AP U.S. History - Unit 3 Lecture Notes

Major Theme

• Transformation of America from British colonies to an independent nation
• Development of a distinct national identity
• Time Period: 1754 - 1800

French and Indian War (1754-1763)

• Part of the Seven Years' War
• Conflict over Ohio River Valley
• British initially struggling, then won
• Resulted in the Treaty of Paris (1763)
  • French ousted from North America
  • Britain gained land east of Mississippi River
• Consequences:
  • Westward push by colonists, conflict with Native Americans
  • Pontiac's Rebellion
  • Royal Proclamation of 1763 (forbade westward expansion)
  • British debt, leading to increased taxes on colonies

Taxation Without Representation

• End of salutary neglect
• Strict enforcement of Navigation Acts
• Quartering Act (1765)
• Sugar Act
• Stamp Act (1765)
  • Tax on paper goods
  • Led to formation of Sons and Daughters of Liberty
  • Stamp Act Congress
  • Repeal of Stamp and Sugar Acts, passage of Declaratory Act
• Townshend Acts (1767)
  • Taxes on imported goods
  • Led to boycotts, especially by women
• Boston Massacre (1770)
• Boston Tea Party (1773)
  • Response to Tea Act
  • Led to Coercive (Intolerable) Acts

Rising Tensions and Revolutionary War

• Continental Congress (1774)
• Influence of Enlightenment thought
  • Natural rights and social contract
• Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" (1776)
• Declaration of Independence (1776)
• Loyalists vs. Patriots
• Continental Army and George Washington
• French alliance after Battle of Saratoga (1777)
• Victory at Yorktown (1781), British surrender
• Inspired revolutions in France and Haiti

Articles of Confederation

• States' constitution and legislative-heavy governance
• Weaknesses: no executive, no judiciary, no national army, limited taxation power
• Northwest Ordinance of 1787
  • Plan for statehood, abolished slavery in Northwest Territory
• Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787)
  • Exposed weaknesses of Articles
• Constitutional Convention (1787)
  • Debated new Constitution
  • Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
  • Great Compromise and Three-Fifths Compromise
  • Ratification of the Constitution (1789)

Early Government and Politics

• George Washington's presidency
  • Established departments: Treasury, State, War, Justice
  • Alexander Hamilton's financial policies
    • Assumption of state debts
    • National Bank
  • Whiskey Rebellion (1794)
• Formation of political parties
  • Federalists (strong central government) vs. Democratic Republicans
• John Adams' presidency
  • XYZ Affair
  • Alien and Sedition Acts
  • Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

International Relations and Slavery

• Indian Trade and Intercourse Act
• Pinckney Treaty (border with Spain)
• Distinct regional attitudes towards slavery
  • North: Growth of free black population, first African American church
  • South: Growth of enslaved population, migration of slavery westward

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