Chapter 2: Balancing Liberty and Order
Ideas about equality and self-government, as well as grievances against the British, led to the outbreak of the
Revolutionary War, in which the American colonies won their independence from Britain.
I.
The Road to Independence
A. Issues leading to Revolution
1. To raise money in the colonies to pay for the French and Indian War, Britain levied the Sugar
Act, Stamp Act, The Townsend Act and the Tea Act (These were also called the Intolerable
Acts they were passed in 1774)
2. Colonist believed these acts directly violated their economic rights.
3. The colonist protested these acts because they were be taxed without having representation
in the British Parliament.
a. The protestors believed they should not be taxed without consent.
b. On example of Colonial protest was the Boston Tea Party. Which took place in 1773 just
a year before the Intolerable Acts.
c. A government cannot tax its people without those people having representation in the
government.
d. Colonist had no representatives in the British Parliament so they believed they could not
be legally taxed.
e. John Peter Muhlenberg sums up patriot thinking with the quote “To everything there is
a season… a time for peace and a time for war. And this is a time for war.”
B. The First Continental Congress
1. They did three things:
a. Agreed to boycott all British made goods
b. Called on all colonies to arm themselves and form militias
c. Made a direct appeal to the King for representation in the British Parliament.
C. The Shot Heard Round the World
1. American colonist felt justified in declaring independence because the British government
taxed the Colonist without direct representation in the British Parliament.
2. The Revolutionary war begins when British troops are attacked by Colonist at the battles of
Lexington and Concord in 1775
D. Revolutionary Ideas
1. Thomas Jefferson writes the Declaration of Independence in 1776
a. Thomas Jefferson was a Representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses, and the
Governor of Virginia during the Revolution. He was never in the military.
b. In this, Jefferson clearly shows that he has been influenced by Enlightenment ideas.
c. One in particular was John Locke. Locke believed the people had “Natural Rights”
these are rights that belong to all people because they are human.
d. The unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness acknowledge the
importance of the individual.
2. John Hancock was a longtime critic of the British government. He was the first to sign the
Declaration in large script at the center of the document. He was the President of the
Second Continental Congress.
3. Dr. Benjamin Rush of Pennsylvania becomes the first Surgeon General of the Army.
4.
E.
Governor Jonathan Trumball of Connecticut was the only imperial Governor to support the
Amercian cause. He was instrumental in getting supplies and troops to General Washington.
Fighting the Revolutionary War
1. A major advantage for the Patriot forces were they were fighting on their own territory.
Some prominent Americans felt that the Articles of Confederation did not provide a strong enough national
government. A new plan of government, the Constitution, was drafted at the Constitutional Convention. It was
ratified after the promise was made to add a Bill of Rights.
II.
The Constitution of the United States
A. Early Government
1. The Articles of Confederation were laws to govern the United States. These laws established
a limited national government or weak central government, with most political power being
held by the states.
2. Americans wanted a democracy, that was run like a republic
a. A republic is a government that is run by democratically elected representatives
3. Shays rebellion grows out of unrest among Massachusetts farmers over taxes.
a. This uprising shows the need for a stronger National government.
b. The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John
Jay. It was an 85 page document arguing in favor of a constitution which would
strengthen the Federal government.
c. John Jay became the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court
d. James Madison was mentored by John Witherspoon. Witherspoon believed morality
was the most important trait for people in positions of leadership.
B. The Constitutional Convention of 1787
1. Convinced of the urgent need for government reform a convention is called with
representatives from 12 states in attendance.
2. Delegates to the convention were initially suppose to amend the Articles of Confederation
3. The Great Compromise resolved the issue of representatives in the legislature.
a. Large states would have more delegates in the House of Representatives
b. All states would have 2 representatives in the Senate.
C. The Convention approves the new US government under the US Constitution 9/17/1787
D. Government Structure Under the Constitution
1. A Federal system is established that has the states sharing power with the National govt.
2. There is a separation of powers among executive, legislative and judicial branches of govt.
3. The system of checks and balances assures the one branch of the government will never
have more power than any other branch.
E. Battle Over Ratification
1. For the Constitution to become law 9 of the 13 states had to ratify, or approve it.
2. Federalist were in favor of the constitution, they wanted a strong national government.
3. Anti-Federalist thought the constitution gave too much power to the federal government
and was a threat to state and individual rights.
4. Some of the Anti-Federalist came to support the Constitution after the “Bill of Rights” was
added. They felt like the Bill of Rights would protect individuals from government abuse.
5. The Bill of Rights are the first 10 Amendments to the Constituion.
F. Washington Becomes the President
G. Charles Carroll from Maryland signs both the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution, he dies in 1832 the last surviving signer of the Declaration.
The debate over liberty versus order led to the development of political parties. The Nation peacefully transferred
power from one party to another, continued to expand westward, and again went to war with Britain.
III.
The Origins of American Politics
A. Liberty versus Order in the 1790’s
1. Alexander Hamilton wanted a strong national government. He had little faith in people.
b. Alexander was a Federalist, they believed in a loose constructionist of the Constitution.
c. They believed the Constitution was a “general guide” to how the government should be
run.
2. Thomas Jefferson wanted weaker federal government and trusted the masses decisions.
a. Jeffersonian Republicans were strict constructionist of the Constitution
b. They believed that the government was restricted to only those powers that were laid
out in the Constitution.
B. Jefferson Takes Office
1. One of the major accomplishments of the Jefferson administration was the Louisiana
Purchase.
a. This dramatically increased the size of the US and the size of the National Debt, as the
cost of the purchase was 15 million dollars.
b. The Lewis and Clark expedition is funded to explore the lands of the Louisiana Purchase.
C. The War of 1812
1. Britain encourages Native Americans to resist US westward expansion.
2. The Congress calls for war with Britain to protect the interest of western farmers. Many
Americans were not in favor of the war.