Write a thoughtful and thorough response to the following questions:
1. What were the effects of the French and Indian War for the colonial leaders? The British? The colonists in general?
2. By what means did the lower classes want to increase their participation in colonial democracy?
3. In reality, who were “the people” of the Declaration of Independence (and of John Locke on whose ideas the Declaration was based)?
1. After the French and Indian War in 1763, the colonists felt thankful towards the British empire and glad to be a part of such a powerful group, but the colonies also felt like they needed to rule themselves. After imposing the Stamp Act, the colonists were infuriated and started to rebel. Colonial leaders imposed by London such as Thomas Hutchinson were rallied against for imposing the acts on the colonists.
ReplyDeleteThe colonists also felt that, because the French were out of North American after the French and Indian War, they should be able to explore and settle in these new lands. The Proclamation of 1763 imposed by the British said that the colonists could not settle West of the Appalachians, but the colonists did anyway. They were grateful to their British mother, but they are also a teenager—rebellious to their parent.
The British had to make up for the money that paid for the French and Indian war—hence the Stamp Act—but the Stamp Act was a terrible idea since the colonists took such a dislike to it. After the Stamp Act crisis, and others such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, the British decided to bring in extensive troops to New England. This only proved the fear that colonists had of tyranny to be rational.
2. The reason for all the riots in the colonies was because the commoners, or majority of the people in the colonies, could not make their own opinion or majority of opinion evident in colonial matters. The only way the commoners could protest was through rioting and mobs. The property-less could not vote, so blacks, Indians, sailors, journeymen, apprentices, servants and women were automatically thrown out of the equation of decision-making. The commoners also started to attend town meetings, which the rich did not attend because they always got out-voted by the majority of the poor farmers.
Through the Regulator movement, the farmers tried to make their opinions heard—a group favored to preventing taxes for the poor. This grudge that the poor held against the rich eventually became the fuel that the rich used to aim the anger at the British.
3. “The people” of the Declaration of Independence were white men. In the most important statement of the Declaration, it states that “all men are created equal”, no one even noticing that they really did mean only men—yet not even black men—just white working men.
An ironic statement, seeing as many men were not created equal, but in plain words, they presume the “worthy” men to be of European descendants. Even John Locke favored for child laborers—something that is seen in the United States as disgusting. The commoners of the colonies realized this monopoly of power, and shouted, “Tyranny is Tyranny let it come from whom it may.”
1. The immediate effects of the French and Indian War was the removal of France from North America. This granted the British an enormous increase the size of their empire, however the war also generated irritation between the colonists and the British. The British were alarmed at the lack of support from the colonists and at the same time developed contempt for the ability of American militia. Meanwhile, the colonists were irritated at never being treated equally as British soldiers. Meanwhile, the war generated enormous debt for Britain that Parliament was determined that the colonists contribute to paying off through a variety of taxes proclaimed by acts such as the Stamp Act. This only increased the tension between the colonists and the British as colonists fought the British over the taxes due to lack of representation. The increasing irritation with the British and the removal of France from North America meant that not only do the colonists dislike the British; they also no longer require the British protection against France. The combination fact of the two sets the stage for escalating conflict with Britain and eventual war.
ReplyDelete2. The lower class people sought to increase their voice in colonial democracy in a majority of ways. The most common of which was attending town meetings in New England. Other ways they participated included giving speeches to try and convince fellow members of society to their point of views. Occasionally, riots or even rebellions started though mostly in the Southern colonies where the gap between rich and poor were larger.
3. The people referred to in the Declaration of Independence were made up solely of white men. Black men and women of all ethnicities were not included in the Declaration of Independence. So, while the Declaration of Independence might have been ahead of its time, by today’s standards it would still be considered a repressive document that fails to consider all people as
1. After the French and Indian War, colonial leaders were no longer endangered by the French. The British government focused on controlling the colonies by taxing them, the money allowed the government to pay for the war. This was the result of the Stamp Act of 1765. The effect of the French and Indian War caused the British government to become economically important, for example the colonial trade allowed them to become more profitable. Colonists were not happy with the idea of the government taxing them to pay for the French war. Once the French has left North America, British gained contol over many lands. Many colonists wanted to travel to those new lands however, the Proclamation of 1763 prohibited them from going west.
ReplyDelete2. The lower class increased their voice in the colonial democracy by accompanying town meetings. During these meetings the lower class was able to participate in speeches persuading other colonists. They discussed issues that needed to be changed. Such as, making policies and more equitable taxes.
3. In the Declaration of Independence, the "real people" were the white men. Other types of racial men and women were completely invisible to the Declaration of Independence. Black men were seen as just slaves not as men, while women were seen as being a midwifery and only working at home or on the farm. They had no equal rights as white men did. John Locke also had the idea of having political rights, but forgot the fact of inequalities in property.
