Embedded Files
PART 1 SECTIONALISM-How were the colonists different and how were they the same? In 1760, Englishman Andrew Barnaby traveled throughout the American colonies, and marveled how each colony was as different as oil and water. He stated that "the difference of character, of manners, of religion, of interest, of the different colonies, that I think....were they left to themselves, there would soon be a civil war, from one end of the continent to the other." How different were they? Read on....
Introduction
The English colonies had been established. All thirteen of them eventually pledged their loyalty to the Crown. In return, they expected to be treated as a British citizen and to have the rights of a citizen. The Glorious Rebellion of 1687 in which James II was replaced with his Protestant daughter gave birth to the English Bill of Rights (1688). The colonists were well aware of what rights they had under the crown, but they were denied the most basic right, to be represented in Parliament.
In other ways, they were freer than most British subjects. Why? The colonies were living the American Dream. In England, you were born into rank, money and power. The ability to change, to become who one dreams of becoming, was not possible in Europe. In America, one got rank by hard work and wise financial dealings. Many men and women came with little or no money and ended their life with more power or money than royalty in England. They believed as Benjamin Franklin once said, “industry (hard work), virtue, and frugality” could make someone a success. By the late 1600's, there were three different classes in the English American colonies:
UPPER CLASS- about 5% otherwise known as Gentry. Usually Southern planters, or merchants who traded with the rich countries of the world, and royal officials, the upper class lived in Tidewater communities in luxury never imagined by earlier settlers. Upper class citizens were addressed as Mister or Mistress and wore silk, cotton cloth, and layeårs. More clothes worn by the citizen, the richer you were. Often men and women wore wigs. Failure to bathe made lice and flees common and head shaving common, wigs a convenience. Very rich men with very elaborate wigs were called "big wigs".
MIDDLE CLASS - Farmers, merchants, and artisans fell into this class. These people made enough to comfortably live for this age and time. They dressed simply, in practical clothing and possibly got a new dress or shirt once yearly. They were addressed as "Goodman" and "Goodwoman"
3.LOWER CLASS- These were hired hands, indentured servants, poor subsistence farmers, and Black slaves. Called "the meaner sort" because of manners, appearance was rough at best. This class usually had to answer to someone else for their daily ration of food or only had enough to allow them to live another day. They wore clothing mostly homespun and wool. Often, the clothing they wore is all they owned, Hand-me-downs were common. If this class was caught dressing above their station, they would be fined.
INTRODUCTION
The colonists were not only divided by class, they were divided by the section of country in which they were born and raised. This came to be known as SECTIONALISM and we can still see some of the results today. In other words, each section of the country also divided the early settlers for the following reasons:
NEW ENGLAND COLONIES (New Englanders)
New England colonies were mostly, at least at first, for religious freedom. Puritans and Separatists (Pilgrims) soon realized that there very survival depended being of one mind, especially in matters of religion. So there was little religious freedom (Rhode Island exception) in most of the New England. Religion was a serious endeavor.
Pilgrims and Puritans believed that they needed to read the Bible so they were much better educated than most other groups. As a consequence, New England had state supported public schools, therefore making learning important and available to any male. One of the first (built in the Americas) and most famous universities was built here outside of Boston....Harvard.
As a group, they had a common opinion about what people should believe, act and how they should live their lives. They also believed that your life was
predestined by God, but that each person should work hard to please God. John Calvin, a leader in the Reformation advised people to live as though they were saved. No matter what, you leave the world a better place. This was also known as the Puritan Work Ethic. Hard work made the man or woman wealthier, healthier, and approximately two inches taller than their English counterpart. This behavior they believed pleased God and hopefully be rewarded, so anything that New England produced was well done. This informed, highly educated public is why eventually, the American Revolution begins in New England.
These men and women often lived in small towns, and farmed outside of their town. They generally only grew enough to feed their own family with a little to trade at a farmer's market. This was known as subsistence farming.
There were large families; average family at the time was eight children. The farmer depended on their children to get the work done that needed to be done; the harvest, spinning yarn, weaving cloth, sewing clothing, preserving fruits, salting and smoking meats, milking cows, gathering eggs, fencing, sowing and harvesting the harvest, etc. The list goes on and on....
The citizens of New England had town hall meetings (open democracy) which gave them a sense of independence. This made the New Englander outspoken, wanting justice. Little did they see or hear from the King except to collect a new tax.
Fishing and ship building were money makers. Whaling provided oil, oil to burn in lamps and lubricated everything. Whale oil was later replaced by petroleum.
Late in the 1600's, a British immigrant, under threat of execution for doing such deeds, memorized the plans for building the first cloth making factory in the Americas that would run on water power. The factory had large looms and used the cotton produced in the South to produce cotton cloth. This one move would change America forever. The new factories would definitely make New England a place where citizens could get rich or at the least have a job.
These colonies were egalitarian. In other words, many people believed that everyone was equal in the law's eyes. This also means that class did not limit a person's ability to earn more money.
Puritan Work Ethic was always in play here.
MIDDLE COLONIES
Middle colonies were filled with natural resources and for the most part, a milder climate than New England. The farmland soil was rich beyond anything previously known and much of the land had vast forests. Lumber, in England and parts of Europe, was becoming scarce as was fish. Many ordinary items that the common man needed to survive was no longer affordable or available. Moving to such areas as Pennsylvania was a dream come true for many early settlers.
Land was also scarce in Europe, and only the very rich could afford it. As more and more people began to move to the "New World", the rich and the royal knew that it was to their advantage to own the land and then sell it piece by piece to the common man. The owners or proprietors made the rules for the colonies and could be kings. They still answered to the king in the end, but managed all colony business. These were called Proprietary Colonies. William Penn was an example of one who established a proprietary colony (Pennsylvania), but allowed his citizens to use representative governments in each community. Many proprietors felt this to be an effective way of governing the large tracts of land. Citizenship was limited to land ownership and sex (must be a male).
Middle colonists made their money from farming, iron works, trade, and seaports. The rich farm land produced cash crops. In other words, they grew grains, and a variety of plants and animals that could be sold for cash to help the farmer to make a living.
There was much more religious tolerance here. Roger Williams founded Rhode Island because he believed that religious freedom was just that; religious freedom.
These colonies were deference societies. In other words, many people strictly observed social rank. This did not however limit a person's ability to earn money such as the case of Ben Franklin. The American Dream slowly began to take over, and the area became richer and richer.
Only private schools existed here. Many were church oriented and only for men.
Famous painters and political figures lived here. Ben Franklin is a good example.
Middle colonieshad the most diverse cultural background. Germans, Dutch, Swedish, and others settled here. The Pennsylvania Dutch, the Amish, are all descendents of these early settlers. The "Dutch" are actually German who called themselves "Deutch" or German. Colonists confused this word for Dutch.
Eventually the king became involved with these colonies and they became royal colonies, protected by the king's army and navy, and paying taxes to the king directly.
SOUTHERN COLONIES
All of these colonies were started to keep the Spanish from the Americas and so people had a chance of a better life than in England of the 17th and 18th century. Business men, and royal businessmen, took out charters on this land. These were however royal colonies answering to the king, paying a fraction of whatever they made back to the king, and protected by the king's army and navy.
All of these colonies were authoritarian. The king and parliament were above and a part of everything. They made appointments for top positions and usually sent people who had no experience with the colonists or the common people. Authoritarian governments usually had a hierarchy of social ranks from the rich and royal to the slave. Slavery was a large part of maintaining the economy of the South.
Each colony, however, had its own colonial government which made decisions and laws for that colony. The House of Burgess in Virginia is an example.
The Anglican Church was the only church of the South and attendance and paying a tax to support it were required. Church attendance was required and churches were supported by the colonial government. To be a good member of the church was also a requirement (as well as land ownership) to be a citizen. Virginia, until the late 1760's, had a law that made heresy or disagreement with church teachings a capital offense (punishable by death). One of Thomas Jefferson's proudest achievements was to get a "Freedom of Religion" act passed in the House of Burgess. He felt that church should be church and state should be state. This was spelled out in this law for the colonial government.
Mostly surplus crops were grown here, crops that could be used make the owner very wealthy. The land was not rich in nutrients, and crops grown there stripped the land of what little it had. So more and more land was needed. The farmers however were restricted to lands east of the Appalachian Mountains. British soldiers could only protect farmers here.
Most of the Black slaves imported were brought to this part of the country to help with the farming. Farms became larger and larger (plantations). Three main crops grown in this area were rice, tobacco, and indigo (used to dye uniforms) and made the land owner very wealthy. Eventually, cotton and sugar were added to this list. In the 1840's, the South was the first place to have use the word "millionaire".
There were no public schools. Tutors and church run universities were used to educate males, sons of planters.
The independence of thought came mainly from living in an agrarian society (farming). Many landowners believed that to be Southern made them special. The pride that they felt in creating this southern life was often reflected on how they treated others from other sections of the country.
RELIGION IS THE ONE ISSUE that tied these colonies together or tore them apart. The 1600's were a time of civil war in England. In 1687, the Puritan parliament replaced James II a Catholic,(otherwise known as the Glorious Revolution), with his daughter and her husband (Mary and William- both Anglican). This was a bloodless coupe (overthrow). Puritan influence (to make the Anglican church less like Catholic Church) felt in all areas of English life.
English Bill of Rights, 1688: Finally, the role of the government and the rights of every Englishman was spelled out. The Bill of Rights said no Roman Catholics could hold a position of king or queen in England. It also made it illegal for a monarch to postpone laws, have a standing army, or levy taxes without the approval of the British Parliament. The colonies then interpreted the law and used it against the British (levy tax).
The other issue that tore each section apart was slavery.
