Amanda Jones Pre-Writing FRE AP US History 1) Analyze the differences between the Spanish settlements in the Southwest and the English colonies in New England in the seventeenth century in terms of two of the following: Politics Religion Economic development THESIS: In the seventeenth century many differences arose between the Spanish settlements and the English colonies involving religion with the Spanish practicing Catholic religion, and differences in politics as the Spanish settlements were all monarchies. SUPPORT: Spanish religion: Romans Catholic
Religion was less bearing in their daily lives Religion didn’t control their lives English religion: Puritan Over bearing and religion controlled almost every aspect in their lives Left England because of religious persecution but they themselves ended up persecuting others in their own society, such as Anne Hutchinson. Spanish politics: Monarchy Slavery existed and played a big role in society La Comida system, “food for everyone” They had very good relations with the Indians (approved of marriage between whites and Indians) Conquistadors
First to establish colonies & Founded an empire that was larger than the US today They didn’t have the concept of self-government When they acquired independence in the early 1800’s they had no experience having a government, so they fell under to military dictatorships. English politics: Still somewhat of monarchy, yet they were making steps towards a form of self government Town meetings Larger sense of civic duty No slavery Ruled by Britian 2) Analyze the cultural and economic responses of two of the following groups to the Indians of north america before 1750. British French
Spanish Two nations who had particularly interesting relationships with the Native Americans were the British and the French, both of whom took different approaches to their relations with the Indians economically as well as culturally. Neither nation had complete trust for the Indians, nor did the Indians ever completely trust the men who arrived on “floating islands with many tall trees”. Nonetheless, they did interact with one another in their daily lives. Both economically and culturally the French and British went about their interactions with the Native Americans differently.
Through first hand writings and documents as well as observations by historians, it is evident that the British and French interacted with the Indians of North America in different ways. In the early beginnings of exploration, both the British and French had relatively good relationships with the Indians because of the economic success that came with simple cooperation. The fur trade with the Native Americans quickly proved successful because of the outrageously high prices it could be sold for in Europe. Years later the economic goals shifted and so did relations with the Native Americans.
The French, headed by Samuel de Champlain, maintained a fur trading network in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence regions and so attempted to improve relations with the Huron Indians of that area. The relationship escalated to the point of an alliance in which the French helped the Hurons fight their enemy the Iroquois Confederacy. Champlain became so successful with the Indians that he eventually sent traders out to live alongside the Hurons, adopt their culture and language and at the same time monitor the flow of furs to the newly settled Quebec.
Not nearly as profitable as the fur trade was their export of crops, which only started because they used the farming techniques that the Native had shown to them. Though the French was relationship with the Indians was not spotless, it did prove to be economically beneficial to both the French and the Indians. The British colonization had a slower start than that of the French due to their war with Spain at the time. This late start, however, did not hinder them from quickly squeezing the new world of all of its economic benefits.
One of the first major English settlements of the new world was Jamestown, in present-day Virginia. Here they encountered the huge empire of the Algonquian tribes. Having had a bad experience with the Spanish, who brought disease, the Algonquian leaders reluctantly accepted the arrival of the English, in hopes they would prove beneficial in trade as well as war. The British however, had different ideas about the situation. Within the first few years the two groups were at war. The British were successful and therefore the colony of Jamestown stayed in existence.
Out of Jamestown came a huge agricultural boom based on tobacco. Eventually the British settlers became greedy and sought after the Indians’ lands, who did not believe in land ownership in the first place. This eventually led to war between the two. This pattern of good beginnings between the Indians and English, eventually ending in some form of conflict was seen many times throughout the new world. Even so, from an economic standpoint, the British were easily as successful as the French, achieving this differently however.
Culture is a whole other side to the French and British relationships with the Indians. Because it went hand-in-hand with economic interactions the cultural interactions progressed similarly. The French are known mainly for having “frontiers of inclusion” meaning that they generally lived side-by-side in mixed communities with the Indians. The British however, remained a policy of “exclusion” which maintained a separation between Europeans and Native Americans. In the early years of French colonization the majority of the people who made the trip over were men.
This, alongside a lack of major migration to the colonies caused for many mixed-race communities which led to mixed relationships and eventually a new race of people of both European and North American Indian decent. This policy of including the Native Americans in there culture helped establish their overall good relationship throughout the colonization era. The British success in with the Native American relations also reflected their cultural policy toward them. Just the opposite of the French, the British adopted a policy of separation of the communities.
