Chapter 6: 1763-1783

pg. 209-219

Abigail Adams

Born in Massachusetts in 1744. Self-educated through books in the library of her father, a Congregational minister. Married John Adams in 1764. Took care of their 4 children and the farm. Gave political opinions to John Adams, and he relied on her advice the most when John became president. Advocated for human rights, especially for women and enslaved peoples. While her idea of feminism is different than modern-society, she still fought against the belief that men should have “absolute power” of their wives, and are excused for physical punishment. John Adams disagreed with her, thought that it was disrupting natural order, but others thought it formed the essence of the American Revolution.

Democracy

Had several meanings throughout time, one inspired by Aristotle that believed it was where the entire people governed directly. Colonists believed that to be mob rule. Another definition viewed it as a condition of primitive societies, which wasn’t appropriate for the complex modern world. Eventually, they settled on the belief that it was not the form of government, but the principle that the government should serve the interests of the people rather than the elite.

William Will

Important craftsman in Philadelpiha in the late 1770s. Created a bell that depicts Captain Peter Ickes, and Pennsylvania militia office, with “Liberty or Death.”

Republic

Authoriy rested on the consent of the governed. “Representative political system in which citizens govern themselves by electing representatives, or legislators, to make key decisions on the citizens’ behalf.

Pro-independence grouping in Pennsylvania

Leaders made of artisans and lower-class/modest wealth that weren't part of the merchant elite. Leaders included Thomas Paine, Benjamin Rush, Timothy Matlack, and Thomas Young. Patriots who believed in equality.

Two-House Legislature

John Adams belief that government should be balanced, with rich folk having a house to represent the elites, and the poorer folk having a house that represents lower class/ordinary men, and a middle house that, like a powerful governor or judiciary who would ensure that neither house infringed on the rights of the other. Adopted in every colony except for Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Georgia. Massachusetts did a spin-off where the governor could veto laws passed by the legislature.

Vermont’s form of suffrage

Consitution of 1777 is the only colony that eliminated the need for land to vote, and also didn’t require voters to pay a tax.

Pennsylvania’s form of suffrage

Land required? No.

Tax? Yes.

Maryland’s form of suffrage

Land required? Yes, small requirement.

Higher requirement for officeholding, including a 5,000 pound for the governor.

Virginia and South Carolina form of suffrage

Land required? Yes

Gentry-dominated legislature to choose government. Gentry people are really wealthy, and may have education.

New Jersey’s form of suffrage

Land required? Yes for “inhabitants.” This included property-owning women, mostly widows.

Eventually limited it to “white males” in 1807. 

Massachusetts Constitution

Originally was rejected by majority of towns because it required land to vote, which many argued that they couldn’t maintain their “life and Liberty and property” without being able to elect their government. Final constitution, approved in 1780, still had a substantial requirement for voting in state elections, but virtually all men were able to vote for town officers.

Dissenters

Protestants who belonged to other denominations than the Anglican Church

Quebec Act 1774

“Allowed Canadian Catholics to worship freely, as part of a plot to establish ‘popery’ in North America.”

John Carroll of Maryland

United States’s first Roman Catholic bishop visited Boston in 1791 was met with a cordial (warm and friendly) welcome.

How colonies handled religious freedom

Every state except New York barred Jews from voting or holding public office.

Seven states limited officeholding to Protestants.

Massachusetts made it mandatory by law for people to attend church, but guaranteed freedom of individual worship. Maintained public financial support for religious institutions until 1833.

Throughout the country, Catholics gained right to worship.

Maryland’s constitution (1776) restored large Catholic population and civil and political rights.

Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom

Written by Thomas Jefferson in 1777 and enacted 9 years later in 1786, a law that guaranteed the freedom of and from religion. Bill was only introduced to the House of Burgesses in 1779.

Thomas Jefferson

1) Founded University of Virginia

2) Helped write the Declaration of Independence

3) Brought religious freedom to the people of the colonies.

4) Was 3rd president of the United States.

Moravian Brethren

Immigrant from Germany to North Carolina. The people in their new community disagreed with the idea of arranged marriage, and believed that people should have the right to choose their husbands and wives. The elders (M. Brethren) thought that individual liberty was more opportunity for temptation.

Christian Republicanism

Describes a particular set of beliefs of the founding fathers. Founding fathers were Deists (i.e. believe in God, but do not believe that it is necessary to worship, as they believe the true way to worship is through studying what he has created). Yet, while the Fathers believed that there needed to be separation from Church and State, they thought that people would be immoral if they did not have a moral restraint on them, like a religion.