The American Revolution by Woods-Section 3 = Part 5 Republicanism, Part 6 Republican Society, and Part 7The Federal Constitution
This is your 3rd and Final Blog for The American Revolution by Woods. You may also comment on another person's blog. Use Reading Thoughts and Thinking Like a Historian.
Wasana Pinsonneault Preview/Predict: The first couple of lines in this chapter gave me insight on what I was about to learn about. “A military victory over Great Britain may have been essential for the success of the Revolution, but for Americans it was scarcely the whole of the Revolution. Although the Revolution had begun as a political crisis within the empire, by 1776 it was no longer merely a colonial rebellion.” (p. 91) I predict that this portion of the reading will be about how America really became independent and how their government and society became what it is today. Evaluation: When Slavery was brought up I could relate to what they were talking about based on prior knowledge that I already had. “Now, however, republican citizenship suddenly brought into question all kinds of personal dependency. For the first time in their history Americans were compelled to confront the slavery in their midst as an aberration, as a peculiar institution, and, if they were to retain it, to explain and justify it” (p.127) This quote was the start of Americans rationalizing slavery; whether or not it should be justified and why. This led to many events that either pushed or pulled away from the thought of slavery. Using The Past: “The initial efforts to end the contradiction were directed at the slave trade. In 1774, the continental congress urged abolishing the slave trade, which a half-dozen northern states quickly did.” (p. 127) This quote explains how slavery became abolished in our nation and why slavery is not allowed today. Although this did not come easy for the southern states, “But in the end, slavery in the South was too entrenched to be legislatively or judicially abolished.” (p. 128) it eventually came around with many pushes for ending slavery. We can learn from this by realizing all the work that was put into making this nation free for all. Turning Points: The decision to abolish slavery eliminated how farmers worked. Normally farmers would have their slaves do all of the work (working the fields, cleaning, caring for kids) and the “owners” of the slaves did not have to pay them anything. They probably paid an initial fee for the slave or traded something but in the end, “owners” owned the slaves. Therefore when slaves became free and a law was put into place former owners of slaves were left with having to do the work themselves or to actually hire people to do their work.
Connections: One connection that was made during the last section of the book was the philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Thomas Hobbes created the social contract between government and people based on their need for security. What reminded me of him was when the monarchy theory on people without a government would “… run amuck, each doing what was right in his own eyes.” , which is exactly what Thomas Hobbes explained by how people created communities for the sole purpose of security by giving their freedoms to a tyrannical or monarch figure. So that paragraph made me recall Hobbes philosophy.
Preview/Predict: Upon reading that the chapter was titled “Republican society” my initial guess was how the post-war American society transformed. To be more specific I thought the chapter in detail would explain the attitude of the people such as changes through economic, society, and politics. After reading the chapter however some things that did differ from what I believed it was about was racial perspective of the population on how they treated Native Americans and African Americans. Finally religion and migration were vital topics that I indeed left out of my theory on what the chapter was mainly about.
Through Their Eyes: In the post-war atmosphere many Americans took the opportunity of a new country to invent something completely innovative. In their perspective they wanted to challenge everything they despised by every aspect of their lives. Instead of having a monarchy where people would follow the king out of a necessity for order and security, Americans revived old ideas of republicanism where the common people were there upholders of order. Also another essential design of society that Americans wanted to bring into their society was the “self-made man” concept where anyone from any corner of life was allowed to make their lives the way the wanted, contrary to English beliefs.
Turning Points: One major turning point of the American Revolution was the idea of Federalism overtaking their original government of Confederacy. During the 1780’s state legislators were abusing their powers and tampering with constitution, similar to the British parliament. Also “political scrambling” occurred as well where many legislatures were only worried about what they could bring to their groups of interest. This selfishness and greed was when the turning point started. The Congress that ruled over all the states had barely any power, so it was decided by many that the Government would be changed into one that is more powerful and eliminate the problems of the obsolete Confederacy. These past actions caused the movement for a Federalist government to be created.
Comment: I agree with Wasana with the movement of a Republic society was the cause that made Americans question about slavery and from that point on caused many events the shaped our stands on having slaves.
Vocabulary: As I was reading the last few chapters, the word hierarchy cam up a lot, and I remembered learning about it but I couldn't recall what it meant. I looked it up and it is a system which ranks people or groups one above the other according to status or authority. This was a traditional form of government that the colonies were trying to shake up.
Connections: A connection I made happened when I first opened to the fifth chapter and it was titled Republicanism. This brought me right back last year in my American Institutions class. I remembered that republicanism goes back to Ancient Greece and Rome with philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. I knew Americans were also heavily persuaded by John Locke and eventually became the choice of many of the "Founding Fathers".
