Revolutionary Ideas. Colonial Society Pre-1750 The Elite Members Had the most economic and political...
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Transcript of Revolutionary Ideas. Colonial Society Pre-1750 The Elite Members Had the most economic and political...
Colonial Society Pre-1750The Elite Members
Had the most economic and political power in the colonies.
1. New England Merchants 2. Southern Planters 3. Royal Office Holders
Colonial Society Pre-1750The Lower Classes
Although not politically or economically powerful they were the majority of the society. Held more radical views on
reforms needed in the colonies.
4. Artisans and Shop Keepers 5. Small Farmers
British Empire in 1750
What conclusions can we draw from the map?
- The British had a lot of territory- The British were very powerful- It probably cost a lot of money to run the empire
How would the British get the revenue to run such a large empire? - Taxation
British TaxationAs the British Empire expanded they needed more revenue to strengthen their
treasury. They looked to the American Colonies, and their relative prosperity for those revenues.
Economic IssuesHowever the taxes levied on the Colonists actually impacted the “elite” more than the lower classes. (i.e. The Stamp Act)
Ideological IssuesQuestions of the legitimacy of the British
Crown to tax the colonists without representation.
ResultThe Pre-Revolutionary Society structure broke down.
Elites no longer supported the Royal Office Holders splitting those with Political Power from those who had Economic Power.
Impact of British ActionsPre-1750 (Prior to Taxation)
Elite Class Lower Class
Post-1750 (After Taxation)
Political Elite Economic Elite Lower Class
Proclamation of 1763
Impact• Angered Economic
Elites• Angered Lower
Classes• Gave them both the
same cause (for different reasons) to oppose the British
The Real Revolution
The War itself was not the revolution. The revolution was the change in the idea of what made government legitimate and
what the purpose of government was.
BEFORE AFTER
The Real Revolution
Intellectual Source
• John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government• Man has “natural rights” not granted by Government
• Life, Liberty, Property• Government must be limited so as to protect liberty• Government can only rule by the consent of the people• Government that does not respect these rights is illegitimate and can be replaced.
Locke, Jefferson, and The Declaration of IndependenceThe Declaration of Independence is a lawyer’s brief. An argument about the legality
of the separation from Great Britain
First 1/3The Opening Argument
Jefferson establishes the “Social Contract”- “are, endowed by their CREATOR, with certain unalienable rights…among those the right to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness” (natural
law)- “ Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers
from the Consent of the Governed” (legitimacy)- “that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of
these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government” (right to revolt)
Second 1/3The Evidence
Jefferson shows how Britain violated the Social Contract- “HE has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly
Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People.”- “HE has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices,
and the Amount and Payment of their Salaries.”- “HE has kept among us, in Times of Peace, Standing Armies, without the Consent of
our Legislatures.”- “FOR imposing Taxes on us without our Consent”
- All in all 27 paragraphs of “evidence.” Instances where the British Government violates the social contract.
Last 1/3Closing Statement
Jefferson wraps up the argument and issues his remedy- “IN every Stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble
Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury.”- “WE, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in GENERAL
CONGRESS Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly
Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and
that all political Connexion between them and the State of Great-Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and
Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of Right do.”
Articles of Confederation
Confederation: A government made up of independent bodies (states) where the power lies in those bodies, and not in the whole
Reason: The unitary government of the British did not secure the liberty of the people, power must be put in smaller units to ensure liberty.
Result?: An absolute cluster…. mess
Weaknesses of the Articles
• Could not levy taxes• Could not regulate commerce• Each state got one vote regardless of population• Any measure had to be passed by 9 out of the 13 states• Congress coined very little money• Army was dependent on state militias• No way to solve territorial disputes• No national judicial system• To amend the Articles required unanimous consent of all
13 states
The “Counter-Revolution”
The first revolution was the break from Britain and the shift from a unitary form of government to a confederation.
HOWEVER…
The Confederation was too weak to protect the liberty & security of the people…
While the unitary government was too powerful and trampled on liberty…
The “Counter Revolution”
The second revolution took place during the Constitutional Convention. Although the
delegates were charged with revising the Articles of Confederation it became apparent that details didn’t matter. The problem was the system it was based on. The question the founders faced was…
“How do you create a government strong enough to protect people but not strong enough to
endanger liberty?”
The Constitutional ConvetionImportant to recognize that not all founding
fathers had the same view points.Jeffersonians HamiltoniansMadisonians
• Liberty best protected in small republics
• States should hold most power
• A nation of small farmers• Didn’t fear Rebellion
• Government needs to be strong enough to protect
property• National government
should be supreme• A nation of commerce
and trade• Feared Rebellion
• How do we do both?