This policy was based on a belief that the British were superior to the “savage” Indians of the new world. This belief was only strengthened when the cultures did intermix. The English thought the Indian policy of shared land as primitive and failed to understand its benefits. They also saw the religious beliefs of the native people as a lack of intelligence; keep in mind that many of the settlers were coming out of an enlightenment era in Europe when the ideas of the church were first challenged by science.
This exclusion by the British, eventually evolved, as the colonies grew, into the highly-conflicted relationships between the two groups in later decades and centuries. Both the nations of France and Britain invested countless amounts of time, money and men into the colonization of the new world. And because of this, both France and Britain did receive the benefits that North America had to offer. In both cases, had the American Indians simply not been there when the first explorers arrived, the history of this continent, and this nation would have been drastically different.
The ways the British and the French went about living on the same lands as the Native Americans were so different that they can, in some ways, be considered opposite. Even so they both proved successful in settling land and forming the beginnings of what later would become the present-day nations of Canada and the United States. 3) Compare and contrast the ways in which economic development affected politics in Massachusetts and Virginia in the period from 1607 to 1750. THESIS: Economies developments throughout the years of 1607 and 1750 greatly differed between the two colonies of Massachusetts and Virginia.
These economic developments such as mercantilism, led to further affected politics. SUPPORT: Mercantilism Joint stock companies Headlight system Indentured servants Slaves Navigations Acts Relations with Indians Political: Mayflower Compacts Cultivation tobacco Cash crops Town meetings Joint stock companies Slave trade House of Burgess ANALYSIS: During these years these two colonies thrived and they both had to do this in different ways. After they made economic developments the Massachusetts colony formed the Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower Compact stated the majority of the people ruled.
The people were white, property owning, males. In the Virginia colony, Jamestown after making some economic developments mainly with the cultivation of the first cash crop tobacco, they established the first step towards self government, the House of Burgess. 4) Compare the ways in which religion shaped the development of colonial society (until 1740) in two of the following religions: New England Chesapeake Middle Atlantic Society in New England and the Chesapeake region had been greatly developed by 1740. The different religions in these two regions played a huge role in shaping these developments.
The unique societies in both New England and the Chesapeake region would influence how they functioned in future conflicts, such as the unavoidable conflict with Great Britain. After missing their destination in Virginia after sixty-five days of sailing, a group of English Separatists landed off the coast of New England and founded the first of many Puritan colonies. The first colonies of New England were founded as religious havens exclusively for Puritans fleeing persecution in England. The New England colonies based their culture and laws on Puritan values.
They justified things such as taking land from natives and massacring the Pequot Indians because they believed that it applied to passages in the Bible that stated: “Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. ” The New England colonies also used the Bible to preserve their social structures. Only the “visible saints” in the communities could be church members and be able to enforce God’s laws in the colonies. Religious problems in New England began when people started rebelling against Puritan authority.
Quakers were harshly persecuted in New England with floggings and banishment. Anne Hutchinson went against Puritan beliefs claiming if their predestination was unknown than “the truly saved need not bother to obey the law of either God or man. ” Rodger Williams was an extreme Separatist and considered dangerous to the Puritan orthodoxy by trying to convince Puritan leaders to break all ties with the Church of England. Both Hutchinson and Williams were banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and fled to Rhode Island, the most liberal and inclusive of the New England colonies that was considered “the sewer of New England”.
A union of New England colonies called the New England Confederation not only showed independent colonial decision making, but also unified Puritan colonies in New England against their common enemies. These common enemies included the Indians, the French and the Dutch. The Confederation also focused on intercolonial problems like runaway servants and criminals who could now be caught within the jurisdiction of the confederation. The New England Confederation was also useful during the bloody war against King Philip from 1675 to 1676.
Education in New England colonies was important because church members were required to read the Bible so they had to be literate. Eight years after the colony was founded, the Massachusetts colony created Harvard College to train Puritan ministers. Not only did the Puritans colonies provide their citizens with churches and education, but they also gave free men the ability to vote in town meetings. Thomas Jefferson declared that town meetings were the “best school of political liberty the world ever saw”.
