Qubec

We sailed over the Atlantic to the New World with Champlain to build and live in a settlement in what he called Quebec. Previously there was another post but in 1608 it went downhill, and was lost, along with Champlain’s monopoly on the fur trade. Fur is very valuable to us, especially beaver, as they make the most fashionable hats which are the current craze in France. Our expedition very heavily relied on if we could get the natives to agree to trade their furs with us, for knives and other metal goods. We struck a deal with the Hurons, but only if Champlain helped them defeat their enemies, another native group, called the Iroquois. He and two other men went with him, in full gear, to go to battle. He said that they won by shooting the chiefs. Aside from an arrow that pierced his ear they all came back unscathed, and the Huron allowed us to trade with them. Then company made good money from the beaver skins that we sent back to France. We started sending men out to go live with the native people and better explore the lands, Champlain himself was eager to document and explore the lands as well. The company was doing very well when the English attacked our colony, the Algonkian’s and Montagnias, more native groups who we had an alliance with, turned their backs on us and took Champlain prisoner. We were sure the colony was done for, but a new company, The Company of a Hundred Associates, took over, and was backed up by Cardinal Richelieu one of the most powerful people in France. More posts went up along the river, in the Company’s name and all was well again. Champlain died on Christmas a few years later.

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/021013/f1/nlc008882-v6.jpg
Evening feast in the tradition of Champlain’s Order of Good Cheer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_de_Champlain#Founding_of_Quebec_City Engraving based on a drawing by Champlain of his 1609 voyage. It depicts a battle between Iroquois and Algonquian tribes near Lake Champlain

http://www.apointinhistory.net/100-associates.php
Le repas de paysans by LeNain c. 1640

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_de_Champlain#mediaviewer/File:Baie_des_Chaleurs_1612.PNG
Baie des Chaleurs and Gulf of Saint-Lawrence — extract of Champlain 1612 Map.

Jesuits

Cardinal Richelieu wanted the Native people to hear the words of God, and soon the Jesuits, Catholic missionaries came. They were persistent in converting the Huron but adapted to their living ways, staying with them in Huronia. The Huron were tolerant enough of them – as we told them firmly that if they did not allow the Jesuits in we would stop trading with them – but did not want to change their ways. Few of the Hurons converted but each who did was recorded by the Jesuit’s and they sent reports back to France about their progress. The Jesuits built many structures in Huronia, such as schools, churches and hospitals. The hospitals were very much needed since many of the Huron’s fell ill and eventually succumbed to their sicknesses and died. The Native people were not pleased with how they were falling ill, convinced that the Jesuits had cursed them. No less than half of them died due to these diseases. The Iroquois realized very quickly that their old enemies were weak and attacked many of them. The Dutch had given them firearms, something that we did not give to the majority of the Huron’s; only those who converted got them. In 1607 they began destroying settlements and by 1649 only Ste. Marie remained, which was soon burned to the ground, not by the Iroquois, but by the Huron’s themselves before the Iroquois even arrived. Huronia was soon destroyed, and the few of the Huron’s who remained retreated, and starved during the winter. Without a trading partner, we feared that it would be the end of our colony and fur trading business.

https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/settlement/kids/021013-2111.5-e.html
Wendat family praying after their conversion to Christianity by Jesuits, drawing attributed to Jesuit missionary F.J. Bressani, 1657

http://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/Resources-and-Learning/Exhibits/Samuel-de-Champlain–Perspectives/History/Champlain-and-Huronia,-1615.aspx
Champlain discovers Georgian Bay, C.W. Jefferys, 1925 (Library and Archives Canada/National Archives of Canada fonds/C-000126)

http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/
Iroquois attack Huronia

Royal Government 

We sent an appeal to the king of France hoping he would help us with our increasing problem, which he did. In 1663 he made our trading post a Royal Colony and assumed direct government from him. Many people came over to France soon after and as more people got married there were more people born in New France. The government officials in France had very little power over what happened in New France; the distance was simply too much. Governor Frontenac did a fine job however, along with Intendant Talon and Bishop Laval. Bishop Laval was very intent on converting the Native People which did cause a bit of aggravation between them and us, but the Governor sorted it out just fine. Governor Frontenac was very interested in expanding the fur trade. The colonists were busy with farming, as Intendant Talon introduced new crops, and even those who didn’t farm were busy with lumber or the shipping yard. All in all the new Royal Colony was going very well.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/francois-de-laval/
Laval, François de