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ReplyDelete1. After the French and Indian War, the British decided to tighten their control over the colonies. The British needed money somehow to pay for the war, so they decided to tax the American colonies. For example, they created the Stamp Act of 1765. The war made the rich wealthier and the poor poorer in the colonies. For example, on page 60, it is stated that the number of poor people are growing. The tax revenues from the French and Indian War angered the American colonists and made the Americans want to govern themselves. They did not like how the British were enforcing laws on them without their consent. For instance, they did not like how British could stay at their homes in the Quartering Act. On page 67, it is also stated that the soldiers would take over some of the middle class jobs. The colonies did not need the British assistance anymore after the French and Indian War; the French lost the war and most of the land in North America. Some of the colonial leaders were angry after the French and Indian War. Those who bravely served the war were looked down upon by the British and were not called anything past the Captain ranks.
ReplyDelete2. The poor people were upset that there were a small group of rich people. In the Boston Gazette, it states that there are only “a few persons in power” who wanted to keep “the people poor in order to make them humble.” The poor wanted equal taxes and democratic meetings they can participate in. They began to attend town meetings, in which the rich did not attend, where their voices could be heard. The lower class was always oppressed by the rich. To show their anger and want of equality, they would “‘[launch] a full-scale attack” on the rich people and “acquire unlimited private property.’” For example, the poor would attack Thomas Hutchinson’s home by smashing items with axes and stealing objects. There were the Regulator Movements in which the regulators were the white farmers who disliked inequality. They thought that the taxes were a huge burden to them. The Regulators would petition to the government explaining the unfairness about the inequality between the rich of the poor. People wanted farmers to be elected in the assembly since most of the members of the assembly were the high positions of lawyers and clerks.
3. The people of the Declaration of Independence were mostly white male. Indians, black slaves, and women were excluded. Women were “invisible” and played no role politically. As for John Locke’s belief, the Declaration for the people was based on the people to be equal and have life, liberty, and happiness. He did not mention anything about the inequality in property. On page 73, it is stated that Locke is a wealthy man who still believes that a “government of slaveowners” should be “run by wealthy land barons.” This shows that not everyone is equal since some people are to be controlled by someone who has more power and wealth.
1.) The French and Indian war affected many people, but in different ways. After the defeat of the French, the colonial leaders knew that they were no longer threatened by the French and were able to move west to accomodate the massive wave of new immigrants. However, when parliament passed the Proclamation of 1763, the colonial leaders felt that by giving the land west of the Appalachians, Great Britain was taking away freedoms the colonial leaders had taken as absolutes. The British were also affected by the French and Indian war. The British Crown was now able to focus its attention on the colonies, and as a result found that they were a good source of revenue that would pay for the war. Another group was also affected by the Seven Year's War, and that was the regular colonists. In America, the war had increased the glory of the generals, death to the regular soldiers, wealth for merchants, and unemployment for the poor. Across the board, the French and Indian War's aftermath would provide enough stimulants to create a war.
ReplyDelete2.) The lower class colonists wanted to increase their participation in the colonial democracy through small uprisings and rebellions. They would also hold town meetings that were looked down upon by the upper class as gatherings of "the meanest Inhabitants" and were not listened to because they were not of the higher class. So they began to organize small uprisings like, the "Boston Caucus" (organized by James Otis and Samuel Adams) which called the "mob" into action, and the attacking of Gov. Thomas Hutchinson's home. This pattern was just another ring in the chain that had been created by the Crown, since the "gentlemen" of Great Britain looked down upon the colonial leaders with disgust, the colonial leaders would do the same until the cycle repeated itself.
3.) The "people" the Declaration spoke of included, the middle class white men. Not the unemployed "mob" or African-American slaves. Even the "people" that Johne Locke spoke of were defined by a British Parliament member as "the middling people of England, the manufacturer, the yeoman, the country gentleman...". As we can see, the inalienable rights only belonged to those who were worthy of them.
1.After the French and Indian war, each party had a unique set of feelings. The British felt that the colonists have been freeloading off of the mother country and that they should pay taxes, not only to help pay for the war, but also to reimburse the people of Great Britain who has been supporting the colonists. The colonists on the other hand were very angry in response to the new taxes because they felt inferior to their companions across the see and viewed the Parliament as a bully.
ReplyDelete2.After the war, only the land owning gentlemen could participate in colonial democracy. So in order to voice their opinions, the lower class staged large mobs and rallies. This clearly voiced their opinion to the higher class and Britain.
3.“The people” of the Declaration were the wealthy white men. In the document, there is not a single mention to black men or even white women. Even John Locke the creator of this idea has the same outlook.
1.After the French and Indian War, the colonist leaders were thankful towards the British for helping them drive the French out, but at the same time, they felt incompetent and wanted to be able to govern themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe British desperately needed to gain back the money they spent on the war, so they started taxing the colonies. The Stamp Act angered the colonists the most, and they rebelled following acts with the Boston Massacre and Tea Party. Britain soon found out that taxes were ineffective on the colonists, so they sent in war ships to the Boston harbor to set up military control. This only made the colonists’ desire for freedom that much stronger.
2.The lower classes wanted to increase their participation in colonial democracy by attending town meetings to “vent their grievances.” Town meetings were also the lower class’ way of trying to get the upper classes to notice them; when that proved unaffectful, their only way to get noticed was through mobs and rioting.
3.“The people” of the declaration of independence were white, male landowners. This was not meant to be sexist or racist; it just only took into consideration those who signed the document. At the time, poor people who owned no land had no voice or representation in government, women were seen only as caretakers and midwives and African Americans were just slaves.
