Two Unit Essay Questions 1. Analyze the extent to which the American Revolution represented a radical alteration in American political ideas and institutions between 1775-1789. Thesis: While the American Revolution had huge impacts on areas such as the separation of church and state, republicanism, and equality, the Revolution was not an abrupt break like the French and Russian Revolutions, but a natural and expected event that did cause a new social or economic structure. Religion o Ex. Virginia in 1786: passed law guaranteeing religious freedom o Constitution forbade all religious tests for office holding o Since emperor Theodosius religious orthodoxy had been considered necessary for good citizenship and for service in state America changed that Equality- all men are created equal o Slavery Set foundation for causes towards abolition of slavery later on ex. Supreme court used in case for abolition of slavery While not law many people began to take up spirit of equality ex. 1782 William Binford in Virgins wet free 12 slaves b/c of newfound idea of equality o Womens rights Demands of war gave women more responsibility in household and other things Divorce became little easier for women however only Pennsylvania included right to divorce in new constitution Expansion of education for girls 1780s many schools for girls founded Mothers had to e more educated to raise sons negative no new jobs opened to women but later movement for women in work force drew from ideologies of revolution o General Equality Rank of birth not recognized all cannot be rich but all have a right to make the attempt Fisher Ames No longer natural leaders only acceptable candidates for office Shift of state capitals westward away from major cities in Georgia, Carolinas, Virginia Opened legislative sessions to public, published contents of bills legislators considering Not similar to other major revolutions like Russian and French o No new social class came to power Men engineering revolt were well-to-do ex. Randolph and Patrick Henry and Hancock 89% of those who filled office before revolution also occupied office after revolution under new government o Redistribution of land was not example of social motivation Crowns and Tories land confiscated this land went to people already owning lot of acreage not to landless or small landholder Money not democratic theories determined land distribution different from French and Russian Revolutions HOWEVER: Land too plentiful in America to make acres matter that much o No major economic change Americans were largely contented and prosperous under British crown wanted economic ways to remain undisturbed
2. From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an effective government. Evaluate this statement. Thesis: Since the Articles of Confederation reflected the fears of centralized authority and the possibility of corruption, they did not provide the National government with enough power to be an effective government.
Economics o URBAN ARTISANS wanted national government to be able to impose high tariff to protect foreign competition o MERCHANT and SHIPPERS wanted national government to be able to secure trading privileges and ensure Americas standing in Atlantic economy o Paper Money Issue Each state creates own money type but creditors and Britain only accept silver/gold to pay off debts paper money becomes worthless b/b didnt trust government paper money o National Debt States failed to pay their share due to reasons like not trading w/ England and its Caribbean colonies or southern crops failing Robert Morris needed revenue independent of states but RI did not agree PROBLEM with articles was that fund requests had to be approved by all states Newburgh Conspiracy: thought up by Alexander Hamilton and Morris Tried to persuade army officers to threaten coup dtat unless treasury obtained taxation authority needed to raise their pay Washington finds out and stops it Ex. Of how vulnerable the political institutions are and how perilous the financial strains are Due to debt American citizens not paid off till after foreigners paid civilians loose money and mad result many states individually pay off debt o laws regarding commerce couldnt ever get all states to ratify economic ratification b/c each state looking out for own interests(activity we did) o Pirates of North Africa Pirates looting merchant ships in Mediterranean needed money from Americans to protect merchants Tried to pay yearly tribute but pirates just kept demanding more Tried to team up w/ Europe to defeat but Americans couldnt afford to fight Government too decentralized to get bug force to deal with problem EFFECT: staggering insurance rates Social/military o Western Lands distributing lands issue Had no strong national government that could distribute all state land w/out assuming too much power over states Continental congress withdrew all promise charters made by Britain Problem: faced opposition from squatters(no legal charter), Indians and Spanish and no authority to deal with it well Problem: land speculators and western settlers wanted national government to be able t pursue active policy against Spain, Britain, and Natives in west o The Treaty of Paris Loyalists problems didnt want to compensate them for property losses or pre-war debts Tried to pass law to prevent harassment of loyalists caused more tension between Tories and rebels Spanish fear and Port of New Orleans Spanish try to close of port but John Jay tries to pass deal so can but congress rejects it Forts along great lakes British soldiers refuse to leave For above 2 congress didnt have enough power to get soldiers to leave o Soldiers in Time of Peace Soldiers not paid for serving and army officers losing influence Officers formed society of Cincinnati and tried to rule government showed easy ability for new government to take control 3. To what extent had the colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans by the eve of the revolution?