Not only did New England have stable community structures, but the New England families were healthy and had strong Puritan values. Because New England settlers migrated as families, the family unit became an important part of Puritan life. New Englanders usually married in their early twenties and produced many children. This made New England’s population naturally rise more than other regions. The New England colonies were formed around Puritan beliefs that governed over church, government, politics and families. The Jamestown colonists were the first to colonize the Chesapeake region.
The main goal in the Chesapeake region was to financially benefit investors with commercial farming, so settlement was not religiously motivated. The main religion in the Chesapeake area was Anglican, but Maryland soon became mainly Catholic. Because the main goal of the Chesapeake colonies was to make money for their investors, religion did not play as big as a part in government as it did in New England. Rebellions in this region were not religiously motivated either. Lord Baltimore founded Maryland in 1634 as a haven for Catholics, hoping it would be a feudal state with estates owned by his Catholic relatives.
Protestants in the Chesapeake region threatened to set up laws to restrict Catholics like the laws in England, but the local representative assembly passed the Act of Toleration in 1649 making it law for Protestants to tolerate Catholics. Because the Chesapeake region was mainly a part of the Anglican Church, they were loyal to England because the King of England was the head of their church. Eighty-six years after Jamestown was founded, Virginians establish the College of William and Mary, which focused mainly on teaching theology.
Immigrants mostly came to the Chesapeake region by themselves as indentured servants or farm owners, so there was no strong family structure. There was a six to one male to female ratio so men found themselves in fierce competition over the available women in the Chesapeake region. The absence of family and family values’ in the Chesapeake region made it common for pregnancies to occur out of wedlock and contributed to women becoming pregnant very young and for births to be very dangerous. The Chesapeake region did have established religion, which was valued in the colonies, but money making ruled colonial life more than anything else.
The differences between the New England colonies and the Chesapeake region were huge by 1740. Religion rigidly shaped life in New England, and while religion was still a part of people’s lives in the Chesapeake area, it did not play as big of a part in government as Puritanism did in New England. 5) In what ways did the French and Indian war (1754-1763) alter the political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and its american colonies? The French and Indian War in the course of seven years was a trigger to many changes in the relationship between the British and American Colonies.
The French and Indian War, brought many positive and negatives to the political, economic, and ideological relations between the British and the colonists. Britain’s victory in the French and Indian War gave Britain much power and it became the dominant force in the North Americas but because of war debts, the colonist’s loyalty to the British was deeply shaken. The French and Indian war had an interesting effect on the colonies. The overall morale within the colonies grew much and Britain gained much loyalty from its colonies. Document C emphasizes on the loyalty to the Crown, expressed by George Washington.
It is clearly evident that there was much pride amongst the settlers as well as eagerness to serve the Mother Country. Britain’s victory also continued to stir up colonial pride. In Document E, Rev. Thomas Bernard goes on to praise for the colonies’ “indulgent Mother. ” The large growth of land from the French and Indian war became an odd factor in that it raised morale, yet after awhile, it began to destroy the unity between the British and the colonies. What first triggered the French and Indian War was the prosperous growth of both the French and the British. Prior to the F.
I War, the French held a large portion of the North Americas. The French had claim land expanding across along the Mississippi River to Louisiana. As the English settlement developed and prospered, their aspiration to settle in the lands past the Appalachians grew. After the F. I War, the French had lost an enormous amount of land to the English and Spanish. This is further supported by Document A, as it shows that after a span of nine years, the French had lost all of their North American territories. The sudden expanse of land made Britain into the strongest force in the North Americas.
Because the Spanish and English colonies were right next to each other after the war, it was inevitable that they would start trading. Because of the large size of the settlement, and the large distance between Britain and the colonies, it can be inferred that regulating the trade laws would be difficult. In the British’s view, the colonies were cheating them of revenue that belonged to them. Document F makes a strong case that because of considerable war debts, as well as the colonies diverting trade; the colonies weren’t doing enough to pull their own weight.
In response to this, Britain set up several different acts, (Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Act) in efforts to raise ? 40,000 a year to support the colonies. This nearly eradicated all British loyalties in the colonies. The loyalties to the Crown in the colonies dwindled to a minute 20% of the colonists. Events later on in history would then lead to the American Revolution, but it all sparked from the growing resentment between the colonies and British after the heavy taxing caused by the French and Indian War.