SLAVERY. James Madison, along with other founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, in the writing of the original constitution looked for ways to "phase out" slavery eventually even though most of the founding fathers were slave owners. James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington realized that this one issue might tear their new nation to shreds. Jefferson said that slavery was like holding a "wolf by the ears, beautiful to look at, but you do not dare let go.." What these men hoped for, did not happen. When black slaves could no longer be imported, they were bred for sales. So slavery expanded. Soon, in the South, it was like electricity is to us today; it would be hard to live without.
This is a scene from the MIDDLE PASSAGE. Warning, it is raw, and will tug at who you are when you watch.
THIS IS FROM THE MOVIE "AMISTAD"...
PART 2-
ENLIGHTENMENT ANYONE?
Read here what this involves.
Enlightenment: A period in the 1700s when a new method of thought was employed. It was a time when great minds awoke and started thinking, affecting the colonies as well as Europe. Some beliefs brought to the forefront were the laws of nature, optimism, confidence in human reason, and deism.
Deism: most of the religious thinkers during the Enlightenment were deist. The deists believed that God was a clockmaker who created the world but now just watches it work. They believed that we lived in a perfect universe and that the laws created were natural.
Colonial clothing and the New Man or Woman
These ideas lead to more revolutionary ideas.
PART 3 -THE WAR THAT MADE AMERICA
There is a common theme to power. The "golden rule" of economics. In other words, he who owns the most gold makes the rules. Most of Europe in the 17th and 18th century practiced "mercantilism" Mercantilism had an impact on Great Britain, and on the different colonies: Economic policy prevailing in Europe said that if government had control over industry and trade that national strength is increased by a majority of exports over imports. The colonies adopted mercantilism as business in which the mother country could benefit. So the question became, who would control the trade, the government, the people, which country?
The three largest rivals at the beginning of the 18th century were Britain, France, and Spain. The two that fought directly over who would control trade in the North American continent were France and England. The French were devout Catholics, and the English were Anglican and Puritan which added to the rivalry. Eventually, it spilled over into the New World. Who would own what, and who would run the show? With America as a new prospect for growth for both France and Great Britain, tensions grew between the two countries. The result was a series of wars like King William's War, Queen Anne's War, the War of Jenkin's Ear, King George's War, and the French and Indian War (some mentioned below).
Here are some events that finally decided who would have control what in North America?
Changes in land Claims of 1689, 1713, 1763: Before 1689 almost all of the land belonged to Spain, and France with Britain only starting to colonize. Then by 1713 France was dominating the North America and Britain was spreading up and down the coast. French were mostly traders and were interested in trade posts and routes, and England wanted the land for a number of reasons including farming. After a war, what Winston Churchill called the first world war, Americans called it the French Indian War, and other countries called the Seven Years War, Britain won the right to became the overwhelming power in North America.
Bacon's Rebellion (1675)- a group of Virginia frontiersmen (Nathan Bacon) revolt against the Virginia governor when 1) they refuse to leave their land because the British have promised the Indians that they would not be disturbed 2) the settlers are angry that British troops will not kick the Indians off the land and defend them 3) Bacon and his group almost succeed in toppling the Virginia government showing colonists that they have a right to stand up to the Crown. The group to make their point burned Jamestown to the ground.
Differences between French and British colonization: The French mostly had fur traders and posts in North America so they could get goods, they were more inland and made friends with the Indians. The English were there to create a new life, to work the land, to take the land and everything on it. Eventually, they drove all Indians off the land.
King George's War (1741-1744): War fought between Britain and France and Spain. It took place not only in Europe but also in North America with American colonists supporting the British with thousands of troops. In the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle Britain gained lands in India (which is why India now had 3 items that made them richer than ever-silk, spices, and tea) but lost Louisburg (eastern seacoast of Canada), which embittered Anglo-American relations.
The FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR was also called Seven Years War in England: The French and Indian war was fought between Britain and France and Spain, and the Netherlands, and the list goes on and on. Actually Winston Churchill called this the REAL FIRST WORLD WAR. An explosive war was started by a spark in the Americas and spread to the rest of the world. The "spark" unintentionally was a young surveyor and British officer was sent into the Ohio country to survey the land for the British. Indians and French troops captured the group and sent them back to Virginia. The surveyor, a 22 year old George Washington, was sent back with Virginia militia to work out a deal with the French on how both Britain and France could be part of the territories. Washington erroneously believed that the local Indian tribe were allies. They accompanied him to this point. The French sent ambassadors with several troops, but there was a problem; George Washington did not speak French. When the French were within range, he ordered troops to open fire. A French officer was wounded, and to Washington's surprise, his Indian ally stepped forward and killed the wounded French officer. This was a serious violation of protocol of the 18th century, and when word spread what happened, it was grounds for war. War was declared on the American continent, and was a bloody affair, especially for frontier settlers. The war was fought on land and sea in other locations of the world as well. It lasted from 1754-1760 in the Americas. In reality, the war was over trade and who would control it. The colonies supported Britain and many Indians supported France. France was only interested in trade and furs, not the land itself. Britain came out victoriously with the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
Why Great Britain eventually won in the Americas: When William Pitt joined the British leaders, he turned things around. He began to treat the Americans like equals or allies instead of subordinates. This lead Americans to feel a sense of pride and a renewed sense of spirit that sent them into several victories that made France eventually concede. Also, colonists were promised land in the western wilderness if they would join the fight.The British did not honor this promise.
This piece of film on the French-Indian War or the "War that Made America."
PART 3 B--WAR, WAR EVERYWHERE and Then What??????
In the next segment are the players of the French Indian War.
Edward Braddock: Braddock was the General of all the British Troops (French and Indian War) and Washington's commander. He led an attack against Fort Duquesne, never reaching his destination for they were attacked by the Monongahela River where 900 of his 1200 men were wounded or killed. Braddock was wounded at this battle and died soon afterwards.
Fort Duquesne: This was the fort that General Braddock tried to take during the French and Indian War but he and his troops were slaughtered in an ambush at the Monongahela, where 900 of the 1200 troops were wounded or killed. Later General Amherst captured the fort. George Washington survived.
Wolfe, Montcalm, Quebec- the Plains of Abraham: The battle of the French and Indian War, between General Wolfe and General Montcalm in which both were killed . It ended with the capturing of Quebec and was one of the final steps that lead Montreal to surrender, thus making Canada no longer a threat and soon a part of the British empire.
Land squabbles in North America, where, why and what over: Any of the imperial wars that were fought in North America because Britain knew that if they won, they won more land and power. With the French Indian War, came the Ohio country, Canada, and numerous trade routes. There were also various battles with Indians over pieces of land because colonists pushed their way onto Indian land, not caring if it belonged to them.Treaty of Paris (1763): The Treaty of Paris ended French reign in Canada. The treaty also called for Spain to give Florida to Britain, and for France to give all lands east of the Mississippi River to Britain. French troops must leave the area.
Proclamation of 1763: This proclamation stated that no white settlers could go past the crest of the Appalachians. This upset many colonists who had claims that far west, Britain explained it was only temporary, for it was meant to calm the Indians, and to lessen white expansion. Colonists were angered and the line was moved further west five years later for speculators (people who got rich from selling land). George Washington, one of the people who had fought in the French Indian war who had been promised land for their services, never got it.
Pontiac's Rebellion, 1763: After France had to give up the territory, the Indians were afraid that the British would come in great numbers, take more land and settle permanently. To make sure this didn't happen, Chief Pontiac launched an offensive (killing settlers and frightening others) at Bushy Run. Pontiac's forces won. The British troops were stretched thin and the cost of this war was overwhelming. So for the time being, the British settlers stayed to the east.
Albany Plan of Union, Benjamin Franklin was always thinking about what could be. He proposed a colonial confederation based on each town to have a say but be part of the large whole, known as a Grand Council. This union was used for military defense and Indian policies and set a precedent for later American unity. With Indians taking one side or another (England or France), he felt that united, the colonies stood a better chance.
NOW THE QUESTION BECOMES, WHO WILL PAY FOR ALL THESE WARS? WHO PAYS FOR THE TROOPS BROUGHT TO THE AMERICAN CONTINENT TO PROTECT SETTLERS WHO ARE IN AREAS WHERE THEY SHOULD NOT BE?
PART 4-
RISE TO REBELLION
Again the question is WHO WILL PAY FOR ALL THE WARS, AND COLONIAL PROTECTION? Wars cost money. Many of the wars that Britain were involved in had nothing to do with the colonies. The colonists however were expected to pay whether they wanted to or not, whether they had a say in this process or not. The colonists did not disagree with paying a tax, just taxation without representation. Other ideas encouraged the colonist to become more and more rebellious. Read the following
During the Middle Ages, King John the I was forced to sign a document called the Magna Carta (1215) This charter put limits on the kings and barons and guaranteed ideas of free commerce, the right to a fair trial was introduced here.
Habeas Corpus Act: Act saying that a person can not be held in prison without being charged and tried. They put this into effect to help stop innocent people from being thrown into jail with no specific reason why. This idea was adopted into our Constitution in Article 1, Section 9. It can only be revoked in time of rebellion.
John Locke's Ideas: John Locke was a philosopher that supported Colonial America. He criticized the "divine right" kings had and believed that the people should have a say and that the supreme power should be state power, but only if they were governed by "natural" law. His ideas can be seen in the Constitution.
John Peter Zenger Trial: Trial involving the founder of the New York Weekly Journal , who received money from influential town members. So when Zenger published articles by his contributors that criticized Colonial government he was arrested and put on trial. He was announced not guilty, his success paving the way for freedom of the press.
Molasses Act, 1733: Legislation by the British Parliament for taxing and imposing shipment restrictions on sugar and molasses imported into the profitable colonies from the West Indies. It was meant to create profitable trade as a protective tariff, but it was never meant to raise revenue.