Why's everyone's posts so long? Whatever, i'll do my response without pressure from previous answers.
ReplyDelete1. With the conclusion of the French and Indian War, colonial leaders only had to compete with the Indians and the British. The British, who just funded a world war, needed a way to offset the significant debt, decide the American colonists, who were grateful for their assistance, but abhorred the idea of being taxed after years of autonomy. For the colonists in general, the F&I war separated the status levels. For example, of Boston's taxpayers, the top five percent owned forty-nine percent of the city's taxable assets.
2. There were very few ways for the lower classes to increase their involvement with the democracy without breaking the law or causing a ruckus. Mobs and B&Es were frequent methods of venting frustration with the rich and privileged that ran the local governments. Some were looking for more open-air assemblies so the population can have a say in the decisions. In Pennsylvania, the Privates Committee called to vote against the rich. The Regulators of North Carolina organized to prevent officials from collecting taxes, until many of them were killed by armed forces.
3. The Declaration of Independence was designed around the grievances of white males, so "the people" were these white males. John Locke, a wealthy man, ignored differences in wealth, a problem surrounding equality between men. In comparison that he advocated wealthy land baron rule and child labor, the Declaration of Independence was obviously a step in the right direction.
1. As the French and Indian War wrapped up as a victory for the British and American front, Parliament turned their focus to reining in the American Colonies. Parliament believed the Americans should be grateful for their victory and that they should begin to pay repercussions in the form of taxes to the British government in return. The Americans, accustomed to governing and taxing themselves, were outraged at the lack of warning, cause, or consent that went into passing the Stamp Act.
ReplyDelete2. The lower class citizens of the American colonies were landless, jobless, and penniless. Frustrated with their lack of options, they began showing up at town meetings, voicing their concerns and resentments. Their outbursts did not hold much weight with officials, as voting rights were only given to freemen, or landowners. Some lower class colonists simply wanted open air assemblies that gave the population --rich or poor-- a say in jurisdictional decisions.
3. The white male wrote the Deceleration of Independence for himself, and himself only. He scoffed at women and people of color alike with his taunt, "All men are created equal," and blamed many of his actions against the Indians on the British Government. Though the Deceleration of Independence was excellently written, and an infinitely historical document, it is inadequate in enveloping all Americans into its blanket of freedom.
1) The French and Indian War gave Britain new affirmation of their power. They concurred one of their greatest enemies and threats in world power. The victory went straight to Parliament’s head. They were confident in their military power and if they could control America during war in a manner that would defeat France, they could certainly control them in times of peace. They would have been right, but then they passed the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act affected the most easily angered groups of people in the 18th century: lawyers and gamblers. If it was not for the colonist’s fervor caused by this Act, Britain would have had their child at home for many years to come.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the colonists’ state of mind after the war and before the Stamp Act was not entirely inhospitable for thoughts of war. Colonial leaders and commoners felt proud of being a colony of Britain, but mostly as America as an independent unite. The war gave colonial leaders confidence in their abilities to begin thinking they could lead their land on their own.
2) Lower classes attempted to make their voice heard in colonial democracy by rioting, not Town Meetings. Town Meetings were essentially just the planning committee of the riots. There was no place for commoners in the democracy set up in this time so they tried to be as outrageous and rowdy as possible to make themselves noticed. They achieved this through riots, boycotts, violent protests, and mobs.
3) The people of the Declaration were Christian white males. Men in those times meant men with a voice in the government. So while it does read “all men are created equal” it really meant “all freemen are created equal”. This is strange, considering the fact that most signers of the Declaration were not created freemen at all. Signers and contributors to the Declaration are not excused from this because of their time period either. They got to start from scratch and had numerous cries for equality from women, and African slaves standing in the room as they signed.
1.The effects of the French and Indian war for the colonial leaders were that they felt grateful to the British because now they were no longer threatened by the French. When the Stamp act and other taxes and regulations were imposed on the colonies, the colonial leaders became upset. They were upset at how they were not consulted and informed of the taxes. Another reason was because they wanted to build their own government with control over their own colonies.
ReplyDeleteThe British were effected by the French and Indian war, by becoming in need of money, and tightening their rule over the colonies. With the expenses of the war, the British decided to tax the colonies.
The French and Indian war effected the colonists in general by creating a gap between the rich and the poor. They colonists also became angered by the many taxes and regulations imposed on them like the Stamp act. This caused riots, and violence against the rich, to break out.
2.The lower class wanted to increase their participation in the colonial democracy by making participating in the town meetings, where they would share their anger with the others. Other ways they participated were by forming mobs, and causing riots that were usually against the rich.
3. In reality, “the people” of the Declaration of Independence were the white men of the middle class. Women, and black men were not included, or even thought of.
1. After the French and Indian War, the colonial leaders found themselves unhappy with the British. They were enforcing what they thought were unfair taxes onto the colonies along with laws that restricted the economical and social lives of the colonists. As the actions of the British kept on the same path of looking down on the colonies, the colonial leaders began to think more and more about becoming an independent nation for the one thing they really wanted-- to govern themselves. Acts passed by the British such as the Declaratory Act only allowed the opposite, for the British to completely govern them. The years after the French and Indian War gave more and more reasons for the colonies to become independent.