Overall, it is clear to see that the French and Indian War altered the relations between the colonies and the British in astounding ways. Though there was much pride in being a part of the greatest power in North America that pride changed to resent as the British began using the colonies as its revenue mule. The vast changes in economic, ideological, as well as political stances created a difference so large in scale that none of those present at the time could even comprehend what was in store. ) How did economic, geographic, and social factors encourage the growth of slavery as an important part of the economy of the southern colonies between 1607 and 1775? Social African slavery in the American colonies first began in the 1670’s and 1680’s, particularly in the Chesapeake region. However, it wasn’t until the 1700’s that slavery became a full blown business. Events causing the need for slaves were: the lack of English settlers willing to become indentured servants, the ability of prospective immigrants to migrate somewhere else in the United States, and the lack of open land which turned away potential settlers.
The need of the Chesapeake tobacco farmers to have some kind of dependable workforce, almost ANY dependable workforce, led for them to look for “employees” in the Caribbean sugar islands. Since 1640, French, Dutch, English, and Spanish immigrants in the Caribbean had been employing slaves as a workforce. In the European mainland, slavery had been practiced for centuries. It was customary for conquered heathen peoples to be captured and enslaved so that by their bonds they would be converted. However, African slavery truly began when Portuguese sailors encountered non-Christian societies holding slaves in Northern Africa.
From there, the sailors purchased these bonded people and took them to the Iberian peninsula where by the 1500’s one-tenth of the population of Lisbon and Seville were said slaves. From there, slaves were sent to the Americas to do the hard labor unwilling European settlers refused to do. Before African slavery in the Americas, the majority of African peoples were “Atlantic creoles. ” Either free, indentured, or enslaved. The term Christian was used to mean a “free person” however, the House of Burgesses declared that “the blessed sacrament of baptism” could not release the enslaved from their bonds.
In 1682, Virginia passed a document which declared all “Negroes, Moors, Mollatoes or Indians” arriving “by sea or land” could be enslaved if they were not Christian. By 1775, 260,000 slaves were imported into the U. S. Between the late 1600’s and the early 1700’s the conditions of slavery in America severely worsened. By 1710 those of African descent consisted of one-fifth of the population of the regions population. Slaves were kept together 10 to 15 in a single living quarters, each was expected to cultivate two acres a year, overworked and alone these men were expected to work 6 days a week.
Slaves cost more than twice an indentured servant but were worth the expense in labor power. The transition from indentured to enslaved labor increased the social and economic gaps already experienced in this time period. Those who could afford the workers generated more income than those who couldn’t. Also, the increased population of ethnic peoples altered the lifestyle of many local people, transportation was done by African canoe, African fishing nets were used over less efficient European ones, baskets and gourds became widely used, and the African cattle herding techniques were applied to American culture.
Shifting towards Indian enslavement, in 1711 the Tuscaroras attacked New Bern, North Carolina. The South Carolinians crushed the natives and enslaved thousands of them. More and more Indian tribes fought back against the encroaching Europeans and all but a few were defeated and enslaved. Economic In the late 1600’s and early 1700’s a new resource had been introduced to the America’s, before long this resource was a staple in the need to stabilize America’s growing economy. What was this resource? Slaves.
Slave trade became an important part of the American economy for multiple reasons, two reasons being the value of slaves, they were easy and cheap to conquer and enslave, yet could be sold for a huge profit. Slaves became almost a currency, huge auctions were held selling between single slaves and entire families to the highest bidder. The slave trade coined terms like triangular trade (European trade route of three legs, European manufactured goods to Africa for slaves, slaves to the Caribbean and Americas for cash or sugar and molasses and the final leg taking these western hemisphere products to Europe. and middle passage (Slave voyage from Africa to the Americas (16th&18th centuries); generally a traumatic experience for black slaves, although it failed to strip Africans of their culture. ) The Chesapeake eventually became dependant on production by slaves while New England was dependant on consumption by slaves. Around the time of American slavery more and more resources were refined into other products which were sold to other locations which further stimulated the American economy.
