AbsolutismAbsolutism

Absolutism = placed unlimited power in the monarch and his advisors

European monarchs wanted complete control and total loyalty of their subjects

Ruled by divine right = idea that monarchs receive their power directly from God and are responsible to God alone for their actions

‘‘MericaMerica

Before America became a new nation, its citizens were people of all nationalities and cultures. Many came to the North American colonies to escape oppressive governments, religious persecution, unemployment, and hopeless poverty.

Although the colonists immigrated to America for a variety of reasons, their common goal was a new start in life, and the keystone of that new life was freedom.freedom.

Comparing Atlantic Comparing Atlantic RevolutionsRevolutions

Ideas Under Attack (GB)

Divine right of kingsDivine right of kings

State control of trade

Aristocratic privilege

Authority of a single Authority of a single churchchurch

Shared Ideals (Colonists)

LibertyLiberty

EqualityEquality

Free tradeFree trade

Religious toleranceReligious tolerance

Human reasonHuman reason

DemocracyDemocracy

Popular sovereigntyPopular sovereignty

Old World vs. NewOld World vs. New

America could be seen or described as being fundamentally different from Europeans in ideas and opinions.

While many Europeans live in poverty, unemployment, and drudgery (hard/dull work), the American is able to farm his own the American is able to farm his own land and see the fruits of his labor. land and see the fruits of his labor.

North American North American RevolutionRevolution

Struggle for independence from oppressive British rule

An effort to preserve the existing liberties of the colonies rather than create new ones

Up to this point British colonists had enjoyed local autonomy and little interference from Britain Autonomy - Autonomy - (of a country or region) the right or condition

of self-government, especially in a particular sphere.

The British government was: Tied up in internal conflicts Tied up in European wars (especially with France) More concerned with its Caribbean colonies because those

were more profitable

North American North American RevolutionRevolution

What changed? What changed? British government started to tighten its control over the colonies and to extract more revenue from them

Why? Why? British treasury was drained and national debt was through the roof due to its global struggles with France – Britain needed moneyneeded money!

What did they do? What did they do? Imposed a variety of new taxes and tariffs on the colonists without their consent Colonists couldn’t do anything

because they had no representatives in the British ParliamentKing George III

“Tyrant” King of England

New Colonial TaxesNew Colonial Taxes(Just a few examples…)(Just a few examples…)

Stamp Act (1765)Stamp Act (1765)Placed a direct tax on all printed materials

Tea Act (1773)Tea Act (1773)Placed a 3-cents-per-

pound tax on tea

Sugar Act (1764)Sugar Act (1764)Placed a tax on sugar

and molasses

Colonial UnrestColonial Unrest

After many unsuccessful After many unsuccessful attempts at peaceful resolutions attempts at peaceful resolutions with the British Parliament, the with the British Parliament, the

colonists started to get restless…colonists started to get restless…

British ImpositionBritish Imposition

1764 - Sugar Act Sugar Act - Law passed by the British Parliament passed by the British Parliament setting a tax on sugar and molasses imported into the setting a tax on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies impacting the manufacture of rum in New colonies impacting the manufacture of rum in New EnglandEngland. The Sugar Act was repealed in 1766 and replaced with the Revenue Act of 1766, which reduced the tax on molasses imports

1765 -The Quartering Act The Quartering Act - The first of a series of Laws requiring the provision of housing, food and drink to requiring the provision of housing, food and drink to British troops stationed in towns designed to improve British troops stationed in towns designed to improve the living conditions of troopsthe living conditions of troops whilst decreasing the cost to the crown. required colonial governments to absorb the costs associated with quartering British troops which included food, shelter, bedding, cooking utensils, firewood, salt, vinegar, beer or cider and candles.

British ImpositionBritish Imposition

1765 - The Stamp Act The Stamp Act - placed a stamp duty (tax) on placed a stamp duty (tax) on legal papers, newspapers and pamphletslegal papers, newspapers and pamphlets. Vehement opposition by the Colonies, specifically members of the Sons of Liberty, resulted in the repeal of the act in 1766.

1766 -The Declaratory Act The Declaratory Act - Declaration by the British Parliament that accompanied repeal of the Stamp Act stating that Parliament's authority was the stating that Parliament's authority was the same in America as in Britain and asserted same in America as in Britain and asserted Parliament's authority to make laws binding on the Parliament's authority to make laws binding on the American colonies. American colonies. The colonies did not dispute the notion of Parliamentary supremacy over the law. But the ability to tax without representation was another matter.

