American Revolution Flashcards
1
Q
the ideas from the Enlightenment begins create revolting thoughts
A
- questioning absolutism
- favoring popular sovereignty
- government with a checks and balances
2
Q
enlightenment thinkers
A
- Thomas Hobbes (favored old Enlightenment thought)
- absolute rule is good
- John Locke (favored new Enlightenment thought)
- natural rights: life, liberty, and property
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- social contract with government and community
- Baron de Montesquieu
- checks and balances in a government
- Voltair
- questioned corrupt government officials
- Adam Smith
- free market (capitalism) without government involvement
3
Q
these ideas from Enlightenment Thinkers began to question the King George
A
- taxes
- lack of representation
- this would lead to resistance
- revolts
- Boston tea party
- forming of armies
- Declaration of Independence
- French help the colonists
4
Q
American Revolution
A
- Americans wrote the Constitutions the framework for rule in America
- Constitution modeled after Enlightenment ideals - no monarchy, divided power, tolerance for each citizen
- the successful revolution in America would have an impact in France as well…
- this would lead to future revolutions in Europe and Latin America
5
Q
Thomas Hobbes
A
- influence by English Civil War
- argued that people were naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish
- humans need to be strictly controlled or else they will kill each other
- favored an absolute monarchy as the only government to control humans
6
Q
John Locke
A
- also influenced by English Civil War
- people were basically reasonable and moral
- Humans had certain rights that belonged to them from birth, life, liberty and property
- governments only need to protect natural rights
- people should overthrow government if it does not work
- against monarchy
7
Q
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A
- believed people were basically good but corrupted by the evils of society
- society places too many limitations on behavior
- government should be freely elected
- the good of the community should be placed over the good of the individual
- hated political and economical oppression
8
Q
Francois-Marie Arouet…aka Voltair
A
- used wit to expose the abuses of his time
- targeted corrupt officials
- critical of inequality, injustice and superstition
- against slave trade and religious persecution
- offended French government and Catholic Church
- imprisoned and exiled
9
Q
Adam Smith
A
- famous British economist described these ideas in his book The Wealth of Nations
- Smith argued that supply and demand should regulate the trade market - not government
- government should only exist to protect people and provide public works
- philosophes also attacked the economic system and tried to improve it
- promoted the idea of laissez-faire - which means “hands off”
- allows business to operate with little or no government interference - free trade and no taxes
10
Q
ideas under attack
A
- divine right of kings
- state control of trade
- aristocratic privilege
- authority of a single church
11
Q
shared ideas
A
- liberty
- equality
- free trade
- religious tolerance
- human rationality
- democracy
- popular sovereignty
12
Q
note
A
- up to this point, British colonists had enjoyed local autonomy and litter interference from Britain
- the British government was: tied up in internal conflicts. tied up in European wars (especially with France)
- changes when British government started to tighten its control over the colonies and to extract more revenue from them (King George III)
- British treasury was drained and national debt was through the roof due to its global struggles with France
- imposed a variety of new taxes and tariffs on the colonists without their consent
- leader of colonial army: George Washington
- 1781 - Britain surrendered to the Americans in Yorktown Virginia
- 3 branches = executive, legislative, judivial
13
Q
how did American colonies respond to the harsh British taxes?
A
- the Boston Tea Party
- tar and feathering
- forming a volunteer army
14
Q
when did the British surrender to America?
A
- 1781
15
Q
how did absolutism contribute to the American revolution?
A
- the backlash to such control encouraged revolution
