Causes of the Revolution - Unit 1

afro history

effects of french indian war

• british parliament passed series of acts

  • frustrated the colonists

boston massacre

• crispus attucks was first to be killed

  • seen as martyr or revolution

  • blacks dying for american freedom

• used as propaganda to gain support for revolution from south

effects of boston massacre

more restrictive acts passed

Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”

• doesn’t make sense for Britain to own colonies

  • colonies should be free

  • created revolutionary momentum

  • widely distributed — read by everyone

Adam Smith “On the wealth of nations”

• argued for liberal capitalism property rights

  • individual freedom to own property

• gov. should tax as little as possible and not interefere

  • protected rights of slave ownership

american freedom built on american slavery

• ½ of economy paid for by slave labor; everything paid for by slavery

american paradox

• US based on freedom, equality, human rights AND slavery

  • slavery violates all other rights

declaration of independece

1776; same year as common sense and on the wealth of nations