4.2 The American Revolution

• History
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.1 The Enlightenment 

These are the main goals of this lesson:

1. What the Trias Politica includes 
2. What the relationship was between Great Britain and the American colonies.
3. Why the American colonies rebelled against Great Britain

What were the lessons before the vacation about?

The Three Estates

(de 3 standen)

All the people in the country belonged 

to one of the 3 estates.

An estate is a group of people 

you belong to from birth.

An estate is hereditary.

You can not easily 

change into 

another

etstate

Source A: A cartoon about the Three Estates, published in the 1780s.

Trias Politica

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

What do Americans celebrate every 4th of July?

1. the discovery of America by Columbus
2. the signing of the Declaration of Independence
3. the start of the American Revolution
4. the end of the American Revolution

What does the word independence mean?

when you are independent it means

1. you can take care of yourself without help from someone else
2. you cannot take care of yourself without help from someone else

Who became independent
from who?

1. the 13 American colonies from Spain
2. the 13 American colonies from New Amsterdam
3. slaves in the 13 colonies from their owners
4. the 13 American colonies from Britain

A sea route to the west 

On 6th September 1492, Columbus commanded his sailors to 

set out on one of the farthest adventures in history. He knew that his journey was not going to be easy. 

There were no maps of the Atlantic ocean or possible lands beyond it, so nobody knew what to expect. 

After weeks of seeing only ocean, his men became impatient and insecure. To keep everybody calm Columbus fooled his men and he made them believe that according to his calculations they were closer to home than they believed. In his journal he wrote: (see Source A)

On 12th October 1492, a young sailor named Rodrigo de Triana yelled that he saw land. From their ships the explorers saw a lush green land, a lot of water and trees filled with fruits. With small boats they rowed to the island. Columbus stepped onto the beach and planted the flag of Ferdinand and Isabella. He named the island San Salvador. Columbus had not discovered a sea route to Asia; instead he had reached an island in the Bahamas, just off the coast of North America. 

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

• In the 18th century, Spain, France, the Dutch Republic and Britain all had colonies in North America.
• Britain had 13 colonies on the east coast.
• In 1776, the 13 colonies broke free from their motherland Britain.
• On July 4th they signed the Declaration of Independence.
• They decided to be a Republic and called it: the United States of America.

Ch 4.2: The American Revolution.

Colonists organised in MILITIA:

civilians with guns

The British had a professional army: known as "the Red Coats"

Montesquieu

• He is famous for his theory of the Separation of Powers (Trias Politica):
• The power of the state should never be in the hands of one person.
• therefore power should be split up into three seperate parts, being:
• the legislative (making laws), executive (carrying out the laws) and judicial (providing independent judgement) branch.
• his ideas are still used in most constitutions all over the world.

website

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

• Britain did not accept the USA's independence and fought a war against the 13 "rebel" colonies.
• This war is known as "the American War of Independence" or "the American Revolution".
• in 1783 the USA won and Britain accepted the loss of their colonies.

1776

today

What has changed and what has continued?

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

By answering the 6 main questions you create a handy summary of the lesson.

When you need to learn for a test, you can start by trying to answer the 6 questions by yourself, in your own words.

Were you able to answer the 6 questions? Congratulations, you understand the lesson!!

Now you can fill in the details: names, dates, key words etc.

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 1. What was the relationship between Great Britain and the American colonies?

• The American colonists were British subjects. The colonists had to follow British laws. The British king was also their king.

4.2: Main questions

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 2. Why did the American colonies rebel 

     against Great Britain?

     This is important: it is the CAUSE of the American Revolution. 

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 2. Why did the American colonies rebel 

     against Great Britain?

• The colonists needed to pay taxes to Britain, but they had nothing to say about how they were ruled. They were not represented in British parliament.

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 2. Why did the American colonies rebel 

     against Great Britain?

• The colonists needed to pay taxes to Britain, but they had nothing to say about how they were ruled. They were not represented in British parliament.
• British soldiers (red coats) were stationed in the colonies. The colonists needed to pay for their living expenses.

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 2. Why did the American colonies rebel 

     against Great Britain?

• The colonists needed to pay taxes to Britain, but they had nothing to say about how they were ruled. They were not represented in British parliament.
• British soldiers (red coats) were stationed in the colonies. The colonists needed to pay for their living expenses.
• Mercantilism: Colonists could only trade with Britain (the motherland), using British ships.
• Enlightenment ideas:

Check lesson 4.1 about the Enlightenment.
Find out which philosopher(s), and which ideas, might have inspired colonists to revolt against Britain.

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 2. Why did the American colonies rebel 

     against Great Britain?

• The colonists needed to pay taxes to Britain, but they had nothing to say about how they were ruled. They were not represented in British parliament.
• British soldiers (red coats) were stationed in the colonies. The colonists needed to pay for their living expenses.
• Mercantilism: Colonists could only trade with Britain (the motherland), using British ships.
• Enlightenment ideas:
• John Locke said people had a duty to overthrow unfair rulers. 
• Adam Smith was against mercantilism.

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 2. which incidents led to the forming of a Continental Congress?

• 1770: the Boston Massacre
• 
  

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 2. which incidents led to the forming of a Continental Congress?

• 1770: the Boston Massacre
• 1773: the Boston Tea Party
• 
  

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AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 3. which incidents led to the forming of a Continental Congress?

• 1770: the Boston Massacre
• 1773: the Boston Tea Party
• harsh measures from the British government:

     - Boston harbour closed

     - extra British army sent to America to control patriots

Result: colonists see British government as a common enemy.

To face this threat they unite and form "the Continental Congress" in 1774

Continental Congress (1774): representatives from the 13 colonies meet in Philadelphia to organise the resistance against Britain

the Continental Congress is the legislative power of the USA, like the States General in the Netherlands.

US Congress today

US Congress building; the Capitol

E pluribus unum – Latin for "Out of many, one"

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 4. how did the war between Britain and the colonists 

lead to the birth of the USA?

• In 1775 the Continental Congress decided that the colonies would form an army called the Continental Army  under the leadership of General George Washington.
• War began.
• When the British didn't give up, Congress decided that the 13 colonies would become independent.
• July 4th, 1776: Declaration of Independence. This was the birth of the USA.

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

 5. What was the influence of the Enlightenment 

     on the Declaration of Independence? 

• The ideas of basic human rights, which even kings could not take away, were very popular in the colonies.
  
• See John Locke's idea of "natural rights" and a social contract between ruler and the people in lesson 4.1

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

4.2 The American Revolution 

6. why is the USA a federation?

See handout.

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