The American Revolution and Its Impact

Readings: Smith, et al., 767-771

England was the exception to the Pyramid Shaped Societies

The English Civil War and the “Glorious Revolution” led to an increasing role of Parliament.

Puritan New England

Town Meeting

Wanted consensus

Kicked out dissenters

New Englanders

The SouthHad Locke-inspired Constitution40 shilling freeholdExcluded Many poor Appalachia FarmersCounty was the basic unit of GovernmentMany counties in the South were 50% slaves

All Colonies

Had minor legislative institutionsWere diverseAll happy to be English citizensAll had some rights

Grenville Plan – 1764

Salutary NeglectGrenville attempts to

find old lawsNavigation ActsMolasses TaxSugar ActStamp ActQuartering Act

Committees of Correspondence

Propaganda makes it a Massacre3 years later was the Boston Tea PartyPunished for the Boston Tea PartyHad various names

First Continental CongressSeptember 4, 1774All colonies but GeorgiaRefused to Import GoodsBritish angered by this and decided to destroy colonial stores in Concord

Declaration of Independence

Was signed in 1776, about a year after the war had startedIt made the French realize that we were serious and they joined the colonists to fight the British

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Key Points in Declaration

“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.”

Hamilton and Jefferson

The Constitution

Was written after the Articles of Confederation had failed.It was a compromise but more HamiltonianSeparation of PowersChecks and balancesBill of Rights added later

George Washington

Became president in 1789.Did not become military dictatorDid not want to ever have a king again