The American Revolution The American Revolution and Its Impactand Its Impact

Readings: Spodek, pp. 536-539Readings: Spodek, pp. 536-539

England was the exception to England was the exception to the Pyramid Shaped Societiesthe Pyramid Shaped Societies

The English Civil War and The English Civil War and the “Glorious Revolution” the “Glorious Revolution” led to an increasing role of led to an increasing role of Parliament.Parliament.

Puritan New EnglandPuritan New England

Town MeetingTown Meeting

Wanted consensusWanted consensus

Kicked out dissentersKicked out dissenters

New EnglandersNew Englanders

The SouthThe SouthHad Locke-inspired Had Locke-inspired ConstitutionConstitution

40 shilling freehold40 shilling freehold

Excluded Many poor Excluded Many poor Appalachia FarmersAppalachia Farmers

County was the County was the basic unit of basic unit of GovernmentGovernment

Many counties in the Many counties in the South were 50% South were 50% slavesslaves

All ColoniesAll Colonies

Had minor Had minor legislative legislative institutionsinstitutions

Were diverseWere diverse

All happy to All happy to be English be English citizenscitizens

All had some All had some rightsrights

Grenville Plan – 1764Grenville Plan – 1764

Salutary NeglectSalutary NeglectGrenville attempts to Grenville attempts to

find old lawsfind old lawsNavigation ActsNavigation ActsMolasses TaxMolasses TaxSugar ActSugar ActStamp ActStamp ActQuartering ActQuartering Act

Committees of CorrespondenceCommittees of Correspondence

Propaganda makes it a Propaganda makes it a MassacreMassacre

3 years later was the 3 years later was the Boston Tea PartyBoston Tea Party

Punished for the Boston Punished for the Boston Tea PartyTea Party

Had various namesHad various names

First Continental CongressFirst Continental Congress

September 4, 1774September 4, 1774All colonies but All colonies but GeorgiaGeorgiaRefused to Import Refused to Import GoodsGoodsBritish angered by British angered by this and decided to this and decided to destroy colonial destroy colonial stores in Concordstores in Concord

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence

Was signed in Was signed in 1776, about a year 1776, about a year after the war had after the war had startedstarted

It made the French It made the French realize that we were realize that we were serious and they serious and they joined the colonists joined the colonists to fight the Britishto fight the British

.

Key Points in DeclarationKey Points in Declaration

““We hold these truths to be self-evident, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Hamilton and JeffersonHamilton and Jefferson

The ConstitutionThe Constitution

Was written after the Was written after the Articles of Articles of Confederation had Confederation had failed.failed.It was a compromise It was a compromise but more Hamiltonianbut more HamiltonianSeparation of PowersSeparation of PowersChecks and balancesChecks and balancesBill of Rights added Bill of Rights added laterlater

George WashingtonGeorge Washington

Became president in Became president in 1789.1789.

Did not become Did not become military dictatormilitary dictator

Did not want to ever Did not want to ever have a king againhave a king again