Unit 4: Enlightenment &
Revolution (1650 – 1789)
The American Revolution
…Can Tell you about how Colonial
Governments came to be.
Objectives
•
Describe the European colonial
presence in North America.
•
Trace the development of democratic
ideals in Europe and America.
Coolest Baby Ever!!
VOCABULARY
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Navigation Act of 1651 (Concept)
George III (Person)
Salutary Neglect (Concept)
Stamp Act (1765) (Concept)
Townshend Acts (1767) (Concept)
Intolerable Acts (Concept)
Great Britain’s 13 Colonies
• 1760 – George III becomes king; there
were 2.2 million colonists in 1770 (250 K
in 1700) who had been drawn to America
because of economic opportunity.
• Navigation Act of 1651 – Colonies could
trade with no one but Britain or pay high
import taxes. Top resources were timber
& tobacco and no one but Britain could
buy these.
• Salutary Neglect – 150 years of “on your
own” In spite of the restrictions, colonial
merchants & farmers thrived and both
sides benefited economically.
CAUSES OF REV. WAR
French-Indian War (1754-1763)
• Britain & Colonists vs.
French & Indian allies
• Also fought in Europe &
Asia (Prussia & Britain vs.
France, Austria, & Russia)
• Britain won and France
lost its colonies in
America & Canada
• The good mood wouldn’t
last long b/c of debt
• Proclamation of 1763 –
said colonists could not
move west of Appalachian
Mts.
• Stamp Act (1765) – direct
tax on printed materials
• Townshend Acts (1767) lead, paper, paint, tea
taxes collected at port –
later repealed except tea.
The Path to Rebellion
• Tea Act 1773 led to Boston
Tea Party (Dec. 1773)
• Intolerable Acts or
Coercive Acts (1774)
targeted Boston & ordered
port closed
• 1st Continental Congress
ignored & 2nd Continental
Congress after Battle of
Lexington-Concord voted
for war (April 1775)
The Declaration of Independence
• Written by Thomas
Jefferson and adopted
July 4, 1776
• Based on John Locke
and the Enlightenment,
it said:
• All men are equal
• Natural Rights
• Right of Rebellion
• Reasons for Separation
Homework
• On your own: find a problem (Or think up one) in
the world today; it may be personal or societal.
Create your own “Declaration of Independence” to
Declare the Grievances that you see (In the problem
you have picked).
DO: Write up your Declaration; it should be at least 10
lines long and should look authentic (Be readable).
It should include usage of the following words in
their proper context (From Our Enlightenment
Thinkers): Natural Rights, Separation of Power,
Freedom of Speech/Religion, etc.
Why Did the Colonists Win?
• General George Washington’s
leadership
• Home court advantage
• Time was an ally!
• British Generals overconfident
• France joined in 1778 and
provided troops and their navy
• Oct. 1781 – Britain
surrendered at Yorktown,
Virginia
The Articles of Confederation
(1781 – 1787)
The Articles of Confederation
(1781 – 1787)
• It was a republic, but was made
weak to protect states’ rights
• No executive or supreme court
• Each State = 1 vote in Congress
• Congress couldn’t collect taxes,
regulate trade, & amendment
had to be unanimous
• Shays Rebellion (Feb. 1787)
convinced the founders that we
needed to revise the Articles.
The Constitution of the U.S.
• May 25 – Sept. 17, 1787 – Philadelphia, PA
• 55 Enlightened men wrote the Constitution.
Basic Principles of Our Constitution
• Federalism – Federal, State, Local
• Separation of Powers – Legislative, Executive,
Judicial
• Checks and Balances – Each branch checks the
power of the other two (i.e. the veto power)
Federalists vs. Antifederalists
• Federalists – Government was strong enough to
protect natural rights and the balance between
state and national governments was perfect.
• Antifederalists – They wanted more guarantees
of individual rights were needed because of the
power of the centralized government
• Individual Rights – U.S. Bill of Rights – first 10
Amendments – added in 1791 to ensure more
freedoms for the American people
Exit Slip – The American Revolution
1. This was Great Britain’s policy of leaving the colonies to govern
themselves while both sides prospered?
a. Statutory Law b. Salutary Neglect c. Solitary Confinement
2. The first direct tax placed on the colonies was the ___________
of 1765.
a. Sugar Act
b. Tea Act
c. Stamp Act
3. This enlightened philosophe was the major inspiration on
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence?
a. Thomas Hobbes b. John Lock c. Voltaire
4. In all probability, the 13 Colonies could not have won the
Revolutionary War without help from this country?
a. France
b. Prussia
c. Spain