ReplyDeleteAfter the war, the British saw the colonies almost as a burden. They could not defend themselves very well and British citizens were forced to pay for a war that was to gain land for and the protection of the colonies. As a result they began the taxations and laws allowing them to rule the colonies. As the colonist began to rebel more and more Britain officially declared them as a rebel state and started the Revolutionary War.
The general colonists were affected everyday by the actions of the colonial leaders and the British. AS they also didn't agree with many of the taxes, the colonist followed leaders in rebellion and in many cases started riots themselves. The Boston Massacre was really started more by the general colonists than any leader. As anger grew towards the British the idea of independence also spread through the colonies.
2.The colonies were generally under the system of mercantilism; whoever had the most gold had the power. This system gave the lower class no power. As a result they held town meeting to talk about their governmental problems and usually the upper class refused to attend the meetings seeing that the lower class were not "gentlemen". The lower class wanted some sort of say in the government and rebelled against the upper class in many occasions.
3.When looking closely at the Declaration of Independence "the people" were the white men. Maybe not intentionally but when Jefferson wrote, “all men are created equally" he did not mean black men because he himself owned slaves. And at this time women were not even considered a part of government matters. The Declaration gave rights to the men who wrote and signed it-- upper class white males.
1. The end of the French and Indian War was expected, by the colonies, to bring drastic change and expansion to the young America. Britain, however is in a lot of debt from the war, and imposed the Stamp Act, considered to be one of the worst political moves of all time, upon the colonies. The colonists also felt the need for expansion west, but when this was attempted, England declared the Proclamation of 1763, forbidding expansions past the Appalachian Mountains.
ReplyDelete2. The lower class of America tried to be represented both politically and economically through both violence and non-violence. Many colonists attended town meetings, which the upper class would be absent from. By doing this, they had a say in local politics. The lower class also rioted, often assaulting the upper class out of anger.
3. The writing of the Declaration of Independence was hypocritical. Slaves of the American elite looked on as the document reading "All men are created equal" was signed. These people, along with women and other minorities would fail to see improved rights for much longer than the declaration would imply.
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ReplyDelete1.Post French and Indian war America was a baguette and espresso free environment, in meaning that the french were no longer in North America. So now England has all this new land and the colonists are all excited to go and settle. However, England passses the Proclamation of 1763, which states that there will be no settling passed the Appalachian mountains, but in the Colonial midset that land is a " Birth Right" and now England is taking that "Right" away from them.
ReplyDeleteProblem number two with the rowdy, rebellious Colonists is that they refuse to pay for the war, through higher taxes, although England had just come over to protet their investments and protect them from all dangers. From England's point of view, the colonists needed a war fouught for them, So England sent over, arguably the best military in the world, to kill off any threats and they suceeded! But wars are not free, and either is financing the best army in the world. So England, figuring that they fought to protect the colonists and fought it in North America, feel that the colonists should get the bill for the war through higher taxes, they did this by passing new laws such as the Stamp Act. From the unappreciative Colonial Viewpoint, although England had just come over and helped them escape death, it was an unjust thing to raise taxes and make the colonists pay for the war. So this led to further thought of independence circulating throughout the colonies.
2. Lower class clonists were mad because they had no say in anything. With voting rights only being given to freemen and land owners. So they went to their town hall meetings and said speeches and voiced their concerns, but none of this ever ment much to actual officials. So with town meetings not working riots began to happens, and the officials, resentfully began to listen. Overall all the lower class wanted was just to be listened to, and eventually they suceeded.
3. So, This question is a tough one, because it is complete speculation on what the creators of the declaration was actually thinking. Zinn in all his self-appointed wisdom, feels that they wrote the declaratin for the white male, as a white male. However being a white male myself, i have to take step back here and think " do I really want to throw myself under the bus right now". So here is my take on what the creators of the declaration were thinking.
Now men who were not white in the colonial era where either Indian and not American anyway or Black and not American anyway. The term "African American" was not invented yet. Blacks had a purpose in the colonies and that was cheap labor. It wasn't even a worrry when writing the declaration on whether to include them or not, so really is all the critisim that writers of the declaration recieve just from hindsight?
So I realized that Abigail Adams, and her letters to her husband John Adams which clearly stated " Don't Forget The Ladies" has yet to be mentioned, and she is praised to this day as a women rights activist in history. " All Men Are Created Equal" So it doesn't say "people", however when you say men it can mean everyone. i know my parents have recieved letters that say to mr. and Mrs. Richard Meredith, clearly only using my father's name refering to the man of the house, but ment for everyone. En Espanol when a group of people has more than one gender you refer to the male forms of words to describe them, even if it is one man and thirty women(lucky guy). All im saying is that I believe there was no meaningful women bashing going on in the declaration. I believe that everyone was nervous, and a pretty good draft for the declaration was made and they sent it off. Nobody meaningfully was left out, and now 200+ years later of thinking about it we have over analyzed and are worrying about the little things too much. Everything works out in the end.
