new americans and britain
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Enlightenment Vocab
• Enlighten = to shed light on truth, to free from ignorance
• Intellect = power of the mind to understand through the use of reason
• Reason = to explore the cause and effect of things
The Enlightenment
• Intellectual revolution (18th century)
• Man has the ability and the FREEDOM to think for himself
• Natural Laws = laws that can be learned through observation, reason and logic– Thunder comes from physical occurrences,
not from God’s anger
New Americans
• Americans begin to develop in a slightly different way from their British cousins– Focus on the Laws of Nature– People who are self-made can do very well in
America (have more independence, are better respected if you work hard)
– New Americans use their independence to work for the greater good (helping all people)
Britannia Rules!(the waves…)
Britain now united island• Acts of Union 1706 -
1707 – Joined Kingdom of England
(includes Wales and Ireland) & Kingdom of Scotland
– English king and Parliament now ruled Scotland
• Union popular, especially among English
• Americans think of themselves as part of unified country
Ireland - Cross of St. Patrick
England - Cross of St. George
Scotland - Cross of St. Andrew
Union Jack
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British Empire Wealthiest
• Access to trade networks around world• India, China, Africa, Americas, West Indies,
Mediterranean• More trade than any other nation – restricted colonies’
trade with other places
Military Protection• Navy in 1588 beat the
Spanish Armada• Navy gained power,
strength, and strategic forts around Mediterranean
• Army protects colonial borders from enemy nations, Indians
King George III• Came to throne in
1760 – 22 years old• First “English” king of
House of Hanover• Spoke English, not
German• Enthusiastic, wanted
to be firm, beloved monarch
American “Independence”• All colonists loyal to King of England
• Colonists had charters from king that gave them certain protections
• Colonists had legislative assemblies – could make own laws
• King and Parliament let colonies run themselves, so long as they were profitable…
British Justice• English common law
– laws that judges and juries decided in court cases
• People made the laws - everyone had protection of laws throughout British Empire
Low Taxes for Colonies• People in Great Britain shouldered
the tax burden– Paid higher taxes than any other
European country
• American colonists had government charters – ran their own affairs– King and Parliament could charge
them, but they weren’t doing it
High Standard of Living• British people were
employed, ate well, and had good shelter– Ate more meat and dairy– Had manufactured goods
(woven textiles, china, pewter, silver)
• Better as compared to people in France or Germany
• American colonists starting to have a similar standard of living– Proud of their homes,
possessions, lifestyles