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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

8. 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."

9. Spanish become allies with France 1761

10. 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

11. 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

12. North America in 1763

13. 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

14. 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