22-Unit 3 US Independence & Constitution
22-Unit 3 US Independence & Constitution
22-Unit 3 US Independence & Constitution
Class Objectives
British Patriotism
1. Greatest naval & commercial power
2. Between 1607-1700, 500 000 left England, created bridges between continental
Europe and the colonies/ties
3. Primogeniture only the first male heir inherits the land
4. 180 000 to Ireland
5. 180 000 to the West Indies
a. Sugar cultivation promised riches if you could obtain land
1
The Glorious Revolution, also called “The Revolution of 1688” and “The Bloodless Revolution,” took place
from 1688 to 1689 in England. It involved the overthrow of the Catholic king James II, who was
replaced by his Protestant daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William of Orange.
Problems Immediately After the War a debt of more than (120 million pounds)
Between 1763-1765 increased insecurity due to the “Pontiac uprising” an
unprecedented pan-Indian resistance to European colonization in North
America.
Dozens of tribes challenged attempts by the British to impose their will and
abrogate the native’s sovereignty.
Proclamation of 1763 King’s response to Natives attacking the frontiers
Becoming too expensive to protect colonists (320,000 pounds a year)
Colonists unhappy about the order to remain to the east of the mountains.
1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act to help raise money to pay for the war.
This act taxed the sugar and molasses brought into the colonies, this made
colonists angry
The repeal of the stamp act was followed by a bundle of acts called the
Townshend act or Townshend Duties, 1767-1768 (to fund administration of the
British colonies in America.) Named after the Chancellor of the Exchequer who
proposed the program.
Then in 1767, Parliament passed new tax laws called the Townshend Acts to tax
glass, tea, paint, and paper that was brought into the colonies. England even hired
more tax collectors!
The Boston tea party
1773 Parliament passed the Tea Act giving all control of the trade and delivery of
tea to the East India Tea Company. This meant that colonists could only buy tea
from England
The Sons of Liberty decided to dress up as Mohawk Indians and sneak onto the
boats
Sons of Liberty-group of colonists who were mad about the new laws and wanted
action!
They dumped 300 crates of tea into the Boston Harbor
But despite the lack of violence, the Boston Tea Party didn't go unanswered by
King George III and British Parliament.
In retribution, they passed the Coercive Acts (later known as the Intolerable
Acts) which: closed Boston Harbor until the 340 chests of British East India
Company tea were paid for
These new tax collectors were like British soldiers all over the colonies, their
presence in the streets annoyed the colonists. They got so angry that fights would
break out in the streets
On March 5,1770, a large crowd of colonists gathered around the soldiers and
threw rocks and snowballs at them. In response the soldiers fired their guns, three
colonists were killed on the spot and two others died later.
The Boston event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the
colonists. It showed Great Britain that Americans wouldn't accept taxation &
tyranny, they rallied American patriots across the 13 colonies to fight for
independence.
At the beginning of 1776 most colonists were not patriots or loyalists. Most were
conflicted and didn’t know what course of action they should take.
Listing grievances
• States all of the reasons why the colonies want to be free. It states all the ways
that the king mistreated the colonists.
• This is the longest part of the Declaration.
• Ask students to highlight it
Dissolving the bonds
• Declares that the colonies are free and independent states.
• The document ends with a solemn pledge:
• “With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually
pledge our Lives, Fortunes, and Sacred Honor.”
The impact of the Declaration of Independence
• The Declaration changed the nature of the war. Colonists were now fighting for
the independence of their country and no longer for better treatment.
• Ideas from the Declaration still inspires us today. i.e. All men are created equal,
and the idea of natural rights.
The US constitution
This document was drafted in 1787. This was several years before the end of the
Revolutionary War and Britain's recognition of the United States as an
independent country.
1. The Preamble – lays out the purpose and introduces the Constitution
2. The 7 Articles – the substance of governmental law
3. 27 Amendments
The structure of the constitution:
Popular Sovereignty
Limited government
Framers wanted to guard against tyranny
Government is limited to the power it is given by the Constitution.
(The national gov. CAN ONLY do what the Constitution says it can
do.)
Aka as the RULE OF LAW
For Example: The Constitution tells how leaders who overstep their power can be
removed
Separation of Powers
No one holds “too much” power
3 branches of government
Each branch has specific role
Judicial review
The Bill of Rights specifically is written to protect the individual rights of the
U.S. citizen against the government.
. Proposition
2 Ways to Propose an Amendment
2/3 vote in both houses of
Congress
- All 27 Amendments were proposed
this way
2. Constitutional Convention
requested by 2/3 of the states
-Has not ever been used
Amendment #1: 5 rights mentioned
it was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that
constitute the Bill of Rights.
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of
Rights. James Madison wrote the amendments, which list specific
prohibitions on governmental power, in response to calls from several
states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties. For
example, the Founders saw the ability to speak and worship freely as a
natural right protected by the First Amendment. Congress is prohibited
from making laws establishing religion or abridging freedom of speech.
The Fourth Amendment safeguards citizens’ right to be free from
unreasonable government intrusion in their homes through the
requirement of a warrant.
Freedom of __Religion_____
Freedom of ___Assembly____
Freedom of __press_____
Right to ____protection_____
Freedom of ____speech___
Freedom of religion
There are two parts or ________. The _____________ clause and the
free ________
clause.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion
or prohibiting the free exercise there of”
Establishment clause-Government
Can Can’t
Teach about religions in Set a state religion
school Government cannot order a
Allow voluntary prayer in prayer
many examples Teach religious doctrine in the
Transport students to a school
religious school Pay seminary teachers
Read Bible for culture or literacy Teach creationism
content
Establishment and Free Exercise clause often conflict with each other
In schools, the religion issue is most prevalent
If a student raises his hand and says “teacher, can we say an
opening prayer before this test”