Revolutionary America
American Pageant Chapters 5-8
1754-1783
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Essential Questions:
1. What elements in colonial society fostered revolution?
2. How did the issues of the American Revolution contribute to the
formation of a unique American Identity?
Chapter 5
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What elements fostered revolution?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Multiculturalism
Society based on equality (except slavery)
Family
Power
Free Trade
Religion
Education
Free Speech and Politics
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All of these elements were a part of the colonial society. They
contributed to both the revolution and creation of a unique American
identity.
Multiculturalism
•
1.
2.
3.
Melting Pot: Which nations came to America? How did their
presence contribute to American multiculturalism?
Germans: Penn
Scots-Irish (the largest group): Penn, Maryland and Virginia
French, Swedish and others throughout the colonies
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This was the foundation of something different. No nation in the
history of the world had this much diversity.
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Though mostly Anglo-Saxon, America had the largest mix of
ethnicities in the world. The groups intermingled and intermarried.
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Slavery contributed to this mix, while Native Americans were also a
factor.
Egalitarian Society
•
1.
2.
•
Except slavery this was the land of equality and opportunity.
No titled nobility: Gave people social mobility. (Uniquely American)
Most free farmers
Yet, on the eve of the Revolution (1775) there was some stratification
within society:
– Aristocrats / Planters
– Professional group
– Yeoman Farmer (land owners) - Largest group
– Trade Worker
– Indentured Servants
– Slaves
Family and Power
•
Power is something that went through both societies and families.
The north and south had a different emphasis, but both fostered
these principles.
1.
New England: Families grew fast, which left little land to dole out.
This left many in NE to look west for more opportunity. Looking to
west was another unique aspect of life in America.
2.
South: The power of the planters increased with the disproportionate
ownership of slaves. In addition, it also fostered a unique familial
hierarchy that would endure to the civil war.
Free Trade: Workaday American
•
Trade helped colonial economics and promoted a new, distinct atmosphere
that would foster free enterprise.
1.
Agriculture: 90% of the people in America were farmers. The produced large
quantities of flour and wheat. Also the other cash crops (rice, indigo, tobacco)
made farming the primary profession.
Fishing: A distant second, was most prevalent in New England, but also some
of the middle colonies.
Lumber: Very important to Ship building. These Naval Stores came from the
south and the north, wherever there were large forests.
Triangular Trade: America traded with Europe and Africa for slaves, rum,
sugar, tobacco, fish and lumber.
2.
3.
4.
Molasses Act 1733: is an example where the crown tried to stop the sugar
trade with the French West Indes since the French was an enemy. Colonists
smuggled around it.
Religion: Dominant Denominations
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A strong religious foundation shaped the freedom to
worship and strengthened the colonial community.
1. Church of England: Was in a few colonies: GA,
NC, SC, VA, MD and parts of NY.
2. Congregational Church (Puritans): All NE
colonies. Presbyterian made it into the frontier.
3. Catholics: Very few in America. “Anti-Papist” laws
in some colonies
Religion: Dominant Denominations
Great Awakening
A period in colonial history where many embraced religion. There
were many preachers that started the evangelical movement.
1.
Jonathan Edwards: Most known for his sermon: “Sinners in the
hands of an Angry God.”
2.
George Whitefield: Traveled to many of the colonies and considered
by many as the founder of the evangelical movement.
3.
Deism: was something that acknowledged there was a creator, but
ignored religious organizations. Many of the founders were Deists
including Thomas Jefferson.
Education: The Enlightenment
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Education in the colonies gave more people the ability to learn.
Massachusetts would have the first public schools, while colleges promoted
learning during the age of Enlightenment.
1.
Science: new discoveries in the sciences paved the way for a confrontation
between science and religion. The power of scientific reasoning and inquiry
looked to unlock nature’s secrets.
Colleges: Harvard (1636) and Yale (1701) were two of the premier schools.
In addition, the College of William and Mary (1693), College of NJ (1746) and
Kings College (1754) were also the first universities in the colonies.
Private Tutors: Those with money could afford a tutor to help them in
education.
Back to England: Many were also sent back to England for an education.
2.
3.
4.
Free Speech & Politics
•
1.
2.
3.
Free speech and political discourse led the way for the colonists to question
authority.
Poor Richard’s Almanac: Ben Franklin’s famous pamphlet popularized the
idea of getting ideas to the masses through the written word. Printing Press
and and pamphlets were widely used for this and newspapers.
Zenger’s Paper: John Peter Zenger printed an article about a royal official.
He was aressted as a result and brought before the court. His acquittal paved
the way for free speech in America.
Politics
–
8 of the colonies were Royal colonies. Official appointed by the king
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MD, PA, DE Chose their officials
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CT and RI Elected them
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Two House legislative body: Upper (Crown) and Lower (Voters)
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County Gov’t in parts of the south.