1. THE ENLIGHTENMENT: How did something that happened in the 1700s in England make America want to break free?
Philosophical movement led by great thinkers in Europe between 1680s s
The age of reason: question everything!
Focus on the importance of a strong state balanced with rights of individuals

2. THOMAS HOBBES England 1588-1679
Before government, we lived in a state of nature
“solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, short”
Social contract theory: people give up some rights to the state for security
Absolute central lawmaking authority needed

3. “There is no power on earth to be compared with him”
- Book of Job
Crosier: staff carried by Catholic leaders
Earthly Powers
Cannon
Weapons
Battlefield
Powers of Church
Excommunication
Logic
Religious courts

4. JOHN LOCKE England 1632 – 1704
Social contract creates limited government
Government exists only to protect natural rights: life, liberty, property
Government relies on consent of the people; if gov fails to protect rights, people should overthrow it

5. JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU France 1712 – 1778
Sovereignty should be in the hands of the people
Classical republicanism: gov should be made of small groups of the people to enforce the general will

6. BARON DE MONTESQUIEU France 1689 - 1755
Government’s powers should be separated into three parts: legislative, executive, judicial
Each part should be separate from but also dependent on the other two parts

7. VOLTAIRE France
Writer & poet who was censored and exiled by the French nobility and arrested just for being a threat
Argued for freedom of speech & religion and the right to a fair trial

8. The Road
to Revolution:
( )

9. Battle Over Land 1754: French & Indian War over Ohio River valley
1763: Proclamation (colonists not allowed to go west of Appalachian mountains

10. British Need Money! 1764: Sugar Act 1765: Quartering Act
First law to raise $ for Crown
Anyone accused of violating tried in new court without jury
1765: Quartering Act
Colonists had to provide food/shelter for British troops
1765: Stamp Act
Tax on documents
Wills, newspapers, playing cards, marriage licenses
Colonists boycott British items
“no taxation without….”
Parliament repeals in 1766

11. 1765: Townshend Act
Tax on imports from Britain: glass, paint, paper, TEA
Colonists boycott British items again
Later repealed except for tea tax

12. The Boston Massacre (1770

13. 1773 Tea Act British East India Co.: Facing bankruptcy
Many members of Parl. held shares.
Permitted the British East India Co. to sell tea directly to cols. without taxes
Colonial sellers would lose profits

14. Boston Tea Party: 18,000 pounds of tea!

15. 1774: The Intolerable Acts Port Act closed Boston harbor
Government Act restricted town meetings
3. New Quartering Act
Administration of Justice Act sent trials to England

16. First Continental Congress
Agenda  How to respond to the Intolerable Acts?
1 vote per colony
Petitions to Parliament
Stockpiling Weapons

17. April 18, 1775: The British Are Coming
Paul Revere & William Dawes make their midnight ride to warn the Minutemen of 700 approaching British soldiers.

18. The Shot Heard ‘Round the World Lexington & Concord – April 19,1775

19. Declaration of Independence