The Coming of Independence

 

In the 1760's Britain tried to increase control over the colonies. It passes new taxes and rules that the colonists thought limited their rights. They complained that these laws were "taxation without representation."

 

Events in the Struggle for Independence 1765-1790

 

*1765 Stamp Act Congress

*1770 Committees of Correspondence

*1774 First Continental Congress

*1775-81 Second Continental Congress

*1775-83 War for Independence

*1776 Declaration of Independence

*1781 Articles of Confederation

*1781-89 Confederation Government

*1783 Treaty of Paris

*1785 Mount Vernon Convention

*1786 Annapolis Convention

*1787 Constitutional Convention

*1787-90 Ratification of Constitution

*1788 Ninth State (New Hampshire) ratifies Constitution

*1789 Constitution becomes effective

*1790 Thirteenth State (Rhode Island) ratifies Constitution

 

Growing Colonial Unity

 

Before the 1760's the colonies tried but failed to work together. Two attempts were the New England Confederation and Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of Union. The ideas were good, but the colonies were too independent to unite. The colonies began to work together only after the British government became a threat. They organized the Stamp Act Congress and held a boycott of British goods.

 

The Continental Congresses

 

In 1774 the colonists tried to unite again. Representatives from 12 colonies met at the First Continental Congress. This congress was unicameral because it had only one house. It sent protests to the king. When the king sent soldiers to America, the colonies fought them.

 

A revolution began between Britain and the colinists in 1775. That same year the colonies sent representatives to the Second Continental Congress. Throughout the war for independence, the congress was the colonists first national government. It built an army, made treaties, and printed money. This government lasted from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the start of the Articles of Confederation, the first national constitution.

 

The Declaration of Independence

 

Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the Declaration of Independence. The Second Continental Congress approved it on July 4th, 1776. The documents told the world that the colonists were now the independent United States. It said that people create government and they can replace it if it hurts or denies their rights. Most of the document describes how the British government hurt the colonists.

 

The First State Governments

 

After the declaration of Independence most of the new states (former colonies) wrote constitutions. A constitution is the basic set of laws that create a government. The first state constitutions had common ideas that were later put into the U.S. Constitution.

 

Here they are listed.

 

Limited Government- This means that government only has certain powers that the people give it.

 

Civil Rights and Liberties- This means that the government gaurentees individual freedoms and protections.

 

Seperation of Powers- This means that the government's powers are divided into three parts, or branches, that are independent but equal in power.

 

Checks and Balances- This means the parts of the government have overlapping powers so each branch can check the actions of the others.

 

Popular Sovereignty- This means the people hold the power and are the final authority.

 

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