Key Points on American Founding Documents

Sep 1, 2024

Lecture Notes: American Founding Documents and History

Overview

  • Lecture Duration: 1 hour
  • Current Page: 13 of Handout Session 9
  • Focus: Crash course in American history, particularly founding documents
  • Note: Recent government schools may not teach American history in detail

Migration and Early Settlement

  • English migration to North America
    • Settlers were originally English citizens
    • Colonists lived in North America but were under English rule

Taxation and Declaration of Independence

  • Reason for Taxation: England was at war with France and Spain
    • King taxed American colonies to support the war
  • Issue: Taxation without representation
    • Colonists had no say in how their taxes were used
  • Response: Declaration of Independence
    • Severed ties with England
    • Formalized intent to be independent from the Crown

Revolutionary War

  • Fighting began before the Declaration of Independence
    • 1775: British tried to confiscate American guns
    • "Shot heard around the world" started the formal conflict
  • The Formal Declaration of War: 1776

Treaty of Paris

  • End of Revolutionary War: Treaty of Paris
    • Neutral territory for the signing
  • Outcome:
    • U.S. gained property, a lodeal title
    • England received trade and travel rights (e.g., Mississippi River)
  • Described as a "divorce settlement"

Form of Government

  • Pre-Constitution: Articles of Confederation
    • Thirteen independent colonies united as a confederacy
    • Title: Unanimous declaration of the 13 United States of America
    • "United" is an adjective, not an identity

Misconceptions and Reality

  • Misconception: America as a democracy
    • Official documents might label foundational texts as democratic
  • Reality: America is not a pure democracy

Conclusion of the War

  • Perception of Victory:
    • Not a straightforward military victory
    • George Washington won few battles; mostly strategic retreats
  • British Confusion:
    • Unconventional warfare tactics by American forces

Additional Resources

  • Book Reference: "The Cornerstones of American Democracy"
    • Purchased from National Archive, Washington, D.C.
    • Includes type and photographs of historical documents

These notes capture the key points from the lecture, providing a basic understanding of the early American historical context, forming documents, and the Revolutionary War.