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1. For hundreds of years Spain, France, and England (also known as Great Britain) fought many wars against each other. To expand there empires and colonies through out the world. These wars were the result for competitions for land, wealth and a since of superiority. Each of the three European empires claimed large landmasses in North America. By the 1650’s, the English empire and the French empire were ready to battle over control of South America.

2. Because of French explorers like Robert La Salle and Francisco Coronado had occupied the Mississippi River Valley, the Great Plains and the Interior Lowlands. Britain claimed the 13 colonies east of the Appalachian Mountains in the Costal Plains; problems began, in the 1750s when the France decided to expand into the Ohio River Valley. Indians who traded with and were loyal to British colonists originally controlled the valley. With it's rich farmlands and important river routes, the Ohio River Valley was highly desired by the British, French and, the Indian empires. -score

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3. Tension between British and French over the Ohio River Valley increased by 1754.Both sides got their reason for war. When a twenty-one year old, George Washington and a group of Virginian soldiers were sent to stop the French from expanding into the Ohio River Valley a short battle occurred at Fort Duquesne, sparking the French and Indian War. The war for possession of the Ohio River Valley was called the French and Indian War because England fought against the French and their Indian friends.

4. After nine years of war, Britain finally won the French and Indian War and forced France to cede all of its French-American colonial land claims over to Britain. France lost all of the Mississippi River Valley and it’s main North American colony of Québec. The War wasn't only good for Britain but is also helped the colonists. For the first time, the thirteen separate American colonies united to fight a war together. The next time the thirteen colonies would unite again would be in the name of revolution against their "Mother" England. Score

5. Here is where the story of the American Revolution really begins. After the French and Indian War, Britain started to impose its political and economical control over the colonies, so much that the colonies begin to resent, or dislike their ‘Mother’ country. The French and Indian war was very expensive for Great Britain. Britain decided to make the colonists pay for, or finance not only the war but for the British soldiers it kept in the colonies. The King along with Britain’s lawmaking body called Parliament imposed some very unpopular taxes or Acts on the colonists. These taxes attempted to get the colonist to pay for the French and Indian War. What really made the colonist angry was the fact that the colonist had no say, or representation in the creation of these laws. Some colonists started to question weather or not they even needed the King and Parliament to make laws for them. Couldn't the colonists make their own laws and protect themselves!

6. To make matters worse, after the French and Indian War was over, the King of England issued the infamous Proclamation of 1763, which hampered the western movement of American settlers into the Ohio River Valley, lands won by the colonist in the war. Most American colonists thought that they had a right to settle onto the newly conquered rich farmlands of the Ohio River Valley. The 13 American Colonies had to obey English laws that were enforced by governors who were appointed directly by the king or by the proprietor. Many American colonists resented their proprietors or governors because they interfered with local laws, and abused colonists’ rights. Many freedoms or rights were not allowed in the colonies. For example colonists were not given freedom of speech and if they criticized the governor or the King they could be thrown in jail without a fair trial. Increasingly, American colonist began to talk about a revolution –an overthrow of the British government and the creation of New American government.7. After the French and Indian War was over, the King of England issued the infamous Proclamation of 1763, which hampered the western movement of American settlers into lands won by the hard fought French and Indian War. Some American colonists thought that they had a right to settle into the newly conquered rich farmlands of the Ohio River Valley. To make matters worse Britain sent 10,000 British troops that the American colonists had to pay for and house.

7. After the French and Indian War was over, and the King of England had issued the infamous Proclamation of 1763, which hampered the western movement of American settlers into lands won by the English in the French and Indian War. Some American colonists thought that they had a right to settle into the newly conquered rich farmlands of the Ohio River Valley. To make matters worse Britain sent 10,000 British troops that the American colonists had to pay for and house.

