Ideas behind the Revolution

Monday, November 5, 2007

Do now: On Friday, November 16, 2007 a biography of a Revolutionary Era leader will be due. Your task today is to select that person. Try to find some of the lesser known figures everyone knows about George Washington what about others like Crispus Attucks.

Due in 10 min.

Reading Assignment 118-122

Without a doubt much of the anger that Americans felt against Great Britain was based on economic issues. Over the course of their existence the Americans had never paid taxes nor had they dealt with having the British government run their colonies.

Even though other subjects of the British Empire paid taxes and felt the hand of British government the Americans felt that if they agreed to any taxes or control by the British then the British would only increase their measures and take away all economic and personal liberty that only Americans enjoyed.

There was some truth to this even though Great Britain was a Parliamentary Monarchy the king and the royalty that controlled the government still felt strongly that their rule was destined by God and their own superiority over the common people of the empire.

In America and in other places in Europe there were some people who had begun to challenge this idea.

In America men like Like Thomas Paine questioned the need for Americans to be part of the British Empire. Unlike many of the other writers on American Independence Locke was uneducated and write in plain simple fashion.

Called Common Sense Paine's pamphlet was printed in large numbers and read by virtually everyone in the colonies.

But it was this style of writing that made it so appealing to the average American.

It was also his writing that convinced more Americans that the break was necessary even if it meant war.

Common Sense was printed at about the same time as the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the meeting of the 2nd Continental Congress.

During the initial part of the congress' meeting there was much division amongst the delegates some favored immediate independence while others sought a compromise with Great Britain.

However the effect of Common Sense and the refusal of the British Government to compromise led more and more Americans to come to the conclusion that Independence from Great Britain was the only answer.

By June of 1776 the assembled delegates formed a committee whose task was to create a declaration of independence.

Its main author was Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

Complete the Ideas behind the Revolution WS Due Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Test on or about November 12 , 2007.

Review your essay question.