1. The American Revolution and The Enlightenment
By: Shea Mello

2. The Enlightenment Began in the 17th century
Used approaches from Scientific Revolution to study society and the natural world
Carolus Linnaeus wanted to group living things
Samuel Johnson developed English dictionary
Denis Diderot (France) cooperated with others and developed the 35 volume encyclopedia
Some sought inquiries that tested religious and political associations
Society and government
Helped model revolutionary movements of 18th cent.

3. The Enlightenment (Con’t)
John Locke said people had the right to rebel when monarchy defied natural rights
Sole rights were foundation of civil government
No uniform plan for political and social reform
Enlightenment partnered with hatred to religion and monarchy
Charles III (Spain), Catherine the Great (Russia), and Frederick the Great (Prussia) promoted circulation of new ideas

4. New Ideas Women helpful in circulation of ideas
Middle-class debated books and pamphlets
Some were writers and commentators
Public areas were places to discuss scientific ideas, technologies, etc.
European intellectuals engrossed by Americas
Some thought the land as barbaric
Others used the New World to support judgment of European society

5. Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin embodied the huge potential of America
Born in Boston in 1706
Invented many things such as bifocal glasses, the lightning rod, etc.
Important political figure
Delegate to the Continental Congress that published the Declaration of Independence
Ambassador of Paris, where he became a symbol of the era
Life symbolized the Enlightenment’s most vital point, "the freeing of human potential from the effects of inherited privilege.”

6. Folk Cultures and Popular Protest
In 18th century, monarchs tried to boost authority
Tried to centralize power by taxes, judicial practice, and public control
People saw these as violations of sacred customs
Reformers wanted to bring order and discipline

7. The American Revolution
Political and cultural conversion in Europe and the Americas
Limited monarchy authority
Religion lost its control of Western intellectual life
Social order decided by birth was replaced by social idea highlighting competition and social flexibility
Lowered fur prices caused stress on environment
Proclamation of 1763
Established western limit for settlement

8. Colonial Protests Colonists hated Stamp Act of 1765
Protests and boycott caused repeal
Threatened colonial liberties
“Boston Massacre”
Parliament repealed some taxes and jobs
Crisis
Boston tea party
Closed Boston port
Thomas Gage

9. The Course of Revolution
George Washington led army
July 4, 1776
50,000 British troops
30,000 German mercenaries in colonies
Overconfident in British military with poor leadership kept them from finding political solutions
Iroquois' Confederacy protected land with diplomacy and warfare
Split the Iroquois

10. The Course of Revolution (Con’t)
Mohawk were important allies to British
Joseph Brant organized force of fighting
1777 defeat of John Burgoyne
Mohawks at risk
Win against the British ended the war
Treaty of Paris gave independence
Colonies had governments before Declaration of Independence

11. Creating New Government
Second Continental Congress sent Articles of Confederation
Wasn’t approved until 1781
Created “one-house legislature”
Confederation couldn’t enforce peace treaty
Virginia and other states talked about failure of the government
Massachusetts rebellion by war veterans gave sense of urgency to the delegates

12. Constitutional Convention
May of 1787
2nd revolution (nonviolent)
Delegates wanted to write a new constitution
Outcome gave political power equally to executive, legislative, and judicial branches
democracy

13. Democracy Small amount had all political rights
Northerners “hostile” to slavery
Southerners protection the institution
Women led boycotts during war
Some hid as mean, others were nurses
New Jersey was only state to give women and African Americans the vote
Terminated in 1807

14. Works Cited
The book