By 1775, the colonists living in the thirteen colonies were tired of the unjust treatment of the English crown. They wanted their own government and their own taxation, one that was not controlled by authorities overseas. The colonists developed a very strong sense of their identity and unity as Americans by establishing intercolonial committees as well as creating an unified opposition of the English laws and acts. The intercolonial committees first began developing in
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Colonists' Sense of Unity Before the Revolution
Colonial Unity on the Eve of the Revolution
Colonial Identity and Unity
Unity
Colonial Unity and the Revolution
Colonial Unity and the Revolution
Also, leaders in the colonies began to rise to the occasion and spread a common feeling of disloyalty in the British crown. One of these leaders in Boston, Samuel Adams, created local commitees throughout the area, so as to arouse rebellion. Even further down the road was the Continental Congress in 1774, which virtually destroyed state barriers with the meeting of 55 distinguished men, and the Association, which made an agreement to completely boycott British goods. All of this adds up to the American sentiment that working with the english crown was not in their best interests anymore, and a united people against their oppresion was maturing.
American Identity and Unity by the Eve of Revolution
After being slightly enriched with a spirit of independence after the French and Indian war, colonists developed a greater sense of their identity and unity as Americans by the eve of the Revolution from British laws and policies that outraged them and the rise of propaganda. For example, the Townshend revenue duties that supported parliamentary taxation and the Navigation laws discontented Americans. This then led to propaganda, whom people like Samuel Adams was zealous for. He formed local committees of correspondence in 1772 that opposed British policy and roused resistance, which eventually led to the establishment of intercolonial committees of correspondence that disseminated sentiment in favor of united action. Furthermore, the summoning of a Continental Congress in 1774, which partially broke down intercolonial barriers and gathered fifty-five distinguished men, created The Association, which was an agreement to completely boycott British goods. The fact that the 12 of 13 attending colonies agreed to this was a show of their independence and unity and established their identity away from the British. Overall, British taxation and laws that colonists thought as ridiculous fueled their discontent and roused resistance, and eventually propelled them to rebel against the British once they pushed into Concord.
Identity and Unity as Americans
During the French and Indian War Americans gained more confidence in their military power and saw weaknesses in the British military, which gave them hope for success during the Rebellion. Shortly before the Revolution Samuel Adams started organizing local committees of correspondence. He had formed the 1st local committee of correspondence “in Boston during 1772, some eighty towns in the colony set up similar organizations” (pg. 131). In a very short period of time “every colony had established a central committee through which it could exchange ideas and information with other colonies” (pg. 132). This connection between the colonies brought forth more unity. Also, all the Acts passed by the British Parliament were disliked by most American citizens, which united them in the fight against a common enemy. However, not everybody agreed on having a self governed America, in fact only one third of the population wanted and fought for it.
Colonial Unity
Colonial Unity
UNity in New England colonies
Various acts, such as the Molasses Act, the Stamp Acts, and the Sugar Acts brought together a profound feeling of resentment by the colonists towards the British. These acts did not seem fair to them, for they made them loose their money and their rights. The unity among the colonists intensified as shown in deffierent protests such as smuggling after the Molasses Act, the Boston Tea Party after Tea acts, and other such rebellions. In the end, the general dislike and umbrage towards these acts and the British in general was what brought on unity among all Americans, and eventually this is what helped and saved them in war.
Unity and Identity of American Colonists
The Unity of the Colonists on Eve of Revolution
The colonists banded together to survive and defeat the French in the war and as a result realized how much power and skill they wielded when brought together. This would be key in helping untie them again under a common enemy.
The Stamp Act and the proclamation of 1763 really angered the colonists as they were forced to pay for a war in which they did not receive benefits. These angry sentiments led to protests and tavern talks by folks like Samuel Adams. Letters were spread throughout the colonies about resisting the injustices.
When they were being taxed without representation, the colonies truly united in a boycott of all British goods, severely dampening the revenue of England.
By the eve of revolution the majority of the colonists was riled up and had united in their fight. By seeing the results of their unity, they became even more united to face their now enemy, Britain.
Unity of colonists by the eve of the Revolution
Another example of British oppression leading to a unification among the colonies was the passing of the Intolerable Acts as punishment for the Boston Tea Party. Theis brutal punishment resulted in the summoning of the Continental Congress in 1774, in which 12 of the 13 colonies had representation. This showed incredible unity against the British, despite the many existing differences among the colonies. Ironically, the British had the strongest influence on the unification of the previously divided colonies, which allowed for the eventual rebellion and Revolution.
