AP World History POD #20 – Revolutions & Independence in the Americas

1. AP World HistoryPOD #20 – Revolutions & Independence in the Americas American Revolution

2. Class Discussion Notes Bulliet – “Prelude to Revolution: The Eighteenth-Century Crisis”, pp. 582-586 Bulliet – “The American Revolution, 1775-1800”, pp. 586-590

3. Historical Context • “The cost of wars fought among Europe’s major powers over colonies and traded helped precipitate the revolutionary era that began in 1775 with the American Revolution. Britain, France, and Spain were the central actors in these global struggles, but other imperial powers participated as well. While these nations had previously fought unpopular and costly wars and paid for them with new taxes, changes in Western intellectual and political environments now produced a much more critical response. Any effort to extend monarchical power or impose new taxes now raised questions about the rights of individuals and the authority of political institutions.” (Bulliet, p. 582)

4. War Debt • Britain’s total budget before the Seven Years War averaged 8 million British Pounds, while after the war it reached 137 million and included more than 5 million in annual interest payments • Traditional taxation no longer covered the obligations of the government

5. Enlightenment Ideas • Philosophers & Thinkers in this era applied the methods and questions of the Scientific Revolution to the study of human society • A quest to reform society by discovering laws that governed social behavior

6. Enlightenment Philosophes • John Locke (Two Treatise on Civil Government) – natural rights of life, liberty and property must be protected by government – failure to do so allows for revolution • Jean-Jacques Rousseau – (The Social Contract) – asserted that the will of the people was sacred and the legitimacy of government depended on the consent of the governed • Baron de Montesquieu – (On the Spirit of Laws) – separation of powers and checks and balances • Voltaire – (over 70 works) - toleration “I may not like what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”

7. Salons • “Women were instrumental in the dissemination of the new ideas. In England educated middle-class women purchased and discussed books and pamphlets. Some were important contributors to intellectual life as writers and commentators, raising by example and in argument the issue of the rights of women. In Paris wealthy women made their homes centers of debate and intellectual speculation, and free inquiry. Their salons brought together philosophers, social critics, artists, members of the aristocracy, and the commercial elite.” (Bulliet, p. 584)

8. Benjamin Franklin • American philosopher & scientist • Symbolized the vast potential of America • Political Figure – delegate to the Continental Congress which would issue the Declaration of Independence • Ambassador to Paris

9. American Revolution • “In British North America, clumsy efforts to increase colonial taxes to cover rising defense expenditures and to diminish the power of elected colonial legislatures outraged a populace accustomed to local autonomy. Once begun, the American Revolution ushered in a century-long process of political and cultural transformation in Europe and the Americas. By the end of this revolutionary century constitutions had limited or overturned the authority of monarchs, and religion had lost its dominance of Western intellectual life. At the same time revolutionary changes in manufacturing and commerce replaced the long-established social order determined by birth with a new social ideal emphasizing competition and social mobility.” (Bulliet, p. 586)

10. Colonial Complaints • Frontier Settlement – under the Proclamation of 1763, colonial settlers were not able to move west of the Appalachian Mountains as the British feared renewed conflict and cost with the native tribes – this contradicted many colonial settlers previously established land claims • Tax Policies – the British attempted to transfer the cost of imperial wars to the colonist through a campaign of fiscal reforms and new taxes • Mercantilist Policy – under the terms of the Navigation Acts, the colonist were restricted to trading with the mother country (Great Britain) on British ships, in addition to bans on colonial paper money – these practices threatened especially New England’s profitable trade with Spanish and French Caribbean sugar colonies • Representation – the colonists felt Parliament was absent in their attention to colonial interests and restricted the creation legislative bodies in the colonies

11. Colonial Protests • “…propertied colonists, including holders of high office and members of the colonial elite, assumed leading roles in protests. Critics of these measures used fiery political language, identifying Britain’s rulers as “parricides” and “tyrants”, while women from prominent colonial families organized boycotts of British goods. Colonial women now viewed the production of homespun textiles as a patriotic obligation. Organizations such as the Sons of Liberty were more confrontational, holding public meetings, intimidating royal officials, and organizing committees to enforce the boycotts. Although this combination of protest and boycott forced the repeal of the Stamp Act, Britain soon imposed new taxes and duties. Parliament also sent British troops to quell colonial riots.” (Bulliet, p. 587)

12. Colonial Action • Stamp Act Congress • Boston Tea Party • Continental Congress • Thomas Paine, Common Sense – created popular support for war) • Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 (affirmed popular sovereignty and individual rights – would influence future revolutions around the world)

13. War • Continental Congress, Philadelphia (1775) • Patriot militia formed, had already fought the British at Lexington & Concord • Continental Army funded under the leadership of George Washington • France joined forces with the American rebels • French blocked the British retreat from the Battle of Yorktown (Va.) forcing the British to surrender and accept peace and independence for the colonies that would evolve into the United States

14. Articles of Confederation • Written in 1777 – approved in 1781 • One-House Legislature in which each state had a single vote • Simple majority needed to pass minor legislation • Majority of 9 needed for declaring war, imposing taxes, coining or borrowing money • Committee, not a president, would execute executive power • The government established under the Articles of Confederation was weak and unable to enforce unpopular requirements of the peace treaty such as the recognition of loyalist property claims, the payment of prewar debts and even the payment of military salaries and pensions • The Central government lacked control over the power of the purse and the power of the sword

15. Constitutional Convention • Virginia invited the other states to meet to discuss the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation • The Constitutional Convention was called in May 1787 (Philadelphia) and was charged with the task of reforming and strengthening the Articles of Confederation • Once in deliberations and discussion, the Articles of Confederation were abandoned and an entirely new plan and governmental model was established

16. United States Constitution • Political power was distributed among, executive, legislative (bicameral) and judicial branches and divided authority between the federal government and the states • Created the most democratic government in the world, yet only a small percentage of the adult population had full political rights • Slavery – slaves would count 3/5 towards representation and 2/5 towards property taxation – in addition a 20 year continuation of the slave trade was included