Society, Culture, and the Revolutionary Era

1. Society, Culture, and the Revolutionary Era

2. Enlightenment and the Revolution • Basic English Government • The ‘Liberties of Englishmen’ • Right to property • Right to representation • Right to civil society • The concept of sovereignty • No higher power or appeal • Represents ‘embodiment’ of nation • King is the ‘symbolic sovereign’ • The concept of reform • Governments respond to pressure • Enshrining of specific moments

3. The Enlightenment and the Revolution • Thomas Hobbes • Historical Context • Writing for the Stuart kings • Lived through late Reformation • The State of Nature • Humans have no intercessory power • Humans will conflict violently over a huge variety of things. • Nothing positive about state of nature • Creating the Leviathan • People must band together for safety • Only very powerful, overriding force can protect from state of nature. • No reason to leave the state!

4. The Enlightenment and the Revolution • John Locke • Historical Context • Writing in favor of the Glorious Revol. • Lived through the English Civil War • The State of Nature • Free to think, say, do, own… • Humans “judge in their own case” • Humans always are poor judges • Freedom with no security, sureity • Creating the Social Contract • People agree to create a mutual judge • Give up right to free action to help mutual judge enforce decisions. • Leaves room for a ‘bad judge’ • Rules out absolute monarch – like an indiv.

5. The Enlightenment and the Revolution • God, Providence, and Man • A Religious Enlightenment • Reason as ‘God’s gift to man’ • Reason to explore ‘God’s world’ • Conflicts between science/religion • God and Government • Reduction of ‘kingly divinity’ concept • Governments are part of a divine system of nature for humans. • Government and the Church • Morality as government’s obligation • Rise of religious tolerance as an enlightenment ideal. • Overlapping classes – churchman, gentleman, community leader…

6. Women in the Revolution • Patriot Women / Daughters of L. • Inspiration for the Cause • Mercy Otis Warren – playwright whose works mocked English society and dramatized colonial struggles. • Impelling men to action, encouragement. • Daughters on the Homefront • Active aid to the army – raise money, sew clothing, even spy (this was key!) • Outside of their box • Women take on important social and societal roles of influence. • Endure terrible suffering on the homefront – war is never pretty.

7. Women in the Revolution • Tory Women + Spies • Support and Aid • Influential in intellectual society – similar to Patriot woman writers. • Sponsored and coordinated local councils and Tory groups • Women on the Homefront • Tories in Patriot areas very badly persecuted – fleeing North, East • Fear and going into hiding. • All pain, no gain • Loyalist women deeply involved in social resistance. • Suffered badly on the home front and often lost everything.

8. Native Americans in the Revolution • Alliance and Warfare • Hodeousaunee League • Iroquois best organized, mostly allied with English during Seven Years War • Skeptical of yet more costly warfare. • Splits 3-2 in the League. • Ohio Valley Algonquian • Almost entirely ally with English, but some with colonial traders and settlers • Creek, Choctaw, other post-Missisip. • Lead largest war efforts besides Iroquois • Chickamagua wars are an example in NC • Results and Attitudes • The Treaty of Paris – whose land is it? • Continuing distrust on the frontier

9. African Americans in the Revolution • Slaves in the War • Signing up to fight • Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, and New York have black-heavy troops • Sign-up as ‘Liberty, Freeman, Freedman,’ and more… • Southerners send their slaves instead! • Keeping the economy running • Slaves as skilled laborers • Absence of free men makes them valuable • Especially crucial in the South

10. African Americans in the Revolution • Slaves Against the War • Fleeing, Arguing and Passing • Thousands of slaves flee in the South • Passing as free in the North – easy? • Northern state constitutions begin abolishing slavery, but slowly. • New York, others retain slavery. • African-Americans, others argue about whether Revolutionary ideas are applicable • Fighting for the British • Lord Dumore’s Proclamation • British slavery still awful + prevalent • Minimal rewards for black loyalists

11. White Men in the Revolution • Class and Politics • Who are the colonials? • Patriot leaders are wealthy and influential men – but so are Loyalists • Yeomen farmers, mechanics may be interested in “leveller” rhetoric • Personal economic interests and ideology divide people up. • The Optimistic Revolution • Ideals of a ‘Liberal Nation’ • Patriots convinced they could make a better government and people. • Never hesistated to use mobs, mass mobilization – empowering to folks! • Educated people play a key role.

12. White Men in the Revolution • The New States • State governments • Almost always a property test to vote. • No women extended right to vote (NJ) • Often support a state religion • Give remarkable power to lower house • ‘To Begin the World Anew • Creating a People • Formation of associations and societies. • Ideals about mass participation, mass education, mass extension of rights. • Runs against hard realities during the 1780s – poor, undereducated, etc. • No more aristocrats? The big deal bit!!

13. Fomenting Revolution: Attitudes • Why Be a Patriot • Economic interests • Merchants, brewers, and more • Land buyers and speculators • Sellers of cash crops, slaves • Ideological interests • Deep investment in ‘English liberties’ • Leveller and anti-aristocrat rhetoric • Local politics and rabble-rousing • Psychology • Optimism or change-oriented • Youth and willingness to get involved • Family and social connections in colonies vs in England

14. Fomenting Revolution: Attitudes • Why Be a Tory • Economic interests • Fur traders, bankers, judges etc • Need for protective mercantilism • Ideological interests • Belief in legitimacy of sovereign • Worry about mob rule and democracy • Local politics and rabble-rousing • Psychology • Dismayed by Patriot mob actions, violence • Older, less willing to disturb social order • Often have very strong social, personal, family or other ties to England.

16. Key Document: The Declaration • Part One: Ideology and Philosophy • Borrowing from Locke • Borrowing from English liberties • Borrowing from colonial charters

17. Key Document: The Declaration • Part Two: Justifications and Lists • Specific English ‘Acts of Parliament’ • Use of Declaratory Act language • Ties in to philosophy section

18. Key Document: Common Sense • Who Was Tom Paine • English radical – middle background • Only minimal writing, training exp. • Why did he ‘catch the fever’? • The Substantive Point • Independence over revolt • War and local governance as a reality • Why this ‘fits in’ to the scheme? • The Style of the Thing • ‘Down home’ analogies • No long sentences or complex structure • Simple, easily quoted arguments for points