American Sense & American Sense & SensibilitiesSensibilities

18th Century America is a very diverse 18th Century America is a very diverse place in terms of race, religion, and home place in terms of race, religion, and home countrycountry Colonists saw themselves not as Americans, Colonists saw themselves not as Americans, but as English living in Americabut as English living in AmericaJust as the colonists looked at the Indians as Just as the colonists looked at the Indians as inferior, native English people looked at the inferior, native English people looked at the colonists as inferiorcolonists as inferior

Colonial PopulationColonial Population

London population @1700 = 675,000

Philadelphia population @1700 = 35,000

Virtual & Actual RepresentationVirtual & Actual Representation

ACTUAL = a representative from your districtACTUAL = a representative from your district VIRTUAL = someone else votes for youVIRTUAL = someone else votes for you

John Dickinson King George III

Parliamentary PowerParliamentary Power The governor could veto laws passed by the The governor could veto laws passed by the

assembly or could just dissolve the assembly if assembly or could just dissolve the assembly if they did things he didn’t likethey did things he didn’t like

The assembly had the power to enact taxes, so The assembly had the power to enact taxes, so they had a de-facto veto over anything the they had a de-facto veto over anything the governor didgovernor did

Assemblies become more powerful and the Assemblies become more powerful and the governors less so as the 18th century wears ongovernors less so as the 18th century wears on

Cato’s LettersCato’s Letters1) Argued human beings were ruled by ambition not principle

2) While all humans are corrupt, politicians are the most self-interested and corrupt of all human beings

3) The only antidote against this type of abuse of power is a watchful citizenry

John Locke & the Opposition ThinkersJohn Locke & the Opposition Thinkers

FOUR DEMANDSFOUR DEMANDS

1)1) Adult Male SuffrageAdult Male Suffrage

2)2) Homebound Homebound RepresentativesRepresentatives

3)3) Complete representationComplete representation

4)4) Instructional citizenryInstructional citizenryJOHN LOCKE

English Government StructureEnglish Government Structure

James II

The First ActsThe First Acts 1733 Molasses Act1733 Molasses Act

- Parliament taxed all sugar imports - Parliament taxed all sugar imports from the West Indiesfrom the West Indies

1764 Sugar Act1764 Sugar Act

- Lowered the tax on imported sugar - Lowered the tax on imported sugar but also provided for new but also provided for new

customs officerscustoms officers

The Second ActsThe Second Acts 1764 Currency Act1764 Currency Act

- Prevented colonists from using colonial - Prevented colonists from using colonial money to pay debts and completely money to pay debts and completely outlawed paper money in the coloniesoutlawed paper money in the colonies

1765 Quartering Act1765 Quartering Act

- British made the colonies pay all the - British made the colonies pay all the money towards housing British soldiersmoney towards housing British soldiers

1765 Stamp Act & Pope’s Day1765 Stamp Act & Pope’s Day

George Grenville

August 14, 1765August 14, 1765 Oliver, a wealthy merchant Oliver, a wealthy merchant

in town, was hired as the in town, was hired as the stamp collectorstamp collector

Andrew Oliver

August 14, 1765August 14, 1765 Oliver, a wealthy merchant Oliver, a wealthy merchant

in town, was hired as the in town, was hired as the stamp collectorstamp collector

The mob tore down The mob tore down Oliver’s new warehouse, Oliver’s new warehouse, carried all the boards with carried all the boards with them to his home and built them to his home and built a bonfire, and burned and a bonfire, and burned and

beheaded the effigybeheaded the effigy Andrew Oliver

The Loyal Nine & John HancockThe Loyal Nine & John Hancock

The Loyal Nine Burning Andrew Oliver’s effigy

The Third ActsThe Third Acts 1766 Declaratory Act1766 Declaratory Act

- claimed that Parliament had the right to - claimed that Parliament had the right to govern the coloniesgovern the colonies

1767 Townshend Acts1767 Townshend Acts

- Sweeping taxes that placed tariffs on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea

Meanwhile in South Carolina…Meanwhile in South Carolina…

Henry Laurens

Back in Boston…Back in Boston…