Chapter 6: The Revolution Within
Read the following excerpt from the 1773 and 1777 Petitions of Slaves to the Massachusetts Legislature.
- The petitioners describe themselves as having lived in civilized conditions in Africa. - The petitioners refer to the natural rights endowed by God mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. - The petitioners question the Christian practices of slave owners who treat them poorly. incorrect: -The petitioners reference only national (political) law, not natural law. -The petitioners cite the ways in which their rights should be different from those of white Americans.
When political thinkers of the day proposed a [blank], many of them intended to create a government that represented the [blank] in the upper house and the [blank] in the lower house, and contained a strong governor and judiciary to preserve the liberty of all
1. balanced government 2. elite 3. common men
Historians use the term "republican motherhood" to describe beliefs about women and femininity in the revolutionary period. Identify the characteristics of republican motherhood.
correct: -"Family" came to be associated with parents and children; older definitions which included indentured servants and enslaved persons went out of style. -Women were to be educated so that they would raise their children—especially their sons—with republican values. -Marriage was increasingly identified as "companionate," or based on an idea of affection and teamwork. incorrect: -Women were seen as political actors who would eventually receive the right to vote. -Women were given new legal entitlements such as the right to own property.
Jefferson, like many members of the founding generation, wanted to make sure there was a [blank] between church and state. During the early years of the republic, many states [blank] their churches, meaning they [blank]their public funds and special legal privileges.
1. "wall of church and separation" 2. disestablished 3. removed
Fill in the blanks to complete the passage.
In Britain and its colonies, as well as the rest of the Western world, social hierarchy and deference to authority were considered necessary for society to work. The American Revolution would challenge this tradition by redefining notions of liberty and social standing.
Match the trailblazer from this period with his or her correct description.
Joseph Brant = This young Mohawk hoped to create an Indian Confederacy between the new United States and Canada. Hannah Snell = This woman joined the British army in 1745 disguised as a man; later she was awarded a soldier's pension. Lemuel Haynes = This veteran of the Massachusetts militia and noted preacher was an early proponent of extending freedom and equality to people of African heritage. Mercy Otis Warren = This woman established the Boston Committee of Correspondence, proving that women could participate in intellectual discussion. Phillis Wheatley = The poetic talents of this woman challenged Americans' idea that black persons were devoid of intellectual ability.
What were some ways that African-Americans attempted to secure freedom during the Revolutionary period?
correct: - African - Americans attempted to pass as freeborn blacks. - African - Americans used the legal system and sued in court for freedom. - African - Americans created and presented freedom petitions. incorrect: -African-Americans often engaged in numerous organized active rebellions.
Identify the statements that characterize the principles of Christian Republicanism.
correct: - It viewed the American Revolution as being the result of God's plan. - It held that personal virtue was central to the creation of a healthy society. incorrect: -It held that since man was imperfect, society itself could not be perfected. -In the name of personal liberty, most colonial leaders were hostile to organized religion.
On which of the following events did the American Revolution and its success have an important ideological and political influence?
correct: - Latin American wars for independence in the early nineteenth century. - the French Revolution. incorrect: -the unification of the Italian and German states in the mid-nineteenth century -the expansion of colonial empires in the Age of Imperialism
Identify the statements that describe the Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, written in 1779.
correct: - Religious requirements for voting were banned. - It became illegal for the state to force a particular religious outlook upon an individual. incorrect: -Government financial support for churches was increased. -It received near-unanimous support within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Identify the states that had the longest tradition of religious toleration.
correct: - Rhode Island - Pennsylvania incorrect: -Massachusetts -Virginia
The Revolutionary War is often thought of as a conflict between Great Britain and one of its colonies. Identify some other perspectives that can help us better understand the conflict.
correct: - The Revolutionary War was a borderlands conflict because it resulted in new geographies, national and cultural identity. - The Revolutionary War was an international conflict because it involved France and native nations in addition to Great Britain and its colony. - The Revolutionary War was a civil war, in a sense, because it pitted neighbor against neighbor. incorrect: -The Revolutionary War was a religious war because it involved a separation of denominations from the English (Anglican) church. -The Revolutionary War was an ethnic conflict because of the vast differences between British and Anglo-American culture. -The Revolutionary War was a war of succession because it was prompted by an argument over who should become monarch of the American colonies.
In what ways did the expansion of the definition of liberty and the proliferation of democratic practices change religious practice in the early United States?
correct: - The disestablishment of state-sponsored churches allowed for the proliferation of religious denominations. - Democratic liberty challenged the traditional authority of some religious traditions. incorrect: -Members of the founding generation built a "wall of separation" in order to make economics, not religion, the basis of public morality. -The growth of democratic practices and the "wall of separation" between church and state led to a shrinking number of believers.
What does the map reveal about political allegiances during the Revolutionary War?
correct: - The majority of colonists either strongly supported the patriots or Loyalists; very few were neutral. - Strong loyalty to the British government was not widespread. The locations of Loyalists communities correlate more with ethnic settlements than with factors of class or race. incorrect: -Loyalist and pro-Revolutionary colonists lived side-by-side in most communities. -Native Americans refused to take sides in the Revolutionary conflict.
Identify how requirements for voting and officeholding changed after the Revolution.
correct: -Because of the addition of new legislative seats, men who did not own significant amounts of property were able to assume office. -Southern state legislators changed few property and taxpayer requirements in order to preserve the landed gentry's control over political affairs. -New constitutions reflected the view that voting was an entitlement, not a privilege for only those who owned land or paid taxes. incorrect: -Although women were still prohibited from voting, free black men had the right to vote under the new state constitutions.
Identify the statements that describe the ideas Adam Smith expressed in The Wealth of Nations, published in 1776.
correct: -The natural laws of supply and demand should regulate market prices. -The "invisible hand" was an organic governing principle that maintained economic stability. incorrect: -It was central to economic prosperity that the government take an active role in regulating the economy. -Goods should be sold only at a traditional "just price" to promote the public good.
In revolutionary and post-revolutionary America, men's roles were viewed as natural entitlements, whereas women's roles emphasized duty and obligation. In fact, the concept of women as citizens was largely rejected by American society at the time.
natural entitlements, duty and obligation, rejected
Identify the statements that were true of democracy in the eighteenth-century context.
true: - Democracy was feared by some leaders who associated it with mob rule. - Democracy meant, in general, that government should serve the needs of the people as a whole, not just moneyed elite. - Democracy had several meanings, some from ancient texts. false: -Only elite intellectuals were in favor of democracy as people in the lower classes did not discuss politics.