Woolens Act, 1699; Hat Act, 1732: Iron Act, 1750: Act specifying certain enumerated goods-principally tobacco, rice, and indigo-that the colonists could export only to another English colony or to England. These were attempts to prevent manufacturing in the British colonies that might threaten the economy of England.
Currency Act, 1751: Act passed by British Parliament that affected the colonies by adjusting the currency. The point of this attack was to raise revenue for Great Britain. It was a clear example of how Salutary Neglect was coming to an end with the French and Indian War.
Currency Act, 1764: Another Act passed by the British Parliament that affected the colonies and was meant to raise revenue for Great Britain. It was very similar to the other previous Currency Act but this act was targeted towards the people and raising the taxes so that the Parliament could make more money.
SUGAR ACT, 1764: George Grenville introduced this act which amended the Molasses Act that had taxed all foreign molasses entering the U.S. at sixpence a gallon in 1764. The new act ended the previous British policy of keeping Americans out of all revenue-raising measures. It stated that colonists exported certain items to foreign countries only if they passed through Britain first. Parliament hoped that Americans would buy more British items and it increased British sale of European wine.
Salutary Neglect
Britain's absence in colonial America due to pressing issues (and wars over who would control trade) in England left the colonies alone for the most part to govern themselves. During this time the colonial governments flourished and developed a British origin, yet with a distinctly American flavor. It was because of British absence that the colonies became more self sufficient and eventually led them to a feeling of individuality that they feared losing, thus bringing forth the Declaration of Independence after a series of events.The colonist realized that they were nothing more than children to the British, and no say in what would eventually happen to them. The enforcement of the Navigation Acts (there are many) after 70+ years of salutary neglect (means that law is passed but not enforced) was a shock....
Navigation Act, 1651: Parliament passed this legislation in 1651 in order to protect English trade from foreign competition. It was only temporary and it stated that goods imported or exported by the colonies in Africa and Asia must be shipped out or imported only by English vessels and the crews must be 75% British. It also helped U.S. capitalism.
Navigation Act, 1660: This Parliamentary act renewed the 1651 act and specified certain innumerable articles which could be exported only to the English or to another English colony in 1660. Among these goods were tobacco, rice, and indigo. American shipbuilding thus prospered and there was a stable protected market for producers.
Navigation Act, 1663: This Parliamentary act disallowed colonial merchants from exporting products like sugar and tobacco anywhere except to England and from importing goods in ships not made and produced by the English. Along with the 1660 act, it was passed to help English commercial interests in 1663 but helped the U.S.
Navigation Act, 1696: This was the fifth and final Parliamentary Navigation Act. It allowed for methods of enforcing the acts, provided more penalties for evasion, and introduced use of vice-admiralty courts. It was passed in 1696 in an effort to strengthen its effect on colonists. It was felt much more harshly by the colonists and led to hostility
Admiralty courts: These were courts that were created to bring sailors to trial for going against the navigation acts. They were often held away from the colonies, a fact that the colonies viewed as being unconstitutional. Also, the courts awarded judges money for every conviction, thus judges became more apt to find people guilty.
Triangular trade: This trade evolved to keep control of American ships and merchandise out of the hands of the British. Today, law enforcement people would call this "trafficking" or hiding things from the government. Trade that takes place between three places is called triangular trade. Because the Navigation Acts forced American merchants to trade only with Britain, colonist found that everything depended on how the British treated products and merchants. The Americans managed to smuggle goods with the French Caribbean and India, by using the Caribbean as the "middle man". Here is the triangle: a) Ships carried molasses to New England. Here, much of the molasses was made into rum. b)The rum was sent to Africa to exchange for slaves. c) The slaves were then brought to the Caribbean Islands to work sugar plantation. The sugar was turned into molasses, The trip began again.
BOARD OF TRADE, (of the Privy Council): This board was part of the Privy Council which was one of the committees formed by the British Parliament In 1793 Britain's Privy Council sent out orders that any foreign ships caught trading with the French Islands located in the Caribbean to be automatically captured and taken away. They deliberately waited to publish these instructions so that American ships would be seized, causing over 250 ships were captured.
PART 5 FUEL TO THE FIRE
BATTLE OF LEXINGTON
You have heard the story so many times, so many times. The story tells of Patriots, good guys all. These gentlemen saw how good it was to be free, and took up their weapons against those that deprived many of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If this were but true. This is not exactly the case. No, there were so many circumstances that led to war. Not everyone in the colonies saw eye to eye. Should we go to war, should we not, should I be loyal, should I risk all?
The Boston Massacre, the first blood spilled over the rights of colonists, happened in 1770, six years before the Declaration of Independence was sent to King George III. In Massachusetts, the most rebellious of the colonies at the time, citizens were frightened at the prospects of what would happen next, wondered when this "accursed war would ever end or for that matter ever begin."
The First Continental Congress, a gathering of delegates from all the colonies, was convened in 1774 to discuss how such matters could be resolved or if they could be resolved. Many delegates from colonies outside Massachusetts could not make themselves say in public that they wished to leave England. After all, most of the British retribution was only in Massachusetts at first. Should the other colonies become involved? This is what the First Continental Congress would have to decide and could not decide. As a consequence, many early soldiers died of smallpox, or cold or lack of food, blankets and clothing or from lack of weapons. Congress could not make up its mind what they should do. Then King George III did all colonist a favor late in 1775. The king issued a proclamation releasing all his royal officers and royal troops to do "what they must to bring the rebellious colonist back into line." If the colonist admitted they were wrong and returned to the crown, the King said, he would welcome them back into the fold. If the colonist did not, they will be hung by the neck till dead. Every delegate of the First Continental Congress, who had ventured to Philadelphia to discuss whether peace could be attainable was now considered a traitor. Ben Franklin said that "surely, we will all therefore hang together or all hang separately." So once the decision was made for a break with Britain, how did the Continental Congress accomplish this and how did they convince others, the common man, to join the fight? Did everyone join the fight for the colonial cause or did some join the fight with the British against their friends and neighbors? Read the cartoon sections below. Take some notes and see how it agrees with your book. >
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
PART 5B:THE EVENTS THAT ADDED TO THE FIRE (New British Policy and Colonial Resistance)
In order to tighten control over the colonies, their trade, and maintain loyalty, Great Britain instated many acts and taxes which enraged colonists who argued that it was unfair to tax them when they had no direct representation in Parliament. Britain argued that the colonies were represented. People in Parliament had all British subjects' well being in mind with everything that they did. The colonists disagreed bitterly (under the Grenville acts). This resistance was the beginning of America's revolt against its mother country.
Writs of assistance 1760: The royal governor of Massachusetts stayed loyal to the mother land, allowed British revenue officers to use this writ in order to capture goods imported illegally or for that matter, anything that officials wanted to take. It was a search warrant allowing officials to enter buildings in which smuggled goods may be. It required no cause (probable cause for search or seizure) for suspicion and homes were often ransacked and sometimes took anything of value. This one act of search and seizure without cause definitely contributed to the Revolution. This act started during the French Indian War. Many of the colonists gave their lives and their property to defend the Crown. So this movement by the British was more than unwelcome.
Grenville's Program--1764: After years of salutary neglect, the British were now interested in enforcing all the Navigation Acts. British Prime Minister George Grenville was the principal architect of the Sugar Act (1764- affected sugar, molasses and rum). Under this Act, evidence could be taken by the authorities about who the British crown considered smugglers. Grenville passed a law truly despised by the colonists called the Stamp Act. Revolt went up from many parts of the colonies that the taxes were unfair because there was no representation as the British Bill of Rights had stated. Grenville back arguing that colonists received virtual representation in Parliament, even though Americans didn't elect members. Every member of Parliament, Britain felt, considered the rights of all subjects; the House of Commons was responsible for protecting the rights of all British and colonists. Because the British elected members, they enjoyed actual representation, but colonists had none. They were however expected to contribute to the taxes that paid the bills.
Currency Act, 1764: extended Currency Act, 1751: A Parliamentary act, which was originally applicable only in Massachusetts in 1751, but in 1764, it was applied to all the colonies as a means of raising revenue. This made Britain the controller of all currency, not the colonial governments. It also disallowed the issuance (backing by colonial governments) of colonial money. This meant that if you had a fortune in Virginia Dollars before the Currency Act, this fortune became in some cases somewhat worthless. This also meant that the colonies were controlled totally by the British crown.
Vice-Admiralty courts: Parliament was responsible for this new form of juryless court in Nova Scotia. From 1763 to 1765, when Americans were caught smuggling in violation of the Acts of Trade, They were tried by corrupt judges who received a percentage of the confiscated goods if they found the defendants guilty. With the number of printing presses and readers/writers in colonies, this practice was soon uncovered.
Internal/external taxes- Introduced by the British Parliament in 1765, the Stamp Act was an internal tax, which few colonists could escape, all of the colonists were drastically affected by this tax. An example of an external tax is the Sugar Act passed in 1764, which raised costs only for a select group of people (only the rich could afford sugar, molasses and rum); public opposition to the tax was minute.
STAMP ACT 1765: British prime minister George Grenville's most detested act, the Stamp Act was introduced in 1765 as a means of raising revenue in the colonies, and was passed by Parliament. It stated that all legal documents, contracts, licenses, pamphlets, and newspapers must carry a stamp that is taxed. It was intended to raise money for keeping up defense in colonies. The colonies, Parliament reasoned, should pay the bill. It infuriated colonists because it was an internal tax that few could escape. Opposition to the Stamp Act led to formation of the Stamp Act Congress. This was one of the first time that many important leaders of the colonies came together for a common purpose.
