A Nation is Born

1. A Nation is Born 1750-1800

2. The Age of Reason • Eighteenth century- Referred to as the Enlightenment or “Age of Reason.” • Important People of Enlightenment: • Galileo, Newton • Voltaire, Rousseau • Locke • Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson • Reason (or logic…intelligence)- Became more important than faith. • Science and making life on Earth better was more of a priority than getting into Heaven. • Exact opposite of traditional Puritanism.

3. Toward a Clash of Arms • Preceded by French and Indian War: Fight between England and France over North America. • France lost. • Stamp Act- 1765: British wanted more money to pay war debt. Required everyday items to have stamps. • Colonists revolted violently and Stamp Act was eliminated. • Townshend Act (1767)- Taxes on paper, paint, glass, lead, and tea. • British troops sent to control colonists. • Boston Massacre- Recoats (British) fired into a crowd, killed five. • All but tax on tea eliminated…led to Boston Tea Party.

4. Toward a Clash of Arms • Boston Tea Party- • Bostonians dressed like Mohawks. • Dumped tea into Boston Harbor. • Punished with Coercive Acts. • Port of Boston was shut down. • Meetings were not allowed. • British troops could move in with colonists against their wishes. • Colonists called them “Intolerable Acts.” • Leaders of the colonies met in September 1774 (First Continental Congress) • British sent General Thomas Gage to be governor as a result.

5. “The Shot Heard Round the World” • April 19, 1775- • British troops met 70 colonial minutemen. • Someone fired a shot (unknown which side) • Fighting broke out- 8 Americans died. • British continued to Concord- More fighting. • Marked the beginning of American Revolution. • Battle of Bunker Hill: • All colonies involved. • More than a thousand British soldiers killed or injured. • George Washington appointed commander in chief of American army.

6. “The Shot Heard Round the World” • More than one year until American declared independence. • War lasted six years. • Battle of Saratoga: • Fall 1777 • 5700 British surrendered. • France recognized independence and sent troops to help. • War ended at Yorktown: • October 19, 1781 • French army and navy helped • African American soldiers enlisted • George Washington’s army defeated General Cornwallis’s army- Cornwallis surrendered.

7. The New Nation • Articles of Confederation- • Established “league of friendship” with new states. • Did not work. • Constitution replaced Articles. • Took a long time to be ratified. • Bill of Rights had to be added. • George Washington- Became first President • John Adams- Second President • Thomas Jefferson- Third President

8. A Time of Crisis • Puritans before Revolution- Writing was private (letters, journals, etc) • After Revolution- Writing became public. • Newspapers established. • Magazines began to be published. • Almanacs became popular. • Most writing was political as people shared ideas.

9. Politics as Literature • Writing was very important. Influenced nation policies. • James Otis- Wrote speeches and pamphlets. • Patrick Henry- Very successful speaker. Spoke out against the Stamp Act. • Thomas Paine- Most influential in pro-independence speaking. • Wrote Common Sense in 1776- sold 100,000 copies in three months.

10. Politics as Literature • Declaration of Independence- • Written by Thomas Jefferson- June 1776. • Benjamin Franklin and four others helped. • Most influential political writing…ever. • United States Constitution- • Written in 1787. • Amended 27 times. • Ratified by Delaware within three months (first to do so). • Had to be ratified by nine states- took a while.

11. The Cultural Scene • Literature was mainly political. • Broadside ballads- • Single sheet of paper- written on both sides about current topic. • Most popular- “The Dying Redcoat” • Philip Freneau- journalist and editor • Wrote several famous poems such as “The Indian Burying Ground.” • Joel Barlow & Phyllis Wheatley- • Barlow- “The Hasty Pudding.” • Wheatley- Collection of poems published as a young woman.

12. The Cultural Scene • Most famous writer of the period: • Benjamin Franklin • Poor Richard’s Alamanck • Provided weather and calendar information • Also included wise sayings. • His Autobiography is one of the most famous autobiographies in the world.

13. Slave Narrative • OlaudahEquiano • Brought to American against his will from Africa. • Sold as a slave. • Bought his own freedom and moved to England. • Became an abolitionist. • Wrote The Interesting Narrative of the Life of OlaudahEquiano. • Describes his journey to America and life as a slave.

14. African Americans and Women in the Revolution • 1776- More than half a million African Americans lived in colonies. • Were not allowed to join the army • British offered to free slaves who fought for British • George Washington changed the policy…allowed those were were free to join. • 5000 African Americans fought- considered bravest of the soldiers.

15. African Americans and Women in the Revolution • Women helped too. • While men were fighting, they took care of work at home. • Did planting, harvesting, cooking, made shoes, blankets, and uniforms. • Some even worked front lines- Cooked, washed, and took care of injured. • Mary Ludwig Hays- Carried water to husband and others in battle. • Called Moll of the Pitcher. • Husband was wounded- She took his place firing a cannon. • Deborah Sampson- Dressed as a man and fought.

16. Culture and Art • Theaters built • First play- The Prince of Parthia (1767) by Thomas Godfrey • First American characters in The Contrast by Royall Tyler • Themes of dramas: Honest Americans vs. Foreign Sneaks • New Colleged Established: • For example: University of Tennessee, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill • Famous painters, musicians, and song-writers also emerged.

17. Gilbert Stuart, Portraitist Painters did not paint battle scenes, but portraits. Gilbert Stuart- Most famous portraitist Studied with painter Benjamin West Painted most of George Washington’s portraits. Never included props or scenery—only showed Washington from the waist up.

18. American Literature at Daybreak • America began to have its own literature. • Native American literature was preserved more. • Political documents. • Poetry and essays. • Did not have novels or important plays. • Short stories had not been invented yet. • Many famous works produced during this period: • OlaudahEquiano • Benjamin Franklin • Thomas Paine • Constitution