The American Revolution

1
The American Revolution

• Americas Fight for Independence,
• 1775-1783

2
Major Causes of the Conflict

• English colonists objected to
• 1. British commercial regulation (e.g., Sugar
  Act, Townshend Duties?)
• 2. direct taxation (e.g., Stamp Act)
• 3. threats to self-government (e.g., the Coercive
  Acts)
• 4. limits on Western expansion (e.g.,
  Proclamation of 1763, Quebec Act)
• 5. being treated as second rate (e.g., referred
  to as colonials)

3
Enlightenment Influence

• John Lockes political philosophy of liberalism,
  with its focus on natural rights and the social
  contract, influenced Englands Glorious
  Revolution (1688) and resonated with colonists
  who demanded their rights as Englishmen
• The Zenger Trial of 1735 demonstrated that
  colonists were already aware of their rights and
  willing to defend them - in this case, freedom of
  the press and trial by jury
• Americans (like Ben Franklin and Thomas
  Jefferson) embraced Enlightenment ideals of
  progress, humanitarianism, and rationalism

4
The Colonial Dilemma

• The Battles of Lexington Concord (April 1775)
  started the Revolutionary War, but not all
  colonial leaders were prepared to declare
  independence, despite Patrick Henrys cry of
  Give me liberty, or give me death!
• The Second Continental Congress mobilized for war
  by appointing George Washington to command the
  Continental Army (May 1775)
• The Congress also prepared the Olive Branch
  Petition to seek a negotiated resolution of the
  crisis
• Britain formally declared the colonies to be in a
  state of rebellion in August 1775

5
Common Sense

• Thomas Paines Common Sense (published in early
  1776) called for American independence
• His arguments included
• America would be better off economically without
  British trade controls (Adam Smith agreed opt
  for free trade)
• Theres no reason to be loyal to a hereditary
  monarchy
• Britain seeks only to expand its own power at
  the expense of colonists rights

6
American Independence

• John Adams and Patriots in Congress pushed for a
  declaration of independence by June 1776 the
  motion was introduced by Richard Henry Lee (yes,
  those Lees) of Virginia
• John Dickinson of Pennsylvania led conservatives
  who feared a break with Britain would be
  disastrous for the colonies
• Congress adopted Lees resolution on July 2

7
Document Study The Declarations

• Read over the Virginia Declaration of Rights and
  the Declaration of Independence
• In your notes, answer the following
• 1. How did the Virginia Declaration influence the
  Declaration of Independence?
• 2. How do both documents reflect the influence of
  classical liberalism? Consider natural rights
  and social contract theory and cite specific
  passages.
• 3. To what extent does religion influence the
  documents? Cite examples.

8
The Declaration of Independence

• 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
• That to secure these Rights, Governments are
  instituted among Men, deriving their just powers
  from the Consent of the Governed,
• That whenever any Form of Government becomes
  destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the
  People to alter or to abolish it, and to
  institute new Government, laying its Foundation
  on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in
  such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to
  effect their Safety and Happiness.

9
The Political Revolution

• John Adams called on the states to replace their
  colonial charters with constitutions
• State constitutions almost universally sought to
  limit government power
• weak executives
• strong legislatures
• guarantees of civil liberties
• separation of powers
• John Dickinson led the committee assigned to
  draft the first national constitution proposed
  the Articles of Confederation in 1777 ratified
  in 1781

10
The Military Revolution

• After forcing the British to evacuate Boston in
  March 1776 the Continental Army failed to stop
  the British occupation of New York (1776) and
  Philadelphia (1777)
• The Battle of Saratoga (October 1777) marked the
  turning point of the war France responded by
  allying with the U.S. in 1778 (Ben Franklin
  negotiated the treaties)
• The British surrender at Yorktown (October 1781)
  marked the effective end of British efforts to
  subdue the colonies the French navy made this
  victory possible

11
Peace of Paris (1783)

• The second Treaty of Paris in twenty years
  awarded the United States
• British recognition of independence
• the territory of Trans-Appalachia, including the
  fertile Ohio River Valley
• The U.S. pledged to
• repay Loyalists for
• damages suffered
• during the war

12
Statement for Debate

• The American Revolution was a conservative
  movement designed primarily to advance the
  political and economic interests of colonial
  commercial and landowning elites, NOT a popular
  movement to defend essential liberties for all
  individuals in the face of the tyrannical
  exercise of British authority.
• Do you agree or disagree? Why?