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This article explores the tensions between American colonists and British control, leading to the birth of a democratic nation. It covers key events such as the French & Indian War, the Stamp Act, boycotts, the Boston Tea Party, and the Continental Congress.
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American Ideals vs. British Control • For almost 100 years, American colonial governments enjoyed relative “self -government” from Britain. • In 1760, King George III takes the throne and demands more control over America
“Mercantilism” • King George wanted to adopt the idea of “mercantilism” in Great Britain. • “Mercantilism” states a country should sell more goods to other countries than it buys.
“Mercantilism” • Britain wanted to get as much wealth out of the American colonies as possible. • The colonies were a source of cheap,raw materials and revenue (via taxes).
“French & Indian War” • The “French & Indian War” (1754-1763) made things worse. • The war was extremely expensive for the British government • Parliament demanded that the colonies help pay for the war and increased taxesin America to raise revenue (money)
“Stamp Act”(1765) • The first significant tax was collected through the“Stamp Act” of 1765. • This act required expensive tax stamps on all newspapers and legal documents
“No Taxation Without Representation” • American colonists resented these new taxes by the British. • Since they had no representationin the British Parliament, they felt they should not have to raise revenue for the King (by paying taxes) • Their slogan no taxation without representation!Embodied this! (taxation without representation is tyranny)
American Boycotts • In protest, many Americans began to “boycott” or refuse to buy British goods. • As a result pressure from British Merchants in the colonies, the British government “repealed” or cancelled the act.
“Townshend Acts” (1767) • The new “Townshend Act” of 1767 replaced other British taxes. • This act allowed taxes to be levied on basic goods imported to the colonies from Great Britain (glass, tea, paper, etc.) • Once again the colonists would boycott.
“Tea Act” (1773) • The “Tea Act” followed, allowing the British East India Company to bypass colonial government tax requirements. • It lowered taxes on British tea --which made merchants have to buy British tea over other tea. • American merchants were outraged and decided to act….
“Coercive” (“Intolerable”) Acts • To respond to the “Boston Tea Party”, the British Parliament created the “Coercive Acts”. • Called the “Intolerable Acts” by America, these acts restricted colonial rights!!
First Continental Congress (1774) • In 1774, 12 of the 13 (not Georgia) American colonies sent “delegates” or representatives to Philadelphia to express their concerns with Britain’s new taxes. • This meeting was called the First Continental Congress.
Continental Congress • The Continental Congress sent a letter called the Olive Branch Petition to King George demanding the rights of the colonists be restored. • All agreed to meet again within a year if the king did not agree.
King George’s Response In April 1775, the battle of Lexington and Concord begin the American Revolutionary War. “the shot heard around the world!”
Second Continental Congress (1775) • During the second meeting, called the Second Continental Congress, delegates were split and argued over the best solution. • Some delegates wanted independence while others wanted to remain loyal. • Many did NOT want independence, fearing they could not win a war with Britain.
Thomas Paine & “Common Sense” • In his pamphlet, Paine argued in 1776 that it was only “Common Sense” for America to break ties with Great Britain. He stated that there was a “social contract” between the people and the government” and that the government had broken the contract. He said thatKing George was a “royal brute” and America had every right to sever ties. Analyzing Activity - “To bring the matter to one point, Is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, a proper power to govern us? Whoever says, No, to this question, is an independent, for independency means no more than this, whether we shall make our own law, or, whether the king, the greatest enemy which this continent hath, or can have, shall tell us there shall be no laws but such as I like.”What concept is this quote describing? Rule by the people
Second Continental Congress (1776) • After many months of debate, more than half of the delegates agreed to declare independence from Great Britain. • The writings of Paine and the idea of social contract were very influential. • They decided to write a Declaration of Independence
“Declaration of Independence” • Thomas Jefferson , the main author – he detailed the colonies’ reasons for breaking away with Great Britain. • Jefferson claimed that the king did not look after the interests/ rights of the colonies anymore. • Listed all of the grievances, or complaints, that the colonists had towards the crown.
“Declaration of Independence” • Thomas Jeffersonwas also influenced by the ideas of John Locke & Baron de Montesquieu • Locke believed in natural law & social contract. • Natural Law means that you are born with certain rights not granted by the government. • “natural rights” that because we are human we are guarantee by the Heavens (God)…life, liberty and property– Jefferson would change this slightly • “social contract” – that people have a contract with their government and the gov’t should protect it’s people. (“Locked into a contract”) • Baron de Montesquieu (“3 Names, 3 Words, 3 Branches”) • Separation of Powers – each branch of government is responsible for specific powers.
“Declaration of Independence” Part I of the DoI - Introduction “Causes” • Jefferson wrote that “a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation”. • What does this mean???
“Declaration of Independence” Part II of the DoI – “Rights” • The document clearly expresses that purpose of government is to protect natural (inalienable) rights, which are the basic rights that are entitled to all human beings. • Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
“Declaration of Independence” Part II of the DoI – “Rights” cont’ Recite together We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government
“Declaration of Independence” Part II of the DoI – “Rights” cont’ • “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” – Where do we get our rights from? What rights are we guaranteed? • “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” – Why do governments exist? Where do governments get their power from? – this is called Popular Sovereignty • “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government” – When a government becomes destructive (or no longer protects the rights of the people), what should the people do?
“Declaration of Independence” Part III of the DoI – Complaints/ “Grievances” • Jefferson listed the many “complaints” that the colonists had against the King and Parliament • “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States” (analyze)
“Declaration of Independence” Part III of the DoI – Complaints/Grievances He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
“Declaration of Independence” Part III of the DoI – “Complaints/Grievances” For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offencesFor abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
“Declaration of Independence” Part IV of the DoI – “Declaration of a new Nation” “We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States;…………. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor” What does this mean???? We were now 13 free and independent “united” States of America……..why the little “u”???
“Declaration of Independence” • In order to break away from Britain and protect the rights of the people… • The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776 and we celebrate that as the Birthday of our nation. • This document highlighted the Enlightenment ideas about liberty, natural rights, and social contract. • But to truly be free, what did we still have to do????
