Virtual representation
The idea that each representative in parliament represented the empire as a whole, and therefore, the colonies were represented.
Checks and balances
Different branches of government could check each other to prevent abuse of power.
Democratic Republicans
Weak national government
Sugar act
Reduced the tax on molasses, but strengthened the court system to end smuggling, making many wealthy smugglers angry.
2nd Continental Congress
The middle ground
The areas where both colonists and native people would trade and coexist
Politics was very negative with the rise of political parties, political violence, and deep political divisions
Federalism
The division of powers between different levels of government.
the Compromise of 1790
Jefferson and Hamilton agreed to pass Hamilton's financial plan in exchange for making Washington D.C. the Capital of the country
British impressment
The British continued to kidnap american sailors. Washington sent John Jay to london to negotiate
Thomas Gage
The new appointed governor of Massachusetts who began to strictly enforce parliaments laws
authorized the president to deport "aliens" and permitted their arrest imprisonment and deportation during war time
Lexington and Concorde
British troops marched to take a militia's weapons. They we're beaten back and chased back to boston by militia minutemen
Stamp act
Fries rebellion
Farmers in southeast Pennsylvania stopped paying taxes for the larger military. John Fries led a peaceful protest, but John Adams ordered federal troops to stop the protest, and they made mass arrests, assaulted newspaper editors, and almost executed John Fries.
Shay’s rebellion
Farmers had to take debt because they weren’t getting paid. Their land was being repossessed so they rebelled and closed the courts. They used Republican ideals to justify it.
French revolution
Ambassador from France came to America to encourage Americans to side with the French. Washington declared neutrality, but the ambassador remained in America to not get beheaded back home.
Attacked the obstacles to independence. It was the best selling work in American history because it presented his ideas in a vernacular way.
Olive branch petition
Congress wanted king George to intervene on their behalf and end the violence. He didn’t read it.
Meeting between leaders of 7 colonies to create a plan for joint defense and administration of the colonies. "Join or die"
applied restrictions to immigration and speech in US made it a crime for americans to print, utter, or publish any false, scandalous, malicious writing about the government
Hamilton's financial plan
Philadelphia convention
12/13 states met to amend the articles of confederation. They eventually decided to draft a new constitution
Secret meeting between delegates of 6 states to discuss how to fix the articles of confederation
Townshend Acts
In opposing the stamp act, the colonists said trade should be regulated instead. Parliament passed the townshend acts and began taxing imports and exports.
Ethan Allen and the Green mountain boys surround fort Ticonderoga, steal it's cannons, and bring them back to Boston
Colonial attitude towards independence
Parliament sent 1,000 troops to boston to enforce the townshend acts. Protesters began throwing snowballs, and eventually rocks at a group of soldiers. Someone fired a shot, and the soldiers killed 5 protesters
XYZ affair
French and british continued to kidnap american sailors, so Adams sent ministers to negotiate. When they arrived, 3 agents demanded a bribe just to speak to the foreign minister. John Adams almost declared war.
Declaration of Independence
