Post on 31-Dec-2015
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Sunday 12 October 2014Lauren Perfect
Haileybury
lauren.perfect@haileybury.vic.edu.au
HTAV Student Lectures
The Exam – Section B
American Revolution
Suggested Resources
• http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au
• http://alphahistory.com/
• https://edrolo.com.au/au
• http://engageeducation.org.au
• Textbooks, reading compilations etc.
• Written notes, reading summaries etc.
• Lectures and presentations
• Podcasts, wikis, apps, social media sites
• Classmates and forums
• Your teacher and other teachers
Section B, Qu 1 of the ExamThe Task
• Document, commentary, visual representation or interpretation
• 4 scaffolded questions• 2 comprehension style questions• 1 on context – “using your knowledge”• 1 on “usefulness” or “reliability” or
“accuracy”• Total 20 marks• Spend 30 minutes maximum
Section B, Qu 1 of the ExamThe Content
• Revolutionary Ideas, Leaders, Movements and Events
• 1763 (End of French and Indian War) –
1776 (Declaration of Independence)
Concepts to Consider:
• Mercantilism
• Acts of Trade and Navigation
• Salutary Neglect
• Self Government in Colonies
• French and Indian War (1757-63)
Key Legislation and responses… (Events)
The Proclamation Act (1763)
• Aimed to avoid conflict with native Americans• Prevent settlement territory difficult to control or
govern• Proclamation line ran through the Appalachian
Mountains• All who had settled West of this line were
ordered to return East
• Some colonists (particularly new settlers and land speculators) were angered
• Desire to expand further into the West (the Ohio valley)
• Colonists believed it was their right to expand following victory over the French
• Despite anger, only temporary• Difficult to enforce Act, no government control or
police on the frontier• Some colonists ignored the act and crossed the
line
Colonial Response: The Proclamation Act (1763)
The Sugar Act (1764)
• Existed since 1733
• Part of Acts of Trade and Navigation
• Renewed every 5 years
• Renewed in 1763, for 1 year only
• Reviewed and found to be inefficient and corrupt
The Sugar Act (1764)
• Revenue Act (1764) – known as the Sugar Act
• Reduced duty on foreign molasses to three pence a gallon (previously sixpence)
• Sweeping powers to customs officials
• Increased patrols to prevent smuggling
• Revenue to defend colonies
• Merchants and distillers were angered in New England
• Official protests lodged
• Otis and Adams – come to the forefront in protest, later discussed in ‘ideas’ section
• No genuine unity in protest between colonies
Colonial Response: The Sugar Act (1764)
The Stamp Act (1765)
• First tabled in 1764• Revenue raising act • Aimed to finance defence of the colonies and
also to enforce mercantilist policies• All revenue raised would be returned to England• A tax on legal documents: titles, bills of sale,
wills, contracts, diplomas, playing cards and dice • Stamp indicated the tax had been paid• Paid for in coin (specie)
• Wide-reaching act, all classes of society impacted
• Virtually no stamps sold
• Otis, ‘The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved’ (July 1764)
• Boycott of British goods in protest
• ‘No Taxation without Representation’
Colonial Response: The Stamp Act (1765)
Results: The Stamp Act (1765)
• Trade slumped and British merchants pressured British parliament to repeal the act
• Henry ‘Virginia Resolves’ (May 1765)
• Sons of Liberty and the Stamp Act Riots (August 1765)
• The Stamp Act Congress (October 1765)
• Repealed March 1766
The Quartering Act (1765)
• British regulars remain in colonies following war
• Role to protect and defend• Potential French, Spanish claims on land• Potential conflict with native Americans –
Pontiac’s Rebellion• Responsibility of colonies to house, supply
and feed British soldiers• Not in private houses
• Colonists unhappy with presence of soldiers
• War over, therefore no need for them
• No standing armies in a time of peace
• Especially angered by having to pay for their supplies
Colonial Response: The Quartering Act (1765)
Results: The Quartering Act (1765)
• Most colonial legislatures refuse to pay
• Consider it a ‘tax in kind’
• Public opposition, riots, non-compliance
• New York Assembly suspended 1767-9
• Tension mounts between soldiers and colonists
• Aggravated by competition for work
• Boils over in the Boston Massacre of 1770
