The Start of the The Start of the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

In 15 minutes!

Objectives:

Better understand the Boston Massacre. Understand basic facts about the beginning

of the American Revolution and understand WHY it happened.

Salutary Neglect: The policy practiced by Britain of not enforcing rules or taxes on the colonies for most of the time between 1650-1760.

(Made colonists used to being able to do their own thing).

The Proclamation of 1763

- Barred settlement west of the Appalachians.

Sugar Act - 1764.

- Set an import duty on sugar products. The first real tax to be enforced in the colonies.

Stamp Act - 1765 - placed a tax on goods imported from Britain including glass, paper, paint, and tea.

The colonists complained about Taxation without Representation! 

They organized boycotts and non-importation agreements. – They also bullied British

officials and resisted any way possible.

The Sons of Liberty- a secret group that organized protests.

Resisted the Stamp Act. Led by Samuel Adams. (a

failed brewer who ruined his father’s business)

Mainly made up of mainly upper class professionals.

Used petitions, public meetings and pamphlets, but also used an occasional tar and feathering.

Very strong in Massachusetts.

Ohh Gross! I’m covered with tar!

Townshend Acts (1767) - placed import duties on tea, lead, glass, and paints imported from Great Britain.

Customs officials were allowed to have writs of assistance (similar to a search warrant)– These allowed for blanket searches.

Caused much resentment. Protests and boycotts sprung up

again. Quartering Act - forced colonists

to board British soldiers.

Who the #*@ are

you guys?!

We’re Redcoats,

now make us some supper and get my bed ready!

March 5, 1770. Boston was the center of

colonial uprising and protest A drunken mob gathered

outside a Boston customs house and threw rocks and snowballs at 5 British soldiers.

Bostonians were angry that British soldiers were stationed there.

They cornered them, a gun went off accidentally, which caused the other soldiers to open fire and 5 colonists were killed.

Blown out of proportion and exaggerated.

– (John Adams was the lawyer who defended the British soldiers, and won)

The Boston Massacre

PROPAGANDA v. REALITY

Paul Revere’s engraving was pure propaganda –

Dog Peaceful citizens No snow!

Poor vs. Rich Good vs. Evil Superstition –

backwards moon, clock, …

“Butcher’s Hall”

Your job: Create Propaganda

Take any event in your own life. (It can be as simple as your Mom asking you to do the laundry).

Write a ½ page about how you could turn that event into propaganda. If you would like you can write a paragraph and include a drawing for your ½ page.

Objectives:

Better understand the Boston Massacre. Understand basic facts about the beginning

of the American Revolution and understand WHY it happened.

Did we accomplish our objective?

Day 2: Ideas Help Start a Revolution

#4) Social Contract Theory – 1600’s

Aristotle’s perfect democracy: everybody has equal input. Not practical.

Social Contract Theory, PART 1: Thomas Hobbes

Studies motivation – why do people do stuff?

Two basic motivations – fear and desire.

Hobbes

Hobbes believed that human nature is naturally bad.

Life, in a state of nature, would be “nasty, brutish, and short.”

Hobbes believed that people agreed to give up ALL their rights except the right of self-preservation in order to be governed.

Social Contract Theory, Part 2

John Locke – People are naturally good. People are endowed with all the

same rights Hobbes gave them, only they don’t need to give up very many in order to be governed.

Social contract – people give up some rights in order to be protected and have peace.

Locke or Hobbes?

Write 1 complete paragraph explaining whether you agree with Locke or Hobbes. SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER!!!

Why? (WHO CARES)

Americans revolted against King George, saying he had broken the social contract, in 1776.

American patriots declared independence with “the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness”

TJ’s rip of Locke, altered from “property” to “liberty”.

Roots of America:

Colonists were very avid readers (from being trained to read the Bible).

Enlightenment ideas were well read and understood.

The Enlightenment was a time when people started using reason and thinking to explain the world – getting rid of superstition and tradition.

“Aude Sapere” – Dare to Think!

Declaration of Independence Proposed by Richard H.

Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776.

A detailed list of the King’s misdeeds.

A listing of “self-evident” truths.

Declared the right of all people to abolish a government that deprives people of their rights.

Jefferson drew upon many of John Locke’s ideas in the Declaration.

Winning independence

A new nation of 2.5 million people faced Great Britain with 10 million people plus a world-wide empire.

October 10-17, 1777 The Battle of Saratoga: The British are forced to retreat, are cut off,

surrounded and forced to surrender. This victory is the turning point of the American

Revolution: Patriots used guerrilla tactics effectively.

The British surrender at Yorktown was the last significant battle of the war and lead directly to the Treaty of Paris 1783.

COLONIES WIN INDEPENDENCE!

Treaty of Paris 1783

British confirmed American Independence. U.S. got all land from the Atlantic to the

Mississippi (between Canada and Florida) Joint navigation of the Mississippi River Both sides agreed to pay off debts to

creditors. Property rights of loyalists would be

respected (but really weren’t)

The Articles of Confederation

The Constitutional Convention set up the Articles of Confederation as the first form of government for America.

They failed because there was very little power – states were more powerful, no power to tax, no power to create military.

Ended when the Constitution was ratified.

The Great Compromise:

Set up a BICAMERAL (2 house) legislature. The Senate has equal representation for each state (2 senators)

The House of Representatives is based on population.

The Constitution was edited, revised and changed many times.

Other compromises included the 3/5 Compromise (Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for population purposes)

Constitution

Federalists: Wanted to ratify (formally accept) the Constitution

Anti Federalists: Did not want to ratify the Constitution because they thought it gave the Federal Government too much power and they wanted more guaranteed rights:

Compromised when the Bill of Rights (first 10 Amendments) were added.

Amendment means change …

Division of power: Founding fathers wanted power divided

among three separate branches.

Every government exercises 3 types of power: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Legislative – make laws

Executive – enforce laws

Judicial – “judge” – people, laws, etc.

Constitution: a document which often outlines the scope of a government’s power.

A body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of government.

(It says what the government does!) 

A PLAN! (Starts on Page 152 of

your book) Finish your crossword

and make sure you have all checked vocab.