1. The French and Indian War impacted colonial leaders by making them yearn for fairer treatment by the British, while the British felt that their actions were protecting the colonies, thus making the colonies further below them – the conflicting desires led to tense conditions for the colonists especially. While the British had never before directly taxed the colonists, they now began asking for tax in the Stamp and Sugar Acts. The acts were fair – Britain was in debt from the war and taxed the colonists because they were a part of the British Empire, however, taxing colonists who felt that they were already being treated as below Britain did not help the problem. Also, now that the French were gone from North America, the colonists felt that they should be able to expand west past the Appalachians. Therefore, the Proclamation of 1763 made the colonists more rebellious and they continued to expand against the rule of Britain. But everyday colonists were not as effected as their leaders: the taxes were small and they felt little reason to expand.
ReplyDelete2. The lower class colonists wanted to increase their participation in colonial democracy, but only the upper classes were allowed to decide on colonial issues. Protests and refusal to pay taxes were some of the only ways that poorer classes could make their opinions heard. The Regulator movement denounced wealthy officials and their refusal to pay taxes supported poor farmers in North Carolina and throughout the colonies.
3. The people referred to in the Declaration of Independence were rich white males. Women were not mentioned, and as Zinn says, it was not a intentional downplay to women, but more likely just that women were not considered as important as men, so not worth being written in. Also, although “men” was written, the colonists did not mean slaves, Indians, or poorer colonists. John Locke, who originally made the phrase known, didn’t really mean all people either. The colonists were not being intentionally insensitive, they were just taking into account the people that they thought were worth writing in – the leading patriots were all rich, white, powerful men.
1. The French and Indian War increased tensions between the British and the colonies, although both Britain and America was affected in different ways. The colonial leaders were proud of their accomplishments in the war and relieved that the threat of the French had finally been eliminated. The British had built resentment towards the colonies, partly because of their lack of skill and knowledge in the fighting of the war, and also because they felt it unfair that the colonies did not have to pay for the war that they had participated in. As a response to this, numerous acts were passed to attempt to hold the colonists responsible. Ultimately, the Stamp Act caused the colonists and colonial leaders to become angry and believe that they should govern themselves.
ReplyDelete2. The lower classes wanted to be represented and heard. They felt that they had no voice, because as non-landholders they were not allowed a vote. This allowed government to be swayed towards the bias of the upper classes. The lower classes solely wanted a voice and a vote to protect their rights that they felt were not being respected. In desperation to get attention, protests and riots were what they resorted to.
3. Head politicians and leaders of our country like to believe that "The People" of the Declaration of Independence included all people-white, black, men, women, children- when in reality, white men were really the only "people" discussed. Creator of the ideas behind "all men were created equal" John Locke uses the words loosely. All men referred solely to white men, disregarding other races and sexes.
1. To colonial leaders, victory in the Seven Years War meant one less enemy that they needed to eliminate; France was defeated and forced to surrender its stake in North America. The French and Indian war also created tension between colonial and royal soldiers. Britain's royal solders held contempt for the colonial fighting style, deeming it inappropriate for battle. The colonial militia was impressed by the skills that the royal soldiers demonstrated in battle, but were angry that the British did not treat them equally as soldiers on the battlefield. The French and Indian War took its toll on the British economy; therefore, the crown imposed a series of taxes on the colonists designed to regain the money spent on the war effort in the colonies. The colonists were outraged by these seemingly sensible taxes, which began the downward slide toward revolution.
ReplyDelete2. The lower classes of the colonies felt put down and smothered by their exclusion from the executive decision-making process carried out by land-owning colonists, who were the only people allowed to vote. The lower class citizens were angry, and wanted to get their voices heard. These colonists attempted to voice their opinions at Town Meetings, giving speeches to try to persuade other colonists to support their cause. White farmers started the Regulator Movement, which sought to eliminate the monumental difference between the rich and the poor in the colonies, and to get farmers elected into the assembly.
3. The Declaration of Independence refers on numerous occasions to "men," stating that "all men are created equal." The presumed reference of this vague statement is toward middle-to-upper class white land-holding men. This is ironic, because the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, held slaves himself. He neglected to add "middle-to-upper class white land-holding men" to his statement that "all men are created equal."
1) Colonial leaders were happy that the great British empire won the war and kicked France completely out and took over Florida. The British were happy to get ride of the other nation because it meant more land for their growing nation and no one to blockade them. On the contrary though there were two major things that upset the colonies in general. The first being the proclamation of 1763 this gave the Indians their land from the Appalachians west, and also stated the English would stay east of the mountain range. The second factor that contributed to the colonies enrage-meant was the taxes consisting of the sugar act, stamp act, Declaratory act, and quartering act. The one though that sent them up in flames or pushed their final button was the stamp act. which cause them to pay tax on everything from playing cards to legal documents. British did this to try and raise revenue after the seven years war. I think was a bad approach to retaking control of the colonies. Great Britain left the colonies alone for over 30 years and they are all of a sudden taking interest in them by raising taxes which is what really gets them going.
ReplyDelete2) The lower class wanted to increase their voice in democracy by town meetings and also seemed to rebel in order to get heard. The lower class would hold town meetings in order to get heard because the rich wouldn't come they had a better chance of collecting colonist to their side. Though their were also those extreme lower class men who would burn the house of the rich down and sack the rich people's houses in order to get there point across and be heard in government. all together they had different tactics to change the government.
