Fletcher vs Peck (1810)

         Georgia took control of a 35-million-acre region  know as the Yazoo lands (present day Alabama and Mississippi). These lands were the Indian Reserve that werewest of Geogia. In 1795, Georgia legislature (old legislature) divided the area into four parts. The government allowed each piece of land to be sold to four different land development companies for about 1.4 cents per acre. The Georgia legislature approved and was called the Yazoo Land Act of 1795. The Yazoo Land Act actually passed because bribes had taken place and so in the next election voters rejected most of the legislature. The next legislature that came into office (new legislature)not only repealed the law but voided any transactions made; they did this because of the public outcry. John Peck purchased land under the act but soon sold this land to Robert Fletcher. Fletcher brought this suit against Peck in 1803, saying that Peck did not have a clear owner title of the land. This was a lose-lose situation because if Supreme Court had ruled for Peck not to have true title over the land, then Fletcher would lose the land as well.
          In a six to one decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the state legislature could not repeal the law because it was considered unconstitutional. This was based of Article I, Section 10, Clause I, also called the Contract Clause, of the Constitution. It said that the Act cannot be invalidated even if the land was illegally obtained. This decision helped create a growing precedent for the sanctity of legal contracts. During this case, the Native Americans did not hold title to any of the lands in the Indian Reserve.
          In this case, the Supreme Court had to decide whether the state repealment of the Yazoo Land Act was costitutional or not. This was the first law that the Supreme Court asserted their power to prove a state law unconstitutional. This case also asserted that the Indians had no claim of the lands that they had been living on before Georgia just claimed it as their own. This case was the beginning of where the Supreme Court would decide whether or not any state law is/was constitutional or not.

George Washington

 

George Washington was the US's first president ever. He was born on Februaru 22, 1732. During his time, Washington was one of the richest men in the US; he owned over 35,000 acres of land in Virginia alone and thousands of acres more around the US. He also owned a great amount of slaves. Washington was also active in banking and lending out money. George Washington served as the US's first president from April 30, 1789 to March 4, 1797. He was also appointed Senior Officer of the Army from July 13, 1798 to December 14, 1799. George Washington participated in the French  and Indian War. As well as in the Revolutionary War. When the Revolution was won, Washington was one of the important figures in writing the Constitution. Washington was so well respected because of his services, that he was elected chairman of the constitution.  Washington contributed so much for his country until his death on December 14, 1799.

Great Awakening

The Great Awakening occured during the time period of the 1730’s to the 1740’s. The main idea of Great Awakening was the colonist's individuality in religion. It started off when King Henry forced the people to follow his preferred religion. The Great Awakening took the idea that religion should be directly from an individual person to God.  Quakers, Anglicans, Baptists, and Presbyterians, the greatest denomonaions, established their own churches. The Great Awakening caused for religious people to break away from the established churches.

Atlantic Slave Trade -----> Best Presentation ;D

 

Thesis: Between 1607 and 1775, Slavery in the southern colonies grew resulting from the “necessity” of profit. Blacks were removed from Africa and inhumanely treated in the colonies, leading to American dependence on profitable plantation systems that were reliant on slavery; thus, creating a new social system based on race.

The American colonies and England during the 17th and early 18th century were all about making profit. The Atlantic Slave Trade brought the Colonies great profit. The slave trade begins in the colonies where rum is filled into barrels and then transferred to the Gold Coast of Africa. There the rum was traded for slaves who were literally jammed by force into the colonists ships. From Africa they headed to the West Indies where the slaves were exchanged for molasses and sugar which were taking back to the colonies. In the colonies, the cycle started all over again by processing molasses and turnig it into rum. The West Indies were dependant on sugar plantations and since they did not have to pay the slaves to do the work, the plantations saved alot more money with the slaves. England passed acts such as the Molasses Act of 1733 and the Sugar Act of 1764 to try and limit colonists trading. However, these acts did not work as they led to bribery and smuggling of products across the seas and English borders.

The Glorious Revolution

 

After the death of Queen Elizabeth I England had to find a new king/queen because she had no children; therefore, King James I was made King. The Glorious Revolution started off in England when King James II was overthrown and William III  and Mary II were replaced. The Revolution allowed colonists to recieve their rights, but Parliament decided that every person under the rule of England was to be virtually represented. The acts (Stamp Act, Currency Act, and Sugar Act) passed by England kindled the colonists resistance from English rule. The English Bill of Rights presented some rights of the English which inlcuded freedom of speech and freedom to petition. However their rights were not fully granted by Parliament.

The Enlightenment

John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu

This was a period of revolution in the history of England. This was when people began to accept the inherent rights of man. The Enlightenment started off in England and it soon was affecting the colonists in the New England colonies. John Lockebelieved in the natural rights of man which were the right to life, liberty and property. Locke’s natural rights, were used in he American Declaration of Independence from 1776. Baron de Montesquieu, believed in the separation of powers, specifically 3 branches which included the legislative, executive, and judicial branch. Thid separation of powers would lower the chances of corruption addecting the government. This type of government gave the people of the government to overthrow the president/leader if he/she was being unfair or unjust with the people.

French and Indian War (7 Year War)

The French and Idian War, also known as the 7 Year War, is thought of as the first World War. This war involved the Spanish, French, and British. This war began because of disagreements between the French and the British about land in the Americas. The war was started when the governor of Virginia ordered George Washington to lead troops into the Ohio area, which was French territory. However, George Washington was forced to surrender as France joined forces with Spain. England many acts which included the Stamp Act, the Sugar Act, the Quartering Act, and the Proclamation of 1763. The colonists did not like these taxes. In 1768, two British regiments killed /or wounded eleven citizens. In 1775, colonists dressed as Native Americans dumped all of the tea from a British cargo ship full of tea, at Boston Portinto, into the Harbor. This is know as and called the Boston Tea Party.  The British parliament was much more than angery; therefore, they passed the Quebec Act and closed Boston’s port for a good while.