How Important Were Political Ideas In Causing Split Between Brit And America

Question 1

Why were educational and literacy rates in the colonies important ?

Answer 1

More than 30 newspapers existed by 1763 so radicalism easily disseminated into the colonies

This also allowed for enlightenment ideas to spread easily throughout the colonies

Question 2

How was opposition encouraged by Thomas Paines common sense ?

Answer 2

1775-76 common sense
- put forward the arguement that the colonists should be given independence
- it has a considerable impact as it the largest selling book in American history and was read aloud at pubs and taverns
- fundamentally changed the colonial view of British control writing that ‘the same tyranny which drove the first emigrants from home pursues their descendants still’

Question 3

What was the political energy of the colonists like ?

Answer 3

• high
• each colony had its own assembly and even thought the right to vote was limited the assemblies provided a forum for political discussion meaning higher levels of political interest
• involvement in political activity ensured there was a lively debate and an understanding of concepts such as liberty
• leaders of unrest such as Samuel Adam’s exploited ideas that were circulating amongst interllectual circles so they appeal to all colonists
• underlined the resistance to British policies and gave justification to the actions of groups

Question 4

What did many see themselves as following ?

Answer 4

• The tradition of English Whiggism which developed in the mid 17th century when there were concerns over arbitrary and despotic governments
• many colonists saw themselves to also uphold popular rights, defend representative in situations and protect traditional freedoms which early 1700 Whig writers had argued were under attack

Question 5

What appeared to be on the rise in the colonies and what gave this credit ?

Answer 5

• executive power was on the rise
• the stationing of a standing army in the colonies after the seven years war
• In Britian journalist and politician John Wilkes had attacked the king and ministers as being tools of despotism and corruption

Question 6

What was easy to portray as attack on liberties ?

Answer 6

• Taxation
• noticeable in the comments of Boston Lawyer John Adam’s who described the stamp tax to be attacking the rights and liberties of the American people
• Virginia resolve which denied the right to tax without consent

Question 7

What issue did the stamp tax raise ?

Answer 7

The fundamental issue which caused the reevaluation of their relationship: right and principle that property couldn’t be taxed without consent

Question 8

What did John Locke argue was a contitutional right ?

Answer 8

Not to have your property taken from you and this was greater than the right of parliament which should safeguard not undermine that right

Question 9

What issue did the townshend duties raise ?

Answer 9

Exacerbated the fundamental friction of taxation and the colonial belief Britian was attacking their liberties
- most clearly seen in the letter of a Pennsylvanian farmer ‘ we cannot be happy without being free’ and ‘we cannot be secure in our property if, without consent, others may, as of right, take it away’