Massachussets Bay Colony: 1629

Puritans recieved a charter from the MA Bay Company to set up a colony there.

Age of Enlightenment

Trend of thought in Europe and America prior to the Fr. Rev. (1789)

being enlightened by logic, science, reason, and respect to men. They relied on reason not superstition

Believed in unending progress and observing and understanding nature.

British philosopher, 1632-1704

introduced the idea of "self", that people are born as a blank slate, "natural law"- the power does not belong to the nation or state, but to the people.

Property rights.

Checks and Balances.

Revolution is a right and obligation.

1765

Angered the colonists: designed to raise revenue from the colonies to boost Brit. defense.

Want for rebellion

1770

Brittish troops thought that they were under attack and killed 5 colonists

1773

American Tea traders were at an unfair dissadvantage. Samuel Adams and Quincy disguised as Mohawk Indians threw tea cargo off into the harbor.

1774

John Adams, Samuel Adams...George Washington

Prepared a petition to repeal the Intolerable Acts.

1775

War begins: The British came to enforce their tax laws.

Common Sense

1776

Reasons to break away from Great Britain in the Language of the Common Man

1777

Gave too much power to the states: Shay's Rebellion

First ten ammendments of the constitution

1791

George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton

Believed in a powerful centralized government.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison

Believed in State power, feared too much governmental power.

: The voluntary agreement among people defining relationships of people with one another or with the government in order to form a distinct organized society

Happens gradually: The Am. Rev. was liberal, flexible, adaptative.

Negative: Fought against oppression by the church and government

Positive: Advocated protecting human rights.

Declaration of Independence

D.O.I.

The three parts

Written in: 1776

1^st: Statement of Principle: concerns the rights of man and the legitimacy of revolution

2^nd: List of Grievances against G.B.

3^rd: A formal claim of Independence.

Written in 1777,active until 1788

First attempt at a Constitution

Names the states and allows them to continue being sovereign. Based on one congress and no executive chief. No judicial branch, no federal taxing but only reliance on the state's donations. States ignored congress.

1787, ratified in 1788.

"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union..."

Distinct powers for the congress, set up checks and balances, set up a centralized, powerful government: Federal Gov't.

1791 

The first ten ammendments to the Constitution, Freedom of religion, press, speech, assemble, and to petition the government.  

South became the leading exporter of cotton. They also grew exported crops such as rice, sugar and tobacco;

North grew local produce.

1798

Adams targeted Irish and French immigrants who supported the Republican/Democratic party to help the Federalist party, but instead made himself and the Federalists very unpopular.

Kentuky Resolution

The amount of power that is consolidated in the Federal Gov't vs. amount of power that is issued to States. 

Articles of Confederation, slavery, nullification, succession of southern states, segregation and federal lynch laws,

1856

Blacks have no rights

The rebellion led the South to succession.

Unsuccessful revolt.

Fort Sumter

Battle of Bull Run

Beggining of Civil War: 1861

Watched by spectators who expected it to be over quickly.

1865: Turning point in the C.W: North was overwhelmingly powerful.