The Declaratory Act (1766)
• Passed at the same time the Stamp Act was repealed
• Stated that Britain had the right to pass laws relating to her colonies in ‘all cases whatsoever’
• Significance unrecognised by many• A ‘face-saving’ measure after the Stamp Act was
repealed?• Many colonists ignored it • In reality it was a clear signal that the British
government intended to take further steps to tax the colonies to recover the cost of colonial expenditure
Colonial Response: The Declaratory Act (1766)
The Townshend Acts (1767)
• Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Townshend exerted powers in William Pitt’s absence
• Government accused by opposition as being ‘soft’ on colonials
• A series of revenue-raising acts
• Import taxes or duties placed on a variety of items: glass, lead, paints, paper and tea
• Again, the colonists were angered
• Boycott of British goods again
• Non-importation agreements strengthen protest
• Active protest to British parliament
• Confidence high after the repeal of the Stamp Act
Colonial Response: The Townshend Acts (1767)
Colonial Response: The Townshend Acts (1767)
• Circular Letter 1768 (Sam Adams) – push for unity
• Suspension of Massachusetts Assembly 1768-69
• Mob violence
• Increased British Redcoat presence in Boston
• Increased tension
• Boston Massacre 5 March 1770
• Duties removed in 1770
• Severe slump in trade
• British merchants pressured the parliament to remove it
• Duty on tea remained
• Peaceful period follows (three years)
Results: The Townshend Acts (1767)
The Tea Act (1773)
• Aimed to force the colonies to buy tea from the East India Company
• Fledging British company with a surplus of tea
• Act would ensure a virtual monopoly on tea sales in American colonies for the company
• Colonists outraged • Didn’t feel parliament had the right to
restrict trade • Boycott of British tea• Smuggling of foreign tea• Boston Tea Party December 1773• Tea tipped overboard in symbolic act of
protest (Boston Port)
Colonial Response: The Tea Act (1773)
Results: The Tea Act (1773)
• Immediate impact in Britain
• Colonists were forced to repay the East India Company for the cost of the tea and the duties owing
• Strengthening of control over the colonies by British parliament (especially Massachusetts)
The Coercive Acts (1774)
• British response to the Tea Party• Four acts• Tightened British control on the colonies• Boston Port Act• Massachusetts Government Act• Administration of Justice Act• Quartering Act• Quebec Act – passed in conjunction, but not
actually part of the Coercive Acts
The Coercive Acts (1774)
• The port of Boston was closed • A military governor was appointed in
Massachusetts, the Upper House was now to only comprise of members appointed by him
• Trial of British for offences in Massachusetts could now be tried in England or another colony
• Colonists were ordered to quarter (pay upkeep and potentially house) British troops
• Colonists labeled them the ‘Intolerable Acts’• Active protests and petitions to the King• Virginian support leads to dissolution of House of
Burgesses and meeting at Raleigh Tavern• Meeting called for a continental congress to
discuss the crisis (Henry)• Massachusetts House of Representatives echo
this call• The first unified meeting of the 13 colonies was
destined to take place
Colonial Response: The Coercive Acts (1774)
• Commenced September 1774
• Philadelphia
• 45 representatives
• 12 colonies (Georgia not represented)
• Petitioned the King, pledging loyalty
• Number of resolves
The First Continental Congress (1774)
• Enforced boycotting all British imports and trade until the acts had been lifted
• Henry, “I am not a Virginian but an American”
• Suffolk Resolves adopted• Galloway Plan (Plan of Union) - rejected• End October 1774• Resolved to meet again May 1775
The First Continental Congress (1774)
• King and British Parliament did not falter
• Believed it was better to ‘nip rebellion in the bud’ in a short war rather than address issues later
• British raised military ready to suppress the rebellion in colonial America
British Response: The First Continental Congress (1774)
• Commenced May 1775
• 48 members
• Georgia represented
• Plan of Union not likely
• War had already broken out – Lexington and Concord (April 1775)
• Washington attends in militia uniform
Second Continental Congress (1775)
• Adopt army made up of colonial militia
• Washington appointed commander
