The American Revolution

Exam Advice: General• Answer the question, and the question only. Everything else is a waste of

time.• Always try to provide solid information: Who, what, where, when, why.• Allocate a maximum time limit for each question. If you are not done in

time, move on.• Prioritise clarity: clear, separate paragraphs for each idea; short direct

sentences.• Don’t give up: if you don’t understand the text, read it over again and

again (you have nothing to lose).• Write your name on top!!!!

Exam Advice: English usage• Guillemets (<< >>) don’t exist in English.• “…” does not mean “etc.” in English.• Avoid the ‘historic present’ (e.g. “The Industrial Revolution grows quickly”). When

used with imperfect syntax/context, this simply reads like the the present tense, and is difficult to understand. The historic present is never necessary. Use the past tense to talk about the past.• CONJUGATE THE THIRD PERSON, FOR PETE’S SAKE!• Adjectives are never plural in English.• No spaces before punctuation (? ; : etc.).• Nationalities always get capital letters, even in adjective form.• Eliminate these inappropriate phrases: Nowadays, In a nutshell, We can say that.

Fundaments of the Revolution• By the mid-eighteenth century, the American colonies had developed a distinctive culture, distinct

from the British metropole.• While the colonists still called themselves ‘English’, most had never been to England, nor had most

people they knew. In fact few in the colonies had ever left their local town.• The democratic governance of the colonies had proved immensely popular, giving the majority of

people a political authority that they would never have held in Britain.• Democratic governance had also proved that society did not need a hereditary elite to function well. • The religious communities were particularly keen on maintaining their new moral social structures,

without interference from the Anglican British State.• Wealthy businessmen were also keen on expanding their commercial ventures, without interference

from British economic policy.• Enlightenment thought, too, influenced many thinkers, who wanted to continue to advance the

colonies in a direction away from traditional European institutions.

Enlightenment and Deism• The relative religious freedoms in the colonies allowed intellectuals to openly question

religious doctrine in ways that were unthinkable in Europe.• Enlightenment science, in particular, led to widespread questioning of religious tradition

among intellectuals in the American colonies.• Many of these intellectuals joined the Free Masons, which secretly accommodated a sort of

science-based Atheism (then a crime in most of the Western world).• Many others considered themselves ‘Theistic Rationalists’, or Deists.• In other words, they accepted that they could never really understand the true nature of any

god, through any religion. • Moreover, they believed that the only way for humans to understand the world and its origins

was through science and reason. • Unlike in Europe, where Deism was highly controversial, reserved for the intellectual elite, and

practiced in secret, it became popular among many ordinary citizens in the colonies.

From Thomas Paine’s Age of Reason“I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavouring to make our fellow-creatures happy. But, lest it should be supposed that I believe many other things in addition to these, I shall, in the progress of this work, declare the things I do not believe, and my reasons for not believing them. I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church. All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit. I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine. But it is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.”

From Benjamin Frankin’s Autobiography

“Some books against Deism fell into my hands; they were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle's lectures. It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist. My arguments perverted some others, particularly Collins and Ralph; but each of them having afterwards wrong'd me greatly without the least compunction, and recollecting Keith's conduct towards me (who was another freethinker) and my own towards Vernon and Miss Read, which at times gave me great trouble, I began to suspect that this doctrine, tho' it might be true, was not very useful.”

The Introduction of the Stamp Act (1765)• Since the colonies were growing so populous, the British government was finding it hard to pay for their

administration.• Thus, in 1765, the Westminster parliament introduced a ‘Stamp Act’. • This meant that all official documents had to be ‘stamped’ with an official seal, which could only be obtained

by paying a tax to the British parliament. • The British parliament didn’t consider this to be particularly controversial, as similar acts existed there, but

they had failed to take into account the different context in the colonies:• 1. They had passed the law without consulting the Colonial assemblies. This directly by-passed the

democratic process that had become so important to the colonies, and undermined their whole system of local government.

• 2. The act required that tax be sent to Britain, but colonists had no power to elect representatives to the British government. Since the majority of colonists were used to voting for their leaders, they saw this as an outrage.

• 3. Since the tax was charged on official documents, the first group of people to protest it were lawyers, journalists, and public officials, who were the most equipped to battle the tax.

“The taxes and duties imposed by parliament must be instantly opposed. The only effective opposition is through the concerted efforts of all the provinces. By uniting, we stand, by dividing, we fall!”- John Dickenson, 1765

Duty Tax• The Stamp Act was repealed in 1766 to appease the American

colonists.• However, the British parliament still wanted to derive tax from the

colonies, and so put their energies into a different tax.• A series of Duty Taxes were placed on all manufactured goods coming

into the country from England.• Since practically all manufactured goods in the colonies were imported

from England, this covered practically every man-made object, as well as processed food like tea and coffee.• The colonists reacted by declaring a boycott on all British goods.

“Our buying your manufactured goods depends very much on our affection for you. Pride will induce Americans like me to wear our old clothes, and when we buy new clothes, they will be made by us.”Benjamin Franklin, 1766

British Goods Boycott• The British goods boycott would only work if all the colonists boycotted together.• Thus, the leaders of the movement stressed unity between the colonial assemblies.• In addition, ordinary working people became extremely important to the political

movement, giving them a sense of national responsibility.• Women too were mobilised, which was unusual for the time. • All citizens were asked to rely on goods produced in the colonies, and to resist

buying anything imported from Britain. This was highly popular for tradespeople who could make a great deal of money off the boycott.

