1. The American Revolution
Today we will be able to answer the following questions…
What caused the American Revolution?
Who were the main “players” in the Revolution?
What were the consequences of the Revolution?

2. Review Questions
What are the main ideas of the Enlightenment philosophers?
How do they challenge the powers of Absolute Monarchs?  
John Locke
Voltaire
Thomas Hobbes

3. Causes of the Revolution
British neglect  allowed a large degree of autonomy and self-government in the colonies
1760’s
Britain began to attempt to recover lost assets and funds by increasing taxes in the colonies
Boston Massacre & The Sons of Liberty, Boston Tea Party
Intolerable Acts

4. Great Britain’s New Laws
Imposed on colonists to help pay for the war debts caused from the French and Indian War/Seven Years War (ended 1763)
Great Britain began to assert its right to impose laws on the colonies. Why need to impose new taxes?
GB defeat French in the French and Indian War (1763) and cost a lot of money. GB decided to make the colonies pay part of the cost in the form of new taxes.

5. Stamp Act- (1765)
Required colonists to pay a tax for an official stamp on all newspapers, legal documents, and other public papers
Taxation without Representation
Reply: boycott English goods
Parliament repeals the Stamp Act in 1766.

6. Townshend Acts- (1767)
New series of taxes on glass, paper, paints, and tea
Boston merchants were furious
call for another boycott!
British send over troops to keep order in the city, most of which are harassed by the colonists  leads to Boston Massacre (1770)

7. The Conflict Heats up…
Sons of Liberty- (1773) groups of organized Patriots (shopkeepers, artisans, etc.)
Boston: group led by Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, carry out the Boston Tea Party
British response: Intolerable Acts/Coercive Acts (1774)
British close the port of Boston
Massachusetts charter was revoked – crown colony
Protection of British officials – removed from colonies for a trial
House British troops
(these are regulations that limit the freedom of the colonist).

9. The War Begins April 19, 1775 (official 1st battles)
Sons of Liberty had hidden weapons in the countryside
British soldiers found out and started searching for them.
Lexington, Massachusetts: First battle of American Revolution  “The Shot Heard Round the World”
Declaration of Independence written July 4th severing all ties with Great Britain

10. Leaders Thomas Paine English-American
wrote pamphlet Common Sense, which argued that the colonist should be free
Helped sway public opinion in favor of removing British rule
Secretary of Committee of Foreign Affairs
Ardently supported French Revolution
Thomas Paine

11. Second Continental Congress
Committee formed to write a document declaring the colonies’ independence from Great Britain
John Adams- well-educated man who believed in the enlightenment ideas
Thomas Jefferson- wrote the Declaration incorporating ideas the Enlightenment
George Washington- commanding general of the army
Benjamin Franklin- was in Paris, France at the time asking for help in the war

12. Colonist Win! Pivotal assistance from France
British surrendered to General Washington on October 19, 1781.
Treaty of Paris (September 1783)- British government formally recognized the independence of the United States

13. Consequences The colonist form a new government
Articles of Confederation (1781)
Constitution (1787)
French Revolution ( )
Haitian Revolution ( )
First test of Enlightenment ideals towards government
The American Revolution was the first war in which old ideas about government were challenged by the ideas of the Enlightenment. Others were inspired by this and decided to fight for their rights and freedom too.

14. New government Constitution-based Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Guarantee of individual liberties (sort-of)
Popular sovereignty
Federalist system – power divided between nation & states
Was it that radical?
Didn’t touch slavery
Voting rights established by state but usually only property- owning, free males could vote

15. What caused the American Revolution?
Who were the main “players” in the Revolution?
What were the consequences of the Revolution?