• Declaration of the ‘Causes and Necessities of Taking up Arms’
• Justified why war was necessary
• Olive Branch Petition to King – arrived after the King had already rejected conciliation with the colonies
Second Continental Congress (1775)
During the Congress
• Revolutionary War breaks out
• Lexington and Concord
• 19 April 1775
• Following a series of Powder Alarms
• 700 British regulars
• Committees of Safety, colonial militia, minutemen
• ‘Shot heard ‘round the world’
During the Congress
• Paine’s ‘Common Sense’ January 1776
• Challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy
• Used plain language to appeal to the common people of the colonies
• Change in ideological thought – openly asked for Independence
• Push towards separation
Declaring Independence (1776)
• Second Continental Congress
• Drafted by Jefferson
• Approved 4 July 1776
• Declaration of Independence signed during the Congress confirming separation of Britain and America
Key ideas:
• All men had the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
• It was the duty of governments to protect these rights
• Reflected the liberal Enlightenment ideas (discussed in ideas section)
Declaration of Independence (1776)
Leaders
George Washington
• The most prominent figure of the revolution• French and Indian War• Virginian landowner and planter• Member of Virginian House of Burgesses• Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army• First President of United States of America• Outspoken critic of England’s colonial policies in
the 1760s
Thomas Jefferson
• Member of the Virginian House of Burgesses• Author of the Virginian Constitution, Declaration
of Independence• Many other important documents• A Summary View of the Rights of British
America, 1774• Not a prominent speaker or ‘active’ leader• Contribution is ideological and in penning key
documents
Benjamin Franklin
• The most famous American of his time• Scientist• Pennsylvania Assembly delegate• Agent in England for the colonies – intercepted
personal letters of Hutchinson and Oliver• Slow to support independence of the colonies,
but a strong believer in unity• Suggested that the 13 colonies unite in 1754 –
‘Albany Plan’ – ‘Join or Die’
Thomas Paine
• A prominent pamphleteer • Penned two of the most important
revolutionary documents• Common Sense, January 1776• Written using plain language, expressed
why the colonies must become independent• The American Crisis, late 1776 (out of this
AOS)• Strengthened morale following a series of
defeats in late 1776
Samuel Adams
• A prominent activist in Boston• Leader of the Sons of Liberty, Committees of
Correspondence (1772), Solemn League and Covenant (1774)
• Organiser of the Boston Massacre (1770) and Tea Party (1773)
• Prominent and inspiring speaker and author• ‘The Rights of the Colonists’ (1772)• ‘Grass-roots’ contribution - able to recruit,
organise and communicate with common people
Patrick Henry
• Questionable impact on the revolution, despite fame
• Member of Virginian House of Burgesses• Biographer reconstrcuted two most famous
‘radical’ and ‘inflammatory’ speeches in the Virginia House of Burgesses
• Caesar/Brutus speech - “If this be treason, make the most of it!” (1765)
• “Give me liberty, or give me death” (1775)
Other Leaders
• John Adams
• Paul Revere
• James Otis
• John Dickinson
• John Hancock
• Consider other prominent individuals
Movements
Sons of Liberty
• Most famous movement• Existed in almost every colony• August 1765• Based in large cities such as Boston• Created and spread propaganda• Organised acts such as the Stamp Act Riots
(1765), Boston Massacre (1770), Boston Tea Party (1773)
• Harassment of the British and loyalist colonists
• Existed temporarily since 1764 - dealt with current issue and then disbanded
• 1772 established – Adams and Warren• Sometimes intertwined with the Sons of
Liberty• Various and existed in many colonies• Purpose was to spread the word about
events, ideas and British ‘tyranny’• Also to protect the natural rights of colonists• Usually spread their message through letters
and pamphlets but sometimes by meetings
Committees of Correspondence
Continental Congress
• Is this a revolutionary movement?
• It formed illegally and passed laws that led to revolutionary events
• Nominated representatives from the 13 colonies
• However, not democratically elected
• Can this body be considered as a revolutionary government?