Ja. The Blog Thing: Unity of the Colonists by the eve of the American Revolution
The Revolution lasted over a century and a half and began when the first permanent English settlers set foot on the new continent. Over the years such a ferment had occurred in the thinking of colonists that the Revolution was completed in their minds before musketballs began to fly. The beginning of migration also caused the beginning of rebellion: one of the first events/acts that angered colonists in terms of unfairness was that the British government was losing money and America seemed bountiful. After they decided to give them taxes and all kinds of fun, many Americans began to sniff the strong scent of a conspiracy to strip them of their historic liberties. They lash back violently to destroy targets such as the Stamp Act. Eventually, actions by the British government led to revenge. They wanted to "teach the colonists a lesson" by sending redcoat soldiers over to seize goods such as gunpowder, tea, and other miscellaneous crates. This led to the Townshend Tea Tax, Boston Massacre, the infamous Intolerable Acts, and further battles erupted from it. Although many colonists languished governmental chaos, it brought the rebel colonists closer together, more dependable upon one another.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Extent of Unification between New England Colonies
To what extent had the colonists developed a sense of their unity as Americans by the eve of the Rev.?
To an extent the colonist had developed a sense of identity and unity as American by the eve of the revolution. This unity and identity by no mean came instantaneously, but came as a slow trickle and even on the eve of the revolution was not still complete.
American Identity & Unity by the Eve of the Revolution
Now all three regions were faced with the same problems, acts, and taxes the British government had chained on to them. There was the Proclamation of 1763, banning the colonists from traveling across the Appalacian Mountains for fear of another conflict with Native Americans. There was the Stamp Act, which forced colonists to pay a tax whenever they published a public document. Colonists felt that the British were terribly oppressive in their laws, and these laws didn't pertain to just one region; colonial America as a whole was effected.
Referring to Kelly's earlier post, the colonists faced common problems, which brought them closer together. All were oppressed by the British crown, and all wanted freedom from a government that was on the other side of the Atlantic. None of the colonists liked the Sugar or Stamp Acts, and felt they were progressive with governing themselves. However, the most daunting of the acts placed on the colonies was the Quartering Act in 1765. The British Parliament now declared that British troops were to be housed in American forts and public houses; if the soldier's numbers were too great, they were allowed to stay in other buildings, while its inhabitants had to provide the soldiers with food and bedding. Basically, the act was meant to intimidate colonists; soldiers were now staying in their towns, watching everything in order to keep the colonists in line. These outrageous acts were just the beginning of a long list (Mutiny Act, Intolerable Acts...) and led up to the colonists decision to fight back.
Making Sure
Thanks.
Friday, September 28, 2007
To what extent had the colonists developed a sense of their identity/unity as Americans by the eve of the Rev.?
Another large factor in uniting the colonists were the litter of events that created big problems for the Americans. Many of the events, such as the Proclamation of 1763, forced the colonists to face common problems, which eventually led to the colonies working together in order to solve those problems. The Navigation Laws passed by Parliament in 165o angered the colonials, as did the Sugar and Stamp acts of 1764 and 1765. The events, especially the passing of the two tax acts, presented the colonies with a large economic problem, and helped unite the colonies in uprising against it. As tensions increased between colonial American and Britain, the colonists became more and more united in their cause.
One event that had a large impact, causing a long reaction chain to occur was the passing of the Townshend Acts in 1767. The act put a light import duty on glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea, and the revenues it generated went to pay for the salaries of the royal governers. The colonists started to smuggle their tea, until Britain sent in troops. The interactions of the troops and the colonists increased tension and caused friction, which in turn led to the Boston Massacre in 1770. This event further fanned the flames of rebellious ideas and attitudes in a America. Samuel Adam, affected by this wave, formed a local committee in Massachusetts, causing eighty other towns to do the same. This undoubtedly propelled the unity of the colonists in the direction of the American Revolution.
