1. The Enlightenment, British Government, & The American Revolution

2. The Glorious Revolution of 1688
King James II of England overthrown by William and Mary
Peaceful revolution- James split to France
A.K.A. “The Bloodless Revolution”

3. Results of Glorious Revolution
English Bill of Rights- 1689
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY: Listed what a ruler could not do
Limited power of the monarchy (king/queen)
Individual rights protected- due process of law

4. England’s Limited Democracy
Monarch’s power was balanced by power of the cabinet and parliament
Cabinet- executive committee that linked the king and Parliament
Parliament- made up by House of Lords (hereditary) and House of Commons (elected)
Prime minister- head of majority party in Parliament
Each had to answer to one another, no single authority

5. Britain built a worldwide empire
Wealthy merchants and businessmen dominated British government
The best way to make $$$ was colonies
Why colonies?
Land, Raw Materials, Trade, Power

6. British world empire

7. North America- Early 1700s

8. British Colonization
The British took control of North America after French and Indian War (a.k.a. Seven Year’s War )
Question:
Why did Britain want to maintain control over the colonies?
Answer:
To make a profit through trade and gain land

9. The American Colonies Question:
What did the British do to ensure a profit from their American colonies?
Answer:
Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!
Trade only with British merchants and no other countries, called mercantilism

10. The Colonist Reaction- What did they do?
Rebel, Rebel, Rebel
Before you have a rebellion, what do you need?
Motivation, Ideas, Leaders!!!

11. Boston tea party

12. The American Revolution- 1776
Question:
Upon whose Enlightenment ideas did the colonists base their actions for revolution?

13. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) Wrote: Leviathan People naturally wicked
Social contract
Absolute monarchy is best gov’t
“humans are driven by a perpetual and restless desire for power that ceases only in death.”

14. John Locke (1632-1704) Wrote: Two Treatises on Government
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Property
Gov’t by the consent of the people
Right to rebel & form new gov’t
Gov’t divided into 3 branches
“the natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth…”

15. Montesquieu (1689-1755) Wrote: On the Spirit of Laws, 1748
Separation of powers: executive (president)
judicial (courts)
legislative (congress)
Basis for U.S. Constitution
“When the lawmaking & law-enforcing powers are united in the same person…there can be no liberty.”

16. Rousseau (1712-1778) Wrote: The Social Contract People are born good
The only legitimate gov’t gets its power from the consent of the people
Direct democracy preserves people’s freedoms
“Man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”

17. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)
Wrote: A Vindication of the Rights of Women
All people equal
Society benefits from equality of men and women
Every person could be his or her own master
Education is very important
“society will not be whole until the last king is strangled with the guts of the last priest.”

18. The Declaration of Independence 1776

19. ANALYZE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Textbook, pg. 80-83
The Declaration can be broken into three parts:
Beliefs
Facts/Evidence
Actions to be taken

20. Answer the following questions:
Section 1: Beliefs
1.What do the colonists believe they have a right to do? Why?
Section 2 (starts with “He…”): Facts/Evidence
2. Who is the “He” that the authors refer to?
What are some things “He” did to cause the colonists to write the declaration?
Section 3 (starts with “We, therefore,”): Actions
4. What are the colonists going to do now that they’ve established their beliefs and listed the evidence?

21. 5. List at least 3 phrases in the Declaration of Independence that are evidence of enlightenment thinking.

22. Enlightenment thinking?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Declaration of Independence- 1776

23. “…Laws of Nature and Nature’s God…”
“all Men are created equal…”
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”
“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Government.”
Locke
Locke/Rousseau
Rousseau

24. “…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive… it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it…”
Locke