2. The founding of the thirteen colonies began with
Virginia (1607) and ended with Georgia (1733).
3. “Taxation without Representation”
During the French and Indian War
(1754-1763), Great Britain fought
against the French to protect its
American colonies. Americans
prospered during this period while
Great Britain suffered severe
financial loss and high taxes. To
compensate, the British King and
Parliament imposed incredibly
high taxes on the colonists while
refusing to permit their
representation in the government
of Great Britain.
“Tarring and Feathering” (alquitrán) of
British collectors was common.
6. The Intolerable Acts
(consequences of the Boston tea party)
• The Boston Port Act: The first of these closed the port of Boston until the East India
Company was paid for the lost tea. This created a great hardship for the people of
Boston whose livelihood depended on trade.
• Massachusetts Government Act: The second modified the Massachusetts
government, taking away many of its rights. It was aimed at punishing Boston. Almost
all positions in the colonial government were to be appointment by the governor or
directly by the King. Activities of town meetings were limited.
• Administration of Justice Act: The third measure provided that British officials
accused of committing crimes in a colony be taken to England for trial. Because it
would mean witnesses would be forced to travel, the practical effect was thought to
be that the British officials would escape justice.
• The Quartering Act: The fourth measure allowed the British to house British soldiers
in colonial buildings at the expense of the colonists, including colonists' homes, if
there were insufficient space in other buildings.
• The Quebec Act: The fifth act extended the boundaries of the province of Quebec.
Because Quebec did not have representative assemblies, many colonists thought this
transfer of land from the colonies to unrepresented Quebec was another attempt to
punish the colonies and solidify British control.
7. “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of
Happiness”
The American Revolution was fueled by
the reaction of these laws and a
series of social, political and
intellectual transformations in the
colonies in opposition to the
aristocracies and oligarchies
common in Europe.
Of course, the Enlightened ideas
were a great influence
The American colonies instead fought for
a democratically-elected
representative government. The
Declaration of Independence was
ratified in July 1776 which proclaimed
that the colonies were the independent
United States of America and no
longer part of the British Empire.
8. The Founding Fathers presenting the Declaration
of Independence to Congress in 1776
9. Thomas Jefferson
• “We hold these truths
to be self-evident, that
all men are created
equal, that they are
endowed by their
Creator with certain
unalienable Rights,
that among these are
Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness.”
10. George Washington
General of the Continental
Army and America’s first,
and arguably greatest,
president. He is considered
to be the single most
important figure in American
History.
“Perseverance and spirit have
done wonders in all ages”
11. “The reflection upon my situation and that of this
army produces an uneasy hour when all around
me are wrapped in sleep. Few people know the
predicament we are in.”
-January 14th, 1776 General George Washington
Because of the horrific winters, many roads were impassable which caused
near starvation for the Continental Army. Washington’s men were also ill,
unruly, untrained and lacked discipline, food and equipment that was essential
for a successful military.
12. The British Army was the most powerful in the
world, so how did they lose to the colonists?
Americans learned guerilla fighting The British also wore bright red
tactics from the Native Americans. uniforms responsible for the
They hid behind trees and in the nickname “the Red Coats” which
countryside, attacked the British caused them to be excellent
then retreated back to the targets for American bullets.
countryside. British soldiers also fought according
Americans wore ordinary clothing to old war-fare traditions- straight
which made it difficult to lines, announcing attacks before
distinguish between soldiers and arrival, etc.
common citizens.
The British were unfamiliar with the
land and the wilderness and the
Americans had “home field”
advantage.
The French and Spanish soon
provided incredible help to the
colonists.
14. How Spain helped the American
colonies
After the French and Indian War, both the French and
the Spanish sought revenge on the British. In 1779,
Spain declared war on Great Britain due to their alliance
with France and, therefore, forced the British into
another military struggle on a second front and created a
large strain on the British military. The Spanish wanted
to reclaim Gibraltar and secure its borders in North
America. The Spanish also provided weapons,
ammunition and money to the colonists but were hesitant
to acknowledge the colonies as independent, thus
encouraging other similar colonial secessions.
15. Surrender at Yorktown, Virginia
It was in October 19th, 1781,
although the independence was
recognized later in the Treaty of
Paris (1783)
16. Disease in the Colonies
Malaria was endemic in the marshlands of
eastern Virginia during the time, and
Cornwallis's army suffered greatly from the
disease; he estimated during the surrender that
half of his army was unable to fight as a result.
The Continental Army enjoyed an advantage, in
that most of their members had grown up with
malaria, and had acquired resistance to the
disease. As malaria has a month-long incubation
period, most of the French soldiers had not
begun to exhibit symptoms before the surrender.
17. George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the
Continental Army. The action was significant for establishing civilian authority
over the military, a fundamental principle of American democracy
18. George Washington in London
In 1921, the “Commonwealth of
Virginia” gave a statue of
George Washington as a gift to
Great Britain. It can be found
in London.
George Washington famously
proclaimed “I will never set foot
in London again!” so dirt was
brought from Virginia to
surround the statue to ensure
Washington’s wishes were
carried out.