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Talon
Jean Talon

Coureurs de Bois

The fur trade was still very prosperous and so many men ventured out into the continent to search for furs and to explore for thoroughly. These men called themselves coureurs de bois and traded furs independently. Since the Iroquois had stopped all other Native groups from trading with us we had to go out to look for the source, something that we were hesitant to do to begin with. These coureurs de bois traveled through the great lakes with canoes and could go great distances, some of the most famed being Pierre Radisson and Medart De Groseilliers; who traveled more North of the country to Hudson’s Bay. They came to us first, but we were not interested. Many other coureurs de bios made money during this time, and the fur brigade was a very favorable business during times of peace. During this time they did helped further the reaches of France into the continent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coureur_des_bois
Arrival of Radisson in an Indian camp in 1660

http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_furtrade/fp_furtrade3.html
Arrival of Radisson in an Indian camp in 1660

Seigneury

As the colony grew along the St. Lawrence River it became apparent that we needed a more concreate system of how to distribute land, so we developed a system which mirrored the feudal system called The Seigneurial System. The river was New France’s main route of transportation and everyone wanted some of it. It went from the river front into uncleared bush. The Seigneur – the owner of a large plot of land by the river, given to them by the King – would divide the land into long, thin, 32 hectare strips and bring in people to farm it, Habitants. The Seigneury also had to have a flour mill and church, which the Seigneur helped to build. The habitant would have to farm the land, and build a house, and give a percentage of their crops, fish and animals to the Seigneur annually, as well as perform a few days of labour without pay. Sometimes when multiple generations of a family farmed the same plot, they had to subdivide the land even further. Once the land was used up we would form new plots behind the first, which could have caused problems for us with the Native people, but we were on good terms with them and many had moved away from the river to work in the fur trade.

http://quebec.acadian-home.org/seigneural-systems.html
The Habitant Farm, 1856
National Gallery of Canada

http://www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/population/social-groups/
Interior of a Canadian house

Church

The church provided many services for the people of New France. On ever Seigneury there had to be a church, which were often the center of social as well as religious life for many habitants, and it was the church that provided the news. The churches, though shabby looking were sturdy, built of wood or stone, and held pretty well, The church built schools and taught the children in Catholicism, French and basic mathematics. Nuns also helped care for the sick, elderly and orphans, and in 1639 even built a hospital in Montreal. There were many seigneuries and normally not enough priests, so many had to travel from parish to parish, which must have been difficult since a priest had many roles to do. They had to perform services – such as marriages, funerals, baptizing and mass – and many legal services – drawing up wills, recording business transactions – as well as many other services – such as government services like telling people government announcements and recordings births and deaths. The church was the central part of most inhabitants in New France’s life.

http://www.learnquebec.ca/en/content/curriculum/social_sciences/features/situation_seigneury/parishchurch.html
Catholic Church in New France

http://option.canada.pagesperso-orange.fr/religion.htm
New France Children

French vs English

The British wanted more control of the fur trade and with The Hudson’s Bay Company, a popular company indeed, they were giving us a run for our money. While we continued going further inland looking for furs they stayed at their fort in Hudson’s Bay and let the Natives bring furs to them. They did not seem interested in colonizing though, but we were still not happy by their presence. We continued to expand inland looking for furs, to prevent the British from getting them. We established many forts further south to try and get the Native people to bring their furs to us, and it worked very well. To the East we had lost Arcadia due to the Treaty of Utrecht, to the North it had ensured that the British had land by Hudson’s bay. We were not pleased with that, but New France was still a very prosperous and profitable colony. Fishing in the Atlantic was very profitable, since fish was always in such high demand back in France. Newfoundland was a very good spot to set up a fishery, as it was surrounded by the Atlantic. Though the fishery was good, we decided that we needed a bigger fishery to help make more profit. We began the construction of Louisbourg in 1720. It was much more than a fishing station, it was also our naval and military base, and since it was at the Gulf of St. Lawrence it was the perfect place to build a fort. Though the construction was not the best Louisbourg was thriving and quickly got a reputation of being strong. The British must have felt threatened by it because in 1749 they began the construction of their own fort called Halifax. The British captured Louisbourg, twice, in 1745 and 1758. It was quite shameful indeed, having to have our own fort handed back to us. After the Treaty of Utrecht was signed some Arcadian’s were wanted to give an Oath of Allegiance to the British, but many remained neutral. Many times the Arcadia’s had refused to give and Oath of Allegiance but in the 1750’s war with the British seemed to be coming, and the British decided that those who did not take the Oath would be deported. In 1755 they made work of it and began taking Arcadia’s land and possessions. Many died during this time, those who didn’t went to France, or south to the thirteen colonies. The deportation continued until 1762.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Louisbourg
Plan of the Fortress in 1751