During the middle passage, (defined above) between 10 & 20 % of slaves died en route, another 20 % died either before leaving Africa or after entering America, leaving only 60 % of the original group. Furthermore, the rice and indigo trades taught by the Africans to the Europeans increased the evermore powerful economy of the colonies. Indigo was especially important because at the time it was the only form of blue dye available, and in turn was worth very much, Britain even offered indigo growers a bounty on every pound of indigo they grew. Geographic he geography had a literal effect on the importance of slavery in the economy. The climate enormously influenced the purchase of slaves in the south. A settler wouldn’t want to be in the hot sun when they can buy a slave to do it for them. The farm or plantation owner could push the slave to limits they would never go to themselves. Also, the southern states were located on the shore, and ideal place to undergo slave trade. 7) “In the two decades before the outbreak of the american revolutionary war, a profound shift occurred in the way many Americans thought and felt about the Britsh government and their colonial governments. Assess the validity of the statement in view of the political and constitutional debates of these decades. By the late 18th century, Colonial America had a population explosion, which led to land becoming scarce very quickly. The sudden rise in population led to more diversity, weakened equality, and increased ideology. People were soon fighting over border disputes and people began thinking more revolutionary rather than the traditional ways of the past. The problems that were fought about in the Seven Years War eventually led Great Britain to tax the colonies.
By doing so, the Colonial Americans were slowly losing their loyalty towards Great Britain and realized they needed to fight for their independence. After years of being under the rule of the English crown, the idea of change has become a popular discussion mat/ter amongst the people living in Colonial America. In Common Sense, Thomas Paine addresses some of the main issues facing Colonial America. He gives his thoughts about government, religion, and inevitability of American independence. Although many citizens agreed with him, there are the few that did not.
Other men living at the time, such as Edmund Burke, Charles Inglis, and Thomas Jefferson also shared their diverse opinions about the new world. When Thomas Paine expressed that the only purpose of the government was to “protect us from our own vices,” (Paine, Common Sense) Edmund Burke would have agreed even though their ideas on how to accomplish this was different. Burke felt that giving the American colonies what they want, such as civil rights and other privileges, that peace would come naturally and they would reconcile with Great Britain.
Burke’s idea was that if you give them liberty and freedom, they will still be obedient to the English crown. Burke said in his Speech on Conciliation with America, “Let the colonies always keep the idea of their civil rights associated with your government ? they will cling and grapple to you, and no force under heaven will be of power to tear them from their allegiance. ” He also considered that by doing this, the English would be securing their wealth. It’s almost like saying if you give the Americans a pep rally, they’ll show you support (Burke, 1775).
Paine said “Until independence is declared the continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity” (Paine, Common Sense). By saying that he feels that British oppression was more than likely and for the colonies to seek independence as soon as possible. He also believed that monarchy granted way too much power and even though America has thrived under English rule, the colonies have developed strongly and no longer needed Britain’s help (Paine, Common Sense).
On the other end of the spectrum, we have a colonist who supported the British and publicly spoke out against American independence. Charles Inglis saw a better way of life if the colonies stuck with the British. In his eyes, this would end war, increase population, increase property value, and provide better supplies. If they stuck with Great Britain, their trading would be protected and they, themselves would be protected by the British navy (Inglis, 1776). Paine thought differently. He viewed the British government as a necessary evil and felt they were too complex and inconsistent.
Paine is focused on the current size of the colonies and feels they are able to build a navy of similar size. He also says this is the way to guarantee the colonies safety and riches in trade, rather than staying under the English crown (Paine, Common Sense). As many men discussed what the government should do, there was one man who was more concerned about what the government shouldn’t do, in regards to religion. This man was Thomas Jefferson, who along with Thomas Paine, believed that the British crown was corrupt and unjust in many ways, including religion and government oppression.
This led them to state that that any type of government and religion should remain separate. If not, you will have the influence of religion brought on by the government officials (Jefferson, 1779). Both Paine and Jefferson believed that in religion, people were equal. Paine presumes men to be “originally equal” and that is why he disagrees with monarchy (Paine, Common Sense). Despite the fact that each man spoke about the same problems in Colonial America, each had different positions. Some had the same general proposal but a few select others were against the idea of leaving the British crown.
Ultimately, the different opinions discussed in each article, whether regarding religion, freedom, government, or the colonies in general, led the colonists to their independence. These articles summarize the struggles and changes that the American Colonists finally decided to make and accomplish their goal of gaining independence and freedom from Great Britain. 8) Analyze the extent to which the American Revolution represented a radical alteration in american political ideas and institutions. Confine your answer to the period 1775 to 1800.
