Lecture 02 The American Revolution Flashcards
How did the Enlightenment influence the Atlantic Revolutions?
-Challenged existing authority (church, monarchy, aristocracy).
-Promoted ideas of knowledge, power, and wealth through rational criticism
What are John Locke’s main arguments in Two Treatises on Government (1689)?
Purpose of government is to guarantee people’s liberty and property.
What does Montesquieu argue in The Spirit of Laws (1750)?
Liberty is best promoted by separation of powers dividing authority between legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
What are the main ideas of Rousseau’s The Social Contract (1762)?
-Individual is the source of sovereignty.
-Promotes liberty, equality, free trade, and popular sovereignty.
What three traditional sources of authority were undermined by the Atlantic Revolutions?
1.The Church (knowledge).
2.The Monarchy (power).
3.The Aristocracy (wealth).
What were the characteristics of political structures before the Atlantic Revolutions?
-Poorly developed, centered on absolute monarchies.
-Limited bureaucratic and governmental influence.
-Taxation rights often farmed out to raise funds.
What political changes occurred at the end of the 18th century?
-Revolutions based on Enlightenment ideas of freedom and reason.
-Rise of republican governments emphasizing popular sovereignty, nationalism, and democracy.
How did the Atlantic Revolutions promote popular sovereignty?
-Focused on the idea that government authority derives from the people.
-Encouraged the rise of the nation-state as the primary means of organization.
What key ideals did the Atlantic Revolutions emphasize?
-Liberty.
-Equality.
-Free trade.
-Nationalism.
-Democracy.
What is the English Constitution regarded as, and why?
The English Constitution is regarded as an “unwritten constitution” because its provisions are not contained in a single document.
: What significant limitations did the Magna Carta (1215) place on the monarch?
The Magna Carta limited the monarch by granting rights to the nobility, including:
-No taxation without representation
-Equality under the law
-Trial by a jury of peers
-The right to rebel if the monarch breaks the agreement
How did the Glorious Revolution (1688) further limit the power of the monarchy?
Parliament imposed these limitations on the monarchy:
-Monarchs could not dismiss a judge or create new courts without parliamentary consent
-Could not maintain a standing army
-Could not raise taxes (Parliament held the power of the purse)
-Could not veto an act of Parliament (explicit after 1707)
By the 18th century, what was the English government regarded as?
It was regarded as the most perfect government, balancing the monarchy, the aristocracy, and the people.
How did the English Constitution affect the monarch’s powers?
It limited the monarch’s domestic powers but provided greater latitude in foreign affairs.
What was a long-term cause of the American Revolutionary War?
The Anglo-French imperial rivalry dating back to the 17th century.
How did indigenous groups influence the Anglo-French rivalry?
Indigenous groups contended with British and French powers for territory and trade, often playing one imperial power against the other to maintain independence.
What was the French and Indian War (1754-1763), and why was it significant?
It was the fourth and decisive war in the struggle for control of North America between the British and French.
Approximately how many indigenous people lived east of the Mississippi River by 1750?
Approximately 150,000 indigenous people.
How did British and French settlement patterns differ by the mid-18th century?
There were roughly 1.5 million English colonists in North America compared to 70,000 French settlers.
What territories did the French imperial claims include?
Much of the land west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Where did the Jumonville Glen incident occur?
Near modern-day Pittsburgh.
Who led the British troops at Jumonville Glen?
A young George Washington
What happened during the Jumonville Glen incident?
British troops occupied a strategic position and fired down on French soldiers in their camp. The incident ended with the murder of some French prisoners.
What was the significance of the Jumonville Glen incident?
It marked the beginning of the French and Indian War in North America (1754-1763) and the Seven Years’ War in Europe (1756-1763).
What historical event does Benjamin West’s “Death of General Wolfe” depict?
The Battle of Quebec (1759) on the Plains of Abraham, deciding the fate of North America.
What was the significance of the Battle of Quebec?
It determined British control over North America, shaping its future.
Why was there no set pattern of development in Britain’s Thirteen Colonies?
Due to a variety of different English settlements and the abundance of land.
What factors led to the formation of a distinct “American” identity?
Abundant land, distance from Britain, tradition of self-government, and minimal interference in colonial politics.
How did land availability in the colonies differ from Britain?
The colonies had abundant land and a shortage of people, the opposite of Britain.
What did Britain gain after the French and Indian War?
The largest and richest empire in the world since Ancient Rome.
