Creating a Unique American Culture The Enlightenment, The Great Awakening, and the French and Indian War

A Taste of Self Government Most of the 13 Colonies develop representative assemblies to mirror Parliament land ownership remains most common voting requirement Abundance of “available” land Owning land was a fantasy to a majority of Englishmen By 1776 there are almost 2 million people living in the 13 colonies

How to Make an American Colonist: Lots of Economic Opportunity More political power both locally and Colony-wide than the average Englishman back in England Sense of superiority due to being a part of the Constitutional Monarchy of the British Empire

The Enlightenment Philosophers valued reason and scientific methods Not relying on religion for all the answers Looked at experimentation to find the truth Started in Europe and moved to colonies Books and pamphlets Literacy high in colonies due to importance of education Thomas Jefferson reasoned that human beings are born with natural rights that governments must respect Leads to questioning British monarchy

The Great Awakening Puritan merchants prospered in colonies Taste for fine houses, stylish clothes, good food and wine etc… Maintaining strict Puritan code declined Series of religious revivals swept through New England Fiery traveling ministers began preaching in towns and villages. Sought to restore the intensity and dedication of the early Puritan church This caused an internal struggle within the church Conservative ministers didn’t like the revivals Many of the Ivy League Colleges were formed at this time as a “counter-revolution” to train ministers in the more conservative church doctrine.

Creating a Unique Culture Great Awakening “Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs.” “Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering.” “Truth is the agreement of our ideas with the ideas of God.” “Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.” The Enlightenment “…Unite, for the mutual preservation of their lives, liberties and estate…” "The end of law is, not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom." "Man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains." Both movements made people question traditional authority and stress importance of individuals

The French and Indian War French and British start fighting over Ohio River Valley in the New World Virginians sent to evict French from area Started the French and Indian War Call for colonies to unite to defend themselves against the French and the Indians On the side of the British "JOIN or DIE."

Spanish become allies with France 1761

French and Indian War Rough at first for the British, after about a year they started seeing some victories New leadership under William Pitt Put lots of money and troops into war He understood colonial concerns He offered them a compromise: col. loyalty & mil. cooperation-->Br. would reimburse their costs War officially ended in 1763 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris

The Treaty of Paris-1763 France --> lost her Canadian possessions, most of her empire in India, and claims to lands east of the Mississippi River Spain --> got all French lands west of the Mississippi River, New Orleans, but lost Florida to England England --> got all French lands in Canada, exclusive rights to Caribbean slave trade, and commercial dominance in India

North America in 1763

Effects of the War on Britain It increased her colonial empire in the Americas It greatly enlarged England’s debt Britain’s dislike for the colonials created bitter feelings England felt major reorganization of her American Empire was necessary

Effects of War on the Colonies Proclamation of 1763 British not allowed to cross over Appalachian Mountains due to attacks from Indians United colonies against a common enemy for the first time Bitter feelings towards the British It created a socializing experience for all the colonials who participated