the road to revolution 2 ideals leading up to revolution: – republicanism – “radical whigs”
DESCRIPTION
Radical Whigs Opposition party in England Feared threat to liberty posed by monarchy Worried about losing rightsTRANSCRIPT
The Road to Revolution
• 2 ideals leading up to Revolution:
– Republicanism
– “Radical Whigs”
Republicanism
• “just society”
• Citizens submit to common good
• Opposed to hierarchical and authoritarian societies: aristocracy and monarchy
Radical Whigs
• Opposition party in England
• Feared threat to liberty posed by monarchy
• Worried about losing rights
Bolstered attitudes by colonial life:
• No royalty in America
• Property ownership and political participation were relatively accessible
• Accustomed to running own affairs
Mercantilism and sassy colonists
• Wealth = power
• Wealth = silver and gold in treasury
• All about exporting more than importing
• Navigation Laws
Enforcing mercantilism
• Navigation Laws, colonists angry
• British government regulated coinage in Americas (angry)
• Colonists issued paper money which depreciated and caused inflation
• British stopped this, colonists angry
• British gov’t had royal veto which also made colonists angry
Mercantilism
pros• Navigation laws loosely
enforced until 1763
• Britain did lots to help colonists
• Sometimes goods cheaper
cons• Stifled colonial economic
initiative
• Contributed to colonial dependence on Britain
• “econonmic adolescence”
British problems
• French and Indian War left Britain in major debt
George Grenville• British prime
minister
• Most hated man in America
Sugar Act• 1764
• First direct tax ever passed in the colonies
• Tons of protests, taxes lowered
Quartering Act
• Required colonists to provide food/lodging for British troops
• Colonists angry…
Stamp Act• George Grenville
• Meant to raise revenue to pay for war debt
• Grenville thought he was being reasonable
• Colonists disagreed. Hard.
Stamp Act
• Over 50 trade items and documents
• British subjects had already been paying a much higher tax
• Also “called for trying offenders in admiralty courts”- no juries, colonists suspicious
Colonial Reaction
Colonists suspicious and angry
• Also “called for trying offenders in admiralty courts”- no juries, colonists suspicious
• British army still in colonies…..
“No taxation without representation”
• “virtual representation” theory
Repeal of the Stamp Act
• Stamp Act Congress of 1765
• 27 delegates from 9 colonies
• “halting but significant step towards inter-colonial unity”
Colonial Means of Resistance
“Nonimportation acts”
• Basically boycotts
• United American people in common action