• Many of those who opposed the boycott were intimidated or attacked.• The British parliament reacted by sending army troops to the colonies to make sure

order was kept and laws were followed.

The Boston Massacre

The Boston Tea Party, 1773• To make diplomacy, in 1773 Britain sent half a million tons of tea to the colonies at a very low tax rate.• The colonists saw this as a way to break the resistance to taxation. If they accepted the tea, they

would necessarily have to accept taxation – even at a very low rate.• Opponents, disguised as native American workers, boarded the ship in Boston harbour and emptied

all the tea into the water.• This act turned the sea black for miles around, making for a huge statement of defiance throughout

the colonies.• In retaliation, the British Army closed the port of Boston and placed Massachusetts under military

rule.• These so-called ‘Intolerable Acts’ struck fear into the other colonies, who feared the same measures

might be taken against them.• The other colonies came together in assembly to discuss how best to protect themselves from the

acts.

The First Continental Congress• This was a congress between all the colonial assemblies in North America to

discuss possible reactions to British military oppression.• The Congress was held in Philadelphia, the biggest city in the colonies at the

time.• The congress brought together the most powerful landowners and business

men from throughout the colonies.• After two months of debate, the delegates all decide to support Massachusetts.• They also decide to form a united armed force, in case of military attack from

Britain.• Back in Britain, this was seen as an open declaration of rebellion.

The Battle of Lexington Green• The local militias that had once protected the colonies in emergency

situations now formed one colonial militia against the British army.• This militia often ambushed British military posts to steal guns and

ammunition.• The first shots were fire between the militia and the British Army happened

in Lexington Green, Massachusetts, in 1775.• British troops had intended to seize a cache of guns from the Rebels, but

they had been warned in advance and attacked the British first. • Within a few days, all the surrounding towns mobilised against the incoming

British army, with Massachusetts breaking out into open rebellion.

The Revolutionary Army• The Colonial militia was soon formalised into a New England Army.• The General of this army was an officier from Virginia, George

Washington.• George Washington would soon become the first president of the

United States of America.

By Charlies E. Frye - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16088207

From Thomas Paine, Common Sense 1776.“There is something exceedingly ridiculous in the composition of monarchy; it first excludes a man from the means of information, yet empowers him to act in cases where the highest judgment is required. The state of a king shuts him from the world, yet the business of a king requires him to know it thoroughly; wherefore the different parts, by unnaturally opposing and destroying each other, prove the whole character to be absurd and useless. … We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the events of a few months. The reflection is awful, and in this point of view, how trifling, how ridiculous, do the little paltry cavilings of a few weak or interested men appear, when weighed against the business of a world. … however strange it may appear to some, or however unwilling they may be to think so, matters not, but many strong and striking reasons may be given, to shew, that nothing can settle our affairs so expeditiously as an open and determined declaration for independence. ”

The Declaration of Independence• The American Declaration of independence was drafted on the 4th of July, 1776, in order

to reconstitute the Colonies as a new nation called the United States of America.• The text was mostly written by the lawyer and enlightenment philosopher Thomas

Jefferson.• The text itself did not just declare separation, but expressed a new notion of

nationhood. Old traditions of social order were disregarded, in place of theoretical notions of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

• The doctrine of equality was at the centre of the declaration. While the Revolutionaries didn’t expect total equality (slaves and women were not treated any differently, for example), this laid a powerful precedent for future political development.

• In spirit, the nation was constructed in opposition to European hierarchical traditions.

Excerpt Declaration of Independence“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, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. 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. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.”

The Seige of Yorktown• In 1781, rebel forces surrounded the loyalist stronghold of Yorktown. • The American rebels were helped by French troops, led my the

Marquis de Lafayette.• The victory over the British Loyalists was crushing, and Yorktown soon

surrendered.• This was considered by many to be a sign that colonial America had

won the Revolutionary War.

By S. G. Goodrich - Goodrich, S. G. (1875). A Pictorial History of the United States. Philadelphia: J. H. Butler & Co., 277., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3608541

Treaty of Paris 1783• Two years after the British surrender at

Yorktown, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the American Revolutionary War.• The treaty stipulated that all territory east of

the Mississippi River would now cede to the American Republic. • The area north of the Great Lakes (now

Canada) would remain under British control.• The Spanish would take control of the area

south and east of Florida.

Legacies of the Revolution• Hundreds of thousands of loyalists left the new United States for Canada or England.• Since the war had mostly been fought by the ordinary working people of America, it

helped to further dissolve old traditions of hierarchy. • The removal of monarchy made every resident a ‘citizen’, supported by the declaration of

full equality in the Declaration of Independence.• Indentured servitude, based on old traditions of hierarchy, rapidly decreased.• In the beginning, the United States functioned as a union of independent countries (much

like the EU today). Eventually, it became a federation – with one super government presiding over autonomous states.

• The isolation from European wars, in particular, helped the new United States to become quickly prosperous.

• The Revolution itself was quickly mythologised as the foundation of a new world.

United States Federal Constitution• In 1789, the United States became a democratic federal republic.• This was revolutionary, since no democracy had been attempted on such a

large scale before. • The constitution solidified the separation of Church and State. This was a

necessity for the democracy to work, since different states represented a different (and often opposing) religious communities.• This was the first example of total separation of Church and State in Western

history.• In its place, a tradition of ‘civil religion’ was encouraged – where the flag, the

great leaders, and the symbols of nation became almost religious in nature for citizens.

From the US Constitution 1789• [Preamble] We the people of the United States, in order to form a

more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.• [Amendment I] Congress shall make no law respecting an

establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.