The Boston Tea Party of 1773 caused yet another chain of events that furthered the unity of the colonies. After the uprising, Britain forced the Bostn Port Act which closed the harbor until reparations were made. The Intolerable Acts also took away many of Massachusett's rights and restricted town meetings. Afterwards, there was a strong sense of American unity. Colonies flew flags at half-mast and rallied together to send food to the city (134). The Continental Congress met in 1774 in response to the punishment of Massachusetts, and twelve colonies sent 55 representatives. There they signed the Declaration of Rights as well as other papers appealing to Britain. Although they were rejected, the colonies had united through the many events that stemmed from the tensions brewing between the mother and the daughter countries.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
American- British Relations
French and Indian War Effect on Colonial and British Relations
French and Indian War
British-American Relations
French and Indian War's Effects on British/American Relations
The French and Indian War was a war that strained American and English relations. The English victory of land in
American-British Relations After the French and Indian War
The effects of the French and Indian War on American-British relations were mostly detrimental to the interactions between the groups, however, caused some unity between British soldiers and average colonials. Negative tension between the colonists and British was mostly a result of British arrogance. The colonists were generally confident in their military strength after the French and Indian War, yet English officers refused to recognize any American militia commission above the rank of captain. This was due to the feeling of superiority soldiers had over amateurs, thus humiliating them and portraying them as failures. This caused tension because Americans felt they deserved credit for saving their New World colonies, and the title of inferiority placed on them by
American-British Relations
Effect of The F & I War
French and Indian war on British American Relations
The British had previously regarded as weak and cowardly,yet the resiliance the colonists had in the matters of trade with the French West Indies and other such affairs began to prove otherwise. Although new and younger men such as William Pitt began climbing the ranks in the British army by awarding their country numerous victories, they also marked the end in British supreme control over the New World.
No matter how one looks at it, the French Indian war was one of the first stones on the road to the American Revolution, and one of the firsts steps in achieving American liberty.
Effects of French-Indian War on GBR and Colonist relations
Other events furthered tension between the two groups. British officials were not amused by the fact that Americans were still trading foodstuffs for other items with French West Indian islands. The reason for their anger was because they were trying to "subdue" these islands. In actual fact this trade kept some of these "hostile islands" (115) from starving. Near the close of the war the British for this reason forbade exports from leaving New England ports. Of course this upset trade and let to future conflicts with the crown.
French and Indian War
Results of the French and Indian War
The French and Indian war had negative effects on American-British relations. One reason for this was that the British made a law that no American military man could hold a rank higher than captain. During the war, American militia men often fought battles with British forces in addition to often being commanded by British higher ranking officials. When this happened there were numerous examples of British men who had no respect for the American militia; considering them lesser soldiers. One example of this was when General Wolfe, a British General who led British and American troops in Canada called Americans “Scum” who had confessed failure by fleeing to the “outhouses of civilization”. Also key to the deterioration of British-American relations in the context of the French and Indian war was the aftermath of the war. One result of the war was that the French were driven off of North America. As a result, England received a large quantity of extra land on what was at the time considered the Western frontier. This excited colonials who wanted to settle this region. however, the British issued the proclamation of 1763. This law prohibited the settling of this region. The colonials were so outraged that they settled the area anyway. This was key to the eventual colonial dissension.
The French and Indian War
French and Indian War ...
The French and Indian War was the first one to combine the forces of the British Colonies, in all the previous wars there had been an astonishing lack of unity. “In 1754 the British government summoned an intercolonial congress to Albany, New York, near the Irquois Indian country” (pg. 112). There the Iroquois chiefs loyal to the British were handed thirty wagons of gifts o they would stop the war from spreading. Another reason for the congress was to unify the colonies, so that they could defend themselves against the French. Benjamin Franklin was a leading member of the Albany Congress and “his outstanding contribution was a scheme for colonial home rule” (112). This caused a split between the colonies and the British officials, one thought it gave not enough independence and the other thought it gave too much. Overall it symbolized the problem between colonists and British officials not being able to work together and each having different opinions on many subjects. After England had won the war “England’s colonials emerged with increased confidence in their military strength” (pg. 114), because after they had won the war they knew that by working together they could achieve something. During the War colonists had also seen British militia be scared and flee from their enemy, which proved to them that it was possible to beat them.
Effect of French/Indian War on American-Brit Relations
French and Indian War
French & Indian War
Analyze the effects of the French and Indian War on American British relations.
The removal of the French empire in the Americas caused a greater urge among the colonists to expand their regions into lands not ventured in before, but the British sought to limit this venturing of unsafe lands with acts such as the Proclamation of 1763. The colonists saw this as oppression by the English. These views of oppression are what led to the eventual feelings of rebellion against the British. American- British relations were incredibly hostile by this time becuase of the French adn Indian War, which is what led to the eventual rebellions against the British.
Analyze the effects of French and Indian War on the America colonies?
