American Revolution
...in the American Revolution created a new nation founded on principles from the Enlightenment thinkers. The American Revolution included a series of broad intellectual and social shifts that occurred in the early American society, such as the new republican ideals that took hold in the American population. England powerfully influenced many of the most distinguished leaders of the American Revolution such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine.The Enlightenment is held to be the source of critical ideas, such as the centrality of freedom, democracy and reason as primary values of society.
The French and Indian War
1. 1754, the French at Fort Dusquesne defeated George Washington and his Virginian army.
2. In 1756, Montcalm forced the surrender of the British fort at Oswego on Lake Ontario, which broke the British hold on the Great Lakes.
3. William Pitt, Britain's new prime minister, had adopted a policy of drastically increasing aid to the American colonies.
4. In 1759 the new American Colonies were becoming as successful as ever.
5. The Treaty of Paris is signed in 1783.
a. The colonies became less dependent on Britain and better able to fend for themselves, which gave them more freedom.
Prelude to War The Colonies in 1763
1. The colonies imported British books, furniture, and clothing; and wealthy planters and merchants imitated the manners of the English aristocracy.
2. Although the colonists had reached a high level of maturity, there was not at mid-century a meaningful American nationalism.
3. Starting in 1759, minor arguments broke out between Britain and the colonies over disallowance of measures passed by the popular assemblies, over writs of assistance empowering the royal customs officials to break into homes and stores, and over judicial tenure in the colonial courts.
a. This showed a new direction...
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