http://www.edu.pe.ca/vrcs/resources/new%20france/index.html
New France Acadia

http://www.your-nova-scotia-holiday.com/fortress-of-louisbourg-history.html
View of the Fortress of Louisbourg

http://www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/daily-life/communications/
View of the Town of Louisbourg taken from the Port, 1731, by Verrier fils

http://www.cbc.ca/acadian/timeline.html
Ships Take Acadians Into Exile by Claude T. Picard

Seven Years War/French and Indian Wars
In 1758 the British took Louisbourg. In June a fleet of 200 ships arrived outside and began to attack. The battles were short but nearly 60 days later they came to shore and bombarded the fort from the hills. The people had nowhere to go, and by the time that we surrendered, Louisbourg was destroyed. After that they began taking our forts, starting with Fort Frontenac and Fort Duquesne. We retreated to Quebec, and the British traveled up the river right to us. Quebec was center of power in New France and if the British captured it, it would be the end of French power on North America. The British traveled up the St. Lawrence during the summer and in the spring they attacked. For nearly three months their attacks and ploys to capture Quebec did not work, but they went up stream to cut off our supplies. Our leader Montcalm, and in September of 1759 he learned that the British were planning an attack. We did not have all our men, some away on Beauport shore. Montcalm took the men we had and we marched to the Plains of Abraham. Our troops were not used to fighting in such an open setting, as most of our battles took place in the forest. We were very poorly organized and disoriented, and attacked the British head on. They waited until we were close and fired, our men retreated and our ranks broke. In less than an hour the battle was over and Montcalm had died, along with the British leader, so it wasn’t all bad, I suppose. The British took Quebec and we retreated to Montreal. The British stayed in Quebec during the winter and in the spring we made an attempt to drive them out. We got them outside the town walls, but British reinforcements came and we retreated once again. The British came to us in September, burning our crops along the way. This time we surrendered. The war for us had ended by in Europe it was still going on, and until a treaty was signed we hoped that New France would return to France. The British ruled over us with a temporary government, and not many changes were made. Some officials returned to France but most stayed. In 1763 the war in Europe ended and a treaty was signed. The Treaty of Paris gave New France and Acadia to Britain. We were not deported, and despite the loss of New France some were relieved that finally the wars were over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Frontenac#mediaviewer/File:MHSFortFrontenac.jpg
A 1763 map showing the British positions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Plains_of_Abraham#mediaviewer/File:Montcalm_leading_his_troops_at_the_Plains_of_Abraham.jpg
Montcalm leading his troops into battle. Watercolour by Charles William Jefferys (1869–1951).

http://www.uppercanadahistory.ca/wm/wm9.html
Fanciful version of the Death of Montcalm by François-Louis-Joseph Watteau {The original is in the National Gallery of Canada} [Inspired by West’s Painting of the Death of Wolfe]

http://allthingsliberty.com/2013/09/1763-revolutionary-peace-1763 Treaty of Paris, principal signature page. Source: The National Archives of the UK, ref. SP108/123exhibit/

http://richardnelson.org/Parent-Frost%20Website/A%20SHORT%20HISTORY%20OF%20NEW%20FRANCE.htm
The disposition of the French and English troops on the Plains of Abraham, September 13, 1759.
Foulon, where Wolfe and his men climbed the secret path is at the lower left of the illustration.

http://www.gutenberg.ca/ebooks/wood-fortress/wood-fortress-00-h-dir/wood-fortress-00-h.html#Page_1
SIEGE OF LOUISBOURG 1758
Bartholomew, Edin.

