The British Empire and the American revolution

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1 The British Empire and the American revolution
Unit 2. The dawn of democracies Ch. 4 The British Empire and the American revolution S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

2 Parliament and public opinion in England
Two revolutions Act of succession Bill of rights (1689) Constitutional monarchy England is the cradle of modern democracy Public opinion (daily newspapers) Separation between executive (king) and legislative power (Parliament) S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

3 The English electoral system
In the 18th century England is de facto an oligarchy: electorship is determined by income ( voters) the electoral competition is not based on programmes, but on clientelism the system favours corruption S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

4 Tories and Whigs English MPs are divided in two groups
Tories: rural aristocrats, asking for lower taxes Whigs: more dynamic noblemen and bourgeois S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

5 The British economy British economy is focused on agriculture
High productivity Some people can afford to buy unneccessary goods Investments in manufacturing (textile) Inventions to meet the increasing demand for consumption goods Domestic market S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

6 New British inventions
1733: flying shuttle 1764: mechanical spinning wheel 1768: steam engine (invented by James Watt) S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

7 Primacy of the British economy
British economic primacy in the 18th century is based on trade of agricultural products Machinery and industries develop gradually, employing more and more people In the 19th century Britain will attain industrial primacy S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

8 A different view on colonies
Old colonial powers (Portugal, Spain) continue to exploit mineral resources Emerging colonial powers (Britain, France, Netherlands) take advantage of colonies in a different way Precious metals; there is no development of the colonial economy Creation of plantations; development of the colonial economy S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

9 Colonial empires Britain East India Company
North America (religious colonists, e.g. Quakers), Barbados, South Africa France Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Québec, India (outposts) Netherlands East India Company Some regions in Far East Asia S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

10 The Seven Years' War Colonial rivalries turn into a large-scale war
Great Britain + Prussia France + Austria Russia + Sweden France cedes Canada to Britain and gives up its claims on India and North America Prussian control of Silesia is confirmed S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

11 The expansion of Prussia
S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

12 Population boom in North America
1700 1750 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 12

13 Society in North America
Arrival of immigrants religious reasons (17th century) social reasons (18th century) North America is characterized by diversity, not by uniformity The absence of an aristocracy favours democracy in the North American colonies S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

14 Economy in North America
S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

15 Triangular trade Africa Slave drivers offer ordinary goods in
return for slaves (glass, weapons, textiles) America Landholders make use of the cheap labour of African slaves, they sell tropical goods Europe Merchants sell expensive American goods and buy ordinary goods for new slaves S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

16 Triangular trade S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

17 The American revolution starts
Facing increasing expenses, the British king increases taxes for the American colonies Colonists refuse to pay the taxes, they have no representation in the British Parliament (“no taxation without representation”) 1765: colonists start to boycott British goods 1770: a tax on tea is introduced 1773: colonists attack three British ships carrying tea 1774: colonists gather in Philadelphia to affirm their rights, they organize armed militias against Britain S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

18 The war of independence
1775: first clash in Lexington; George Washington is appointed chief commander of the militias July 4, 1776: the Declaration of Independence is signed 1781: the Americans defeat the British troops in Yorktown 1784: the thirteen colonies become independent S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

19 The reasons of independence
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness – That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” Declaration of Independence of the United States S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 19

20 The political system of the US
Constitutional Assembly (Philadelphia, 1787) Governments of the states Federal structure Federal government (foreign affairs and defence, monetary and fiscal policy) President elected every 4 years Presidential republic Congress (Senate + Representatives) S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016

21 Some people remain excluded
Women and black people (even the free ones) continue to remain outside the US political system Benjamin Franklin and the abolitionists propose to abolish slavery; the Southern states oppose them (their economy depends on slaves) S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016 S. Luzzatto, Dalle storie alla Storia © Zanichelli editore 2016