Stamp Act Congress, 1765: This was an assembly of delegates from nine of the original thirteen colonies in 1765 which was intended to protest the Stamp Act. This is the first time that delegates met to protest British practices. They met in New York City and presented the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, but the group's demand for no taxation without representation was refused by the House of Commons.
Virginia Resolves: American leader Patrick Henry in 1763 became a member of the House of Burgess where he introduced seven resolutions against the Stamp Act persuading the Virginia House of Burgess to state their opposition to taxation (without representation) in 1765. The House adopted several resolutions which refuted the power of Parliament to tax the colonies. Henry's fiery orations (speeches) caused, by the end of the year, eight other colonies to also denounce taxation and declare rights.
Revenue Act: Parliament passed the Revenue taxes in 1767. The Act taxed glass, paint, lead, paper, paint, and tea. In colonial opinion, it was just like the Stamp Act in that, though it was said to be an external tax, it was still put into effect solely to raise revenue for the British treasury. It further angered colonial resentment to Charles Townshend.
No Taxation Without Representation: John Adams, in his Circular Letter, in 1768, openly criticized Parliament's practice of taxation without proper colonial representation. It was said that no tax that was issued in order to produce revenue for Great Britain was not constitutional because American representatives had not voted to allow the tax. WORDS, THEN AS NOW, WERE IMPORTANT AND CHANGED THE COURSE OF ACTIONS.
SONS OF LIBERTY: Members included Samuel Adams and Paul Revere; it was a secret society of patriots which was organized in 1765 in the colonies. They formed a Committee of Correspondence to defend themselves against British actions. One of the actions they took was to adopt a policy of non-importation in which merchants refused to import goods sent from Great Britain. They also participated in terrorizing the stamp distributors through house-wrecking and tar-and-feathering in order to achieve respect.
Daughters of Liberty: Upper class female patriots who formed a union in 1765 in order to give aid to the cause of defeating the reviled Stamp Act. They proved their value to the cause both by attending political rallies and protests and also by refusing association with men who were Loyalists, however, they ultimately played a small rolE.
Boston Massacre, 1770: With the increase of British troops in the Boston area, tensions rose. Many of the troops were poor boys, who took extra jobs for low wages when off duty. So more and more Boston citizens were without work and more resentment began to brew between the British and the colonists. British troops, (which were resumed in the city in 1770 in order to discourage opposition to the Townshend Acts), when hit by hecklers wielding clubs, rocks and oyster shells within the crowd, opened fire upon the crowd; five men were killed. Eight soldiers were tried for murder; their attorney was John Adams. Many were acquitted and anti-British feelings rose. Only two soldiers were given any punishment for the incident. They had their thumbs branded.
Committees of Correspondence: They were colonial groups in 1772 which were organized to form resistance to British tyranny by using letters and the printing press. The Boston town meeting, one such committee, made up a 21 member "To state the Rights of Colonists and of this Province in Particular." This committee became a major political force responsible for the Boston Tea Party.
Non-consumption: The Sons of Liberty began the idea of non-consumption in 1774 with their vow of non-importation of British goods. When the Boston Port Bill was passed, colonists once again agreed to ban all British goods in order to boycott the British until demands were met. Because of this, state or individual opposition was despised.
Non-importation: There existed, between many of the colonial merchants, an agreement to not import any British goods until the Townshend acts were repealed. When the tea tax was kept, they were unsure whether or not to keep the boycott going. When non-importation collapsed, the Sons of Liberty agreed not to consume British tea in protest.
Right of revolution: In John Lock's Two Treatises of Government, written in 1690, it is stated that "It is a state of perfect freedom [for man] to do as they wish and dispose of themselves and their possessions." He claims that any person has the right to revolt if the government does not fulfill its duties. His ideas led to the Declaration of Independence.
The Association: The First Continental Congress agreed to this "association," which was a simple sort of agreement in 1774. It was formed in response to anger over the recently passed Tea Act. Members pledged not to import, export, or consume products of Britain unless their demands were met. This led to increased hostility toward the colonists.
TOWNSHEND ACTS, REACTION: Under the control of British Prime Minister Charles Townshend, Parliament passed these measures in 1767. The first called for suspension of the New York Assembly because it would not abide by the Quartering Act. The Revenue Act called for customs duties on imports of glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. As a result of unrest over these acts, the Massachusetts legislature was dissolved. Colonial reaction was that of further discontent toward their motherland.
Repeal of the Townshend Acts except tax on tea: Lord North, in a Parliamentary act in 1770, wanted to eliminate the Townshend duties due to increased hostility against the British and to keep the boycott from gaining momentum. However, he still recommended they maintain the tea tax, because it was profitable for the Royal Treasury in Great Britain. He also got a nice share of the East India Tea Company. Customs commissioners in Boston requested an armed force for protection and the government dispatched the Romney, an armed frigate to Boston in June, 1768.
Tea Act: The Parliamentary Tea Act eliminated import duties entering England, lowering the selling price to consumers, also allowing selling directly to consumers, hurting middlemen. Colonial smuggling was very harmful to the East India Company which had held a monopoly on tea. The act provided savings for Britain. The tea business was just that, a monopoly. So the tea that reached the Americas was of poor quality. Any tea brought by others was considered smuggling. The shipment of tea often took months in transit, if not years to reach the destination. So many as they entered the harbor, found out that they were smuggling contraband. If they paid taxes on the tea, they would be admitting that they had broken the law intentional or not. One such colonist who owned such ships was John Hancock. John Hancock's ship Liberty was seized. When told that a customs official had been locked up, while John Hancock unloaded without paying the duty, the Liberty was seized. This led to further discontent towards Britain.
BOSTON TEA PARTY: A group of Boston citizens organized a protest on December 16, 1773, which was against the British tax on tea imported to the colonies. They also were furious that British officials had begun to take American ships that they considered illegal. The citizens were angry and disallowed three British ships to unload their cargo in Boston. Led by Samuel Adams and members of the Sons of Liberty, the group, disguised as Indians boarded the ships and dumped all the tea into Boston Harbor in protest. The American government later refused to pay for the tea (equivalent of several million dollars) and was punished through closure of the ports.
COERCIVE ACTS also known as the INTOLERABLE ACTS:
Passed by the British Parliament, several laws were composed in 1774 in response to colonial rebellion. The Boston Tea Party was the last straw leading to the passage of these harsh acts as measures against the colony of Massachusetts. The five measures passed were to serve as warnings to the rest of the colonies. They included the
1. Boston Port Act closed the port of Boston and put many out of work , the Massachusetts Government Act, the Quartering Act, and the Administration of Justice Act. Americans united in sympathy for Massachusetts.
2.The Quartering Acts= was established on March 24, 1765. The King sent British troops, as an army of occupation, to Boston. The colonists had to house and feed the British troops. They had to feed and provide for the soldiers. If the colonists didn't do this for the British troops, they would get shot. It effectively served to further punish the colonists. Basically, it allowed for much-hated British officers to be permitted to requisition empty, private buildings. Property was no longer private, and taken with due process. All resistance was repressed by this blatant attempt to force troops in.
3. The Administration of Justice Act became effective May 20, 1774. British Officials could not be tried in colonial courts for crimes. They would be taken back to Britain and have a trial there. That left the British free to do whatever they wanted in the colonies and to the Colonists. They claimed that they could not get a fair trial in Massachusetts, even though the British soldiers had been acquitted in the Boston Massacre.
4. Massachusetts Government Act became effective on May 20, 1774. The British Governor was in charge of all the town meetings in Boston. There would no more self-government in Boston. Parliament passed this act in 1774 as the second of the Townshend Acts which revoked the Massachusetts charter and restructured the government. The Governor gained control over naming sheriffs, who, in turn, gained control over jurymen. The number of Massachusetts town meetings were also reduced.The Quebec Act was established on May 20, 1774, This bill extended the Canadian borders to cut off the western colonies of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Virginia.
5. Quebec Act Parliament passed this greatly detested law which established Roman-Catholicism as the official religion in Quebec, making Protestants angry. Also, Canada's government was awarded an abundance of powers, but was in turn, given no legislature. The law also extended Quebec's 1774 land claims, further angering colonist.
PART 5C-
WHO IS WHO IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT?
GEORGE WASHINGTON (1732-1799)- George Washington was born on February 11, 1732, but in 1751, Great Britain changed from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. An act of Parliament added eleven days to make the adjustment complete and in 1752 Washington celebrated his birthday on February 22!
Washington's father died when the boy was 11.
THOMAS JEFFERSON: Born in 1743 (and died the same day as John Adams (July 4, 1826), Jefferson was what author Joseph Ellis called "the American Sphinx". He truly was a riddle in many respects. He wrote "All men are created equal, but yet owned slaves, did not believe that Blacks were equal academically or physically to whites, did not believe women were included, nor did he believe that non-property owners should have the right to vote. He was a perfect example of an Enlightenment man, constantly curious over science and philosophical endeavors. He read the ancients as if they were letters from the past speaking to him and his fellow citizens. He read constantly, owned the colonies largest private library and attended the College of William and Mary outside Richmond.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)- Born the 15th of a candle maker's 17 children, Franklin truly became a man of the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. Forced to work as a printer for his step-brother, and later ran away to be on his own.
He became a printer in Philadelphia. Highly successful in multiple endeavors, Franklin was able to retire in 1748. He then became highly interested in science and politics. Franklin opposed the Stamp Act and protested against it. In 1764, he became Pennsylvania's business representative to England. In 1775, he came back to the Americas. He sat on the committee to write the Declaration of Independence. Eventually, he helped write the draft the Peace treaty between England and America.
