American RevolutionAP World History

Mr. Charnley

CausesCulture

EnlightenmentCommercialization

New wealthy middle classChallenges to aristocracy’s

monopoly on political powerPopulation Growth

Larger lower working classProto industrialization:

domestic manufacturing of goods in a single household; factors of production controlled by merchant class

American RevolutionBritish colonial policy

Salutary neglect did not enforce mercantilist

restrictions on trade in order to encourage profits

North America was less important than West Indies

Seven Years’ War Bankrupted British government Began enforcing trade restrictions 1765 passed new tax laws to make

colonies pay for warRebellion

North American colonies refused to pay taxes without Parliamentary representation

American RevolutionWar for Independence

RebellionDeclaration of Independence

formally separated American colonies from British government

based on Enlightenment principles (Locke, Rousseau)

Continental Congress Headed by wealthy business class

(‘new’ elites) Established organized army and navy

Constitution Representative democratic republic Based off Enlightenment principles

(Montesquieu) Voting privileges restricted to upper

classes of society

American RevolutionBritish wartime strategy

‘divide and conquer’ 3-pronged invasion of New York (‘heart’

of colonies’) Armies converge on Albany, New York Failure due to St. Leger withdrawing to

Canada, Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga, and Howe’s redirection to Philadelphia

American wartime strategy ‘survival’

Keep army together and win enough battles to encourage foreign intervention

Combined conventional warfare with insurgency

Destroy domestic support for British occupation

American RevolutionDefeat

Logistics Leadership Popular support Foreign

interventionLegacy

Model of successful political revolution

Embodiment of Enlightenment ideals

Political change without social or cultural change