The Great American Story Course Notes Part 2

George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in June 1775.

In 1777, the American victory at Saratoga over British troops led by General Burgoyne was
instrumental in securing French support for the Americans.

Washington's army experienced a low point during the winter of 1777-78 while encamped at Valley Forge.

The surrender of General Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown effectively ended the
Revolutionary War.

The Articles of Confederation aimed to secure the sovereignty of the states.

In contrast to the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution reflected a sober, chastened view
of human nature.

The Constitution does not attempt to eliminate political conflict, but rather attempts to make
such conflict serve the common good.

The average age of the delegates attending the Constitutional Convention was 42.

Indentured servitude was an important form of labor to the development of colonies. It was the practice by which an employer would pay for a person’s passage to America in exchange for a period of contractual service.

The first black Africans in America arrived at Jamestown aboard a Dutch ship in 1619.

By the 1660s, colonial assemblies had passed slave codes dictating that Africans and their
offspring were to be held in permanent bondage.

The Anti-Federalists played an important role arguing for the adoption of the Bill of Rights.

Source: “The Great American Story: A Land of Hope”