John Adams (1735-1826): was one of the first men to propose American independence when the Revolution began. He was the last man that one would expect to do this always looking at the law. Moreover, he served on the Committee on Independence (First Continental Congress), and also helped persuade the Second Continental Congress to adopt the Declaration of Independence. In Congress and in diplomatic missions abroad, he served the patriot cause.John Adams was the son of a shoe maker and country minister and his mother was illiterate. John was the cousin of Sam Adams another Patriot. John's father sent him at first to Harvard to be a minister, but John liked to fight too much. So he felt that he would be better
suited to the law. He met Abagail Smith from a very good New England family and the two fell in love. Soon they married. John began a thriving law practice in Boston. One of his first major cases was to defend Sam Adams on charges of not collecting taxes correctly. John did not believe in bending the law, and his cousin did many things that were considered illegal. John defended him and Sam was acquitted. John was the lawyer for the soldiers who were tried for murder in the Boston Massacre in 1770. He successfully defended his clients in defense that they were trying to protect their own lives. He additionally denounced the Stamp Act, analyzed the demands facing the colonists and urged the colonists to protest "no taxation without representation." He was a member of both Continental Congresses and help to draft the Declaration of Independence.
Abigail Adams: Abigail was true American hero. She stayed with her children without her husband there to help her. She knew that at any time, the British could show up, and kill her and her family. She wrote her husband John on an almost daily basis, urging him on, encouraging him and the other patriots. She worked the farm like a man, made sure there was enough to eat and educated her children.
Even though she had a scarce formal education, she was among the most influential women of her day, particularly as a leader of fashion and social mediator. She was the first lady of John Adams' presidency, and mother of John Quincy Adams, also president. Also, she challenged the lack of equality for women and was a strong advocate of the Revolutionary War.
SAM ADAMS (1722-1803): Sam failed at many things that he did, except organize men to protest in Boston. He had been a tax collector and when his books were checked, he was 7,000 ₤ short. His cousin John defended him and had the fees greatly reduced. He was an outspoken advocate of the Sugar Act, and served on the General Court of Massachusetts in 1765. Moreover, he was a main proponent of opposition to the Townshend Acts and a key figure in the formation of the Sons of Liberty. Starting a movement for an uprising against the Boston Massacre, he led several other angry colonists in the Boston Tea Party of 1773. Due to his constant agitation, Adams contributed to the movement for revolution.
John Hancock (1736-1793): Richest man in the colonies, Hancock was a strange ally with Sam Adams. He did not start out rich but inherited his money from an uncle who had acquired it through smuggling. His wealth helped pay for the rebel cause. He served as president of the Continental Congress. He served in the army, but was undistinguished. After the war, he became governor of Massachusetts.
Patrick Henry (1736-1799): He was an orator and statesman who played a key role in igniting patriotism and leading the colonists toward the American Revolution. He is famous for his comment "Give me liberty or give me death." He also told the Virginian legislature that he was no longer a "Virginian but an American."
ALEXANDER HAMILTON (1757-1804) Born to a single mother in the Caribbean, Alexander Hamilton lived the American Dream and became one of the most powerful men in the colonies. Hamilton became George Washington's personal aide during the Revolution. He married into a very rich family, and was very much in favor of a UNITED States in which the Federal Government would be more powerful. Hamilton became the first Secretary of the Treasury and was in favor of uniting all states debts incurred during the American Revolution in order to give the United States some credit worldwide. Without it, Hamilton realized, no foreign power would trade with the new country and all states would be vulnerable to foreign attack. The British were still in the north and western borders, the French in the Midwest, and the Spanish in the South and West. Hamilton believed in mercantilism. In other words, he who has the gold makes the rules.
Thomas Jefferson thought that Hamilton was scum, and often had words with him (see clip at the bottom of the page). Jefferson believed that states should maintain their power and that the federal government should be as small as possible. The President should have limited powers (Strangely enough, Jefferson reversed this during his presidency and doubled the size of the nation). And that Hamilton was poison for the new nation that so many had given up their lives for. Alexander and his followers would have the President soon become king...
Alexander Hamilton had affairs with other wives and was the target of much hatred. Tyranny according to Jefferson was right around the corner with Alexander Hamilton as a leader.
Aaron Burr, the Vice President of the United States, challenged Hamilton's honor and they met on a field for a duel. Hamilton shot and missed, Burr did not and Hamilton was dead. His ideas about the economy and government were not dead, and are still fought over to this day.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an interesting character. He was English and introduced by Benjamin Franklin to Americans through his writing. He wrote a pamphlet that motivated the common man to join the fight against England. He pointed out the economic reasons why England was no longer a country that should rule the Americas. Common Sense: Thomas Paine published this in January 1776, which called for immediate independence. Although its arguments were extreme, it had much influence in favor of independence. Combined with the Prohibitory Act (Intolerable Acts), it convinced many Americans that the British had every intention to carry out a full scale war.
RICHARD HENRY LEE
PAUL REVERE (1735-1818)
JOHN PAUL JONES (1747-1792):
United States Captain John Paul Jones attacked the British territory, which raised American morale and prestige. He also led the famous ship, Bonhomme Richard, against Britain's ship, the Serapis, in which the war was brought to England's shores, boosting American morale and credibility.
ETHAN ALLEN (1738-1789)
Baron Friedrich von Steuben
A former Prussian army officer who served in the Seven Years War (French Indian War) with distinction was persuaded to volunteer to help Washington with his ragtag troops. Washington was happy to get the help where he could get it.
HORATIO GATES (1728-1806)-
Benedict Arnold: He led one of the Continental Armies into Canada but was defeated. A fervent patriot, he wanted to be known as a hero. With 400 men, he attacked Fort Ticonderoga in April of 1775, along with Ethan Allen, who raised an army for the same purpose, but without any success. At about the same time, he married a beautiful woman who was a British sympathizer. When Arnold was not given the command that he wanted, he secretly sold his talents to the British and was about ready to sell the keys to West Point, an American outpost to Britain. The plot was discovered and Arnold escaped. Through the remainder of the war, he served as a British officer fighting the very men he had stood next to, and shortly before the end of the war, moved to England with his family. He was considered by most Americans to be a traitor.
Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) Young French officer who lent talents and money to the American cause.
Governor Thomas Hutchinson of Mass.: A colonial governor, he opposed taxes that harmed U.S. trade, but still supported Britain's right to impose taxes. When the Stamp Act controversy was in effect, his home was ransacked in 1765. In 1773, he refused to allow British ships to be returned without unloading. The price of tea was greatly reduced to sell, but Governor Hutchinson's son owned a large share of the tea to be sold. The Sons of Liberty rebelled and the Boston Tea party resulted. Other port cities had tea parties of their own or refused to buy the tea which sat in warehouses. King George realized that the dye was cast. War was inevitable.
Lord North: He was a British member of the House of Commons during the 1770s. Under the orders of King George III, he taxed Americans, though he found it morally wrong to do so. By 1776, he demanded an early peace with the Americans hoping to put an end to the Revolutionary War. By 1779, he realized the war was a lost cause.
Making of John Adams- Old vs. New
<
THE BOSTON MASSACRE from America, the Story of Us.
PART 6 and 7 SOME FACTS ABOUT THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/account/index.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/treasure/declaration_facts.html
Declaration of Independence Facts
Declaration of Independence Facts
Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
· Q. Is anything written on the back of the Declaration of Independence?
· Q. Is anything written on the back of the Declaration of Independence?
A.Yes, there is writing on the back of the original, signed Declaration of Independence. But it is not invisible, nor does it include a map, as the Disney feature film,National Treasure, suggests. The writing on the back reads "Original Declaration of Independence, dated 4th July 1776," and it appears on the bottom of the document, upside down. To learn more, read the article,The Flip Side of History.Please note that the back of the Declaration of Independence is not on display in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
· Q. Is the original Declaration of Independence written on paper?
· Q. Is the original Declaration of Independence written on paper?
A.No, the original was engrossed on parchment which is an animal skin specially treated with lime and stretched to create a strong, long-lasting writing support. The printed version is on paper and was read aloud from town squares throughout the colonies, so that those who could not read would receive the news about intended separation from England.
· Q. Do other copies of the Declaration of Independence exist?
· Q. Do other copies of the Declaration of Independence exist?
A.Yes, there are 26 copies known to exist of what is commonly referred to as "the Dunlap broadside," 21 owned by American institutions, 2 by British institutions, and 3 by private owners.
The Dunlap Broadside copies were printed on paper on the night of July 4,— and thus are contemporary with the original Declaration that is engrossed on parchment. Given the great interest in and popularity of the document to the American people, many facsimile copies of the Declaration have been made over the years. These copies have been printed in many sizes and formats as souvenirs and for the purpose of display in governmental and other offices and schoolrooms across the nation.
· Q. Was Thomas Jefferson the only person involved in writing the Declaration of Independence?
· Q. Was Thomas Jefferson the only person involved in writing the Declaration of Independence?
A.Jefferson was the author of the document and was a member of the Committee of Five that was appointed to draft a statement presenting to the world the colonies case for independence. The committee consisted of two New England men, John Adams of Massachusetts and Roger Sherman of Connecticut; two men from the Middle Colonies,Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York; and one southerner, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.
· Q. Has the Declaration of Independence always been at the National Archives in Washington, DC?
· Q. Has the Declaration of Independence always been at the National Archives in Washington, DC?
A.No, after the signing ceremony on August 2, 1776, the Declaration was most likely filed in Philadelphia in the office of Charles Thomson, who served as the Secretary of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1789. The document probably accompanied the Continental Congress as the body traveled during the uncertain months and years of the Revolution.
