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.
What did historian Fred Anderson call the British Empire after 1763?
A “hollow empire.”
How did the population and economy of the colonies compare to Britain’s?
The colonies’ population and economy grew faster than Britain’s.
What concern arose as the colonies grew?
Some colonists, like Benjamin Franklin in Observations on the Increase in Mankind (1751), speculated political power might shift to America.
What was King George III’s challenge after 1760?
To exercise control over Britain’s vast new empire.
How did King George III differ from his grandfather, King George II?
He was more assertive but lacked competent ministers and a clear plan.
What health issue afflicted King George III after 1765?
Likely porphyria, causing physical and mental difficulties.
How did the Thirteen Colonies view the French and Indian War’s outcome?
As the end of the French and Spanish existential threat.
How did King George III view the war’s outcome?
As a challenge to the survival of the Empire.
What restrictions did the British impose shortly after the Peace of Paris (1763)?
Restrictions on land sales west of the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio Valley.
Who led the growing protest movement against these restrictions?
Urban middle classes, including merchants, mechanics, and printers.
How did the Enlightenment influence colonial protests?
It introduced rational thinking, new ideas about freedom, liberty, government, and the relationship between state and individual
What did the Sugar Act (1764) signify for the colonies?
The start of recasting imperial institutions, including maintaining a standing army in North America.
Why was the Stamp Act (1765) significant?
It directly impacted more colonists than the Sugar Act, altering colonial perceptions of British policies.
What was the result of colonial protests against the Stamp Act?
The Stamp Act was revoked in 1766.
What did the Declaratory Act (1766) state?
It asserted Britain’s right to legislate over the colonies “in all cases” based on virtual representation.
What were the Townshend Duties (1767)?
Duties on all imported goods into the colonies.
How long did it take for the colonists to effectively boycott the Townshend Duties?
Two years.
What significant protest occurred on December 16, 1773?
The Boston Tea Party.
What was Britain’s response to the Boston Tea Party?
The Intolerable Acts of 1774.
How did colonists judge British government principles?
They anticipated misgovernment and tyranny from poor principles rather than waiting for actual grievances.
What quote by Edmund Burke reflects colonial attitudes toward British misgovernance?
“They augur misgovernment at a distance; and snuff the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze.” (Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies, March 22, 1775).
What action did Britain take against Massachusetts to reassert control?
Revoked Massachusetts’ colonial charter and sent Thomas Gage as the new British military governor.
Why was the British problem seen as limited in 1775?
Only Massachusetts was viewed as being unruly.
What challenge did Thomas Gage face in Boston?
Soldiers were slow to arrive, and colonial militias were making preparations, effectively bottling up British forces in Boston
When did the Battles of Lexington and Concord take place, and why are they significant?
April 19, 1775; they marked the formal start of the American Revolution.
How did King George III respond to the Revolution?
He pursued a more aggressive policy despite objections in Parliament.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Bunker Hill (July 2, 1775)?
It was a humbling experience for British forces, showing colonial resolve.
Who led the moderates in the Second Continental Congress, and what was their stance?
John Dickinson led the moderates, who sought reconciliation with Britain.
What was the Olive Branch Petition, and when was it issued?
A document asserting colonial loyalty to the crown and requesting an end to hostilities; issued on July 5, 1775.
What did Abigail Adams urge her husband, John Adams, to consider in any new legal code?
To “Remember the Ladies” and include their rights.
How did John Adams respond to Abigail’s plea?
He dismissed her concerns in mock horror but argued against expanding suffrage broadly to avoid creating factions.
What was John Adams’ fear about granting rights too liberally during the Revolution?
It could lead to divisions among colonists and weaken unity against Britain.
What significant steps did Americans begin taking by the end of 1775?
Contemplating independence and seeking allies, primarily the French, to aid in the rebellion.
What was the impact of the Declaration of Independence on the war?
It altered the strategic situation, forcing the British to focus on regaining lost territory while Washington demonstrated that they couldn’t reassert control.
How did King George III direct the British war effort after August 1775?
By taking steps to make the war more “total.”
How did the Continental Army’s survival affect French involvement?
It made French intervention much more likely, as it showed the colonies could sustain resistance.
What did states begin doing between 1776-1780?
Drafting new state constitutions and preparing for a new federal government.
What principle did these state constitutions establish?
That governments derive their power from written constitutions, not conquest, custom, or myth.
What did the Declaration of Independence accuse King George III of doing?
Violating the rights and liberties of the colonists and breaking the implicit contract between himself and the people
When did the Thirteen Colonies win independence, and what was the new nation called?
In 1783, the Thirteen Colonies became the United States.
What were the Articles of Confederation, and why were they created?
Created in 1777 (ratified in 1781) during wartime to bind 13 sovereign states while keeping the federal government weak.
Why were the Articles of Confederation replaced?
They were ineffective, leading to the drafting of the United States Constitution in 1787 (ratified in 1788).
What was the goal of the United States Constitution?
To represent and protect both individuals and states, with notions of liberty and freedom derived from natural rights.
What system did the Constitution establish to balance federal power?
A system of checks and balances between three branches of government.
Why is the American Revolution sometimes considered a “conservative revolution”?
Power remained in the hands of the wealthy and property owners, while women and African Americans were excluded, and slavery remained intact.
What is the Bill of Rights, and when was it passed?
The first ten Amendments to the Constitution, passed in 1789 (ratified in 1791), strengthening federal government powers while protecting individual rights.