Radical stage
advocating or based on thorough or complete political or social reform; representing or supporting an extreme section of a political party.
Synonyms: Exterme, militant

Outrage in Mexico over missing students and government corruption peaks in the wake of protestors setting fire to the Mexican president’s palace

Causes of the American Revolution

Stamp Act: The Stamp Act Denounced
http://ushistoryimages.com/stamp-act.shtm

  The Stamp Act was introduced to pay for the cost of the French and Indian war. It was the first direct tax on the American colonies. Newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, almanacs, dice and playing cards were taxed. The colonists were infuriated because they felt they should be taxed only by their own government. The Sons of Liberty formed to oppose the Stamp Act and used violence and intimidation to fight against it. Samuel Adams lead the group in Boston. October 1765 representatives from nine colonies met in New York and sent a petition to King George and Parliament asking for the Stamp Act to be repealed. The petition stated taxation without representation violated their basic rights. The colonist refused to use the stamps when the Stamp Act went into effect November 7 1765.

In June, 1767 the British Parliament decided to cut British land taxes, however they needed to fund a war in France and India. To make the difference, Charles Townshend promised to tax the colonists on all their imported goods. The colonists were angry about that. In October the colonists decided to boycott most imported English items. In February Samuel Adams wrote a letter to Parliament, complaining, and it later became known as the circular, and told the colonists to rise up against England. After many meetings and disputes, England sent in warships to the Boston harbour. People complained about being taxed without representation, and after a lengthily dispute the Townshend act was repealed, except for the taxes on tea.

Boston Massacre: The Boston Massacre
http://ushistoryimages.com/boston-massacre.shtm

In February 1770 Christopher Sneider, a young colonist boy, was killed by a British merchant, and put the colonists and soldiers at edge with each other. On Monday, March 5^th, 1770 a conflict grew between the colonists and British soldier, and the colonists started throwing snowballs and rocks at them. Private High Montgomery was hit by a club, and started firing intot he crown, making other people fire as well. Three colonists died there, two died later from injuries they sustained. Sam Addams insisted the troops leave Boston, and many who were for the independent from British blew the fight out of proportion, thus naming it the Boston Massacre.

Boston Tea Party: Destruction of Tea
http://ushistoryimages.com/boston-tea-party.shtm

In 1773 the East India Company had plenty of tea that it couldn’t sell, so the British government gave it special permission to sell its tea in the colonies without tax, making the Tea Act. The British government didn’t think that the colonists would be upset about this, but they were. It would give the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales. The colonists decided to restart the boycott on English tea, and got even more people joining it; women, the primary drinkers of tea, joined in. The colonies decided to stop the East India Company from selling tea in America. In October 1773 Philadelphia opposed the tax and forced British tea agents to leave their positions. On December 16^th 1773 Samuel Addams lead three groups of 50 men, dressed as Mohawk Indians, and broke into 342 chests of tea, and threw all the tea overboard. After the damage was done, the colonists refused to pay for the damage they made.

Patriot cartoon depicting the Coercive Acts as the forcing of tea on an American woman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intolerable_Acts

The Intolerable Acts were passed in 1774, and they did not allow British soldiers to be tried for any crime they may commit in America, nor did they let them get tried in England, meaning they could do whatever they pleased. There were three major events that angered the colonists. On June 1^st, 1774 the Boston Port Bill was passed, and it closed the Boston harbour until the colonists paid for all the tea they destroyed.

On September 5^th 1774, every colony, except Georgia sent representatives to what would later be known as the First Continental Congress. There were 44 delegates present. On October 26^th 1774 congress adjourned and decided to meet again in May, of 1775 if King George III did not repeal the Intolerable Acts. King George III refused to remove the acts.

