12213 The Documents and Events Leading up to the Articles of Confederation The Albany Congress of 1754 Major player Ben Franklin Background The FrenchIndian Wars made it clear that the colonies needed to be bound together in some formal way and British officials ID: 606066
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Slide1
Humanities 12/2/13
The Documents and Events Leading up to the Articles of ConfederationSlide2
The Albany Congress of 1754
Major player: Ben Franklin
Background:
The French-Indian Wars made it clear that the colonies needed to be bound together in some formal way, and British officials
in the colonies recognized
this.
There were 3 types of colonies:
Royal charter : VA, NY, NH, MA, NJ, NC, SC, and GA
Proprietary (property): PA, DE, and MD
Charter (Business/Corporation): RI and CT
Ben Franklin agreed that the colonies needed to be bound together formallySlide3
Albany Plan of Union, Continued
The Plan of Union proposed:
A President-General to be appointed by the Crown
A Grand Council elected every 3 years by the individual colony’s assembly
Membership in the Grand Council dependent upon a proportion of money deposited in the national treasury
The Grand Council will oversee:
Indian Treaties/Trade—in fact they met with the Iroquois to discuss this and to make a plan to fight the French
National Military (big problem for King)
Taxes and tariffs
National TreasurySlide4
The Albany Plan for Union, cont
Why do you think the individual colonies refused this plan?
Why do you think the Crown (British
govt
) was thrilled this didn’t go through?
Does it remind you of anything?Slide5
Heading to the Articles of Confederation: the Intolerable Acts
After the Boston Tea Party:
Boston Port Act: Closing of the Boston Harbor until pay for tea
Massachusetts
Govt
Act (closed MA
gov’t
down; set up a different
govt
controlled by crown)
Quartering Act
Administration of Justice Act
Quebec ActSlide6
The First Continental Congress
Philadelphia, 9/5/1774
Convened in response to the Intolerable Acts imposed upon MA
12 of 13 colonies sent delegates (GA was so far away…)
Representatives were elected by their own assemblies (colonial
govt
)
NY and PA wanted a peaceful resolution w England
Some wanted legislative parity (an equal voice in the English parliament)
Others, most notably VA, wanted separationSlide7
The First Continental Congress, cont
Agreed that Grievances against the Crown must be made publicly known
Bonding time for the colonies as they had been their own entities up to now
The Plan of Union, proposed by PA, was discarded because of the Suffolk County Resolves: the resolution to Boycott English goods (imports)
This became The Association which was the agreement that all colonies would boycott English goods and that they would work to create mechanisms to resist England (
ie
Militias)
Formed the Continental Association and sent grievances to the King
The English
govt
had until the end of 1774 to rescind the Intolerable ActsSlide8
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Published January 1776
Written by an Englishman new to the colonies
Political pamphlet read by the educated (thus the colonial leaders)
Argued for separation from the Crown
Colonists had been loyal to the Crown and feared the British army, but this provided a final push to revolution
Used biblical language
Argued for democracy
“
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.”Slide9
The Second Continental Congress
Began a series of meetings on May 10, 1775
12 of 13 once again, but GA did eventually join in July
Tasked with managing the war effort (that began at Concord/Lexington April 1775)
Created the Continental Army (the first national military) and appointed Washington as General of the Army
Wrote and presented the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (a
predeclaration
to the Declaration):
“taxation without representation”
The Crown’s indifference to the grievances focused on the Intolerable ActsSlide10
The Second Continental Congress, cont
The Olive Branch Petition was drafted next
Negotiate trade and tax laws
Remain loyal to Crown
Too late as it was received after the Cause and Necessity of Taking Up Arms
King declared a Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition===war on the colonies declared
The Second Continental Congress now assumes the role of a national government: declaring war, issuing money, raising armies, signing treaties, etcSlide11
The Second Continental Congress, cont
The Congress then issued a need for
A Declaration of Independence
Noted the philosophy upon which the
govt
would be formed
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”
Outlined the 27 Grievances against the Crown
Declared solidarity as a union
Proclaimed itself as a union so that other countries might understand and support the RevolutionSlide12
The Second Continental Congress, cont
The Model Treaty
It was a template
It served as our first diplomatic document
Free and reciprocated trade
Reinforced the trade arrangements with France and Spain that already existed
Set up free ports
Set up a list of contraband
9/24/1776 accepted and Ben Franklin took it to Paris which lead to the Treaty of Alliance which provided military assistance to the Revolutionary forcesSlide13
Assignment: The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union