On December 13, 1952, the Declaration, along with the Constitution and Bill of Rights were formally delivered into the custody of Archivist of the United States Wayne Grover and enshrined at a ceremony on December 15, 1952, attended by President Harry S. Truman. For more information about the document's travels seeTravels of the Declaration of Independence – A Time Line.
· Q. Is the encasement bullet-resistant?
· Q. Is the encasement bullet-resistant?
A.Yes, the case is constructed of ballistically resistant materials to include the glass.
· Q. Who constructed the new encasements and what are they made of?
· Q. Who constructed the new encasements and what are they made of?
A.The new encasements, which look like large, deep picture frames, were designed to meet National Archives specifications that ensure the preservation of the Charters for future generations. The encasements were constructed by the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) of titanium and aluminum. The frames are gold plated to evoke the style of historic frames.
· Q. Are other documents also encased in this way?
· Q. Are other documents also encased in this way?
A.Yes,the Charters of Freedom– the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence– are all encased in this way.
· Did You Know?
· Did You Know?
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by 12 of 13 colonies (New York not voting) on July 4, 1776, but wasn't actually signed by all the delegates until August 2, 1776.
Engrossing is the process of preparing an official document in a large, clear hand. Timothy Matlack, a Pennsylvanian who had assisted the Secretary of the Congress, Charles Thomson, was probably the engrosser of the Declaration.
John Hancock, the President of the Congress, was the first to sign the sheet of parchment measuring 24¼ by 29¾ inches.
A handprint appears on the bottom left corner of the Declaration of Independence. The origins and circumstances of the handprint are not known. The document was handled, rolled, and traveled about and exhibited extensively in its early life. Attempting to clean the handprint and other soil that has worked into the parchment could damage the fragile document.
The official title of the head of the National Archives and Records Administration is Archivist of the United States.
The Declaration of Independence is housed in a specially sealed encasement containing the inert gas argon with a controlled amount of humidity to keep the parchment flexible. The encasement is constructed of ballistically resistant materials. The document is closely guarded.
The movie National Treasure was not filmed inside the National Archives Building. A reproduction of the Declaration of Independence was used in filming the movie.
In the Rotunda, above the Charters of Freedom, the murals by Barry Faulkner have been removed, cleaned, and restored. Although they don't depict actual historical events, they help convey the importance of the Charters of Freedom by showing a presentation of the draft of the Declaration of Independence to John Hancock by Jefferson in 1776 and a presentation of the Constitution to George Washington by Madison in 1787.
If you were a member of the Second Continental Congress in 1776, you were a rebel and considered a traitor by the King of England. You knew that a reward had been posted for the capture of certain prominent rebel leaders and signing your name to the Declaration meant that you pledged your life, your fortune, and your sacred honor to the cause of freedom.
Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and member of the Committee of Fivedied on July 4, 1826. And John Adams, also a committee member, died on the same day.
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, were removed from display on July 5, 2001, and have undergone long-planned conservation treatment and are sealed in new state-of-the-art encasements. On September 17, 2003, the renovated Rotunda was rededicated, and the newly re-encased Charters of Freedom were unveiled.
To learn more about the renovation of the Rotunda of the National Archives and the document re-encasement project, read these online articles from the fall 2003, issue ofPrologue, "A Top-to-Bottom Renovation for the National Archives Building" and "A New Era Begins for the Charters of Freedom."
To learn more about the rededication of the Rotunda, read the onlineProloguearticle "The Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom Reopens at the National Archives" from the winter 2003 issue, and comments by dignitaries during our ceremony to rededicate the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, September 17, 2003.
With the Declaration of Independence as its fuel, America entered a war for independence with Great Britain: the Revolutionary War. Throughout the war, America developed its first real feelings of nationalism and ended up being victorious in its fight for freedom.
COMPARE THE COPIES OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
PART EIGHT 1763-1783
Revolt to Revolution AND beyond
With such events as Lexington and Concord as well as the actions of the Second Continental Congress and America's faith held in the Declaration of Independence and Thomas Paine's "Common Sense," America's revolt against Great Britain became a revolution.
SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS: The Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775. They drew up the Olive Branch Petition, which begged George III to restore peace, and adopted a Declaration of the Causes and Necessity for Taking up Arms. Congress was divided into two main factions: the delegates that were ready to go to war and declare independence, and those that weren't ready to go that far. The Second Continental Congress later evolved into the revolutionary government.
FIRST AMERICAN REVOLUTION" (POSSITER THESIS): This thesis is the idea that the real American Revolution could not have been made possible had not a "First American Revolution paved the way. The First Revolution consists of the first sparks of discontent. Previously, there had been a great deal of affection between the U.S. and its mother country, due to the protection colonists enjoyed. However, with colonial governments, colonists were enjoying democracy, leading to opposition against taxation without representation.
THE WAR AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN
TIMELINE OF EVENTS OF THE REVOLUTION
1774 Science and free thinking are alive and well. Many Americans felt that they had the right to "life, liberty". Many of the "Founding Fathers" read discussed such ideas tirelessly. These ideas were part of the spark that lit the first fights the American Revolution.
The "Black" Regiment: They were a group of dignified clergymen who preached against British tyranny and resistance to British authority in 1765. Because sermons were such a common form of communication, nearly every colonist saw public fasting and communication and were infected with the idea that it was a sin not to reject Britain.
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD, APRIL 19, 1775: American Captain John Parker and seventy Minutemen waited for the British at Lexington, on April 19. A British officer ordered the Minutemen to lay down their arms, but a shot from an unknown source was fired. The British then opened fire and charged. Afterwards, the British continued on the Concord only to find that almost all of the weapons and supplies had been moved. While retreating to Boston, they were fired on by Minutemen from local cities. Many of the British lost their lives in this unfamiliar way of fighting.
1775 First Continental Congress comes together to make general decisions about how to work together to defend themselves from the abuses of the British crown. These men were representatives from each of their colonial states. Most were rich land owners or merchants whose income depended on English law or lack thereof. Many saw British attempts to regulate trade and "British rights" as enslavement. Britain, on the other hand, felt the colonies should contribute to their own defense. Britain also considered the American colonies as their child; to do as they were told. The colonists resented these actions.
July 5, 1775 Olive Branch Petition: The Second Continental Congress issued this petition to King George III on July 5, pleading with him to intercede with Parliament to restore peace. After he ignored it, he issued a Prohibitory act, which declared all colonies in a state of rebellion no longer under his protection. Thus, Americans prepared for an all out war with Britain.
1775- King George III, after the Battle of Bunker Hill, the people of Britain wanted retaliation, and King George III, on August 23, proclaimed New England in a state of rebellion. In December Parliament declared all colonies in a state of rebellion, and made their ships liable to seizure.issued a proclamation that said that Massachusetts was in open rebellion of King and country and sent troops to keep the colony in check. There was one "red coat" for every colonist in the Boston area.
Advantages/Disadvantages for Britain: The British were well equipped, well trained, and well disciplined. They had a strong navy to land troops, transport troops, guard communication and supply lines. Also, they had a large sum of money which could be used to hire foreign mercenaries. However, they were outnumbered by the U.S.
Advantages/Disadvantages for U.S.: Many colonists knew how to use firearms. They had a superior rifle range and accuracy over the smoothbore British muskets. Washington was a highly respected, experienced commander-in-chief, and they were fighting in their own territory. However, their naval power was less than that of Britain.
1775- England hires Hessian (German) soldiers to help keep order in the colonies.
1775- Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill): Three British generals arrived in Boston in May, 1775 to assist General Gage. After two failed British attacks on Breed's Hill, the colonists ran out of ammunition, and the British succeeded. The colonists now had two choices: to commit to a full-scale revolution, or to accept the rule of the British.
Invasion of Canada: U.S. General Richard Montgomery forced the British to evacuate Montreal in 1775 and invade Canada. A second force led by Benedict Arnold invaded the land by combining an attack on Quebec; however, it was a failure in that Montgomery was killed, Benedict was shot, and one-third of the colonial troops were killed or captured.
Hessians: They were German mercenaries who were comprised of approximately 30,000 soldiers in the British army during the Revolutionary War. They fought among 162,000 other Britons and loyalists but were outnumbered by the 220,000 troops of the Continental Army.
Continental Army: George Washington quietly suggested a united army made up of men from every corner of American states. Composed of colonial men, the Continental Army consisted of less than 10,000 men prepared for duty at one time. Out of the potential 250,000 men living in the colonies, the Continental Army was quite small at the dawn of the war. The Continental Congress appointed George Washington as the commander - in- chief. Often, the army split into divisions and fought from Canada to Georgia.
Richard Henry Lee's Resolution: Colonial leader Richard Henry Lee presented several formal resolutions to Congress on June 7, 1776. These resolutions called for independence and a national government. As a result, the Committee on Independence was formed to further accommodate his proposal.
Committee on Independence: After Richard Henry Lee's resolution on June 7, 1776, the Committee on Independence was formed. Members included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Its purpose was to draft a statement of reasons for independence which led to the Declaration of Independence. JULY 4, 1776 AND THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: Written by the Committee.
Slavery clause in the Declaration of Independence: Two passages in Jefferson's original draft were rejected by the Second Continental Congress in 1776. The first passage was an exorbitant reference to the English people, and the second passage was an attack on the slave trade.
1776- Second Continental Congress was the ruling representative government of the time. Declaration of Independence was written and formally set separation from Britain. Many in this congress felt however, that Britain would tire of fighting this rebellion and would give up soon. So representatives had a hard time appropriating funds to send supplies to the troops or for other costs met in the Revolution. Often, men marched in rags or froze to death for want of basic supplies. The second Continental Congress also sent Ben Franklin and John Adams to appeal to the French to get help against Britain.
