The American Revolution

1
The American Revolution

• Please pick up Focus 10, the class notes, and the
  binder check guide from the table and begin
  working on the focus questions we will take the
  first 15 minutes of class to give you time to
  work on the focus by yourself.
• We will
• explain how and why the Patriots declared
  independence and won the American Revolution
• discuss the first unit test results and retake
  guidelines

2
The American Revolution

• Americas Fight for Independence,
• 1775-1783

3
Major Causes of the Conflict

• English colonists objected to
• 1. British commercial regulation (e.g., Sugar
  Act, Townshend Duties?)
• 2. direct taxation (e.g., Stamp Act)
• 3. threats to self-government (e.g., the Coercive
  Acts)
• 4. limits on Western expansion (e.g.,
  Proclamation of 1763, Quebec Act)
• 5. being treated as second rate (e.g., referred
  to as colonials)

4
Enlightenment Influence

• John Lockes political philosophy of liberalism,
  with its focus on natural rights and the social
  contract, influenced Englands Glorious
  Revolution (1688) and resonated with colonists
  who demanded their rights as Englishmen
• The Zenger Trial of 1735 demonstrated that
  colonists were already aware of their rights and
  willing to defend them - in this case, freedom of
  the press and trial by jury
• Americans (like Ben Franklin and Thomas
  Jefferson) embraced Enlightenment ideals of
  progress, humanitarianism, and rationalism

5
Two Views on the Conflict

• Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no
  peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale
  that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears
  the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are
  already in the field! Why stand we here idle?
  What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they
  have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to
  be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
  Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course
  others may take but as for me, give me liberty
  or give me death!
• -- March 23, 1775
• http//www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/give
  me.cfm

Patrick Henry, Patriot leader in the Virginia
House of Burgesses, calls for rebellion even
before Lexington and Concord
6
Two Views on the Conflict

• GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
  ASSEMBLY, . . .
• You have now pointed out two Roads ? one
  evidently leading to Peace, Happiness and a
  Restoration of the public Tranquility ? the other
  inevitably conducting you to Anarchy, Misery, and
  all the Horrors of a Civil War. Your Wisdom, your
  Prudence, and your Regard for the true Interests
  of the People, will be best known when you have
  shown to which Road you give the Preference. If
  to the former, you will probably afford
  Satisfaction to the moderate, the sober, and the
  discreet Part of your Constituents. If to the
  latter, you will, perhaps for a Time, give
  Pleasure to the warm, the rash, and the
  inconsiderate among them, who, I would willingly
  hope, violent as is the Temper of the present
  Times, are not even now the Majority. But it may
  be well for you to remember, should any Calamity
  hereafter befall them from your Compliance with
  their Inclinations, instead of pursuing, as you
  ought, the Dictates of your own Judgment, that
  the Consequences of their not returning to a
  proper Sense of their Conduct, may prove
  deservedly fatal to yourselves.
• -- William Franklin, Loyalist Governor of New
  Jersey speaking to the New Jersey Assembly on
  January 13, 1775
• http//nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/makingrev/
  rebellion/text1/loyalists17751776.pdf

7
The Colonial Dilemma

• The Battles of Lexington Concord (April 1775)
  started the Revolutionary War, but not all
  colonial leaders were prepared to declare
  independence, despite Patrick Henrys cry of
  Give me liberty, or give me death!
• The Second Continental Congress mobilized for war
  by appointing George Washington to command the
  Continental Army (May 1775)
• The Congress also prepared the Olive Branch
  Petition to seek a negotiated resolution of the
  crisis
• Britain formally declared the colonies to be in a
  state of rebellion in August 1775

8
Common Sense

• Thomas Paines Common Sense (published in early
  1776) called for American independence
• His arguments included
• Theres no reason to be loyal to a hereditary
  monarchy crazy!
• America would be better off economically without
  British trade controls (Adam Smith agreed opt
  for free trade) wealthy continent
• Britain seeks only to expand its own power at
  the expense of rights an abusive mother

9
American Independence

• John Adams and Patriots in Congress pushed for a
  declaration of independence by June 1776 the
  motion was introduced by Richard Henry Lee (yes,
  those Lees) of Virginia
• John Dickinson of Pennsylvania led conservatives
  who feared a break with Britain would be
  disastrous for the colonies
• Congress adopted Lees resolution on July 2

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v-7Y1ougODMo
10
How did the ideas of John Locke influence the
Declaration of Independence?

• We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
  all men are created equal, (Natural Laws) that
  they are endowed by their Creator with certain
  unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
  Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. (Natural
  Rights)--That to secure these rights, Governments
  are instituted among Men, deriving their just
  powers from the consent of the governed, (Social
  Contract)--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.
  (Right to Rebellion)

11
This section was removed from Jeffersons first
draftWhat does it condemn? Why was it removed?

• He has waged cruel war against human nature
  itself, violating its most sacred rights of life
  and liberty in the persons of a distant people
  who never offended him, captivating carrying
  them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to
  incur miserable death in their transportation
  thither. This piratical warfare, the opprobium of
  INFIDEL Powers, is the warfare of the CHRISTIAN
  king of Great Britain. Determined to keep open a
  market where MEN should be bought sold, he has
  prostituted his negative for suppressing every
  legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain
  this execrable commerce. And that this assemblage
  of horrors might want no fact of distinguished
  die, he is now exciting those very people to rise
  in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of
  which he has deprived them, by murdering the
  people on whom he also obtruded them thus paying
  off former crimes committed against the LIBERTIES
  of one people, with crimes which he urges them to
  commit against the LIVES of another.
• Source http//teachingamericanhistory.org/library
  /document/rough-draft-of-the-declaration-of-indepe
  ndence/

12
The Political Revolution

• John Adams called on the states to replace their
  colonial charters with constitutions
• State constitutions almost universally sought to
  limit government power
• weak executives
• strong legislatures
• guarantees of civil liberties
• separation of powers
• John Dickinson led the committee assigned to
  draft the first national constitution proposed
  the Articles of Confederation in 1777 ratified
  in 1781

13
The Military Revolution

• After forcing the British to evacuate Boston in
  March 1776 the Continental Army failed to stop
  the British occupation of New York (1776) and
  Philadelphia (1777)
• The Battle of Saratoga (October 1777) marked the
  turning point of the war France responded by
  allying with the U.S. in 1778 (Ben Franklin
  negotiated the treaties)
• The British surrender at Yorktown (October 1781)
  marked the effective end of British efforts to
  subdue the colonies the French navy made this
  victory possible

14
Peace of Paris (1783)

• The second Treaty of Paris in twenty years
  awarded the United States
• British recognition of independence
• the territory of Trans-Appalachia, including the
  fertile Ohio River Valley
• The U.S. pledged to
• repay Loyalists for
• damages suffered
• during the war

15
Statement for Debate

• The American Revolution was a conservative
  movement designed primarily to advance the
  political and economic interests of colonial
  commercial and landowning elites, NOT a popular
  movement to defend essential liberties for all
  individuals in the face of the tyrannical
  exercise of British authority.
• Do you agree or disagree? Why?

16
Before you leave

• Remember to keep your unit test and retake guide
  in the test and quizzes section of your binder
• 2nd and 3rd only report directly to the library
  on Friday to research the quarter exhibit make
  sure to bring your guide and read up in the
  textbook on your topic
• 4th only report to 208 for the pep rally