of government. Governments are established because they give us safety, give us our rights, and to ensure there is no chaos. The government gets its power from the people. The fourth component is the reasons for altering or abolishing the government. -
Declaration of Independence (cont. 3)
People can give the government power, get rid of it, rebel, alter or change it, and abolish it if there are abuses and usurpations. People can do so because if the government is corrupted, they have their rights to overthrow it. The fifth component is the list of grievences. There are 1,000 words and over 25 abuses stated. Some of the general categories of grievences are abusing laws, legislators, military, trade, taxes, court systems, and destruction of people. -
Declaration of Independence (cont. 4)
The sixth and final component is the rights of the soverign states. Three rights are all political connections with England have dissolved, colonies are free and independent states, and they have all the rights of other independent states. The importance is that each state is viewed as a separate soverign nation state like England, France, Spain with the same powers. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was important because it resulted in a major defeat of British troops and marked the Patriots' greatest victory up to that point in the war. The two quick defeats stung the British, so they wanted a victory. British General John Burgoyne came up with a plan to push through New York, capture the Hudson River valley, and cut off New England from the other colonies. He took Ticonderoga and headed towards Albany. Unknown to Burgoyne, General Howe had his own plans. -
Battle of Saratoga (cont.)
He left New York, sailed up Chesapeake Bay, and captured the colonial capital of Philadelphia. The Patriots chopped down large trees and dammed rivers to create obstacles for Burgoyne and his army. All along the route, militiamen swarmed out of nowhere to attack the Redcoats. As Burgoyne neared Saratoga, New York, he was alone and outnumbered. Fighting broke out near Saratoga and the Americans scored a major victory. Patriot General Horatio Gates crushed British attempts to advance. -
Battle of Saratoga (cont. 2)
Benedict Arnold led a bold charge that forced the British to retreat. Burgoyne was surrounded and surrendered. The colonists were glad that they defeated British and could have independence. The British were disappointed they lost to the Patriots. This battle ended because American forces defeated the British. It led to the Americans getting their independence from the British. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was important because it was the site of British General Charles Cornwallis's surrender to the Patriots in Virginia. The Continental Army began harassing Cornwallis in the Carolinas. Hoping to stay in communication with the British naval fleet, Cornwallis moved his force of 7,200 men to Yorktown, Virginia. General George Washington, in New York, saw a chance to trap Cornwallis at Yorktown. He ordered Lafayette to block Cornwallis's escape by land. -
Battle of Yorktown (cont.)
Washington led the combined French-American force on a swift march to Virginia to cut off other escape routes. The Patriots surrounded Cornwallis with 16,000 soldiers. Meanwhile, French naval fleet seized control of Chesapeake Bay, preventing the British ships from rescuing Cornwallis's stranded army. Fighting steadily wore down the British defenses. Washington prepared for a major attack on the weakened British troops. Facing near-certain defeat, Cornwallis sent a drummer and a soldier with a -
Battle of Yorktown (cont. 2)
white flag of surrender to Washington's camp. The colonists were joyful and excited to say it's all over since they defeated the British. The British were disappointed since they were almost defeated and had to surrender. This battle ended because the British surrendered to the American forces. It led to the end of the American Revolution. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was important because it officially ended the Revolutionary War and established British recognition of the independence of the United States. After Yorktown, only a few small battles took place. Lacking the money to pay for a new army, Great Britain entered into peace talks with America. The treaty set America's borders. British leaders also accepted American rights to settle and trade west of the original thirteen colonies. -
Treaty of Paris (cont.)
The colonists were thrilled that the war was over and that they now had rights to trade and settle west of the original thirteen colonies. Great Britain had to recognize the independence of the United States and made peace with them. The Treaty of Paris never ended. It led to the official end of the Revolutionary War and the United States being independent from Great Britain.