Thesis: The colonists had developed a sense of identity and unity by the eve of the revolution due to British pressures that cause committees or groups to be formed and propaganda to provide unified beliefs. Groups/Committees o Sons of Liberty objective was to force Stamp Distributors throughout the colonies to resign. The groups also applied pressure to any Merchants who did not comply with the non-importation associations. Wrote propaganda in newspapers o Stamp Act Congress 1765-1766: representatives of 9 colonial assemblies came together and agreed that parliament lacked authority to levy taxes outside Great Britain and to deny any person a jury trial o Committee of Correspondence 1772-1773: Started by Samuel Adams 1st attempt on colonies to maintain close and continuing political cooperation over a wide area in Massachusetts Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson and lee proposed that Virginia establish colony-level committees of correspondence every colony but Pennsylvania joined COT: in 1765 Anglo-Americans still felt loyalty towards Britain but by 1773 they were also hearing many people say that British threatened liberty st o 1 Continental Congress: 56 delegates from every colony but Georgia met in Philadelphia Suffolk Resolves Colonies owed no obedience to coercive acts Provisional government should collect taxes until former Mass. Charter restored Defensive measures made to prepare for British troops Voted to boycott all British goods and cease exporting goods to Britain Wrote petition to king(George III) said Parliament could regulate imperial commerce but unconstitutional to impose taxes, enforce laws, suspend assemblies, and revoke charters o Second Continental Congress: send another message to king known as Olive Branch Petition Must cease-fire at Boston Repeal Coercive Acts Negotiate American rights o Continental Army 1775 w/ George Washington as Commander Propagandas makes unity and similar identity Republican ideas o Republican ideas: based on Roman civic duty put political needs above personal interests o Oppositionists: group of political English writers influenced by republican ideas Ex. Trenchard and Thomas Gordan Believed parliament should protect rights but now is corrupt due to greed and Parliament is now corrupted o Samuel Adams: used republican ideals and a Christian Sparta to lead strong public protests o Used ancient classic ideals and religious speeches to rally people o Circular Letters James Otis gets Samuel Adams(from Mass.) to draft circular letter to every other colonial legislature about situation Condemned taxation without representation Problem that Parliaments governors financially independent and dont need colonial legislatures John Dickenson writes against essays revenue act o states Parliament can impose duties to regulate trade w/ small incidental revenue but cannot tax commerce with only purpose of to raise revenue o legality depends on INTENT o if wanted to tax for money than need to have peoples elected representatives vote for it(no taxation without representation) BOYCOTTING TEA AND OTHER THINGS EQUALS UNITY
4. The French and Indian War altered relationship between Great Britain and its north American Colonies.
o Political o Colonies refuse to vote to have funds support war effort(Pennsylvania) o Assemblies in New York and Mass opposed quartering act o Proclamation of 1763: slowed expansionism and gave crown more control o Writs of assistance of 1760 o Stamp act appeals o Economics o William Pitt says will pay off war debt o Americans in debt and cannot buy British consumer goods o British mad because colonists broke Navigation Acts during war o British say gave money to colonists through British troops 5. The Bill of Rights did not come from the desire to protect the liberties won in the American Revolution, but rather from a fear of the powers of the new federal government. Asses validity of statement. Thesis: The Bill of Rights came primarily from the fear of powers of the federal government as indicated by the context. Fear of Federal Government o Because of British monarchy taking too much power o saw the affect of despotism in Revolutionary war o antifederalists believed state governments need power but forced into following constitution o Hamilton suggested that people might think these are the only rights they have The Bill of Rights came primarily from the fear of powers of the federal government shows realizes fear Timing o Dont demand them when under articles but a couple years after revolution ended and there is a federal power threat Seen as there more to protect liberties due to content of laws o James Madison insisted that 1st eight amendments guarantee personal liberties but not strip national government of necessary authority o In general the Bill of Rights imposed no serious checks on framers nationalists objectives 1. The United States Constitution of 1787 represented an economic and ideological victory for the traditional American political elite. Assess the validity of that statement for the period 1781 to 1789. Thesis: The U.S. constitution did represent an economic and ideologically victory for the political elite because they benefitted from the new powers of the federal government and were given more power and influence in the government. 1) Benefitted from the Increased power of Federal Govt (Economic Victory) a) Govt could levy taxes (easier to raise money to pay debts) b) Govt could regulate commerce (made it so there werent as many taxes on imports and exports) c) Govt could borrow money d) Govt could coin money e) Constitution helped creditors i) They made it so that the debts didnt have to be paid in the devalued legal tender ii) Made it so that contracts were not able to be retracted, this made debtors have to pay (could not impair the obligations of contracts) f) Constitution helped merchants i) Constitution made it so states could not individually tax imports and exports ii) Merchants benefitted because the Federal Govt was allowed to regulate trade so selfish states and their interests could not interfere. 2) Were given more power in the government (Ideological Victory) a) New political structure: check on democracy (this pleased the wealthy elite minority, it assured that the farmer majority wouldnt have mob rule) i) Checks and Balances