3)In reality the poeple that the declaration was referring to was not everyone in the colonies. The poeple he was talking to were the white land owning men. In the declaration it is all about the white man and doesn't even think about adding the women, children, black men, black women, and everyone else that was in the colonies. So the real poeple they were talking about would be the white land owning male. Which in turn disclosed a large proportion of the Americans in the colonies.
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ReplyDelete1. After 1763, with England victorious over France in the French and Indian War, expelling them from North America, ambitious colonial leaders were no longer threatened by the French. The British, trying to make peace with the Indians, had passed Proclamation 1763 which banned whites beyond the Appalachian Mountains. With the French defeated, the British government could turn its attention to tightening control over the colonies. It needed revenues to pay for the war, and looked to the colonies for that. Also, the colonial trade had become more and more important to the British economy, and more profitable. The British felt that the colonists needed to pay for some of the damages during the war and that they needed to be restricted and controlled. They passed the Stamp Act of 1765 which caused explosive emotions in the colonies.
ReplyDelete2. The lower class people wanted their voice to be heard and taken into consideration. They couldn't do anything because voting rights were given to people that owned land or were freemen. In Boston, lower classes began to use the town meeting to vent their grievances. The governor of Massachusetts had written that in these town meetings "the meanest Inhabitants... by their constant attendance there generally are the majority and outvote the Gentlemen, Merchants, Substantial traders and all the better part of the Inhabitants." Certain lawyers, editors, and merchants of the upper classes organized a "Boston Claus" and through their oratory and their writing "molded laboring-class opinion, called the 'mob' into action, and shaped its behaviour." This sense of grievance against the rich in Boston may account for the explosiveness of mob action after the Stamp Act of 1765. They raided rich homes like Thomas Hutchinson and Andrew Oliver and 15 other rich people. This act later became as the "War of Plunder" which took away the distinction between rich and poor.
3. John Locke meant that "the people" were rich or white males. They did not bother to write down women because they were not looked at as important as men at that time. Slaves and servants were not even included even though they were men. They were not included because of their race, prosperity, and social status.
1. The colonial leaders and colonists were proud to be a part of the powerful British Empire, but after the French and Indian war, Britain started to tighten its grip on America, and tensions rose between the colonists and British. After the French and Indian War, France lost its lands in the Americas, and with the French out of the way, colonists only had to deal with the Indians to settle western lands, but when the British proclaimed the proclamation of 1763 to maintain friendly relations with the Indians, the colonial leaders who wanted to settle past the western boundary of the Appalachians had to find a way to deal with both the restraints of the British and the Indians that were already in the western lands. While the colonists weren’t directly thinking it, Zinn states that the colonists were aware that “once the British were out of the way, the Indians could be dealt with.” The colonial leaders and colonists were already irritated with the Proclamation, but when Britain started to tax the colonists and impose harsh measures such as the Stamp Act and Sugar Act to take care of the huge debt that resulted from the French and Indian War, the colonists grew restless and started to rebel against the taxes and acts. The poorer colonists were probably hit the hardest after the war because not only could they not settle new lands, they also had to pay new taxes when they were already struggling to support themselves.
ReplyDelete2. The lower classes of the colonies did not participate extensively in the political system before the French and Indian War. Even after the war, they weren’t a huge part of the colonist’s government. Though they did not have much say in politics, they would try to participate in colonial democracy by forming mobs and rioting to try and get what they wanted or to stop officials from imposing a certain law. For example, when the Stamp Act was imposed, mobs in the Boston rioted to try to show their discontent with the act. In North Carolina, white farmers formed the Regulatory movement to stand against the wealthy and corrupt officials. Less violent ways the colonists would practice their rights were by attending town meetings, but the upper class people did not attend because they knew they would be outvoted by the lower classes. Because the lower classes tried to achieve a political voice, it later set them up for a greater political equality when the government would become a democracy.
3. In the Declaration of Independence, though Thomas Jefferson wrote “we the people” what was really said was “we the white men.” The Declaration of Independence was drafted and edited by people in power and people that had money. Servants, slaves, and women might not have been forcefully neglected, but rather as Zinn says, Jefferson just never thought to write of them because they were low in the political scale. Though John Locke did write about a people’s government, he forgets to mention the vast differences in wealth of the people. Locke himself was very wealthy so did not see from the views of a poor person in a democracy. The discrepancy between the poor and the rich does cause political unrest even though in theory, both are supposed to be politically equal.
1. After the French and Indian War, colonial leaders no longer had to deal with the French. They were grateful for the help from the British, until the Proclamation of 1763, which gave the Indians the land West of the Appalachians, and kept colonists to the east. Considering the British had just funded a large war, they needed money, which could not be obtained only in Great Britain. The British started to tax the colonists as well with the Stamp Act, and other acts like it. Since the colonies were already frustrated with not being able to move West, the taxes that were imposed on them made them more rebellious. This soon lead to the idea of the colonies governing themselves.
ReplyDelete2. Since there weren't many ways for the lower class, the majority of the population, to participate in democracy, they started to talk and share grievances at town meetings. They felt that the upper class didn't listen, though. Since many of their voices were still not heard, they resorted to organizing riots, and mobs.