8. Great Britain wanted the Americans to pay their share of the French and Indian War. To help finance the French and Indian War and help with the maintaining of English troops in the colonies, Britain taxed the colonies. Starting in the 1760’s, a series of events angered the American Colonist and pushed them closer to revolution. Back in England, Parliament, created a set of taxes that made the American Colonists very dissatisfied. The Tea, Stamp, and Townsend Acts were infamous taxes that American Colonist resented with growing anger. The Colonist resented the fact that they had no say in the creation of these taxes. “No taxation without representation" became the battle cry of the dissatisfied Americans. Americans resented the fact that they had no say or vote in the creation of these taxes. Parliament and the British King made it so that the American colonies were dependant on England’s economy. For example, England forced the American colonies to send their raw material and recourses back to England where it was then manufactured and sold back to the colonists at higher prices. Many colonists felt like they were being treated as economic and political slaves. Score

9. Through out the 1750's, colonists protested British taxes in many ways. Some colonists spoke out against the King’s laws. They boycotted British goods, and in some cases publicly harassed and tortured tax collectors. Known as the Boston Massacre, colonists in Boston were shot after taunting British soldiers. During the Boston Tea Party, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere led patriots in throwing tea into Boston’s Harbor to protest tea taxes. Patrick Henry, an outspoken member of House of Burgesses, inspired colonial patriotism with his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. Thomas Paine, journalist and author of Common Sense, printed and distributed his message of revolution.

10. As this was happening, new ideas about politics and economics were gaining popularity. People who write down and developed new ideas are called philosophers and one such philosopher, named John Locke, developed some very new and important ideas. His ideas went on to influence some key American patriots, like Thomas Jefferson, who used Lock's ideas in creating the Declaration of Independence. John Locke had four major ideas that influenced the American Revolution. They were: • People are born with natural rights • Governments should be created to protect those rights • Governments should have limited powers • People should give consent (agreements) to their government’s laws

11. Paul Revere made a daring ride to warn colonists of British arrival. He cried," The British are coming!" Many others rides like Reverse’s took place that night as the Americans woke up to the fact that King George III, the British King during the Revolutionary War era, had sent a massive show of British military force to stop the colonist’s revolution. Soon after the first armed conflict of the Revolutionary War.

12. During the seven or eight years of the American Revolutionary War, many important events occurred. Influenced by Thomas Loc__**sky’s**__ philosophy, Thomas Jefferson authored the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s declaration had three key philosophies. First, people have certain unalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which are rights that cannot be taken away. These rights are basically the same rights that John Locke had called natural rights. Second, people establish government to protect unalienable rights. Third, government derives its power from the people. Reread these important ideas because they have changed and continue to change the world. __**1 mistake**__

13. July 4, 1776, over a year after the Battle of Lexington and Concord, a small group of American colonists declared independence from Britain in Philadelphia. The document that made this possible was Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence that made Americans celebrate but in England, nothing really changed. If the American colonists were to successfully win their independence, they would have to defeat the greatest known army in the world at that time –the Britain. It would take another seven years of bloodshed for America to gain its true independence. The war began miserably for the Americans. The colonies could not compete with English troops who were better armed and more organized. In order to win the war, the American Continental Army and the 13 Colonies had to unite into one powerful army.

14. Most colonists did not support the war and the Americans had a hard time keeping an army together. George Washington courageously led the Continental Army and held it together as it fell apart. During the war, Colonist met to discuss a new American government, which was badly needed to create laws, manage national money, and help Washington win on the battlefield. This makeshift government was called the Continental Congress. Delegates from all colonies, except Georgia met to discuss problems with England and to promote independence. The Continental Congress's main task was to win the war and keep the goal of independence alive. It was the beginning of an American government run by Americans for Americans. John Adams championed the cause of independence in the Continental Congress. Benjamin Franklin, a prominent member of the Congress, helped frame the Declaration of Independence.

15. Most colonists did not support the war and the English and had a hard time keeping an army together. George Washington courageously led the Continental Army and held it together as it fell apart. During the war, Americans met to discuss a new American government, which was badly needed to create laws, manage national money, and help Washington win on the battlefield. This makeshift government was called the Committees of Correspondence. Delegates from all thirteen colonies, except Georgia met to discuss problems with England and to promote independence. The Continental Congress's main task was to win the war and keep the goal of independence alive. It was the beginning of an American government ran by Americans for Americans. John Adams championed the cause of independence in the Continental Congress. Thomas Jefferson, a prominent member of the Congress, helped write the Declaration of Independence.

16. Although only one third of Americans supported the war, Washington’s Continental Army did not give up. Not much later, the Continental Army began winning small battles. The American victory at the Battle of Saratoga was a turning point of the war because it stopped the British in the North, gained the help of France, and proved to Americans that victory was possible. Finally, after eight long years of battle, the Civil War was over. With French help, the colonists surrounded Lord Cornwallis, the British general, and forced him to surrender at Yorktown. This marked the end of the Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Paris was the name of the treaty where England recognized independence.