Birth of the American Republic (2:3)

Britain Becomes a Global Power
     -England's location was a key sense to their control of trade.
     -England's territory expanded.
     -Britain was generally the on the winning side of European conflicts.
     -England's climate was favorable to business and commerce.
  George III wanted to reassert royal power and end Whig domination.
The 13 Colonies in the Mid-1700s
  13 prosperous colonies stretched along the eastern coast of North America and were part of Britain's growing empire.
  The colonies were home to diverse religious and ethnic groups and social distinctions were more blurred than Europe.
Colonists Express Discontent
  The wars drained the British treasury so King George III passed the Sugar Act and Stamp Act which led to protesting "No taxation without representation."
  George Washington was part of the meeting of the political and social leaders of the 13 colonies to determine what to do with the harsh laws passed.
  Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, getting ideas from Locke's natural rights idea.
The American Revolution Continues
   The first turning point in the war was the American victory in the Battle of Saratoga.
   Treaty of Paris ended the war in 1781 at Yorktown, Virginia
A New Constitution
   The nation's leaders included George Washington, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin to gather once more for the Articles of Confederation.
   The Constitution created a federal republic.
   The Constitution of the United States was the most progressive government of its day.