3. The people of the Declaration of Independence where white, landowning men. This statement did not take women or African American men into account. John Locke did not take into account differences in wealth, which was a big part of differences in equality. Although the statement "all men are created equal" is not up to today's standard of freedom, it was the first step in that direction, and should be given credit for that.
1. The French and Indian War caused colonial leaders to no longer face opposition from the French, the British to create the Proclamation of 1763 and to increase control over the colonies, and the colonists to grow discontent with their government and the increasing discrepancy between the rich and the poor. The colonial leaders only had to worry about the Indians and the English to threaten their government and rule. However, the English tried to improve relations with the Indians by the Proclamation of 1763, which restricted Europeans from settling to the west of the Appalachians. This caused the colonists to despise their government for forcing those boundaries on them. Also, the British depended on the colonists for their economy, while the Americans did not need Britain for theirs (America was more valuable to Britain than Britain to America). The war also affected colonists by heightening the unemployment rate, as well as creating more of a separation between the distribution of wealth in the colonies.
ReplyDelete2. Lower classes wanted to increase their part in the democracy by utilizing town meetings to voice their complaints and creating mobs to illustrate their points. For example, the lower classes formed mobs to show their hatred toward the Stamp Act. They also made land riots because of the unfair distribution of wealth. The poor colonists wanted a say in the colonies' political affairs -- they desired less distinction between the poor and rich. Also, colonists who were discontent with living conditions in the colonies were more likely to turn to the British government for help. The upper class politically inclined colonists did not want this, so they tried to sway the poorer classes with words.
3. The people who were truly represented by the Declaration of Independence were the upper-class white colonists. Although the Declaration of Independence claimed that "all men are created equal," it left out women as well as slaves and people of different races. The lower classes were also not represented; the upper classes instead used them to fight for revolutionary causes that benefited the landowners. This point -- that the rich benefited from the Declaration of Independence, not the poor -- is proven when the rich got out of military drafts with their money, while the poor were forced to serve.
1. After the French and Indian War, the colonial leaders and general colonists realized that by creating the United States, they could take over land, profits, and political power from other countries. The colonial leaders showed exceptional leadership, setting the stepping stone for future generations, and the colonists began to resist unjust laws such as the Stamp Act. The British, on the other hand, was able to tighten its grip on the colonies after the French and Indian War, leading to the strict laws that were passed, causing the American Revolution.
ReplyDelete2. The lower classes wanted to increase their participation in colonial democracy by creating open-air meetings where the population could participate in making policy, better taxes, and the election of ordinary jobs to government posts. Class hatred led to riots and rebellions such as the Regulator movement in North Carolina until lowerclassmen were granted rights such as these.
3. In reality, the “people” of the Declaration of Independence and John Locke’s ideas focused solely on liberty and freedom being granted to exactly what they said it would be: Men. However, women, Indians and Blacks were not mentioned in this, meaning that they did not have the same rights as a white Englishman. An example of this is when in the Declaration it states, “All men are created equal.” While it may be seen as true for everyone today, it was written mainly with the word “white men” in their intent.
1. At the end of the French and Indian War, Britain gained the time to focus their attention on tightening their control on the American colonies. Not only did Britain want to politically tighten the colonies but also in an economic sense, to pay for the debts of the war to protect the colonies’ territories, the first notion was to apply some taxes to the tax-less colonies. The primary effort was to utilize the colonies economic abilities to re-stimulate the mother countries economy. As for colonists and colonial generals, generals were brought to glory because of the war while the privates died, merchants flourished and unemployment for the poor. Zinn capitulates that much of the colonies were poor and unemployed which caused an issue when considering survival. With the addition of the new taxations imposed on colonists, violence arose everywhere due to the majority of poor individuals.
ReplyDelete2. When regarding colonial democracy, colonists in a lower-class grew an avid interest in the use of town meetings to express their discontent with the recent events. This created an interesting relationship between upper-class politicians who genuinely recognized the lower-class colonists’ grievances. These upper-class politicians used the high energy of disgruntled colonists to their advantage by turning against the crown. This energy soon became excessive and spurred rebellions all over the colonies. With the following events, poor colonists felt that the oppression was contributed by the rich and not necessarily bitter towards the crown which was the rich aristocrats’ intentions. Like in the case of land hungry farmers turning against corrupt officials when agitation was eventually converting to the British crown.
3. In reality, the Declaration of Independence solely includes the rights granted to white men. Although the Declaration was focused on the idea of securing people’s life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness in reality this was only attainable for white males. John Locke’s ideas from his Second Treatise on Government was the inspiration for the writing of the declaration. John Locke’s work largely influenced the revolutions in England for the free development of mercantile capitalism at home and abroad. The English Revolutions spurred the idea of a representative government as well as democracy. Inequality in property was omitted but, Locke included his belief in that slave-owners should be run by wealthy land barons. Which reveals Locke’s interest in keeping the social status equal rather that hierarchical.
