Chapter 4: The Empire in Transition Flashcards
Impressment
A British military policy beginning in the French and Indian War (1754 - 1763) by which British military forces forcibly recruited men to serve in the military.
Peace of Paris, 18th century
British diplomats forged a peace treaty ending the French and Indian War in Paris, in 1763; the British gained most of France’s West Indian islands, Canada, and all territory east of the Mississippi River except New Orleans.
Literacy Rates
Brinkley 97
1) By the time of the American Revolution, well over half of all white men could read and write, a rate substantially higher than in most European countries
2) Literacy rates for colonial women was also substantially higher than that of their European counterparts
3) The literacy rate of women lagged behind that of men until the 19th century; and while opportunities for further education were scarce for males, they were almost nonexistent for females
4) Africans slaves had virtually no access to education
5) Indians,too, remained outside the white educational system; most preferred to educate their children their own way
Quebec
Brinkley 111
1) In 1759, the army of General James Wolfe surprised the larger forces of the Marquis de Montcalm, and defeated him in a battle in which both commanders died
2) the dramatic fall of Quebec, on September 13th, 1759, marked the beginning of the end of the American phase of the Seven Years’ War
3) in September 1760, the French army surrendered to Jeffrey Amherst in Montreal
The Enlightenment
When scientists and thinkers began to discover natural laws that they believed regulated the workings of nature.
Thinkers argued tha humans had a moral sense that they could rely on to tell the difference between right and wrong, and that they didn’t have to turn to God for guidance.
Slowly helped to undermine the power of traditional authority.
It encouraged men and women to look to themselves –not to God– for guidance.
Thinkers had an emphesis on human rationality, and a new emphesis on education, and a heightened interest in politics.
Challenged the notion that all answers about human society should come from God.
Iroquois Confederacy
The Iroquois Confederacy consisted of five Indian nations Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga and Oneida,that had formed a defensive alliance in the fifteenth century. They have been the most powerful tribal presence in the Northwest since the 1640’s. (After they defeated the Hurons)
The Iroquois had been able to keep a balance of power in the Great Lake area with the French and the English. They did this by keeping their distance from both groups but still setting up an important commercial relationship with the English and a fur trade with the French.
When the French Indian War broke out the Iroquois joined the French but were passive through out the war in fear of later French retaliation. But when the war needed and the English were victorious this cost them, English officials took the Iroquois passiveness as evidence of duplicity.
Soon in the aftermath of the war the English and Iroquois alliance collapsed and the Iroquois confederacy began to crumble from within.
Iroquois Confederacy
The Iroquois Confederacy consisted of five Indian nations Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga and Oneida,that had formed a defensive alliance in the fifteenth century. They have been the most powerful tribal presence in the Northwest since the 1640’s. (After they defeated the Hurons)
The Iroquois had been able to keep a balance of power in the Great Lake area with the French and the English. They did this by keeping their distance from both groups but still setting up an important commercial relationship with the English and a fur trade with the French.
When the French Indian War broke out the Iroquois joined the French but were passive through out the war in fear of later French retaliation. But when the war needed and the English were victorious this cost them, English officials took the Iroquois passiveness as evidence of du
The Albany Plan
a plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 in response to increasing threats from the French and the Indians. This plan dictated that Parliament would establish a general government for all of the colonies (exemptions to this were Georgia and Nova Scotia). The colonial governments would maintain their current constitutions. However the new government would wield powers such as governing all current relations with the Indians. It would have a President general appointed by the King and a council elected by the colonies. Ultimately however this plan was not approved by the Colonial assemblies.
William Pitt
1) In 1757, he was the English secretary of state and began to transform the war effort in America by bringing it under British control
2) he planned a military strategy for the North American conflict by appointing military commanders and issuing orders to the colonists,such as, forcing colonists to enlist, which resulted in tension b/t British authority and colonists.
3) in 1758, he agreed to reimburse the colonists for all supplies requisitioned by the the army and returned control over to the colonial assemblies military (resulting in a dramatic increase in enlistments)
4) in the 18th century English and American leaders (like William Pitt) argued that land was of value to the empire -because of the population it could support, the taxes it could produce, and the imperial magnificence it would bring
Colonial Boycotts
1) The Boston Merchants took the lead in organizing another boycott
2) in 1768 the merchants of Philadelphia and New York joined them in a nonimportation agreement, and later some southern merchants and planters also agreed to cooperate.
3) Colonists boycotted British goods subject to the Townshend Duties; and throughout the colonies, American homespun and other domestic products became suddenly fashionable, while English luxuries fell from favor.
Common sense
- Author was Thomas Paine
- It helped changed the American outlook towards the war
- Said the root of the problem was the English constitution
- Blamed the king and the system that permitted him to rule
- Sold more than 100,000 copies in the first few months
- Published anonymously on January 10, 1776
Pgs. 132-133
Townshend Acts of 1767
p120
1) Townshend acts were a series of acts that taxed the colonists.
2) Named after Charles Townshend who had to lead new colonial government in the place of William Pitt due to sickness.
3) First aspect of the Acts was Mutiny Act (Quartering Act) of 1765. This required the colonists to not only quarter the troops protecting them from Indian or French attack, but they had to give them supplies as well. Colonists felt it was assault on their liberties
4) Second was Townshend Duties which were new taxes on goods imported from the colonies to England (lead, tea, paper, paint). Benjamin Franklin brought up the idea of internal and external taxation. Internal taxation was the taxing of goods in the colonies and external taxation was the taxation of goods coming into the colonies. Either one, the colonists still opposed the ideas of taxation without any representatives in Parliament.
5) Massachusetts assembly opposed the duties and the acts became less and less popular.
6) Boycotts began, merchants had to smuggle their trade and in 1768, the merchants of Philadelphia and New York boycotted British goods and that’s when domestic products became fashionable and English luxuries fell from favor.
Conciliatory Propositions 1775
(Pg.127)
The Conciliatory Propositions was a proposition between the Parliament of London and the colonists. Lord North, an imposer of the Conciliatory Propositions received early permission to begin implementing some of its ideas in 1755. The proposition imposed the idea that instead of the colonists being taxed directly by Parliament, they would tax themselves at Parliament’s demand.
Proclamation of 1763
1.) 1763, America
2.) Issued by British government in order to prevent escalation between Indian and colonists
3.) Forbade settlers from advancing beyond a line along the Appalachian Mountains
4.) Allowed London to control western movement rather than provincial govts, avoid conflicts with Native Americans, and give opportunities to English traders
5.) Failed to prevent colonists from continuing to settle westward
Pg. 115
Mutiny Act
1.) 1765, America
2.) Also known as quartering act, required colonists to provide quarters and supplies for British soldiers
3.) Resented by colonists because before had only been voluntarily and now was mandatory
Pg. 120