Their were many religious, social and economic causes and effects that led to the American Revolution but the main cause was that the 13 colonies in North America were angered over a lack of representation in Parliament, and were perceived with over taxing. This resulted in a short period of protests and demonstrations, which continued until July 4, 1776, when the American Colonists finally declared their independence. This led to the American Revolution. The war changed American society to a great extent touching upon all aspects of colonists lives, economic, social and political.
The American Revolution had a major political effect on the world. After the colonists won, a new nation was born. This new nation created new laws and new ideas such as insuring domestic harmony, promoting the general welfare, and providing for the common defense. It affected not only the colonists but the government they had to create. Document D, which is an excerpt from a Virginia statute discussing religious freedom, shows how religion not only social but politically became and effect of the American Revolution. It shows how the war resulted with religious freedom fore everyone.
Document E was also a political effect of the War, it’s an excerpt from the North western Ordinance banning slavery in the territories. The War brought out peace with Great Britain and according to Doc E, all the treaties were yet to include the Indians. Shown in Doc I is discussing the powers of the government and the framing of the Constitution and in some cases the Bill of Rights. It shows how the War affected the new government which the people were to create. It was to be a democratic which would be the people by the people. The Revolution also played an important economic role by, it strengthened the economy.
It also created a great deal of business for small shop workers. However, after the war, the new nation was in debt because of all the money it borrowed to fight the war. Document G is an excerpt from a letter written by Abigail Adams that expresses alarm at the mass upheaval following Shay’s Rebellion which shows the economic problems that were being caused by the Revolution. Abigail Adams points out how many people were in distress, some crying out because of the lack of representation in parliament and others for the unfair taxes being placed on them.
Another economic problem was pointed out by Mary Wallace through an excerpt on women’s rights in Doc J. She points out that it’s wrong to exclude women just because they’re women. A person should be held account for who they are, not what their sex is. The American Revolution was not only a political and economic revolution, but also a social one. It was a revolution that put behind the severe hierarchical society of the Old World and opened the door to a more democratic society.
It paved the way for the emancipation of slaves, the enfranchisement of women, it also unparalleled economic growth, and the final emergence of the United States as a world power. More social aspects of the war were that it showed the world that the strong and mighty army of England was susceptible. It created an alliance with France and many other countries. It would also be the foundation of our alliance with our greatest ally, being Great Britain, in the many centuries to come. The social effect of the Revolution was shown in Doc B, which was the Pennsylvania Packet from 1779 pointing out the banishment of Tories.
It pointed out the strong desire for freedom, banished tyranny, and brought out nationalism amongst people. Doc F points out the agricultural farming factors which occurred in 1786. It shows a farmer with a plow followed by a lady with a halo on her head. The American Revolution brought about a constitutional government with a system of checks and balances. When the war ended the colonies first ratified the Articles of Confederation. These articles loosely bound the colonies together without any real meaning to their relationship. Over a lot of opposition, leaders discarded the articles and adopted the present constitution in 1787. ) To what extent did the American Revolution fundamentally change American society. In your answer, be sure to address the political, social, and economic effects of the revolution in the period form 1775 – 1800. The American Revolution was one of the most profound wars our nation has experienced. It was not just a war, it was a struggle for American Independence. Its aftermath was a significant change in the lives of the Americans. The American Revolution extensively changed American society politically, economically, and socially. The American Revolution greatly changed American society politically.
The most reflective political adjustment was clearly America’s Independence. After winning the war, American was formally recognized as an independent nation. Its boundaries were stated to the Mississippi River in the west, the Great Lakes in the north, and Spanish Florida in the south. Along with independence, America had to find an efficient way to depend and rule itself. The first attempt at that was the Articles of Confederation. America went from being “virtually” represented in Parliament to designing its own constitution. The Founding Fathers attempted to truly display how much America will change, in the Articles of Confederation.
When previous representation was close to non-existent, in the Articles, each state was equally represented. However, the Articles brought some misfortune to America. It was clear that the states were given to much power and not having the power to tax increased national debt. Along with great change politically, American society was widely modified economically. After the American Revolution, America witnessed immense economic alterations. After the Revolutionary War, America lost its prime economic trade partnership with Britain. However, there was an upside. America gained access to trade with the rest of the world.