ii) Divided branches of Government iii) The Senate (members elected by state legislatures, this helped the political minority have a meaningful vote) iv) Electoral College 2. Analyze the reasons for the Anti-Federalists opposition to ratifying the Constitution Thesis: Anti-Federalists were opposed to the ratifying of the Constitution because they feared a strong centralized government and though it would threaten an individuals rights as well as the rights of the states. 1) Feared the strong centralized government a) They federal government would have large amount of powers b) Thought that the U.S. was too big, and a central government so far away would not serve the people as well as the indiv. state govts had c) Opposed to executive branch, feared an abuse of power (which is a valid fear b/c of the elastic clause) d) Feared oppression of the minority by the majority party e) Anti-Federalists were skeptical as to how the federal Govt would accommodate the interest of large vs. small states (representation) f) They didnt want a repeat of an oppressive government like the British Anti-Federalists were against the checks on Democracy; didnt think that the democratic aspects of the Federal Govt and the Constitution were strong enough 2) Thought there would be loss of peoples rights a) Americans had just finished fighting a war for their liberties and freedom, and thought that the Constitution would restrict their liberties b) There was not a Bill of Rights originally, and an individuals rights werent explicitly stated 3) Thought states would lose their rights a) States rights were taken away- the couldnt: i) Coin money ii) Require debts paid in paper money iii) Tax imports/exports iv) Impair obligations of contracts b) States rights were important because the states all had their own individual interests regarding: i) Slavery ii) Commerce iii) Voting iv) Taxes 3. Analyze how the ideas and experiences of the revolutionary era influenced the principles embodied in the Articles of Confederation. 1) Loose confederation of independent states a) State Governments w/ Weak Central Government i) Newly independent states feared a strong government, like Britains ii) Central Government had no power to enforce their taxes or laws iii) Minor motions required 9 of 13 to be ratified, amendments to the articles needed 13 of 13 to ratify b) Equal Representation in Congress for all states i) Representation had become of crucial importance during the Rev. era, lack of representation was a cause of the war ii) 4. Analyze the ways in which British imperial policies between 1763 and 1776 intensified colonials resistance to British rule and their commitment to republican values
Thesis: It can be seen that the imperial policies resulted in the colonists ignoring the laws then later the colonists uniting to challenge the policies; uniting to oppose the British required the republican values of collaboration, strong leadership, and a balance of interests that the colonists practiced throughout the revolutionary era. 1) Imperial Policies: a) British need to increase revenue (to pay for Seven Years War/ French and Indian War) b) Tensions during War (William Pitt says colonists will be paid, but British think the colonists need to pay more b/c of the cost of the war) c) No more salutary neglect i) Navigation Acts enforced ii) Writs of Assistance d) Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Currency Act (was designed to increase revenue for Britain) i) Taxed molasses and sugar ii) Tax on paper required for official documents e) 4,000 troops sent to Boston f) Tea Act (1773), British tax tea imports g) Coercive/Intolerable Acts (1774) h) Lord Dunmores Proclamation (slaves will be free if they fight for the British) i) Battle of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill 2) Colonists Resistance (coordinated w/ events above) a) Colonists ignore acts and continue smuggling b) Increased tensions b/w colonists and British c) Smuggling continues, legal challenges of the writs of assistance d) Smuggling continues, No taxation without Representation e) Boston Massacre (reflects tensions b/w British and colonists), riots, formation of Sons & Daughters of Liberty, Stamp Act Congress, f) Boston Tea Party g) First Continental Congress (1774): Declaration of Rights and Grievances/ Second Continental Congress (1775): beginning of an Army, George Washington as Commander in Chief, issue Declaration of Independence, Olive Branch Petition h) Loyalists in south angered, join Patriot forces i) Resistance begins, Declaration of Independence 3) Commitment to Republican Values a) Republican practices in colonies: town hall meetings, House of Burgesses b) Ideas of Enlightenment come to colonies and contribute to Republican values: i) Written constitution ii) Direct representation iii) John Locks Social Contract, people could overthrow government if it wasnt protecting the rights and liberties of its people c) Colonial governments (Stamp Act Congress, 1st and 2nd Continental Congress) d) no taxation without representation e) Understanding that leaders would be elected based on their abilities, values, and integrity, no one was born into a leadership position f) Balance of interests, not one all powerful group