EOC

• Columbian Exchange


  Old World meets New World
• Jamestown (1st permanent English settlement). Tobacco saves the day!

  1607
• Not everyone came seeking religious freedom.
• Triangular trade


  Goods AND people traded between Europe, Africa & colonies
• Middle passage

  Slaves brought from Africa to "New World" over the Atlantic
• Period of salutary neglect

  England didn't closely govern colonies & colonies grew in their own government
• New England

  • Fishing, shipbuilding, steel/iron, very religious (Puritans) & settled here for religious freedom (but not tolerant of other religions)
• Pilgrims arrive on Mayflower. Sign Mayflower Compact (agreement to live under a written social contract…precursor to a constitutional type government)


  1620
• John Winthrop: '"City on a Hill" -> example of exceptionalism'
• Mid-Atlantic

  • Quakers. Key city: Philadelphia. More religious toleration, more diverse, shipbuilding, larger family farmers, bread basket
• Southern

  • Large plantations and dependent on slavery. Some religious toleration. Slow growth of cities.
• French & Indian War

  Left England in lots of debt and Proclamation of 1763 issued -> colonists angry can't settle past Appalachian Mtns & king wants to start taxing American colonists more
• Acts

  • Sugar Act
  • Stamp Act
  • Declaratory Act
  • Townshend Acts
  • Tea Act
  • Intolerable Acts
• Colonists resist taxation without representation
• Boston Massacre occurs - used as propaganda to drum up support amongst colonies


  1770
• Boston Tea Party


  1773
• Sons of Liberty & Daughters of Liberty


  Instrumental in organizing resistance
• First Continental Congress (decide how to move forward with/against Britain)


  1774
• First fighting of revolutionary war breaks out @ Lexington & Concord


  1775
• Second Continental Congress (form an army! George Washington leads)


  1775
• Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense – we should be independent!


  1776
• There was an English tradition of constitutional government & parliament being greater than king. Colonists were fighting for rights they believed they should have had as English citizens.
• Declaration of Independence (announce separation from England)

  1776
• Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness

  An echo of John Locke "life, liberty & property"
• Articles of Confederation

  First governing system. It had a weak central (national/federal) government. Federal government could not tax (only states). Each state one vote. No executive branch. Had to be unanimous to amend.
• Friends with France during the revolutionary war! Huge help to winning the war
• Reasons that the Constitution was selected over the Articles of Confederation

  We need stronger central government! (Remember: Shays Rebellion occurs – more evidence that government needs more power. Had no ability to put down rebellions)
• Congress meets in Philadelphia to address weakness of Articles of Confederation (This is the 'Constitutional Congress')


  1787
• Congress debates Virginia plan v. New Jersey Plan. Virginia plan mostly wins out.
• Constitution

  New document that sets up how government is actually going to be set up & work
• Preamble: '"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice…"'
• Republic

  Representative government
• Separation of powers

  • 3 branches = executive, legislative, and judicial branches each operate separately (have checks and balances so that one branch does not gain too much power)
• Two houses

  • House of Representatives & Senate that have different forms of representation (Senate 2 per state. House based on population of state) [Great Compromise]
• 3/5 Compromise

  Slaves counted as 3/5 person in terms of population totals for representation in Congress
• Electoral college

  System set up for presidential elections
• Federalist Papers

  Written by Hamilton, Madison & John Jay. Promoting the ratification of the Constitution (needed 9/13 states to ratify to take effect)
• Antifederalists wanted a Bill of Rights (ensure the rights of individuals)
• Washington is 1st president.


  1789
• Washington creates cabinet (Hamilton is treasurer, Jefferson is secretary of state)