Voting Rights in the US Reference handout and questions

Timeline-Events Leading to the American Revolution Create your own timeline. Use color [Colored Pencils or Markers] Be Creative!!! 15 Points Due Friday 11/8/13 [48 Hours]

The American Revolution and Enlightenment Ideas Objective: I can explain the connections among Enlightenment ideas and the American Revolution.

Enlightenment and Political Revolutions One of the most important aspects of life that Enlightenment thinking affected was that of politics (government). Its influence on governments in North America, France, and Latin America has shaped the world we live in today.

Discord Between Great Britain and the American Colonies After French and Indian War (Seven Year’s War), Britain was deeply in debt. (1763) Parliament, the British legislature, looked to the colonies as a source of much-needed funds. To increase revenue, Parliament tightened its control of colonial trade and made more effort to collect taxes that were already in place. Then over the next decade Parliament passed a series of new taxes that targeted the colonies.

New Taxes Stamp Act: Imposed a tax on most printed documents, including newspapers First time Parliament levied a tax for the purpose of raising money. All earlier taxes were for the purpose of regulating trade. The colonists were used to these taxes.

Board Splash You have 3 minutes to write down as much information you know about the American Revolution. After 3 minutes, each of you will take a turn to share an idea to the class.

New Taxes They were part of the policy of mercantilism: which held that colonies existed as a source of raw materials and as a market for their home countries. The colonists protested the new tax. The American colonist James Otis argued that the colonists could not be taxed by the British Parliament because they had no representatives there.

New Taxes The colonial rallying cry became “no taxation without representation.” Their protests were met with punitive measures by the British, such as additional taxes and the quartering of British troops in the colonies. Over the next ten years, Parliament continued to tax the colonies, and the colonists continued to protest, sometimes violently.

Partner Questions Why did the British begin taxing the American colonies to raise money? What kind of taxes existed before in the American colonies? Describe the new taxes: Name and Definition. What was the response of some American colonists? What is mercantilism?

The Revolution Begins By 1775, fighting had broken out, and by July 4, 1776, the colonies were in revolt. Patriot leaders such as Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry had called for independence from Britain for some time. They based their arguments for independence on Enlightenment writings, especially on the work of John Locke. Patriots embraced the right to rid themselves of a government that they felt had broken the social contract.

Partner Question Connect this quote to an Enlightenment thinker and his ideas. “Patriots embraced the right to rid themselves of a government that they felt had broken the social contract.”

Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson was chosen by members of the Second Continental Congress to draft a Declaration of Independence. Jefferson was well educated and familiar with the writings of Enlightenment thinkers. He borrowed many of their ideas in drafting the Declaration.

Declaration of Independence Jefferson wrote that all men are born with the natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is no accident that the words of John Locke and Thomas Jefferson are similar.

Partner Questions What Enlightenment thinker did Thomas Jefferson borrow ideas from to write the U.S. Declaration of Independence? What Enlightenment ideas are expressed in the U.S. Declaration of Independence?

Constitution of the United States Enlightenment ideas also influenced the new nation’s constitution. James Madison had studied and thought a great deal about what the government structure for the new government should be. James Madison’s ideas drew heavily on Enlightenment thinkers. For example, Madison used Montesquieu’s ideas of the separation of powers and checks and balances to create the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S. government and to explain their functions.

Partner Questions What Enlightenment thinker did James Madison borrow ideas from to write the U.S. Constitution? What Enlightenment ideas are expressed in the U.S. Constitution?