Revolution Notes

Independence Movement Questions

  • Foundations:
    • Influence of Enlightenment ideals, such as early attempts at democracy.
    • John Locke and Montesquieu's influence on the American Revolution.
    • Start with how Enlightenment ideas arrived in the colonies.
    • Discuss the impact of the Declaration of Independence or Common Sense.
  • Economic, Political, or Social Causes:
    • Mercantilism: An economic system where the colonies were expected to provide raw materials to the mother country (Britain) and to purchase finished goods from Britain.
    • Navigation Acts: Laws that restricted colonial trade, requiring them to trade primarily with Britain.
    • Stamp Act: Tax on printed materials in the colonies.
    • Townshend Acts: Taxes on goods imported into the colonies, such as tea, glass, and paper.
    • How and why these acts angered the colonists: Colonists felt that these acts were a violation of their rights and an attempt to control their economy.
    • Boston Tea Party: A protest against the Tea Act, where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.
    • Boston Massacre: A confrontation between British soldiers and colonists that resulted in several deaths.
    • "No Taxation without representation": James Otis, along with Patrick Henry (Give me liberty or give me death), argued this point.
  • Declaration, Early Democracy:
    • Virginia House of Burgesses: An early example of representative government in the colonies.
    • Town Halls: Local assemblies where colonists could discuss and make decisions about local issues.
    • Local Assemblies: Similar to town halls, but often at a larger geographic scale.
    • Quartering Act: Required colonists to house British soldiers, which was seen as an infringement on their rights.
  • Importance of Leaders:
    • George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were key figures in the independence movement.
  • Actual Battles:
    • Trenton, Princeton, and Saratoga were significant battles won by Washington and the Continental Army.
    • Significance of Saratoga:
      • First clear victory for the colonies, located in Upstate New York.
      • US General Gates was in charge, but Benedict Arnold was an aggressive fighter.
      • Benedict Arnold defeated Gentleman John Burgoyne, a skilled British general, but later became a traitor.
      • The French decided to support the US colonial army because of this victory.
  • Causes of Latin American Revolution:
    • Economic inequality caused by Mercantilism.
  • Outcomes:
    • Monroe Doctrine:
      • Stated to Europe that they should stay out of Latin America because it is the United States' backyard.
      • Isolating Europe from the Americas.

Latin American Revolution

  • Enlightenment Influences:
    • John Locke and Natural Rights.
    • Rousseau and separation of powers.
  • Haiti:
    • Toussaint L’Ouverture led the slaves in a revolt.
  • Mexico:
    • Father Miguel Hidalgo and Jose Morales led revolts.
  • Central America:
    • Spanish ruled lands declared their independence in the early 1820s.
  • South America:
    • Native Americans revolted but to little avail.
    • Simon Bolivar, “the Liberator” and Jose de San Martin led uprisings and captured Bogota, Bolivia, and Peru.
  • Brazil:
    • Gained independence without bloodshed.
    • When Napoleon took over Portugal, King Joao and his family fled to Brazil.
    • In 1828, Portugal recognized Brazil’s independence.
  • Catholicism:
    • Official religion, church and government were tied.
    • Liberals advocated for secularism.
  • Separate unorganized protests occurred in the beginning.
  • There was no unifying group.

Hispanic (Chicano) American Revolution

  • Cesar Chavez fought for workers' rights through the UFW (United Farm Workers), which led to the Delano Grape Strikes.
  • First Successful revolution.
  • World War II was a catalyst for social change.
    • Women entered the workforce.
    • African and Mexican Americans fought primarily in World War II.