Effects of French and Indian War on American-British Relations
Worsening the American-British relations was the fact that the Americans' trade with enemy islands countered the British's attempts at weakening them. Americans also displayed signs of selfishness when they refused to provide support and revenue for the wars. Instead, they argued for the same rights as the English without having to do anything the English have to do, such as defending themselve against the enemies. In general, the relations between Americans and the British declined especially after the French-Indian war, uniting the Americans against their motherland country.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Effects of the French and Indian War on American-British relations
The British victory in the French and Indian War had a great impact on the British Empire. First, it meant a great expansion of British territorial claims in the New World. But the cost of the war had greatly enlarged Britain's debt. Moreover, the war generated substantial resentment towards the colonists among English leaders, who were not satisfied with the financial and military help they had received from the colonists during the war. All these factors combined to persuade many English leaders that the colonies needed a major reorganization and that the central authority should be in London. The English leaders set in motion plans to give London more control over the government of the colonies and these plans were eventually a big part of the colonial resentment towards British imperial policies that led to the American Revolution.
The war had an equally profound but very different effect on the American colonists. First, the colonists had learned to unite against a common foe. Before the war, the thirteen colonies had found almost no common ground and they coexisted in mutual distrust. But now thay had seen that together they could be a power to be reckoned with. And the next common foe would be Britain. With France removed from North America, the vast interior of the continent lay open for the Americans to colonize. The English government induced a controlled population movement, they issued a Royal Proclamation that prohibited settlement west of the line drawn along the crest of the Alleghenny mountains and to enforce that meassure they authorized a permanent army of 10,000 regulars (paid for by taxes gathered from the colonies; most importantly the "Sugar Act" and the "Stamp Act"). This infuriated the Americans who, after having been held back by the French, now saw themselves stopped by the British in their surge west.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Immigration and the Great Awakening
Great Awakening & Immigration to Democracy
Immigration versus the Great Awakening
The Great Awakening had some influence on the development of a Democratic Society in America, but immigration was key to the development of Democracy in the United States. Before the great Awakening, religion in America was strict and very conservative. Religion was based on hierarchical ideals that work well with a strictly defined class system. These ideas did not mesh well with the Democratic ideas of America. The Great Awakening took away some of the negativity that made the religious society so strict. Immigration was extremely important in the development of Democracy in America. One of the keys to Democratic society is to have some sense of equality throughout. By having people of many nationalities all set at as equals, the foundation for Democracy is set. Also by setting many nationalities on an equal playing field, hard work and thus production is encouraged.
Contributions for a More Democratic Society
Evolution of Democracy Regarding Quests of Jonathan Edwards and the combined significance of Immigration
Great Awakening + Immigration on Democracy
In the British Colonies, immigration was of a much larger impact on the future-United States’ step towards democracy than was the Great Awakening. Firstly, immigration provided for the basis of the British colonies, especially considering that it was unsettled by Europeans before the 1600s. Also, immigration created a melting pot of nationalities that created confrontation and argumentation, part of the many keys to democratic life and society. Furthermore, the same melting pot of peoples created a growing crave for representative governments, so as to allow everybody to have their fair say in political and economic decisions of a region. The Great Awakening, may have lowered religious boundaries between churches and it could be debated that it led to more religious tolerance, and even further, the national separation of church and state, but it is not completely correct to say this, because many of the colonies were already very religiously tolerant, such as Pennsylvania and Rhode Island especially, but also New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Delaware, Maryland, and even the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia. Only
Democracy
The Great Awakening also greatly impacted democracy. Through the creation of new religious ideas, new principles and thoughts were able to be expressed. In this instance there was religious Democracy, because the already reformed Christian faith had been reformed again.
Awakening and Immigration
Immigration and the Great Awakening
democratic society
The great diversity and the constant additions to this diversity through immigration brought many different believes, languages, and cultures to America. In the American colonies there were almost no different social classes, except for slavery. Many people were farmers, which made everybody equal from the very beginning. This led a good foundation for a democracy, because this way later on a Scott-Irish person would have the same right to vote as, for example, a German person.
Starting in the early 18th century religion became less fervid. Many liberal ideas began to challenge the old, strict Puritan believes. Americans started to believe that human beings were not predestinate to damnation, but that you could save yourself by good behavior during your lifetime. The Great Awakening was a religious revival that swept throughout all the colonies and it increased the number of competitiveness of American churches, which gave the individual a bigger choice. “The Great Awakening was the first spontaneous mass movement of the American people”(95). It was the first step for American people to act as one and state their opinion and bring through a change that they wanted.
Contribution of the Great Awakening and Immigration
The Great Awakening was a moving period in the eyes of the preachers and worshippers. It contributed to a more democratic society to a lesser extent then immigration by allowing the priests to orate their strong beliefs about different heresies but the priests still had one idea and view point of religion. Immigration contributed greatly to a more democratic society by allowing a melting pot of people with various cultures and religions to come to
Immigration & The Great Awakening
Immigration Vs. Awakening
Immigration and the Great Awakening
Immigration and The Great Awakening.
