The American Revolution HIST /13/13

“Enlightened” Revolutions What’s the difference between a subject and a citizen?

Subjects vs. Citizens Subjects – Asymmetrical relationship(s) – Obligations to the sovereign, but little rights – Rights and obligations determined by royal privilege Citizens – Exchange of rights and responsibilities – Rights and responsibilities codified and equally distributed, rule of law – Equality amongst citizens – Popular sovereignty

Enlightenment and Revolution Enlightenment: applies methods and questions of the Scientific Revolution to study of human society. Creates new critical responses to government action, questions traditional forms of government, namely monarchy.

Spread of Enlightenment Ideals Growing educated middle class key to expansion of Enlightenment Consumers of books, newspapers, and journals Used urban gathering places to exchange and debate ideas… – Salons – Coffeehouses and teashops

John Locke ( ) English political philosopher Father of “Liberalism” Governments are created to protect life, liberty, and property. People had a right to rebel against a monarch who violated these natural rights. Individual rights (secured by government institutions) are the foundation of government.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau ( ) French-Swiss intellectual Will of the people is sacred. Legitimate power comes only from consent of the people. Emphasizes collective political action over individual rights.

“Of the Social Contract, Or Principles of Political Right” Rousseau, published in 1762 Establish a political society in the face of inequality due to commercial economy. Only the people, in the form of the sovereign have the right to legislate. – “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” – “The Sovereign, having no force other than the legislative power, acts only by means of laws; and the laws being solely the authentic acts of the general will, the Sovereign cannot act save when the people is assembled.” – “Every law the people have not ratified in person is null and void – is, in fact, not a law.” – “The legislative power belongs to the people, and can belong to it alone.”

Enlightened Monarchs Patronized Enlightenment thinkers Opportunity to expand authority at the expense of church, nobility, and regional autonomy. Nationalize bureaucracy with meritocracy, legal system, and tax systems. Developments in science and technology = growing treasuries Catherine the Great of Russia (r ) and Frederick the Great of Prussia (r )

What is a Revolution? Sons of Liberty tearing down statue of King George III in New York (1776) Protesters in Tahrir Square, Cairo Feb. 8, 2011

The American Revolution from a World Historical Perspective North America = Colonies on the cheap Lack of valuable resources Market for manufactured goods Colonists allowed a great deal of independence

The American Revolution from a World Historical Perspective Colonial ambitions lead to wars which spread to European continent. War of Spanish Succession ( ) War of Austrian Succession ( ) Seven Years War ( )

Seven Years War or First World War? Four wars (and then some) for the price of one… – French and Indian War (North America, ) – Pomeranian War (Sweden and Prussia, ) – Third Carnatic War (India, ) – Third Silesian War (Prussia and Austria, ) – First Cevallos expedition (South America, ) Redraws maps of British, French, and Spanish colonies.

Participants in Seven Years War

Changing Colonial Boundaries

The American Revolution from a World Historical Perspective British face massive war debts (£137 million with £5 million interest payments) Expectation that colonies should pay British raise taxes and seek limits on colonial governments in Americas.

The American Revolution from a World Historical Perspective Proclamation of 1763: establishes western limit to expansion Fear of expenses related to wars with Amerindians Attempts to put costs of imperial wars on colonies backfires.

Colonial Protests Stamp Act of 1765: Tax on legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, nearly all printed materials. Hits propertied colonists, holders of high office, and members of colonial elite hardest. Pushes elites into leadership roles. Including British officers like George Washington Boycotts of British goods. Rhetoric of British “tyrants”

British reactions New taxes British troops sent to quell protests. Dissolving of colonial legislatures Boston Massacre: March 5, 1770 East India Company tea monopoly Boston Tea Party Martial Law in the colonies

American Revolution 1775: Armed struggle against British George Washington ( ), veteran of French and Indian War leads army July 4, 1776: Declaration of Independence How does the Declaration of Independence reflect Enlightenment ideals? Is there a particularly colonial element to it? 1781: Battle of Yorktown, the British surrender, “The World Turned Upside-Down”