Continental Army
• The military branch of the revolution• Not ideologically based• However, many sympathetic to the
revolutionary cause• National unity and identify grew out of this
group• For many, this was the first contact with
men from other colonies
Ideas
The Enlightenment
• A period during the 1600s and 1700s
• Questioning of the traditional world order
• Science, medicine, philosophy, politics and art also questioned
• Much revolutionary thought stemmed from this period
Natural Rights
• ‘Natural rights of man’• John Locke• It was suggested that the purpose of
government was to serve the people, rather than vice versa
• Also suggested that the role of governments was to protect natural rights, not control or limit them
• Otis developed this idea into his theory of Natural Law
Popular Sovereignty
• Challenges divine right
• The right of governments to rule came from the people, not from the birthright of a monarch
• Widely expressed through the idea of ‘taxation without representation’ – the first key grievance of the revolutionaries
• Actual representation - each person in an electorate is directly represented in the assembly by an elected figure
In opposition
• Virtual representation - parliamentarians represented the best interests of constituents, whether they had directly elected them or not
Actual and Virtual Representation
Nationalism
• Developing notion of nationalism – a separation from being ‘English’
• Lived thousands of miles away – different geography, people, climate, values etc.
• ‘New World’ vs ‘Old World’ of Europe
• Republicanism – a system of government without a monarch (links to Roman Empire)
• Constitutionalism – a written framework for government
• Both major features of the new society – this is central to AOS 2
Republicanism and Constitutionalism
2013 VCAA Exam
• Written, secondary source –
• Digitally reproduced by permission of the publishers from The Adams Papers: Diary and Autobiography of John Adams: Volume 2, Diary 1771–1781
• Adams: Interpretation of the Boston Tea Party
• See 2013 VCAA paper for extract
2013 VCAA Exam
Question One
a.Identify two descriptions of the Boston Tea Party that are given by Adams.
b.Identify two likely measures that are stated in the extract by which the Ministry will punish.
2013 VCAA Exam
c. By quoting from the extract and using your own knowledge, explain the consequences of the Boston Tea Party.
d. Evaluate to what extent this extract provides an accurate reflection of the cause of the American Revolution. In your response, quote parts of the extract and refer to different views of the causes of the American Revolution.
General Advice for Section B, Question 1
Questions 1a & b• Ensure you read the comprehension questions carefully
and answer the question that is being asked• Many ‘easy’ marks are lost through misunderstanding or
incorrectly focused responses• Use precise terms• Simple comprehension only
General Advice for Section B, Question 1
Question 1c • Read carefully to ensure a correctly focussed response –
highlight key terms• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the topic – go beyond
the document• Avoid a narrative of events, you need to contextualise the
document or graphic• Use reading time to ensure you are clear on the viewpoint
of the document or graphic – use the captions and unpack the symbols
• Clearly link your answer to the document or graphic – quote, identify features, interpret symbols, use linking phrases (“as stated in the extract” or “as seen in the visual”)
• Question ‘c’ does not require historiography
General Advice for Section B, Question 1
Question 1d• Avoid simply listing your knowledge or comparing historians• Analyse the view of the document (perhaps start with this) and
make specific reference to it and the author – use linking phrases• Address the ‘strengths and limitations’ of the document as evidence• Also refer to the strengths and weaknesses of the event itself• Incorporate outside factual knowledge relevant to the document and
question, do not simply reply on content from the document• Ensure your historiography is relevant to the document and question
– agree or disagree? (school is not essential)• Do not simply list schools of thought, label and compare and
contrast historians views to that of the document• Use of ‘bias’ and clichés• Structure your ideas clearly and logically
Student Sample Response
• Sample – high level response
Section B, Qu 2 of the ExamThe Task
• Write on the same revolution as Qu 1• Short essay question• Four questions – one on each revolution• Answer only the question labeled
‘America’• Total 20 marks• Spend 30 minutes maximum
Section B, Part 2 of the ExamThe Content
• Creating a New Society
• July 1776
(Declaration of Independence)
– 1789
(Inauguration of George Washington)
Series of Crises and Responses
Revolutionary War: 1776
• Shortcomings of the Continental Army:
• Training
• Munitions and equipment
• Leadership
• Discipline
• Enlistment
• Early defeats
Revolutionary War: 1776
• Washington under attack
• Loyalists support strong
• Paine’s ‘The American Crisis’
• Turning point – the Battle of Trenton (Christmas 1776)
War in the South: 1778-1781
• Initial British victories
• British success seemed inevitable in late 1778
• French alliance secured 1778
• French arrival 1779
• Turning point: the Battle of Cowpens (January 1781)
• Loyalists vs. Patriots – Civil-style War?
