Protests in colonies

First was rebellion after stamp act.

BOSTON MASSACRE (резня) – 5 march 1770 – 5 Americans were killed. In 1770 a group of soldiers arrived in Boston, people met them with a mob (толпа), they were aggressive, started throned stoned into the soldiers. Someone fired and 5 americans were killed. That soldiers were arrested, but John Adams proved, that they weren’t guilty -> they were founded guilty for MANSLAUGHTEZ (по неосторожности). Americans weren’t happy about that. Other colonies, who didn’t know what happened, thought that Britain killed 30347389 people, not only 5.

As a result – britian decided to repealed Townshed acts. Only tax on tea was в силе.

1772 – tea act – because americans smuggled (контрабанда) tea. The east india company started to lost money because of it – this act protect Indians company.

1773 – Boston Tea Party – 16 December – 342 chests (сундук) of tea were dumped into the ocean.

This time britian decided to punish America.

Five intolerable acts

The boston port bill – boston port was closed until americans didn’t pay

The quatering acts – soldiers have all rights and privileges in colonies

The administration of justice acts – that trials of important people (also soldiers) couldn’t be trialed in colonies.

The Massachusetts government act – limited rights of government + no mitting.

The Quebec act – this territory received some land of Virginia and massachussetts – English colonies became smaller.

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AND THE BEGINIG OF THE REVOLUTION

Cases (фото)

Continental congress

1^st continental congress – 1^st attempt of colonies to get together and discuss problems. It wasn’t successful, because there was no one opinion. But some people wrote a petition to the king, but king didn’t wanted to help and said that people could fight, if they want.

People started to prepare for it.

1775 – 1^st battle, when britian tries to took peoples оружие

2^nd continental congress (1775) – deiced how all colonies had to act, to continue fighting. But some of them wanted full independence, other not.

The declaration of independence (1776)

It isn’t long. Tomas Jefferson wrote it. At 4 of july it was signed.

3 main ideas

1^st part – said about the nature of the government, about natural rights (life, liberty, pursuit oh happiness).

2^nd part – explanation, stated why britian is that bad.

3d part – results – independents of colonies.

Other countries started to supported America – France, Spain (took part because wanted to take Florida back), Dutch.

Britain took army from Germany to help them.

2 main battles – Saratoga, York town.

Results:

• 13 colonies – an independent nation, the USA

• Florida was returned to Spain

• the US territories – the land east of the Mississippi River, north of Canada, and south to the border of Florida.

The birth of a new nation

1776-1788

-State Constitutions

-Article of Confederation

-Constitution Convention

-Ratification

STATE CONSTITUTIONES

All colonies decided to get rid, what was associated with Britain. They wanted written constitutions.

Most states decided to rewrote a royal charter. Only difference – nothing about king and Britain.

Some states decided to made smth new, they borrow ideas of philosophers (Montesque) and used their own ideas. Divided government to 3 brunches, bur there wasn’t an idea that these brunches should be equal. Executive was the weakness.

Principles:

• Popular sovereignty – народный суверенитет – people are the source of power

• Rotation in office – wanted to replaced leaders by new

• Freedom of elections – bur people weren’t ready for it. Women and slaves had no rights. Only people with enough property qualification could. In Pennsylvania – if a person payed taxes, he could vote.

• Fundamental liberties

• Moderate bail – умеренный залог (it was taken from BOR)

• Humane punishment

• Speedy trial by jury

• Freedom of the press

• Right of the majority to reform the government

• To bear arms – носить оружие

• Freedom of religion

• Freedom of speech

Started to understand that is was necessary to create an united government.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

In 1777 got the ideas to make confederation.

Ratified in 1781, in 1789 replace by the constitution of the USA.

If people had to lived under some rules, people should ratified them. Problem – that document guaranteed сувернитет or every state, so they could not to obey to the centre, they could inforced states to follow rules, which were written in confederation congress.

States started to send delegates to that congress, every state have different number of representatives, but every state had only 1 vote.

• Made laws

• Relations with other countries

Congress didn’t dived it to 3 brunches.

Problems

1. No power to tax - But states didn’t obey their decisions + congress didn’t have enough money, `cause they couldn’t take money as taxes.

2. Congress could conduct foreign policy, but then states stopped to ask congress.

3. Was problem of trade – every state couldn’t put tariffs, tariffs could be different from state to state, congress couldn’t control it.

4. Government couldn’t resolved the disputes, state started organise conferences to разрешить disputes by themselves.

5. There wasn’t army of the USA, only armies of every state.

6. There were no courts

7. No executive power

State didn’t want to listen to the decisions of the center.

After 2 events their realized that congress couldn’t act

• Rebellion of farmer – no national army, state should подавить by themselves and no state helped Massachusetts.

• Some delegates stated that’s it was necessary to amended articles. All 13 states should agree (unanimous)

Decided to organize meeting of the states, but there came only 12 states, so it wasnr possible to amended articles. So it was known as a constitutional convention 1787. 55 delegates from 12 states (except Rhode Island). It took them 4 months.

Father of the constitution – James Madison.

The major part of the text was based on his ideas, he made Virginia plan (`cause he was from Virginia).

Ideas:

1. National Supremacy – national government had to be stronger than government of the states. (федерализм)

2. Involvement of the people – people had the right to influence the government and had privileges in states. (republicanism)

3. Separation of powers to 3 brunches

• A bicameral legislation

• An executive

• A judiciary

But these ideas hadn’t taken into account small states, so they wrote new jersey plan.

Differences in legislature brunch.

The VP – bicameral (proportionate/popular representation in both houses)

Small states didn’t like it, because they would be the minority – the NJP – unicameral (equal votes for each state).

Connecticut created a 3d variant – compromise variant – the final project.

Bicameral. One house of equal representation, another one – popular representation (house of representatives).

But how to count black people? – black could be counted but not at the same way as Wight.

1 black - 3/5 white.

Vp – 1 leader

Njp – a group of people

Gc – 1, but could be easily removed

Judiciary

VP – life tenure, ability to veto legislation.

NJP – no power of federal judiciary over states. Только изи дела. Weak branch.

CV – life tenure, power of judicial review. (no one know how to use it)

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