British ImpositionBritish Imposition

1767 - Townshend Acts Townshend Acts - Series of Laws passed by the British Parliament placing duties on items imported by the colonists including glass, lead, paints, paper and teaglass, lead, paints, paper and tea. The reaction from the colonists was so intense that Great Britain eventually repealed all the taxes except the one on tea

1773 - Tea Act Tea Act - Law passed by the British Parliament allowing the British East India allowing the British East India Company to sell its low-cost tea directly to the Company to sell its low-cost tea directly to the coloniescolonies, undermining colonial tea merchants.

The Intolerable Acts:The Intolerable Acts:

Restrain - Restrain - prevent (someone or something) from doing something; keep under control or within limits.

Coerce - Coerce - persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats.

Also called the the “Restraining Acts” “Restraining Acts” and the “Coercive Acts”, “Coercive Acts”, were a series of British Laws, passed by the Parliament of Great Britain 1774. Four of the Intolerable Acts were specifically aimed at punishing specifically aimed at punishing the Massachusetts coloniststhe Massachusetts colonists for the actions taken in the incident known as the Boston Tea Party.

The purpose of the Intolerable The purpose of the Intolerable acts of 1774acts of 1774

Boston Port Act - Boston Port Act - closed the port of Boston until the tea that had been destroyed at the Boston Tea Party had been paid for. Only food and firewood were permitted into the port of Boston

Massachusetts Government Act - Massachusetts Government Act - was to effectively suspend the right of self-government in the Massachusetts colony

Administration of Justice Act - Administration of Justice Act - allowed the Governor to send rebellious colonists for trial in other colonies or in Great Britain

Quartering Act - Quartering Act - extended the provisions of the previous 1765 Quartering Act giving the governor, rather than the assembly, the authority to enforce arrangements to ensure that the colonists supplied lodging for the troops

Quebec Act - Quebec Act - seen as a new model for an authoritarian British colonial administration and another threat to the independence of the colonies

Tar and Feathering of Tax Tar and Feathering of Tax CollectorsCollectors

“No taxation without representation!”

No Taxation Without No Taxation Without RepresentationRepresentation

• Secret societies such as the Sons of LibertySons of Liberty, led by fiery patriots, including Samuel Adams, began planning and executing rebellion/agitation/resistance against any unjust rules or taxes imposed on colonists.

• Colonists objected to taxation without representation objected to taxation without representation because they believed this violated their basic because they believed this violated their basic political rights as Englishmen.political rights as Englishmen. When Great Britain insisted on taxing tea, colonists led by the Sons of Sons of Liberty Liberty boarded the ships and threw the tea overboard into Boston harbor. The British responded with several acts punishing the colonists in general and Boston in particular. The colonists felt these acts were intolerableintolerable and their enactment only stirred their enactment only stirred more anti-British Sentiment.more anti-British Sentiment.

Boston Tea Party Boston Tea Party (1773) – December 16, (1773) – December 16,

17731773 Colonists

dressed up as Native Americans

Dumped 90,000 lbs of tea into Boston Harbor

Thomas Paine’s Thomas Paine’s InfluenceInfluence

By spring 1775, armed conflict had already begun in the New England colonies; the city of Boston was city of Boston was under siegeunder siege.

The Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, sent George Washington to New England to organize the militia and farmers, but the colonial resolve stopped there.

The representatives had to decide what to do and representatives had to decide what to do and quickly if the infant army were to survivequickly if the infant army were to survive. The problem lay in the colonists themselves: the shopkeepers, artisans, and farmers of the various regions had no had no unified opinion on how to respond to the mother unified opinion on how to respond to the mother country.country.

Thomas Paine Thomas Paine Continued…Continued…

In January 1776, Thomas Paine, sensing the wavering public opinion, printed a pamphlet called “Common Sense”“Common Sense”

America’s first political blockbuster, selling 150,000 copies in its first printing.

““Common Sense” Common Sense” argued in language, metaphors, and analogies that everyone could understand for complete separation from England, and provided a vision for a new government.

The wildly successful “Common Sense” “Common Sense” swayed a large majority of colonists into wanting to create a new, uniquely American approach to government. 7 months after the first printing of “Common Sense”, “Common Sense”, the Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence. The goal was clear. There was no turning backThere was no turning back..

Declaration of Declaration of Independence (1776)Independence (1776)

Inalienable rights Inalienable rights = life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness; can’t be taken away (natural rights – John Locke)

Government created by a contract between the people and the government – “SOCIAL CONTRACT” “SOCIAL CONTRACT” (John Locke)

If the government fails, people can overthrow it

Listed the colonists’ grievances with King George III

Terms DefinedTerms Defined

Social Contract - Social Contract - an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for example by sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection

Popular Sovereignty - Popular Sovereignty - sovereignty of the people is the principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives, who are the source of all political power.

Progress in Declaring Progress in Declaring IndependenceIndependence

Richard Henry Lee Richard Henry Lee - was among the first persons to propose a system of inter-colonial committees of correspondence. These committees were set up to These committees were set up to coordinate the efforts of the colonies against the British.coordinate the efforts of the colonies against the British.