Contributions to Democratic society
Immigration helped diversify colonial society, which in turn helped diversify ideas, languages, and religions. The basic definition of democracy is a government controlled by the people of different races. Immigration also helped to bring on the Great Awakening, which brought on new ideas and began the rise of several religious denominations. These new ideas, religions, cultures, and languages brought about a more democratic society than anyone had seen before. However, these new aspects of life do not necessarily mean that America all of a sudden became more domcratic. A series of Great Awakenings over a fairly long period of time helped bring this about. Therefore, Immigration and the series of Great Awakenings only made America's society into a more democratic society to a limited extent.
Immigration + The Great Awakening
What a Contradiction/Paradox/Consider Post
--------------------------------------------------------So..........Consider Post
Immigration had by far a greater effect on democratization than The Great Awakening. About 60% of Americans were European. Alot of these were Germans, Irish, and other groups not under allegiance to the Crown. This seems ludicrous as they have moved to a country and should abide by its rules: but the fact is, there were no real rules then, and the colonies were SO independent from the Crown. Therefore when the crown issued Acts like the "Molasses Act" "Americans bribed and smuggled" doing anything they could for their own good against a crown government that seemingly was not concerned about its colonies welfare. So having a mixture of immigrants in a country that is ruled from such a distance nation is a recipe for conflict. The people had to unite. In short this is shown through the declaration of independence, giving rights to ALL men (again as I said above the irony is that blacks and women were excluded) ...which may as well be written ALL immigrants. The influx of immigrants arriving in America caused conflict with the crown that unified the colonies, throwing aside race and embracing democracy.
Contributions to Democracy: Immigration and The Great Awakening
During the 1700s, immigration diversified the ethnic makeup of the original colonies, which was the driving force of The Great Awakening, which revitalized the interest in American religion; coupled together, democracy in the colonies was a result of both aforementioned factors, yet immigration bonded colonists more than The Great Awakening .Immigration, though predominantly English, encouraged mingling and interracial relations, which then built a new multicultural identity that was ethnically diverse. This created a land of equality and opportunity, aside from slavery, where no single class dominated the social structure. Thus, roots of democracy were established with the unified people of the colonies, who could relate to one another through motives of leaving
Contributions to democracy
The immigration mostly contributed to the democratic society in
Immigration and The Great Awakening
Contribution to democratic society: the Great Awakening, immigration
Immigration to the New World provided for a more democratic society than the Great Awakening did, partly because the Great Awakening caused controversy between new lights and old lights, and set off many schisms within the churches. Immigration however, blended the many different ethncities together to promote multicultural American identities. In America there was a sense of equality because each person, especially immigrants, worked to till their own land (with the exception of slavery) in order to work their way up the ladder. However, immigration did result in some ethnic tension, while the Great Awakening broke boundaries and lines and helped promote the idea of the American people as one peoples.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
South vs. New England
North vs South
In the northern colonies, religion was the basis of life, no matter for freedom or simply for separation from the crown, but in the southern states, monetary gain was the most important, as the most appealing draw was not the religion at all, but the fertile land. In the northern colonies, such as
Comparison on New England and the Southern Colonies
In New England the culture was based around family, the various Churches (mostly Puritan) and safety in numbers from the natives and other nation's colonies. Since the land would only support a small number of crops and in small amounts the New Englanders had to rely on the resources the land offered. Their economy consisted of mainly cod fishing, timber, and livestock. There were more cities in New England than in the South, yet most of society was built around small villages and farms. The Church was often the clue that held communities together as they all shared such deep belief in their faith. Families were the center of New England life,they were often large because women bore many children and many lived to be adults. Since so many people lived to an old age, women were usually taken care of their whole lives and signed away their rights to property once married. Education was valued in New England, most adults could read and write. New Englanders respected hard work and often penny-pinched so as not to waste anything.
In both the South and New England colonies people generally did the same thing. They woke at dawn, slept at dusk. The men worked the land, cut firewood, and butchered animals. The women cooked, cleaned, sewed, and tended to children. The children helped with everything, learning all the while. Most people were from the same social class in England, so even though there were attempts; a real social caste was never established.
North and South Comparison
North vs South
Comparing the Colonies
The Southern colonies were religious as well, but life didn't center around it like it did in the North. Southern colonies depended more on economics, like growing crops, particularly tobacco. North Carolinians were hard workers, who grew tobacco and other crops on small farms, with little need for slaves (37).