Summary of the most important points

Covering “The American Revolution”

 Throughout the 1600s and 1700s, British colonists had formed a large and
settlement along the eastern shore America.
 By the mid-1700s, colonists had been living in America for nearly 150
years, a new sense of identity was growing in the colonists’ minds.
 They began to feel that they are belonging to America more than Britain.
 However, they were still British subjects and were expected to obey
British law.
 Although these colonists contributed to the progress of the British
economy with valuable resources they had. But they subjected to unfair
laws from the British Parliament.
 In 1754, there was a great war between the British and French in North
America (both had its colonists there).
 The fighting lasted until 1763, when Britain and its colonists won and
seized nearly all French land in North America.
 Britain expected the colonists to help pay the costs of the war.
 American colonists were more outraged.
 Some colonial leaders favored independence from Britain. They wanted
to be full Americans instead.
 In September 1774, representatives from every colony except Georgia
gathered in Philadelphia to form the First Continental Congress.
 The Continental Congress voted to raise an army and organize for battle
under the command of a Virginian named George Washington.
 The American Revolution had begun.
 Colonial leaders used Enlightenment ideas to justify independence.
 In July 1776, the Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of
Independence. It was written by Thomas Jefferson.
 The document ended by declaring the colonies’ separation from Britain.
 Britain was not about to let its colonies leave without a fight.

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 In the end, however, the colonists won their war for independence.
 Shortly after declaring their independence, the 13 individual states
recognized the need for a national government.
 They planned to build upon two ancient Greek ideas: 1. constitutionalism
2. republicanism