Preparation for Independence
1730s-1766
Great Awakening (1730s)
French & Indian War (1754-1763)
Great Awakening
God raised up men to bring spiritual fire to the
American people, giving them a solid
foundation on which to build a new nation. It
was a national revival.
The Need for Revival
By the 18th century, many American churches
didnt preach the gospel. The people attended
church and practiced a cold, formalistic
Christianity but never accepted Christ as their
personal Savior.
Half-way Covenant
An agreement to grant membership to
unconverted descendants of church members
Instead of the church changing sinners, the
sinners were changing the church.
Methodist Revival
The revival that took place in England
John & Charles Wesley
Responsible for organizing the Methodist denomination
Jonathan Edwards
Colonial Americas foremost theologian and one of the
greatest American intellects ever born
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
The most famous sermon in American history.
Preached by Jonathan Edwards
George Whitefield
English Evangelist who had the greatest impact during the Great
Awaking. He founded an orphanage in GA & showed special
interest in reaching children with the gospel. With his booming
voice and eloquent style, Whitefield could effectively reach
crowds of up to 20,000 people
The Results of the Great Awakening
1.
2.
3.
Thousands of sinners were
converted
Countless believers were revived
Many new churches were founded
David Brainerd
Best-known missionary to the Indians
Four Colleges Grew Directly Out of
the Revival:
Princeton
Brown
Rutgers
Dartmouth
Dartmouth
An outgrowth of a mission school founded to
train Indians as missionaries to their own people
Phillis Wheatley
First black woman poet in America
Pages 67-71
French in North America
The number of French in North America
remained small compared to the number of
English, because the French had strict policies
concerning settlement in the New World.
Conflict in the Ohio Valley
French colonists moving south from Canada
clashed with English colonists moving west.
The conflict stemmed from rivalry over:
1.
2.
3.
Territory
Fur trade with the Indians
Fishing rights
Four Wars Between the English and
French
King Williams War
Queen Annes War
King Georges War
The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War
The French and Indians stood together against
the British in this war.
George Washington
Sent by Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia to order the French
army to leave Virginia
Virginia Rangers
Local Virginia militia
Their job was to preserve law and order and
defend frontier posts from possible Indian
attack
George Washington was a member of this
militia.
Troubles for George Washington
When Washington delivered the message to
the French army to leave Virginia, they
refused.
The French bribed one Indian guide with
Washington to try to kill him. The Indian
aimed at his head, but missed.
Washington fell into an icy river and nearly
drowned, but his life was spared.
Washington Promoted
George Washington was promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel upon his return from
visiting the French army.
George Washington advised the governor to
build an English fort at the forks of the
Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers. Before it
could be completed, the French captured it
and renamed it Fort Duqunsne
General Edward Braddock
Ignored Washingtons advice & insisted on fighting in the open as in
Europe
Washington Takes Command
The British troops were ambushed a few
miles away from Fort Duquesne and General
Braddock was killed. The British troops were
scattered. Washington took command and
rallied the remaining Soldiers.
Until 1758, the French and the Indians had the
upper hand. The fear of losing religious
freedom spurred many colonists to start to
prepare to defend themselves
Colonel Washington and his Virginia Rangers
helped British troops drive the French out of
the Ohio Valley.
Fort Duquesne
Later renamed Fort Pitt by the British.
William Pitt the Elder
English Prime Minister
Seven Years War
In other parts of the world, the French & Indian War
became known as this.
Pages 71-74
The French and Indian War finally ended in
1763. The colonists rejoiced because they
could continue to expand westward.
Many of the colonists were beginning to think
of themselves as Americans rather than
Englishmen.
Military Differences Between the
Colonists and the British Troops:
The Colonial soldier fought to protect his
family and home. The average British trooper
fought for his wages and avoided unnecessary
risks.
In the British army, officers came from the
noble class, and purchased their commissions
from the King. This gave the average recruit
little incentive to do well, because he could
never be promoted to officer.
Economic Differences Between the
Colonists and the British
The colonists had a productive agricultural
system that was the envy of Europe.
As colonial industry expanded, it began to
compete with the British industry. This
caused British businessmen to ask Parliament
to restrict colonial industry.
Political Controls are Tightened on the
Colonies.
By the mid 1700s, all but five of the colonies
were being governed by a royal governor who
ruled in the best interest of the English king
and the English empire.
George III
Became king in 1760 & was determined to bring
colonies into subjection
King Georges Fundamental Errors:
1.
2.
He took out his frustrations with Parliament
by lashing out against what he thought was a
weaker groupthe colonists.
He appointed Prime Ministers to Parliament
who were determined to tax the colonies and
violate established English liberties in the
process.
The colonists began to think of themselves as
second-class Englishmen who were all but
forgotten except when the Mother country felt
the need for more taxes to finance its political
ambitions.
George Grenville
Appointed Prime Minister of England in 1763. He planned to
control the settlement on the western frontier.
Proclamation of 1763
Cancelled all previous land grants given to the
colonies by past Kings and Parliaments.
New Taxes
England was in a lot of debt from the Seven
Years War, so taxes were raised. First the
taxes were only raised in England, but then
George Greenville proposed raising taxes for
the colonists as well.
Violated Rights
The colonists felt that the new taxes violated
their rights as Englishmen.
Stamp Act
Passed in 1765 by Parliament requiring the colonists to
buy seals for all legal documents, pamphlets, and
newspapers
Quartering Act
In 1765 Parliament passed this act requiring colonists to
furnish British troops with certain supplies and living
quarters.
Stamp Act Congress
Representatives for the colonists that petitioned to the
king, asking him:
1.
2.
3.
To defend their rights as Englishmen to resist
any taxation
To restore their royal charters
To restore the land grants given to the
original colonies
William Pitt the Elder
Believed that the colonies should have direct
representation in Parliament.
Edmund Burke
One of Britains greatest statesmen and political thinkers
Declaratory Act
Colonies were subordinate to England and that Parliament had
the power to pass laws to bind the colonies . . . In all cases
whatsoever.