—

Components

Battle of Lexington, april 1th, 1775
http://ushistoryimages.com/battle-of-lexington.shtm

King George III told General Thomas Gage to use force to ensure that the colonies knew that the British still ruled. This put the British and the colonists even more at edge with each other, and that made the colonists even more convinced to bear arms. The colonists who were for the independence of America were called patriots, but in Massachusetts were known as Minutemen, as they were ready at a minute’s notice. During April in 1775, General Gage learned that Patriots had an arsenal of weapons, stored in the town of Concorde, and he ordered his soldiers to go there and capture the weapons. On the way there, they decided to go through Lexington to look for Samuel Adams whom they wanted to arrest. The Minutemen, Patriots, had learned that the British were coming, somehow, and went to Lexington and waited for the British to come. In the morning of April 19^th, the British marched through Lexington and were met by seventy Minute men. The British fired two volleys, eighteen minute men were killed, but the rest scattered. The British went on to Concord where they did not find the weapons they were looking for. While the British soldiers were making their way back to Boston they were shot at by Minutemen. The soldiers were stuck between the sea and the rag tag Patriot army. In the end seventy three British soldiers were killed, and two hundred forty seven were wounded or went missing. The Patriots only lost ninety three. General Gage decided until he could get reinforcements, he would not use anymore force against the colonists. Though not many people realized, that was the beginning of the civil war.

Battle of Bunker Hill – June n17th, 1775
http://ushistoryimages.com/battle-of-bunker-hill.shtm

The battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the American revolutionary war. General Howe was the leader of the British army, which still had a strong presence in Boston, which upset the Patriots. By taking over Dorchester Heights and the Charleston’s peninsulas, the British knew they would watch over the Boston harbour. The Patriots found out about the British’s plan and decided to act. On the June 17^th, 1775, the British troops found the Patriots had taken control of Bunker Hill. They began to attack from the sea, but later moved to make an assault on the ground. Twice the British retreated; the Patriot’s fired at them as the British approached, but where sent back to fight. On the third try the British were more successful. The Patriots had run out of gun powder and were forced retreat. Even though they lost, the Americans realized that it took the British three tries to win, and that gave them confidence to fight again.

Plan for Bunker Hill
http://ushistoryimages.com/bunker-hill.shtm

Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense in January, 1776, a pamphlet that described what was happening in the colonies because of the British, how it was unfair and why America should declare independence from its mother country. It wasn’t publish until February 14^th of the same year. Within months of its release more than 500,000 copies had been sold. Common sense convinced many people that what the British were doing was wrong, and the only way to protect their rights was to declare independence, and gave people a desire to fight for their freedom.

On May 5^th of 1775 the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. The Patriots wanted to try and work things out in more civil fashion, and offered The Olive Branch Petition to try and avoid a war. King George III refused to read it. Most American’s agreed that there was no choice but to declare independence. There was quite a bit of frustration from the Patriots, who did not want independence at the cost of war, but on June 7^th, 1776, Richard Henry Lee made a formal proposal that that the colonies declare independence. Congress appointed a five man committee to write a declaration of independence, led by Thomas Jefferson. It took two weeks for Jefferson to finish the declaration, and it was presented to congress and debated on July 1^st. After going over it many time, the declaration has taken its final form on July 4^th.

SURPRISE OF THE HESSIANS AT TRENTON
http://ushistoryimages.com/battle-of-trenton.shtm

During battles the Patriots has suffered many losses, and after the battle of New York General Washington’s army fled to Pennsylvania’s country side to get away from the British troops. On Christmas night of 1776, General Washington made a plan that he thought would bring victory to his men. He guessed that the Hessians, the German army, would be celebrating Christmas and wouldn’t expect an army strike. The group of soldier crossed the Delaware River where they were camped out in boats, when they all reached the other side in the early morning, they used surprise as their weapon, and captured between 900 and 1000 prisoners and took over Trenton. They went on to Princeton and again surprised their enemy.

British general John Burgoyne earned the nickname “Gentleman Johnny” for his love of leisure and his tendency to throw parties between battles. His surrender to American forces at the Battle of Saratoga marked a turning point in the Revolutionary War.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/11g.asp

In September, Major General Burgoyne and his men reached Albany, only to find it protected by 7,000 Patriots following the orders of Major General Horatio Gates. On the 19^th of September, 1777 the British attacked the Patriots, and forced the Patriots to retreat to Bemis Heights. The battle restarted on October 7^th, when the British staged a full assault on the Patriots at Bemis Heights. The Patriots had let he British wear themselves down with minor assaults and were prepared on October 7^th. They had a strong defense up against Burgoyne’s army. The British had no choice but to retreat. On October 17^th, 1777 the British army had no choice but to surrender to the Patriot army. That battle ruined the goal of British control over the Northern colonies. The French had also decided to join the Patriots against the British army, and that, along with the gained control of the Northern colonies gave the patriots reason to continue fighting.

