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“The Spirit of Liberty spread where it was not intended to go.” - Thomas Hutchinson. American Independence. You say you want a Revolution ( Why?). Underlying Causes: Cultural Constitutional Economic. A. Cultural. Enlightenment First Great Awakening French and Indian War.
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“The Spirit of Liberty spread where it was not intended to go.”- Thomas Hutchinson American Independence
You say you want a Revolution(Why?) Underlying Causes: Cultural Constitutional Economic
A. Cultural Enlightenment First Great Awakening French and Indian War
B. Constitutional Split • British Parliament v. colonial legislaturesBrit: “conveniences” Am: “compacts” Illusion of independence
C. Economic • Mercantilism v. laissez faire Navigation Acts (1664)Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations 2. Cross class boundaries“liberty”
Liberty or death (or something in between) Precipitating causes
A. New taxes • External – Sugar Act, 1764 • Internal – Stamp Act, 1765 Virtual v. Direct Representation
B. Insurgency 1. Sons of Liberty Sam Adams – brewer, patriot
2. Dangerous precedents 1766 – British blink Stamp Act repealed Declaratory Act
B. Bad to worse • 1767 – Townshend Actsimported goods • Boycotts, “homespun”Boston Massacre, 1770 • 1770, Townshend Acts repealed…
4…except on tea 1773 – Tea Act
C. Worst fears realized • Cato’s Letters (1720s) Trenchard & Gordon- all govt. corrupt - appealed to colonists (Enlightenment, Awakening)
2. 1774 – Coercive (“Intolerable”) Actsshut down Boston suspend Mass. Local govt. Quartered British troops 3. 1774 – Quebec ActCatholicism legalized Canada gets colonial claims
Give me liberty or give me death!- Patrick Henry, March 1775
50% of colonists were women 20% slaves 5% loyalists (tories) 5-10% Native Americans Extensive and Intensive Revolution
A. Extensive Revolution Continental Congress 1st, 1774 Articles of Confederation 1777-1788 United States Constitution 1788-present
B. Intensive Revolution “The Spirit of Liberty spread where it was not intended to go.” • Idea bigger than the practiceRights of Englishmen Natural Rights
2. 1776 – Declaration of Independencegovt. based on Natural Law people have Natural Rights right to revolution 3. 1776 – Thomas Paine Common Sense
C. Manipulating resentment • Economic / political inequalityplanters, River Gods, Old Lights 2. “Liberty” first, “equality” second
D. Decline in deference • “New men” • State constitutionsPennsylvania St. Const., 1776 3. Attack on propertystay laws
4. Republican Motherhood - Abigail Adams Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice or Representation.
Conclusion American revolution not as radical as some • Liberty v. equality Articles of Confederation - National govt. purposefully weak