Previously under Britain, they were limited to trade solely with the mother country. After gaining independence, America obtained the freedom to trade with foreign countries. Another change in America was a negative one. Inflation spread due to currency changes and overprinting. This hurt economy because it devalued the public’s dollar. Also, new taxes were produced from a new nation. American could no longer rely on Britain to pay off everything. America established a national debt from borrowing money for war. A final economic change was new taxes were brought up in the developing nation.
Along with economic modifications, American society experienced social change as well. After the American Revolution, American went through social transformations. One major social change involved slavery. After the revolution, slavery was beginning to be seen has a disputable issue. During a Continental Congress meeting, the idea of the abolition of slavery was thrown in the air. Also, the Philadelphia Quakers began an antislavery society. A new idea of “all men are created equal” began to spread to some of the farmers. Another social change was a more unified vision of women’s rights.
In 1776, New Jersey allowed women to vote. Even the average housewife was seen as a more important figure because they received the role of passing on the patriotic ideas across the generations. This idea was conveyed as the republican motherhood. A final social change was England was no longer seen as the dominating power. After the Revolutionary War, England became vulnerable. In conclusion, the American Revolution lengthily altered American society politically, economically, and socially. Politically, America gained independence from Britain and began to depend on itself.
Economically, America gained the freedom to trade with foreign countries. Socially, the idea of slavery being abolished and women’s rights both began to spread. The American Revolution was an inevitable war that set new standards for American society. 10) Analyze the impact of the American Revolution on both slavery and the status of women in the period from 1775 – 1800. The American Revolution caused a change in America that was far greater than just the forming of an independent nation. In the years after the revolution, a government had to be set in place.
The new nation was greatly influenced by models of previous governments, including Great Britain and ancient Greece and Rome. Despite the great change in political structure, aspects of social culture were influenced by the revolution as well, especially in the areas of slavery and the status of women. The ideology of the revolution can be looked at as a positive step in the area of slavery. The years following the revolution saw a larger opposition towards the whole principal of slavery. The North during the late 1700’s saw a slow decline in slavery, to the point where it was being ended.
Vermont was the first colony to fully abolish slavery in 1777, and Massachusetts soon followed. Emancipation laws were implemented by Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well, and in New Hampshire no slaves were present by 1810. The South did not show as much generosity to the issue of slavery, however many colonies did change laws that restricted a slave owner’s right to free their slaves. The only colonies that refused to implement these laws were South Carolina and Georgia. The years subsequent to the revolution saw a large jump in the number of free African-Americans.
Despite all these advancements for African-Americans, whites still did not recognize them as equals. In the south, some schools would not educate black children, and free blacks found it very hard to purchase land and find a job. In addition to these hardships faced by blacks, a racist theory was developed to combat the phrase “all men are created equal. ” Whites argued that African-Americans were less than fully human, which allowed them to avoid this contradiction to that statement. This racist theory survived long after the civil war and was still largely present in the 1960’s.
In some regards, it is still around today. The revolution also changes the status of women in the 15 years following the American Revolution. There was a push to allow for better women’s education. In 1789, Massachusetts passed a law insisting elementary schools be open to both girls and boys. Girls from rich families had the ability to receive a good education on subjects including math, history and geography. A large advocate of women’s education was Judith Sargent Murray, who argued men and women had equal intellectual abilities, but women’s lack of chances is what made them appear inferior.
Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, also called for legal reform in order to prevent male tyranny over women. Some even went further and called for the right of women to vote. This was still denied to women, however, and it would not be over 100 years later until they were granted this right. Despite some small advances for women’s rights, there was still a notion of inferiority to men. The American Revolution affected not only political aspects of the country, but social aspects as well. African-Americans and women, two groups of people that had experienced tremendous hardships by white males, began to slowly get the rights they deserved.
Despite these initial advances, the fact is that the actual abolition of slavery was not for over another 50 years, and women would not receive the right to vote until the early 20th century. But it was in these 15 years that these two groups of people were able to gain some rights that would lead to the eventual success they would have much later down the road. *Please note that I used essay’s from this site, and others. This is not all my work, and I give credit to those who helped me. This paper is just all of the questions put together so they are easier to find. *
