Dissent and Revolution in Colonial America,
1763-1783
1.
What is the Revolutionary Period?
1. Social, Political, Economic Upheaval in Atlantic World.
2. Dissent. Ideologies. Radical Literature. Protest. Boycott
3. France: 1789-1799
1. Debt from 7-Years War.
2. Debt from war on American soil.
3. Unpopular taxes.
4. Agricultural Decline: bad harvest
4. Haiti: 1791-1804
2. British Attempts to Reign In Colonies (Political)
3. Beginnings of American Resistance (Ideological)
4. Taxation Without Representation (Economic)
The Crisis Begins
•
•
•
Economic: Paying for War and The Boycott
– During Seven Years’ War: Colonies were an ally.
– After the Seven Years’ War: Subordinate role, pay for war.
– Boycott
Social/Ideological Resistance:
– Influence of the Enlightenment
– Liberty
– Penny-Press- Circulars, Pamphlets
– Boston: A Committee of Correspondence- exchange ideas about resistance.
– The Sons of Liberty- resist the Stamp Act, enforce a boycott
Political
– Social tensions in the colonies
– Lack of Representation
– Struggle for Power
On the Road to the Revolution…
English Administration of the Colonies
•17th century- distraction/colonial policy
•Oliver Cromwell and trade
•Mercantile System
•Navigation Acts
•Dominion of New England
• Glorious Revolution
• Resistance to “Dominion”
•Neighbors
• Spanish America
• New France
• Louisiana
Colonial Policies and Responses
Greenville’s Colonial Policy
•Imperial finances
•“Spoiled Americans,” and taxes
•Molasses Act of 1733
•Sugar Act (American Revenue Act)
•Currency Act of 1764
•The Stamp Act: More than a postage stamp.
• Covert
Charles Townshend
•Townshend Acts
•Revenue Act 1767
Ideological Response
•The Boycott
•True Whigs- 1764-1765
• British army in colonies/Quartering Act
•Sons of Liberty- Samuel Adams
•Repeal of the Stamp Act
Boston in the 1770s: A Catalyst for Change
Boston Massacre
• Lord North
• British occupy Boston
• 5 March 1770- Agitators
• Crispus Attucks
• Aftermath
• Significance
The Boston Tea Party
• Lord North & the East India Company
• Committee of Correspondence
• 16 December 1773- 342 chests of tea
• Significance
Britain Responds
• The Coercive Acts 1774
• Closure of Boston Harbor
• New Quartering Act
Formation of the Continental Congress
Background:
•Thomas Jefferson, June 1, fasting prayer in Virginia
•Raleigh Tavern
•George Washington: “a cause of America”
Continental Congress
•1774 to 1789
•Governing body of 13 colonies
•First Continental Congress- Response to Coercive Acts
•Second Continental Congress- (1775-83)
• Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
• Domestic and International legitimacy to direct the revolution
•1776- America's independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence
•1781 Congress ratified the first national constitution, the Articles of Confederation.
•Articles of Confederation-1789, replaced by U.S. Constitution.
The Coming of Independence
• The Outbreak of War
– April 1775: Lexington and Concord.
– Battle of Bunker Hill- British victory
• Forced General Howe from Boston by March 1776.
– The Second Continental Congress
• Raised an army
• Appointed George Washington its commander.
• Independence?
– Goal was not clear by the end of 1775.
– Opinions varied in the colonies.
• Common Sense
– Thomas Paine, January 1776, criticized monarchy and aristocracy.
The Steps of Independence
• The Declaration of Independence
– June 1776 5-man committee
– Drafted between June 11 and June 28, 1776
– Divided into 5 sections
– Declared an independent nation
– Jefferson’s preamble: enduring impact.
– Rights of mankind as the object of American independence.
• The “pursuit of happiness” was unique.
• The Global Declaration of Independence
– Inspire others to claim liberty and self-government.
– Numerous anticolonial movements, such as Vietnam in 1945
– The Declaration’s principle: will of “the people”
Securing Independence
• The First Years of the War
– General Washington; many of his troops went home.
– Successful surprise attack on Trenton and Princeton.
• The Battle of Saratoga
– The Battle of Saratoga in October 1777
• French to aid the Americans in 1778.
• The War in the South
– Focus shifted to the South in 1778.
– British commanders: could not consolidate hold
• Victory at Last
– General Cornwallis at Yorktown, where he surrendered in October
1781.
– The Treaty of Paris: September 1783.
• The American delegation: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and
John Jay.
The Revolution Within:
Women, African-American, and the Indigenous
Revolutionary Women
• Used domestic roles
• Homespun Movement:
• Served Continental Army
• Allowed American soldiers in home
• Loyalist women left country/undertook acts of resistance
• Control of domestic consumption= political goals
• Boycott: British goods
• Edenton Tea party: 51 women/ North Carolina
• Spied on British soldiers
• Deborah Champion, Sara Decker Haligowski, Harriet Prudence, Patterson Hall,
Lydia Darraugh: information to U.S. soldiers
• Fought in war
• Deborah Samson, Hannah Snell, Sally St. Claire: hid gender
• Loyalist Women
• Leave
• Resistance
African Americans during the Revolution
1770s
• Most lived as slaves: North and South
• Issues of enslavement and freedom
• Sided with whom could promise personal liberty
• 100,000 escaped or died during war
• 5000 enlisted in Continental Army: Lexington & Concord, and Bunker Hill
• 1775 George Washington: forbids recruitment of Blacks
• Virginia Governor: Lord Dunmore: promises freedom to Blacks (side with
British)
• Black Loyalists- emigration of 3,000-4000
• Documented service to Crown: left U.S. for Britain and Nova Scotia
• Massive Migration after War
• Largely female
• 1806: Women 4:3 in New York
• Maritime industry- largest employer of black males post-Revolutionary
Gender and Politics during the Revolutionary Period
Key Points:
•Dependency on men to participate in public realm
•Coverture: Contribute to the public realm
•Republican Motherhood: Educating the next generation according to values of the men
who fought for independence. (Republican values and ideals=good citizens)
Issues:
•Liberty, Equality, Independence: Not Women. Whig political theorists: voting rights
through ownership of property.
•Ideal Whig woman: patriotic cause from inside separate spheres
Key Figures
Abigail Adams: property rights for married women
Mercy Otis Warren: political writer and propagandist for war
•Issued pamphlet “A Colombian Patriot,” opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution
in 1788
•1805- first published history of the American Revolution
Postwar Efforts: rise of various women’s services and reform societies
Displacing the Indigenous Communities
Key Points
• War
• Excuse to take land
• War of survival for Indigenous
• Damaged food supplies and atrocities
• Lenape: signed treaty with the new United States
• Iroquois: split allegiance between British (Loyalists) and the Patriots.
• Treaty of Paris: 1783. British ceded territories to U.S.
• Did not inform indigenous communities
• Replaced Treaty of 1763: which established British power in 13 colonies
• Northwest Indian Wars: War against white encroachment
Issues:
• Women and War
• Competition for Indigenous Support: Loyalists and Patriots
• Frontier Warfare: Brutal 1779 New York Sullivan Expedition
• Treaties: New York and Iroquois Nation, 5, 000, 000 acres; establishment of
reservations.