End of War
• Battle of Yorktown (1781)
• Treaty of Paris (1783)
• Terms favourable to Americans
• Resignation of British Prime Minister Lord North (1782)
After the Declaration of Independence
• The 13 colonies became sovereign/independent states
• Unification?
• Was this a revolutionary aim?
• The states were not ready to relinquish autonomy
• On the whole, they pursued individual interests
After the Declaration of Independence
• The 13 colonies became sovereign/independent states
• Unification?
• Was this a revolutionary aim?
• The states were not ready to relinquish autonomy
• On the whole, they pursued individual interests
Political Structure of the States
• Written constitutions
• Bills of Rights
• State political structures
• Delegates were appointed by election
• Some states retained property qualifications for voting, this differed from state to state
Unity?
• States were essentially sovereign nations
• Very little altered in terms of structure, however, now without British rule
• Most political power lay with the states rather than the national Congress
Articles of Confederation
• Written 1777
• Ratified 1781
• ‘Loose union’
Crises under the Articles
The Confederation Congress was faced with several problems:
• International relations
• Trade
• Economic management
• Defence
• Establishing a bureaucracy
Reasons for Crises
• Federal Congress was weak under Articles • State legislatures held most power• Congress had no coercive power or legal authority
over states• Congress lacked the power to tax or manage
trade• While Congress could request money from states,
they were not obligated to supply it• Congress consisted of a legislative branch of
government only and had no judicial or executive power
Reasons for Crises
• States possessed the power to act as they pleased, without Congress approval
• Foreign powers maintained a presence in the states, including Britain
• Britain did not honour the Treaty of Paris (1783)
Limitations of Congress
• Confederation Congress - formed by the Articles of Confederation
• Severely restricted• Faced a variety of problems in the 1780s• Compounded by national debt and loss of
trade with Britain that followed the revolutionary war
Economic Crisis
• Congress unable to regulate trade – states free to trade with foreign powers
• Also unable to control trade between states• Difficult to establish clear markets for American
exports• Unable to levy taxes • Enormous war debt• Not able to issue paper money• Not able to prevent the states from printing their
own
Economic Crisis
• Economic crisis ensued• New export markets required • ‘Safe’ and established trading partner
Britain and her empire gone• Unable to recoup severe war debt• States issued large amounts of paper
money – e.g. Rhode Island• Widespread hyperinflation• Tension mounts between the states
Economic Social Crisis
• Following revolutionary war returned soldiers face severe economic problems
• Particularly farmers
• Suffered high levels of debt and state taxation
• Compounded by low prices for produce
Economic Social Crisis
• Urban merchants and creditors also under financial pressure recall debts
• Farmers and working-class were generally unable to met repayments
• Debtors’ courts established
• Role of courts – to ensure payment of debts or impose foreclose on mortgages or even imprison those in debt
Shays’ Rebellion
• Massachusetts
• August 1786 – June 1787
• Group of disgruntled farmers (Shaysites or Regulators)
• Led by former Continental Army officer, Daniel Shays
• Marched on Springfield and force the debtors’ court to adjourn
Shays’ Rebellion
• It was argued the revolution had not improved the lives of the people
• They had fought for key revolutionary ideals that had not been achieved
• Some state assemblies cancelled the debts of farmers and workers
• Sympathetic to the farmers? OR
• Worried about further rebellion?
