Notes from September 9

Changing Communities

Settlers first stayed in clusters for protection from animals, Indians, weather, and starvation
Settlers branched out with more colonial stability. Land became scarce with higher populations
Ports allowed for vital supplies as well as a place to trade goods
Some earned more money than others, creating upper and lower classes
Some colonists felt a loss of community or jealously against others

Social Upheaval

More established families had better, more profitable lands
Families lost power the farther they moved out
Wars with Indians decimated the male population
The numbers of widows and orphans increased
Women began to gain more landowning privileges
Many widows and orphaned daughters took work as servants for entrenched upper classes
In New England, many settlers immigrated for deeply held, conservative, religious beliefs

Witchcraft

European superstition held that witches could destroy property, possess others' souls, cause illness, and display “aggressive, unfeminine behavior”
1691: Several teenage girls asked an African slave woman, Tituba, to tell them their fortunes and talk about sorcery.
Later, the girls appeared to act abnormally. Citizens pressured them to say who possessed them
The girls named 2 white women and Tituba

Fear

Fear and hysteria led accusations to become evidence alone; “spectral evidence” allowed
In all of New England, 342 people were accused of witchcraft. One-third were women who had or would inherit large tracts of land
In Salem, 29 were convicted of witchcraft, 19 killed (14 women)
About 150 were imprisoned

Effects

An aversion to superstition and more emphasis on reason and rule of law
Newer generations were less willing to accept restrictions on personal behavior and economic freedom
Rise of the “Protestant work ethic.” Instead of focusing on religious piety, citizens worked hard for trade and economic gain
Settlers became more open to outside influences

Declaration of the Rights of Man

1789. Also see the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution
The bad economy led to even more protests by the poor classes. The royal family was forced from its palace in Versailles into Paris
The King was forced to accept Constitutional Monarchy. Later attempts to escape the country and align with foreign powers failed.
King Louis XVI was convicted of treason and died at the guillotine.

What made revolution successful?

Weakened, distant government
Spain lost almost all of its colonies by 1900
Support of the lower classes
International pressures on colonial powers
Wars
Occupations
Internal revolutions
Strong, charismatic leadership
-Washington
-Toussaint
-Hidalgo
A turbulent economy
Depression, famine, unemployment, poverty

Communication Breakdown

The ideas of American Independence and colonial unity developed under the surface for many years.
By the Revolutionary War, only 1/3 of colonists supported separation
King George III attempted to take more power from colonists as well as English government. Fewer leaders respected the king's decisions
Even fewer English officials had been to the colonies, but controlled most aspects of taxation and law

Concepts of merchantilism also applied to English constitutional law
By 1763, colonies had their own systems of lawmaking and representation in place
John Adams: representatives should “think, feel, reason, and act like” the people they represent
Meanwhile, the English government needed a way to pay for the Seven Years War and to stop black market trading

Laws and Protests

Sugar Act:
Enforced the idea that colonists should make money for the British Empire
Attempted to discourage smuggling
The Navigation Acts needed more teeth as they were not being enforced well

Stamp Act:
Tax on legal documents, seals or stamps
Stamp Act Congress formed. Nine colonies meet to discuss protesting the new tax
First intercolonial meeting since the Albany Congress of 1754

Laws and Protests 2

In Virginia, Patrick Henry passed resolutions declaring that taxation without representation was “illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust”
Newspapers glamorized and spread this news around the colonies

Declaratory Act (1766)
English Parliament states they are supreme over colonies

Townshend Acts (1767)
Duty tax to pay for royal colonial officials

Quartering Act (1765)
Colonists had to provide shelter, food, and goods for visiting military personnel.

Enforced by Townshend

The British Army began camping out in Boston Common
Saved money (instead of staying in the frontier)
Intimidation by numbers
Soldiers harassed colonists and vice versa
Boston Massacre: 5 colonists killed by British troops. British and Americans both feared rioting
To quell tempers, Parliament got rid of the Townshend Acts. The tea tax remained enforced.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

Colonists showed zero tolerance to taxation without representation.
British shut down Boston Harbor and ordered compensation
French Connection
Fought to embarrass the British?
Return to a European balance of power favorable to France
Secret arms trade/spying by France for the colonies
France did not openly support the war until colonists proved themselves in battle (Battle of Saratoga, 1777)
Ben Franklin acted like he might accept peace terms with Britain, knowing France wanted the war to continue

French Alliance

American Revolution then becomes a world war: France fights the British navy in Europe, “US” is supported in fighting on North America
British military now has to fight on two fronts, spreading resources thin
General Marquis de Lafayette comes from France to train the colonial military
Lafayette was 19 and did not have permission of the King of France

Guerilla Conflict

Colonists were untrained
Many fought in makeshift rural militias or from hastily organized “minutemen” groups
Washington, trained during the French and Indian War, encouraged training to make the military act traditionally
A regular army, not unorganized terrorist groups, would better represent the patriotism and ideals of the American republic

War Ends

General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in October 1781
Many slaves who fought for the Americans or British earned their freedom
Loyalists (“Tories”) laid low, or moved to Canada or Great Britain
Remaining loyalists were persecuted, prosecuted, or even killed
A greater proportion of Loyalists existed in the southern colonies

Peace Treaties

US and France agreed to work together on separate peace agreements
US had to wait until France and Spain were done fighting the British
US negotiated to get all British land east of the Mississippi
US promised to compensate Loyalists for lost property
War and independence did not officially come until 1783