The dozen years prior to the Constitutional Convention was a period in which the "rich and wellborn" exerted considerable influence. These people consisted of merchants, bankers, and big landowners, and they had the power to make themselves heard and thus to press for their particular view of what shape the new nation should take. The U.S. was not the egalitarian society it has been painted to be but was instead marked by social class divisions. From the earliest colonial times, men of influence had received land grants from the crown and had presided over growing estates. The regions that became the first 13 states had their restrictive laws and practices which shut out certain segments of society while inviting in others. In all but Pennsylvania, only property-owning white males could vote or hold office, and excluded were all Native Americans, persons of Africa descent, women, indentured servants, and white males without sufficient property. Property qualifications for holding office were higher than for being able to vote, thus making it certain that the government would be headed only by members of a largely wealthy elite (Parenti 49-50).
The Founding Fathers came from this elite group, and...
American Revolution (1775-1783): The Birth of a Free and Liberal American Society The birth of America as the 'New World' during the early 16th century, as a result of the Age of Discovery in Europe had brought about significant changes in human society, particularly in Western civilization. The discovery of America by Vasco de Gama, and eventually, Christopher Columbus, had prompted Britain to extend its territorial and political powers through colonization.
The British Parliament came out with further unjust laws, designed to recoup war losses, that further fanned the flames of revolution. In 1765, parliament passed the Stamp Act, requiring all legal documents and permits, newspapers, and even playing card produced in the Americas carry a tax stamp. The law caused widespread resentment, and was never fully enforced. Economic growth The period of 1690 to 1760 saw massive changes in the social, political
Colonial Culture Before the American Revolution The Great Awakening and Religious Change The Impact of Education When discussing causes of the American Revolution, most historians cite growing taxation, lack of representation in the national government, attempts by the King and Parliament to curb the power of colonial legislatures, and restrictions on trade as some of the primary causes. Often ignored as a cause are the changes in American colonial society that occurred
In a democratic society, however, the responsibility for making governmental decisions is transferred to the citizenry and it is incumbent that the citizenry be provided with at least a rudimentary education so that they are in position to make such decisions. Although the original U.S. Constitution did not initially grant women the right to vote and otherwise participate in the government, women were afforded, on a limited basis, to
The success of the Tea Party resulted in Britain's Parliament passing the Coercive Acts, nearly establishing martial law in Massachusetts, getting rid of t he colonial government and closing the Boston port and sending in troops 67. Despite these attempts at quelling the colonists, the town meetings and mass meetings continued to develop in opposition. It soon became even more clear that the colonies needed to include the poorer classes
..our troops behaved well, fighting with great spirit and bravery." Giving Washington too much credit would be a mistake, but he had a way of keeping his men on task. And yet, when Washington tried to get his troops to swear allegiance to the United States, "they refused...'New Jersey is our country!' they said stubbornly" (Bowen 7). Still, the relationships between the men who were outnumbered by the British was an
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now