Much of the Declaration of Independence was written because Jefferson was a son of the Enlightenment, looking at freedom of will. One of the writers that influence Jefferson was John Locke who wrote the Second Treatise of Government: John Locke stressed that governments were legitimate only if they rested on the consent of the governed and protected basic rights of their people. If the government and laws lacked the consent, then they were not legitimate, and had to be dissolved and replaced with legitimate government or just laws.
Natural Rights Philosophy: Thomas Jefferson was influenced by the natural rights philosophy. He emphasized the equality of all people and their natural right to justice, liberty, and self-fulfillment. In the writing of the Declaration of Independence, he draw upon some of the ideas of natural rights.
Loyalists were colonists who stayed loyal to the British. Quite often, these loyalists joined British troops. The population was divided in this time into three groups; patriots, loyalists, and those that did not care one way or another. LOYALISTS, TORIES: They were Anglican clergymen, ethnic and religious minorities, government officials, and some wealthy merchants comprised the Loyalists. About one-fifth to one-third of the population remained loyal to Britain. They felt that war was unnecessary to preserve the rights of the colonists, and maintained a respect for the monarchy. The majority of ethnic and religious minorities, however, were supporters of the revolution. Eighty thousand Loyalists left the colonies to move back to Britain, leaving their positions for others.
Black Americans in the Revolutionary War: About 5,000 blacks served in the army and navy, mostly New England freemen, and fought in every major battle of the war. However, the South feared possible slave revolts, which inhibited use of blacks in the South. Governor Dunmore offered freedom to slaves who joined the British army. This is the last time until 1949 that Blacks would fight side by side in battle.
1776- New York city, one of the largest ports on the continent, was taken by General William Howe and his British troops. For several years. British ships were anchored in the harbor and used as prisoner of war ships. Nine out of ten prisoners died from hunger or disease on these ships.
1776- Christmas day- George Washington crosses the Delaware and attacks Trenton.
1777- ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION- the Continental Congress saw the problems of not being united in their effort against Britain. So they reached this agreement in which there would be a weak strong central government, but a united government all the same. If one of the states were attacked, then all would come to the defense of the one that had been attacked. There were however great problems with this government. It did not have the power to tax, and could not enforce law across state lines.
1777- France declares war against Britain.
1777-Battle of Saratoga- American troops stop British troops in Pennsylvania. Many of the victories are a result of guerilla warfare. The U.S. victory at the Battle of Saratoga convinced the French that the U.S. deserved diplomatic recognition.
1777-1778- Valley Forge was a place that would test the Patriots will. Troops did not usually fight in the winter. The American troops were starving, and threadbare. Washington (along with Martha) stayed with the troops and kept them together. Those that survived felt a new united spirit. At this point, the French began to join the cause.
FRENCH ALLIANCE OF 1778, REASONS FOR IT: France entered into two treaties with America, in February, 1778. The first was a treaty of goodwill and commerce, and granted most favored nation status to one another. The second treaty was the French Alliance of 1778, to be effective if war broke out between Britain and France.
1779- Spain declares war against Britain and by 1782 wins Florida as territory.
Native Americans in the Revolutionary War: The colonists' expansion into the Ohio Valley drove the western Indians into allying with the British. In the East, the Iroquois in New York were neutral until 1777, when the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy split, leaving all but the Tuscaroras and most Oneidas on the side of the British.
"Bonhomme Richard" and the "Serapis": John Paul Jones took command of a rebuilt French merchant ship and renamed it the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard. On September 23, 1779, he engaged the British frigate, the Serapis, in the North Sea. This was the most famous naval battle in the American Revolution.
1781- Yorktown- the last battle of the American Revolution Lord Cornwallis: Washington and Marquis de LaFayette with the ground troops surround the land around Yorktown. Admiral de Grasse's French fleet stopped British ships from coming to Yorktown, trapped British General Cornwallis on the Yorktown peninsula. The Siege of Yorktown began in September of 1781, and ended when Cornwallis realized that he lost three key points around Yorktown and surrendered. The British were tired of fighting. The common British subject felt that this conflict had gone on too long and had become too expensive. They no longer supported the war effort, ready for it to end.
Treaty of Paris, 1783: Great Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, which brought an official end to the American Revolution, on September 3. Great Britain recognized the former 13 colonies as the free and self-governing United States of America.
French and British intrigue over U.S. boundaries (in Treaty of Paris): France and Britain shared much interest in American territory following the War for Independence. The French wanted to further continue their residence in Virginia, which led to further dispute between them and the colonists.
Social Impact of the War: Women did not receive the status implied by the American Revolution's ideals. Though the Revolution was fought in the name of liberty, slavery still existed, creating a paradox between the slavery and the freedom. However, slavery virtually ended in the North during the Revolutionary era.
HOW REVOLUTIONARY? : Even though the former colonies were joined under a central government provided by the Articles of Confederation, they still acted independently in various areas. Some state constitutions were identical to the English charters that had governed them. On the other hand, the idea of the separation of church and state grew stronger, toleration of religious minorities became more prevalent (many states had official religions which one had to support whether the citizen believed in it or not), inflation (it took more money to buy a product) became widespread, industry was stimulated, and trade with foreign nations increased.
Disestablishment, Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom: Thomas Jefferson worked on the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom after independence was declared. Of all the things that Jefferson did in his lifetime, this was a task he was most proud of....It became a law in 1786, and was the model for the clause in the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of religion. Separation of church and state became more popular. By the time the Constitution was instituted, this belief was popular with most.
The War in Power Point
PART 9
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
1777
To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names, send greeting.
Whereas the Delegates of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, did, on the 15th day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy seven, and in the Second Year of the Independence of America, agree to certain articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia in the words following, viz. "Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the states of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina and Georgia".
Article I.
The Stile of this confederacy shall be "The United States of America."
Article II.
Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.
Article III.
The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their Liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.
Article IV.
The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different states in this union, the free inhabitants of each of these states, paupers, vagabonds and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several states; and the people of each state shall have free ingress and regress to and from any other state, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties impositions and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restriction shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any state, to any other state, of which the Owner is an inhabitant; provided also that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any state, on the property of the united states, or either of them. If any Person guilty of, or charged with treason, felony,— or other high misdemeanor in any state, shall flee from Justice, and be found in any of the united states, he shall, upon demand of the Governor or executive power, of the state from which he fled, be delivered up and removed to the state having jurisdiction of his offence. Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these states to the records, acts and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other state.
Article V.
For the more convenient management of the general interests of the united states, delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as the legislature of each state shall direct, to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power reserved to each state, to recall its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead, for the remainder of the Year.
No state shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor by more than seven Members; and no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years; nor shall any person, being a delegate, be capable of holding any office under the united states, for which he, or another for his benefit receives any salary, fees or emolument of any kind.
Each state shall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of the states, and while they act as members of the committee of the states. In determining questions in the United States in Congress assembled, each state shall have one vote.
Freedom of speech and debate in Congress shall not be impeached or questioned in any Court, or place out of Congress, and the members of congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests and imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and attendance on congress, except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace.
Article VI.
No state, without the Consent of the United States in congress assembled, shall send any embassy to, or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference agreement, alliance or treaty with any King prince or state; nor shall any person holding any office of profit or trust under the united states, or any of them, accept of any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from any king, prince or foreign state; nor shall the united states in congress assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility.
No two or more states shall enter into any treaty, confederation or alliance whatever between them, without the consent of the united states in congress assembled, specifying accurately the purposes for which the same is to be entered into, and how long it shall continue.
No state shall lay any imposts or duties, which may interfere with any stipulations in treaties, entered into by the united states in congress assembled, with any king, prince or state, in pursuance of any treaties already proposed by congress, to the courts of France and Spain.
No vessels of war shall be kept up in time of peace by any state, except such number only, as shall be deemed necessary by the united states in congress assembled, for the defense of such state, or its trade; nor shall any body of forces be kept up by any state, in time of peace, except such number only, as in the judgment of the united states, in congress assembled, shall be deemed requisite to garrison the forts necessary for the defense of such state; but every state shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and accoutered, and shall provide and constantly have ready for use, in public stores, a due number of field pieces and tents, and a proper quantity of arms, ammunition and camp equipage. No state shall engage in any war without the consent of the united states in congress assembled, unless such state be actually invaded by enemies, or shall have received certain advice of a resolution being formed by some nation of Indians to invade such state, and the danger is so imminent as not to admit of a delay till the united states in congress assembled can be consulted: nor shall any state grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor letters of marque or reprisal, except it be after a declaration of war by the united states in congress assembled, and then only against the kingdom or state and the subjects thereof, against which war has been so declared, and under such regulations as shall be established by the united states in congress assembled, unless such state be infested by pirates, in which case vessels of war may be fitted out for that occasion, and kept so long as the danger shall continue, or until the united states in congress assembled, shall determine otherwise.
Article VII.
When land-forces are raised by any state for the common defense, all officers of or under the rank of colonel, shall be appointed by the legislature of each state respectively, by whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such state shall direct, and all vacancies shall be filled up by the State which first made the appointment.
Article VIII.
All charges of war, and all other expenses that shall be incurred for the common defense or general welfare, and allowed by the united states in congress assembled, shall be defrayed out of a common treasury, which shall be supplied by the several states in proportion to the value of all land within each state, granted to or surveyed for any Person, as such land and the buildings and improvements there on shall be estimated according to such mode as the united states in congress assembled, shall from time to time direct and appoint.
The taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the several states within the time agreed upon by the united states in congress assembled.
Article IX.