1 The French and Indian War led the British to debt. The massive cost of the war led them to need the British to tax their colonists in America, adding to the tension between the colonists and Britain. During the war tensions arose because of the British army’s attitude toward the colonial soldiers. They treated the colonists like second class citizens. The Proclamation of 1763 that was put in place by the British after the war angered the colonists, because they felt that they had the right to settle the Ohio River Valley. Merchants in the cities profited from the war, but poor farmers who dreamed of moving west to own their own land were bitterly disappointed. The British felt that they had helped their colonies defeat an enemy and believed it their right to tax them accordingly.
ReplyDelete2 The lower classes were growing frustrated with the ruling class of the colonies. The wealthy landowners controlled the government and taxation. The lower class felt that they had no voice and so they released their pent up anger at town meetings. The upper class profited from the French and Indian War while many poor men were unemployed. In the town meetings they were the majority and could easily out vote the upper classmen, but they had no say in the larger forms of government. They wanted more transparency with their government. They wanted all government meetings to be open and public, the votes to be published, and they wanted the election or more common people to government posts.
3 “The people” that the Declaration of Independence applied to were men, or to be more specific were white upper class landowners. Thomas Jefferson and John Locke never even considered all the other people. Thomas Jefferson wrote “all men are created equal” and I think he truly believed this, because he didn’t consider slaves, servants, and women as part of this group.
1. The French and Indian War caused the colonies to use up much money, leaving them in debt to England and later having to pay off those debts. England thought the colonies were doing more harm than good because they just cost their mother county and didn’t benefit it as much as England had hoped. England forced the colonies to pay back this debt by imposing a tax on the colonies, the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act created much retaliation in the colonies. Many colonists became poor, creating a large gap of tension between the rich loyalists in the colonies and the poor. This led to rebellions and attacks by the poor on the wealthy colonists.
ReplyDelete2. The lower class used town meetings to discuss problems between the wealthy and the poor. They believed that the “few persons in power” were purposely trying the keep the poor from becoming wealthy. In Pennsylvania in 1776, elections were held to frame a constitution for the state. Voters were urged to vote against wealthy, powerful landowners because they thought that “an enormous proportion of property vested in a few individuals is dangerous to the rights.” This huge conflict in the colonies between the rich and poor was the main reason for the attacks on the wealthy colonists, which began the first tensions of the American Revolution.
3. Thomas Piane’s Common Sense was the instigator for the ideas of the Declaration of Independence. It brought light to the concept of independence and encouraged the colonists to break away from England. John Locke, author of Second Treatise on Government, also contributed to the ideas of the Declaration. He believed in the rights of life and liberty, but as for property, he believed in a government run by wealthy landowners with slaves. “The people” of the Declaration, in reality, were the middle class people of England. The Declaration hinted that important people needed a number of Americans on their side in order to defeat England. This way, independence could be won, but without disturbing social ranks of wealthy and lower class.
1)In the aftermath of the French and Indian War, the french were revoked of their land. Colonial leaders weren't threatened by the french anymore and were thankful for the motherland. Although as a result of the removal of the French, there was a large debt that had compiled. They imposed laws and restrictions without the consent of the colonists which angered them. Such as the Proclamation of 1763 which prohibited the colonists from settling west, a smaller area is easier to control than a large one. Also the Stamp Act of 1765, which was a major revenue for the British to pay off the war costs. Because of these harsh restrictions and laws, the poor were heavily taxed without being able to settle new lands and pay it off, and merchants were made wealthier from their profits. This eventually angered the colonists and they rebelled, no taxation without representation.Ultimately it promoted colonial unity, and a hatred towards the mother country.
ReplyDelete2)Because of the harsh imposition placed upon the American colonies, the poor were hit the hardest having barely crumbs of food on the table. They wanted to raise their voices so they can stuff their bellies like the wealthy where there was food on the table everyday, and seen on an equal social status as the wealthy. They raised their voices in many ways, which include: attending town meetings where they discussed their issues and tried to persuade their peers, another way is through rioting and mobs where they would gather together in revolt against the rich because they would not be heard.
3)The people of the "Declaration of Independence," were all white men. They declared that "all men are created equal," but in reality did not take into account black men, or women.The document was based upon the needs of the white men, and not of those needs needed by all people. If it truly meant everyone they would have written as "all people are created equal."
1)The French and Indian War expelled the French from America. This gave the Britain and the colonies one less country to fight in the Americas. The colonists, though proud to have been part of the victory wanted to break away from Britain through anger after the implementation of the Stamp Act, especially. However, the British needed the money the taxes would bring to them because the war had cost so much. The colonists also felt limited because of the Proclamation of 1763 and didn’t feel Britain had the right to enforce a law when they were so far away. The poorer colonists also began to fight the upper class colonists attacking their houses and forming mobs and “neutralizing” the social levels.
ReplyDelete2)The lower class wanted to improve their participation in colonial democracy by taking control away from the rich upper class owning most of the land. The lower class wanted to level the social classes giving more power to them which was the reason for the continuous riots and the attacks on the houses of the elite. They began to participate in town meetings and vocalize their opinions.
3)The people of the Declaration of Independence were the male whites in the country. Although the declaration stated that “all men are created equal” this was not the truth. Black slaves and women were considered inferior to the collective white, religious males of the country.
John Locke desired a representative government and his ideas are reflected in the Declaration of Independence. The problem was however, that John Locke forgot the idea of inequality of the division of land.