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The First Great Awakening
The Great Awakening did not separate the colonists as it was also occurring in Britain. The new light ministers traveled to different colonies and brought a shared message and experience to distant communities. There was no large patriot movement at the time, rather a renaissance in religious thought. This was a time when the colonists were not governed by a heavy hand. Succession was not in the public conversation, instead a better life through enhanced faith was.(1.) Image.(2.) -
Footnotes
(1.) Corbett, P. Scott, PhD, Volker Janssen, PhD, John M. Lund, PhD, Todd P.Fannestiel, PhD, Paul Vickery, PhD, and Sylvie Waskiewicz, PhD. "U.S. History." OpenStax CNX. 2016. Accessed June 24, 2017. [http://cnx.org/content/col11740/1.3 ], 110-112
(2.) Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Image. From "U.S. History." OpenStax CNX. 2016. Accessed June 24, 2017. [http://cnx.org/content/col11740/1.3 ],111 -
The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War did not directly cause a shift in attitude away from loyalty to the crown. While the war was about more than the colonies, it began as Virginia tobacco farmers wished to expand west. The King and parliament tried to recoup the cost of the long war with new taxes and restrictive laws. It was this action which had the largest effect of swaying those away from loyalty to the crown. (3.) Image.(4.) -
Footnotes
(3.) Scott etal., "U.S. History",117-119 (4.) “Seven Years War/ The French and Indian War,” Image. From Military Heritage. Accessed June 25, 2017. [http://www.militaryheritage.com/7yrswar.htm] -
The Bloody Massacre in King Street Published
The violence of March 5th 1770 which became known as the Boston Massacre is a major event in the push for independence. A date as, or more important is March 12, 1770 when Paul Revere published an engraving and his telling of the events. The colorful language and image depicting defenseless youth against armed soldiers quickly spread throughout the thirteen colonies. The artful use of the press by Paul Revere helped move some formerly undecided towards rebellion. (5.) Image.(6.) -
Footnotes
(5.) "Boston Massacre Paul Revere Boston Gazette." Constitution. Accessed June 24, 2017. [http://www.constitution.org/primarysources/boston.html] (6.)Paul Revere, "The Boston Massacre," Engraving. Image. Accessed June 24, 2017. [http://www.paul-revere-heritage.com/images/Boston-Massacre-Engraving-Large.jpg] -
Footnotes
(7.) Benedict Arnold, “To the Inhabitants of America,” Letter, October 7, 1780 in New York. Accessed June 25, 2017. [http://www.historycarper.com/1780/10/07/benedict-arnolds-letter-to-the-inhabitants-of-america/] (8.) "Benedict Arnold," Image. Accessed June 24,
2017.[https://www.classtools.net/_FAKEBOOK/saved/1469/QUtwEf/coverImage.jpg] -
Benedict Arnold defected to Loyalists
General Benedict Arnold an early advocate for Independence of the Colonies fled to New York to join the English / loyalist forces. His letter published in 1780 titled To the Inhabitants of America showed that the move to succeed was not universal, although many believe his motives were more personal than for love of country. The divisions between the loyalists and the patriots were deep and Arnold became known as a notorious traitor to those wishing independence. (7.) Image.(8.) -
Footnotes
(9.) The Definitive Treaty of Peace,
1783. Transcript of Treaty of Paris.
Accessed June 24, 2017.[https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=6&page=transcript] (10.) "Treaty of Paris (1783)." Image. Accessed June 24, 2017. [https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc_large_image.php?flash=false&doc=6;] -
Treaty of Paris
The document formally ended the Revolutionary War or as it states "forget all past Misunderstandings and Differences" (9.) The agreement tried to address protection of those known as loyalists. They were a minority to be sure but still a considerable number. The agreement sought the return of their seized property and prevented any future confiscations. The 13 colonies were now recognized as independent nation states. Image.(10.) -
Footnotes
(11.) Scott et al., U.S. History, 213 (12.) Barat PSN, Today in History: The Bill of Rights, Updated December 15, 2011.Image.
Accessed June 25, 2017.
[http://primarysourcenexus.org/2011/12/today-in-history-bill-of-rights/] -
Bill of Rights Adopted
The thirteen colonies, now states were operating like separate countries. The mistrust between patriots and loyalists was replaced by a mistrust of centralized power. As a condition of accepting the 1787 Constitution a Bill of Rights was demanded and delivered. Drafted in New York City by James Madison The Bill of Rights made up the first ten amendments to the constitution. The document sometimes purposefully vague was sufficient to ease the fears of the new states.(11.) Image. (12.)