Response: Shays’ Rebellion
• Congress and the Articles of Confederation were unable to protect both groups involved
• Debtors – suffered poor trade, low prices, high debt and high taxation
• Creditors – rights were not protected • A Constitutional Convention was needed - elite
members of society called• Philadelphia (1787) • Purpose - revise the Articles of Confederation
and improve the system of government
Constitutional Convention
• Philadelphia (1787)
• Completely scrapped the Articles of Confederation – revising impossible
• New governmental framework to be built on a federal system
• Result – the Constitution
The Constitution
• National government significantly strengthened
• Autonomy and powers of 13 states greatly reduced
• Congress divided into two houses – House of Representatives and the Senate
• Power to pass laws, tax, raise armies and navies, control trade and commerce
The Constitution
• Executive branch (presidency) - to run the government on a day-to-day basis
• Legislative branch – law makers
• Judicial branch (courts) – interpret laws and make legal rulings
• ‘Checks and balances’
• Designed to prevent tyranny
Ratifying the Constitution
• Met with significant public debate • Anti-Federalists - feared the return to a strong
central government and the potential for tyranny (Jefferson and Henry)
• Federalists - supported the new system (Madison and Hamilton)
• Became law following ratification by 9 of the 13 states
Ratifying the Constitution
• Ratification – a ‘crisis’?
• The process had the potential to fail
• Debate and propaganda ensued
• Madison’s Federalist Paper – in support
• Support of George Washington as a strong figurehead convinced many
Ratifying the Constitution
• Passed in 1788• Promise that a Bill of Rights (a series of ten
amendments) would be added after ratification
• Appeasement for the anti-federalists?• Many believed the protection of natural
rights was not inherent in the Constitution• Bill of Rights – to protect the natural rights of
individuals and avoid tyranny
Bill of Rights
• 1789
• Guaranteed freedoms of speech, religion, the press, of association and assembly
• Ensured a due legal process
Inauguration of Washington
• George Washington
• Appointed the first president
• Inaugurated on 30 April 1789
• Elected convincingly
• Relieved many who feared the president as a virtual monarch
2013 VCAA Exam
Question Two
Some historians state that the American Revolution created vast and deep changes.
To what extent is this true of the new society?
Use evidence to support your answer.
VCAA Examiners Reports
Essays in general:• Do not misuse historians’ views and quotes and
attribute views or quotes that are incorrect• Do not use historian’s views instead of factual
evidence• Excellent essays are impressive because of
their command and range of factual evidence• Demonstrate your own voice
VCAA Examiners Reports
• Do not present a general essay
• Refer to the key terms or multiple parts of the question
• Structured answers include introductions, the use of topic sentences, draw conclusions and have a strong question focus
• Do not present a pre-learned essay
VCAA Examiners Reports
• Preparation by creating timelines and analysis of events by linking them to the original aims of the Revolution, evaluating whether they were fulfilled or compromised, will prepare students for unseen essay prompts
• Frequently, answers contained information outside the dates set for the area of study
• Assessors are looking for thoughtful essays that develop a personal view, showing reflection on the Revolution and certainly not just listing historians’ views
General Advice for Section B, Question 2
• Ensure you spend the allocated 30 minutes on this section• You cannot pre-prepare an essay, it will be far too general• Start by highlighting the key terms in the question• Write a brief plan – use it as a checklist• Ensure your introduction refers to the key terms and clearly
outlines your contention and signposts your key ideas• Each paragraph needs to begin with a clear topic sentence,
referring to the key terms of the question• It should then conclude with a linking sentence
General Advice for Section B, Question 2
• Avoid writing a narrative • Ensure you make reference to the key terms of the
question throughout your response• You need to use a range of evidence to support your
argument – statistics, quotes, dates, names, policies or events
• Historiography is not a substitute for evidence – it is only an opinion to support evidence
• Finish your essay with a strong conclusion, summarising your main ideas and making clear links to the key terms
Student Sample Response
• Sample – high level response
Please feel free to contact me should you
have any questions or comments:
Lauren Perfect
Haileyburylauren.perfect@haileybury.vic.edu.au
Best of luck for the exam on 10 November 2014!