The United States in congress assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned in the sixth article — of sending and receiving ambassadors — entering into treaties and alliances, provided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative power of the respective states shall be restrained from imposing such imposts and duties on foreigners as their own people are subjected to, or from prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods or commodities, whatsoever — of establishing rules for deciding in all cases, what captures on land or water shall be legal, and in what manner prizes taken by land or naval forces in the service of the united states shall be divided or appropriated — of granting letters of marque and reprisal in times of peace — appointing courts for the trial of piracies and felonies committed on the high seas and establishing courts for receiving and determining finally appeals in all cases of captures, provided that no member of congress shall be appointed a judge of any of the said courts.
The United States in congress assembled shall also be the last resort on appeal in all disputes and differences now subsisting or that hereafter may arise between two or more states concerning boundary, jurisdiction or any other cause whatever; which authority shall always be exercised in the manner following. Whenever the legislative or executive authority or lawful agent of any state in controversy with another shall present a petition to congress stating the matter in question and praying for a hearing, notice thereof shall be given by order of congress to the legislative or executive authority of the other state in controversy, and a day assigned for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents, who shall then be directed to appoint by joint consent, commissioners or judges to constitute a court for hearing and determining the matter in question: but if they cannot agree, congress shall name three persons out of each of the united states, and from the list of such persons each party shall alternately strike out one, the petitioners beginning, until the number shall be reduced to thirteen; and from that number not less than seven, nor more than nine names as congress shall direct, shall in the presence of congress be drawn out by lot, and the persons whose names shall be so drawn or any five of them, shall be commissioners or judges, to hear and finally determine the controversy, so always as a major part of the judges who shall hear the cause shall agree in the determination: and if either party shall neglect to attend at the day appointed, without showing reasons, which congress shall judge sufficient, or being present shall refuse to strike, the congress shall proceed to nominate three persons out of each state, and the secretary of congress shall strike in behalf of such party absent or refusing; and the judgment and sentence of the court to be appointed, in the manner before prescribed, shall be final and conclusive; and if any of the parties shall refuse to submit to the authority of such court, or to appear or defend their claim or cause, the court shall nevertheless proceed to pronounce sentence, or judgment, which shall in like manner be final and decisive, the judgment or sentence and other proceedings being in either case transmitted to congress, and lodged among the acts of congress for the security of the parties concerned: provided that every commissioner, before he sits in judgment, shall take an oath to be administered by one of the judges of the supreme or superior court of the state, where the cause shall be tried, "well and truly to hear and determine the matter in question, according to the best of his judgment, without favor, affection or hope of reward:" provided also, that no state shall be deprived of territory for the benefit of the United States.
Newburgh conspiracy: The new nation under the Articles of Confederation was in a financial crisis. Through the Newburgh Conspiracy, which was engineered by Alexander Hamilton and Robert Morris, the army, whose pay was overdue, threatened to force the states into surrendering more power to the national government.
What happens now? Monarchs, dictators, or tribal chiefs ruled the world at this time. The type of government that the colonies chose takes a long time to "be born" and "grow" as it still is growing today. Where did these first men in the government get these ideas of what should they do to make a "government of the people"?
What happens now? Monarchs, dictators, or tribal chiefs ruled the world at this time. The type of government that the colonies chose takes a long time to "be born" and "grow" as it still is growing today. Where did these first men in the government get these ideas of what should they do to make a "government of the people"?
What happens now? Monarchs, dictators, or tribal chiefs ruled the world at this time. The type of government that the colonies chose takes a long time to "be born" and "grow" as it still is growing today. Where did these first men in the government get these ideas of what should they do to make a "government of the people"?
The British have surrendered and now terms must be decided as to what would happen next to the new country. Most of the men involved in picking a new government were highly educated and looked to the Ancient Greek with their DIRECT DEMOCRACY for a government by the people. They realized that this form of government was impractical. In fact, a majority of founding fathers were against "democracy" or even using the word democracy. They felt that democracy indicated mob rule. The colonies were too spread out...some living in mountainous regions, some in the tidewater communities. So like Plato's Republic, the founding fathers wanted a government that was based on ability. But how could they do this. And they looked at the REPUBLIC of Ancient Rome, which might give a central government too much power. So what to do?
While discussing what kind of government this new nation would have, the "Founding Fathers" knew there was also an "elephant in the room" that no one wished to talk about. The "elephant" was slavery. Southern state economies could not survive without it. Northern Puritanical states morally and economically could not abide it. The North was also making a fortune from the new Industrial Revolution and all the science that was changing the world. The factories, and rich plots of farmland gave poor families the opportunity to make their way in the world. Whether Northerners liked slavery or not, they did not want to compete for a job against a free black. And like it or not, the White world considered Blacks to be inferior in all ways, slave or free. As a result,the North had their own set of segregationist laws that still kept Blacks from attaining equality. Blacks had their own parts of the cities to live and could not work in some jobs. Nor could they attend many Northern schools.
The highly educated, deeply religious Northerner who lived on farms and in cities saw slavery as an evil. Ironically, the Northerner depended on the slaves to manufacture the cotton that came to the mills. The North also depended on sugar to make the rum that they sent in trade.
In the South, there was only a few cities. These were mostly port cities or trade centers. Otherwise, the Southerner lived a very independent rural life. If they were poor, they were on an acre or two with barely enough to keep their family alive. Most of these Southerners were uneducated, and saw the Black slaves as one step below all humans. The rich plantation owner viewed slaves as a farmer today views tractors or fertilizer; a necessity to grow their crops and make money. Slave were replaceable, and could used for anything that the master deemed to be important. In other words, they were protected by the Constitution. That is, they were the property of their White owner.
Both Washington and Jefferson, slave owners, hoped that there would be some way that slavery could be phased out. They both knew that slavery in America was like unstable dynamite producing an explosive effect that would tear this country apart. How right they were....
For the next 100 years or more, the Constitution would be a skeleton of what the United States would look like. Would it ever accept Blacks as equals, women, immigrants, non-land owners? Fights would go on in Congress, in the courts and in the fields over who would have the power! They still do. The Presidential debates are talking non-stop about what role government should play. Would the Constitution give power only to a small portion of rich white men, or would the United States be a government for the people? Would each state have its own powers or would they have to surrender to a national government? What if that national government became too strong, like Great Britain had once been? Where did we go next?
PART 2-
WHAT IN THE WORLD...... Industrial Revolution
Industrial RevolutionFROM FORDHAM UNIVERSITY http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook14.asp#The Industrial Revolution
See Main Page for a guide to all contents of all sections.
The Industrial Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution of the 17th-18th Centuries
Abraham Cowley (1618-1667): Of Agriculture, 1650 -
Turnips Accounts of the "Potato Revolution" 1695 - 1845
John A. Mazis: The Potato [Modern Account][At UMN]
Field Rotation Animal Breeding
The Revolution in the Manufacture of Textiles
2ND Arnold Toynbee (1852-1883): Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England [At McMaster] Leeds Woolen Workers' Petition, 1786 [At this Site] Leeds Cloth Merchants' Letter, 1791 [At this Site] Defending machinery.
The Revolution in Power
WEB The Kew Bridge Steam Museum [In the UK]
Thomas Newcomen: The Newcomen Engine [At Internet Archive, from exeter.ac.uk][Sketch picture]
James Watt (1736-1819): The Steam Engine, c. 1769 [At this Site][Picture]
Thomas H. Marshall: James Watt, 1925 [At Steam Engine Library][Full Text]
Richard Guest: Compendious History of the Cotton Manufacture,
1823, excerpts [At this Site]On the application of steam power to cotton looms and the social effects.
William Radcliffe: Origin of...Power Loom Weaving, 1828, excerpts [At this Site] The Great Engineers<
List of the Great Engineers [At Internet Archive, from Heriot-Watt]
Charles Babbage Page, (1791-1871) [At Exeter University]
Babbage was a major pioneer in computing.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859): Works [At University of Dundee][Modern summary]
style="font-family: Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; 16px;">
The Process of Industrialization
Tables Illustrating the Spread of Industrialization, [At this Site]
Spread of Railways in Europe [At this Site]
Camillo de Cavour: Railways in Italy
Social and Political Effects
The Lives of Workers
Observations on the Loss of Woollen Spinning, 1794, excerpts [At this Site]
The Life of the Industrial Worker in Ninteenth-Century England
Literary Response
William Blake: Preface to 'Milton', 1804 [At Spartacus.net]
William Wordsworth (1770-1850): The Excursion, 1814 [At this Site]
Charles Dickens: Hard Times, Excerpts [At Internet Archive, from PIMA]
Charles Dickens: Hard Times, Chapter 2 [At Mt Holyoke]
Elizabeth Gaskell: North and South, 1855, excerpts [At Internet Archive, from Clinch Valley College]
Elizabeth Gaskell: Mary Barton - A tale of Manchester life [At Project Gutenberg][Full Text]
Elizabeth Gaskell: North and South [At Project Gutenberg][Full Text]
Elizabeth Gaskell: Cranford [At Project Gutenberg][Full Text]
Thomas Carlyle: Signs of the Times: The "Mechanical Age [At this Site]
Emile Zola (1840-1902): Germinal, 1885, extracts [At WSU]
Andrew Carnegie (18351919): The Gospel of Wealth, 1889 [At this Site]
Horatio Alger: The Boy who Makes Goo
The Scientific Revolution in the 17th Century
REVOLUTIONS
Confederation and Constitution
Confederation and constitution part 2
Thomas Jefferson Returns and Confronts Hamilton over a National Bank
Political Parties
part 2
PART THREE
CONFEDERATION AND CO NSTITUTION
COMPARISON OF ARTICLES WITH CONSTITUTION XXXX
Please cite this source when appropriate: Feldmeth, Greg D. "U.S. History Resources"
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/USHistory.html (31 March 1998).
Page 205
COTTON IS KING- THE ECONOMICS OF THE SOUTH
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse