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Navigation Act
1651: The Navigation Acts played a large role in the colonists’ motivation to fight for independence. This was really the first big act set in place to motivate the colonists. The Navigation Act states “And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no goods or commodities of the growth, production, or manufacture of Europe, or of any part thereof, shall after the first day of December, one thousand six hundred fifty and one, be imported or brought into this Commonwealth of England, -
Navigation Act (Cont)
...six hundred fifty and one, be imported or brought into this Commonwealth of England, or into Ireland, or any other lands…” (The Navigation Act). This quote demonstrates the idea that the British’s laws on trade were very strict. One can infer that the colonists didn’t like that, because if would prevent the colonists from making a lot of money through trade. This only continued to motivate the colonists while fighting for independence. -
Second Treatise on Government
John Locke wrote a piece called Second Treatise on Government in 1689. What this document does is essentially say that what is done within the government must be done for the good of the people. He even says “Secondly, these laws also ought to be designed for no other end ultimately, but the good of the people” (John). He also says that “Thirdly, they must not raise taxes on the property of the people, without the consent of the people, given by themselves or their deputies” (John). This is able -
Second Treatise on Government (Cont)
...able to motivate the colonists because they see here what Locke is saying the government should be like, and how the British are violating these guidelines on multiple different accounts. This serves as motivation for the colonists to fight hard for independence. -
The Rights of Colonists
1772: In 1772, Samuel Adams published a document called The Rights of the Colonists. He divides his argument into three different sections, the rights of colonists as men, Christians, and subjects. Here, he just lists rights that he thinks the colonists should have. For example, he says “Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can. These are -
The Rights of Colonists (Cont)
...with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can. These are evident branches of, rather than deductions from, the duty of self-preservation, commonly called the first law of nature” (Adams). This is able to motivate the colonists because they will realize that they don’t have these rights, and they will fight harder for them. -
The Spirit of Laws
1748: Montesquieu’s piece called The Spirit of Laws was highly influential amongst the colonists. Here, he basically lays out his beliefs for home the government should be organized. The says “In every government there are three sorts of power; the legislative; the executive, in respect to things dependent on the law of nations; and the executive, in regard to things that depend on the civil law” (Montesquieu). This goes against the British government and raises questions amongst the colonist. H -
The Spirit of Laws (Con't)
...amongst the colonist. He is very strong with his beliefs and even says “Again, there is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the legislative and executive powers” (Montesquieu). This is able to convince the colonist that the government that is controlling them in unjust and convinces them that they need change. -
French and Indian War
In 1754, the French and Indian War began, This was essentially the first battle leading up to the American Revolution. In 1755, George Washington wrote in a letter to Governor Robert Dinwiddie and he said “I also hired spies to go out and discover the numbers of the enemy, and to encourage the rangers, who, we were told, were blocked up by the Indians in small fortresses. But, if I may offer my opinion, I believe they are more encompassed with fear, than by the enemy. I have also impressed wagon -
French and Indian War (Cont)
...and sent them to Conococheague for flour, musket-balls, and flints. Powder, and a trifling quantity of paper, bought at extravagant prices, for cartridges, I expect from below (Washington).” What Washington does here is give Dinwiddie the run down of how he is controlling his men. This war considered to be a game changer because the money that the English lost in this war the British tried to make up for with taxes. -
The Social Contract
1763: In 1763, Jean Jacques Rousseau published something called The Social Contract. In The Social Contract, Rousseau argued various rights that all citizens should have. Not only does he argue the rights of citizens, but also the role that the government should play. For example, he says “All the obligations which a citizen owes to the State he must fulfill as soon as the sovereign asks for them, but the sovereign in turn cannot impose any obligation on subjects which is not of use to the commu -
The Social Contract (Con't)
...communal use]....(Rousseau).” Here is just one example of a situation. He gives a scenario and then says how the citizen must act and how the government must act. Rousseau’s ideas were important because previously there really weren’t any guidelines on how to treat the colonists, they pretty much were able to treat them however they wanted. However, when Rousseau published this idea, it was able to get some of the colonist thinking that maybe that could all change. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was another huge motivation to keep fighting for independence. The Stamp Act says “For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper, on which shall be engrossed, written, or printed, any copy of any position, bill, answer, claim, plea, replication, rejoinder, demurrer, or other pleading in any such court, a stamp duty of three pence… (The Stamp Act). Claims like these continue to go on and on down the document. This encourages the colonists because they re -
The Stamp Act (Cont)
...colonists because they really don’t like the taxes. If they are able to gain independence, then they won’t have to pay taxes on stamps and other paper products to the British anymore. -
The Townshend Act
Also, The Townshend Act were another motivation to keep fighting for independence. This is another document created by the British which taxes the colonists. For example, it says “For every single ream of blue paper for sugar bakers, ten pence halfpenny” and “For every pound weight avoirdupois of tea, three pence (The Townshend Act).” Obviously, the colonists weren’t happy with being taxed highly on daily items. This is continued to serve as motivation for the colonists fighting so that they did -
The Townshend Act (Cont)
...they didn’t have to pay these high taxes anymore. -
Steam Engine invented
The Steam Engine was an invention that was invented that as the colonists got closer to independence, they industrialized more (John Bull). -
Battle of Yorktown
In 1781, the final battle of the American Revolution took place at Yorktown. On October 17th 1781, General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in a letter which said “An Ardent Desire to spare the further Effusion of Blood, will readily incline me to listen to such Terms for the Surrender of your Posts and Garrisons of York and Gloucester, as are admissible” (Cornwallis).