With the Revolutionary War in its second year, Richard Henry Lee on June 7, 1776, presented a resolution to the Continental Congress, “That these United Colonies “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”dissolved.”

Birth Certificate of a Birth Certificate of a New NationNew Nation

In response, the Continental Congress, acting as the central colonial government, appointed a Committee of Five Committee of Five members to draft a statement presenting the colonies’ case for independence to the world. Thomas Jefferson later wrote that the other committee members “unanimously pressed on myself alone to undertake the draught.” Thomas Jefferson (VA)Thomas Jefferson (VA) Benjamin Franklin (PA)Benjamin Franklin (PA) John Adams (MA)John Adams (MA) Roger Sherman (CT)Roger Sherman (CT) Robert L. Livingston (NY)Robert L. Livingston (NY)

Between June 11 and 28, Jefferson toiled with his thoughts and wrote with his quilled pen the birth certificate of a new nation.

5 Sections of the 5 Sections of the DeclarationDeclaration

• • IntroductionIntroduction

• • PreamblePreamble

• • Indictment of King George IIIIndictment of King George III

• • Denunciation of the British peopleDenunciation of the British people

• • Conclusion Conclusion

War for IndependenceWar for Independence

With this declaration, there was no turning back the the war for independence was war for independence was officially onofficially on

Leader of colonial army = George WashingtonGeorge Washington

George Washington at the British Surrender at Yorktown

DefinedDefined

Dissolve – Dissolve – close down or dismiss

Impel - Impel - drive, force, or urge (someone) to do something

INTROINTRO

““When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”which impel them to the separation.”

What was the purpose of the Introduction?What was the purpose of the Introduction?

What do you think the Introduction means? What do you think the Introduction means?

What do you think is the most important word in Jefferson’s amazing one What do you think is the most important word in Jefferson’s amazing one sentence introduction? sentence introduction?

AnswersAnswers

In that long, amazing sentence, Jefferson says it is necessarynecessary for the colonies to be free from Britain. And he tells you to read on if you want to know why.

The most important word is necessarynecessary. In Jefferson’s day, the word necessarynecessary meant that fate, nature, and God decreed (official order) it. Jefferson tells us that the colonies’ independence from Britain is is inescapable, inevitable, and unavoidableinescapable, inevitable, and unavoidable. There is no choice for either Britain or the colonies’ independence is absolute and inescapable. Jefferson knew how to pick a word to make a point.

THE PREAMBLETHE PREAMBLE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NVVjIriFeE

Promises of the Preamble1.1. To form a more Perfect UnionTo form a more Perfect Union2.2. Establish Justice.Establish Justice.3.3. Insure Domestic Tranquility.Insure Domestic Tranquility.4.4. Provide for the Common Defense.Provide for the Common Defense.5.5. Promote the General WelfarePromote the General Welfare6.6. Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Secure the Blessings of Liberty to

Ourselves and Our PosterityOurselves and Our Posterity

U.S. ConstitutionU.S. Constitution

Put the political ideals of political ideals of the Enlightenment into the Enlightenment into practicepractice

Federal system Federal system = power shared between national and state governments

3 Branches 3 Branches = executive, legislative, and judicial

System of check and balances

The Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1DALZFLllI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLjlX0kiVQU

Approved by 75% of states in 1791

Created to protect natural rights of all Americans

Results of the Results of the RevolutionRevolution

Not accompanied by any huge social transformation

Accelerated the established democratic republic tendencies

Political authority = still in the hands of elites who had led the revolution

Property requirements for voting = lowered (40 acres – white)

Denied to Catholics & Jews 1st Election 1789 (1775 – 1783 –

war ended – 1787 Constitution signed)

Inspired future revolutions and revolutionary leaders

Results of the Results of the RevolutionRevolution

Inspired future revolutions and revolutionary leaders

LegacyLegacy

The Revolutionary War established a new nation based The Revolutionary War established a new nation based on a then-radical concept: government would ensure the on a then-radical concept: government would ensure the democratic rights of its citizens.democratic rights of its citizens.

America was a historic first in the western world, a nation America was a historic first in the western world, a nation where “all men are created equal”(and) are endowed by where “all men are created equal”(and) are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...

Our founders established a nation whose citizens are free Our founders established a nation whose citizens are free to practice any religion; to speak or write without fear of to practice any religion; to speak or write without fear of punishment; and to vote. punishment; and to vote.

They wrote a constitution marked by a careful balance of They wrote a constitution marked by a careful balance of power between three branches of government power between three branches of government so that so that citizens could experience the blessings and citizens could experience the blessings and security of self-governmentsecurity of self-government