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Queen Anne's War 1702-1713
Queen Anne’s War is fought over who will rule the Spanish throne.1 The fighting in the America’s began in the New England between the France and England both with their Indian allies. In Florida the English battle with the Spanish. The war is finally ended with the Treaty of Utrecht with Britain obtaining New Foundland and Nova Scotia from France. This marks the beginning of Britain’s land acquisitions in the America’s. As with all wars comes rebuilding, debt and new laws and oversights. -
Province of Massachusetts Bay Requests Aid from Queen Anne
During this war colonists suffer a great deal and this is illustrated in this letter to the Queen, colonists ask for financial support and they ask for permission to enlist help form the friendly Indians to help fight against the Spanish and the French, “But we have no prospect of the End of these Troubles, & of being Eased of our heavy and Insupportable Charge and burthen, whilst we can Act only Defensively, and have to do with Enemy’s and Rebels within our very Bowells”.2 -
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The French and Indian War "The 7 Year War"
“The final imperial war… proved to be the decisive contest between Britain and France in America.” 3 Fighting from Virginia to Maine and Europe. The war comes to an end when Quebec falls and the French and English sign the Treaty of Paris. The British empire gains “New France… French sugar islands in the West Indies, French trading posts in India, and French-held posts on the west coast of Africa”.3 Britain is now the dominant world power. The debt has Britain imposing taxes on the Colonies. -
Letter from George Washington to Lord Fairfax
In a letter to Lord Fairfax, Colonel George Washington ask for permission to allow for militia in the colonies because he fears without this additional help they will certainly loose this war. “I can’t help repeating that nothing but Dispatch can answer our present Purposes; for unless I can throw some ammunition into Edwards’s Fort to Night, the Remainder of our Party and the Inhabitants that are there will more than probably fall a Sacrifice to the Indians...”.4 -
The Boston Massacre
"[T]he British hoped to gain greater control over colonial trade and frontier settlement as well as to reduce administrative costs of the colonies and the enormous debt...Over time, imperial reforms pushed many colonists toward separation from the British Empire.”5 In 1768, the Parliament sent British troops to Boston to defuse unrest. Instead, the Colonists felt that the British were bullying them. “Conflict turned deadly... in a confrontation that came to be known as the Boston Massacre.”5 -
Declaration of Independence
Britain does not view the colonies as a threat. They appeared unorganized and un-united. In 1776, the Continental Congress writes the Declaration of Independence. Including a “statement of Enlightenment principles about universal human rights an values... it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish [their government].”1 This shows the American's desire to govern themselves. This begins the American Revolutionary War begin. -
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American Revolutionary War
The Declaration of Independence starts the Revolutionary war. In 1776 England establishes New York as the “base of operations”.1 The victory in the Battle of Saratoga causes the French and Spanish to align with America and acknowledge their independence. In 1778, the British look to the southern colonies where “Loyalists, slaves, and Indian allies.”1remained. In 1781 the British lose in Yorktown, VA. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris recognizes “the independence of the United States...”1. -
Jefferson writes a letter to Adams
Jefferson foreseeing trouble writes to Adams,“1. Justice is in favor of this opinion. 2. Honor favors it. 3. It will procure us respect in Europe, and respect is a safe-guard to interest. 4. It will arm the federal head with the safest of all the instruments of coercion over their delinquent members and prevent them from using what would be less safe. . . 5. I think it least expensive. 6. Equally effectual.”6 The only way to stop the tributes will be to show the power of The United States. -
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Shay's Rebellion
The challenge of putting together a new government; the Confederation is formed. Each state establishes their own constitution. The Articles of Confederation are formed; the articles do no address financial struggles. In MA the “citizens took up arms and closed the courthouses across the state to prevent foreclosure... "Shays’ Rebellion, when rebels attempted to seize the federal armory in Springfield, MA.”1 This causes the Confederation government to amend the Article of Confederation. -
George Washington's letter to Henry Knox
On Feb. 3, Washington writes to Henry Knox, conveying his thoughts on the recent rebellion in MA. Of Shays’ Rebellion, he writes, “if three years ago any person had told me that at this day, I should see such a formidable rebellion against the laws & constitutions of our own making as now appears I should have thought him a bedlamite - a fit subject for a mad house.” He wrote that if the government “shrinks, or is unable to enforce its laws . . . anarchy & confusion must prevail.” -
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Barbary War 1801- 1805
The United States is viewed as young and not very powerful. The northern African states looking to take advantage captures an American ship. “Jefferson responded to the capture of American ships and sailors by pirates off the coast of North Africa by leading the United States into war against the Muslim Barbary States in 1801, the first conflict fought by Americans overseas.”1This war establishes America as an upcoming world power. -
Bibliography
- Corbett, et.al History
- George Washington. “George Washington to Lord Fairfax, April 19, 1756.” The official Records of Robert Dinwiddie, Vol II, 387. Richmond, VA: R.A. Brock
- Captain Thomas Preston. “Captain Thomas Preston’s Account of the Boston Massacre”. http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-preston1.htm
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Bibliography 2
- 1. George Washington “George Washington discusses Shays’ Rebellion and the Upcoming Constitutional Convention, 1787” https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/creating-new-government/resources/george-washington-discusses-shays’-rebellion-and-up
- 1. Thomas Jefferson “letter to Adams” https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/age-jefferson-and-madison/essays/avast-how-us-built-navy-sent-marines-and-faced-down-