Detail of a 1780 map drawn by a British engineer showing the Charleston defenses
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Charleston

After the battle of Saratoga General Sir Henry Clinton focused on the southern colonies and decided that the best course of action was to send troops there. Lieutenant Colonel Campbell captured Savannah, Georgia in December of 1778. On January 19^th, 1779 Brigadier General Prevost took control of Augusta, giving the British full control of the Georgia colony. Then on May of 1789 the British recaptured Charleston, after forcing General Lincoln’s men to surrender, making amends to their loss in June, 1776. In order to reinforce General Charles Lincoln’s troops, General Washington sent unit of men from Maryland and Delaware to aid them. Soon after they were ordered to march into Camden by General Gates. On August 16^th of 1780, the British army battled the Continental forces in South Carolina. When the Patriot army saw they were outnumbered they retreated, giving the British control of yet another major city in the Carolinas. General Gates was soon replaced by General Greene after that defeat. The Patriots won the battle o0f Kings Mountain on October 7^th, 1780 when the British leader, Patrick Ferguson was killed and his troops surrendered. Three months following on January 7^th 1781 General Greene defeated General Cornwallis’s troops, giving them the victory of the Battle of Cowpens. On March 15^th of 1781 the British won the battle at Guilford Courthouse, even though they were forced to retreat. General Greene and his troops remained in South Carolina and worked with Vigilante groups to push the British out. They were defeated by the British at Hobirks Hill on April 15^th, 1781, and again at Eutaw Springs on September 8^th 1781. Despite the British’s victories they were worn out and retreated to Charleston, setting the stage for the final battle in the American revolutionary war.

PLAN OF THE BATTLES OF STILLWATER AND SARATOGA
http://ushistoryimages.com/battle-of-saratoga.shtm

CAPTURE OF REDOUBT AT YORKTOWN
http://ushistoryimages.com/battle-of-yorktown.shtm

After the battle of Guilford Court House the British were tired and worn out, and General Cornwallis decided to move his troops to Yorktown, Virginia. At the same time, General Washington was planning to attack New York, and General Cornwallis was ordered to move all his troops to New York however he did not obey orders. On October 6^th 1781 the Continental army, with the help of the French, attacked General Cornwallis and his men in Yorktown. A British fleet was sent from New York to aid General Cornwallis but it was too late. On October 19^th, 1781, General Cornwallis and his men officially surrendered to General Washington. No one realized at the time but this was the last major battle of the war. In April of the following year the British House of Commons voted to end the war.

The British were forced to surrender 2 days after patriot soldiers captured the fort at Yorktown in 1781

Consequences

After the American revolution ended, most Loyalists – colonists were where loyal to the crown – went to other British colonies, such as Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. There were so many Loyalists in one place, that they created Ontario.

treaty of paris 1783
http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/treaty-of-paris

The Treaty of Paris of 1783, ended the revolutionary war, and made Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent country. They established the ground that was considered American, and English. Britain allowed the United States the Allegheny Mountains to the Mississippi river, giving the United States its new borders.

Page one of the original copy of the Constitution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution

In 1789 the United States created the Constitution, the “Supreme laws of the land” and ventral instrument of government. The Constitution states that there are three main branches of government, and three levels of government, and that no branch of government is more powerful than any other. No person is outside of the law, and in all states they must be democratic and respect the laws of each other.

Amendment 10: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
http://www.ushistory.org/us/18a.asp

There were ten first amendments to the Constitution, and they became known as the Bill of Rights, established in 1791. The Bill of Rights represents the ideals that the United States valued then, and still now; personal liberty, limited government and the rules of law. The Bill of Rights state that every individual has personal rights, such as the right of freedom of speech and right to petition the government. Even today people have these rights and more.

The American revolution put the idea and prospect of person rights and equality into the heads of other people around the world. Suddenly, the idea that saying no to a person or government that was in power, and using it poorly wasn’t as daunting as it was before. The American revolution set the stage for other revolution around the world.