Through Their Eyes: For the Americans, the work was just beginning as the war ended. They needed to create a new government and do something never done before to show the world there was a reason for breaking away from England. It took guts to intertwine old ideas with new ideas to create our government which we still use today, but with no guts there is no glory. All the conventions, debates, and arguments it took to write not only the Constitution, but also the Articles of Confederation paid off for not only the 18th century America, but also for the 21st century America.
Cause and Effect: Since the British government had so much control over the colonists, the Americans wanted to take away the power of the central government. However, because the state legislators were taking advantage of the system, our forefathers realized the U.S. Congress still needed to have some authority over the states. For this reason, the federal Constitution needed to be written.
Comment: I agree with Darian that Americans took the challenge and looked forward to creating something new and innovative for a government.
Vocabulary: Exhortations-- (word found on page 94) Noun... an address conveying urgent advice or recommendations. Egalitarianism-- (word found on page 121) Noun... belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, social, and economic life. Corsairs-- (word found on page 148) Noun... another name for pirates.
Evaluation: Any time an author makes a statement about a political standpoint, there is always a risk that the author is a bit biased. I think that even though an entire section of the book focused on Republicanism and how it developed and how the country was forming through it, the author remained very unbiased throughout the entire book and was strictly informative.
Turning Points: When slavery became illegal, everyone who owned slaves had to alter their lives to maintain a living without the slaves. Maybe the lack of slaves sparked some technological advances to make the work easier for the farmers. This would be a major turning point for future farmers who could now be more efficient or safe with their machinery and would ultimately propel the country forward with a higher crop output because each farmer could handle more land.
Through Their Eyes: People in this post-war world viewed the world perhaps as a clean slate. Now that they had freedom to do as they please, each person could live their lives the way they wanted them to be without the guidelines of Britain holding them back. This was a big opportunity for a lot of people who felt oppressed while under the rule of Britain. Each person developed their life under their own terms which made for a more diverse and productive America.
Comment: I agree with Darian when he said that a major turning point in the revolution was when Federalism overtook the original government. He had a few good bits that backed his information up and made very good points.
Predit: Before reading this section, I was under the assumption that the rest of the reading would be about how society was changing and becoming less like the society they knew before. Before I read the chapter Federal Constitution, I thought that it would be about how the colonists started forming states and, obviously, how the constitution was formed.
Vocabulary: I kept coming across the word "republicanism" and was very confused. The only thing that kept popping up in my head was "republicans and democrats" and I didn't fully understand what they meant by that. But after going back and re-reading a section early in the chapter, I came across a section that I missed that explained the term. The book said "It is meant...eliminating a king and establishing an elective system of government."
Turning Points: I think the major turning point for this section would be the making of the constitution. It was more or less the most important part of them being freed from the king's rule, because it was a written statement of how their government would be a better system than the king's. The revolution itself was indeed a great thing, but in my opinion, it wasn't the thing that finalized the separation between the colonists and britain.
Through Their Eyes: Through the eyes of the colonists, I believe that they now had hope to have a better society than before. But I also believe that they knew their new government wouldn't be perfect overnight. They knew they created a great government system by learning from how the king had ruled with his government system. I think they colonists saw hope for America, and I believe that that hope is what helped us win the war, become free, and prosper as a new independent country.
Responding to Becca's post, I agree with your evaluation on the author and how he wrote the book. He was strictly writing to put out information and not to make any side look bad or good. I also agree that they had a big opportunity to do what they pleased without having to worry about taxes and housing military personel.
1)VOCABULARY As I went into Chapters 5 & 6, I realized that a huge part of them dealt with becoming a republic and decided to find a definition for it to help my understanding. A Republic is “a state in which supreme power Is held by the people and their elected representatives. A republic has an elected or nominated President rather than a monarch.” I found it interesting that this definition brought up a monarchy, probably pointing out that the revolution separated us from the world of monarchy. Yes, republicanism may have been very radical at the time, but as said in the book, it “set forth republican ideals and values…good life, citizenship, political health, and social morality…” (p. 92).
2)BIG IDEA/GENERALIZATION Chapter 5 entitled “Republicanism” was mainly about the concept of Republicanism as Woods wrote about society’s view on it and what occurred after the Revolutionary War. It brought up things such as order, equality, and pride in our country. This was opposed to Chapter 6, in which Woods wrote mainly about what stemmed from our newly Republican Society. I thought it was great that Woods included the downfalls of war in the beginning of this chapter, but also how he included the positives, and what came out of it – republicanism obviously being one thing. Woods says “The Revolutionary War itself was at once both a disruptive and a creative force, and it touched nearly everyone one way or another”. (p.115)
Thinking Like A Historian
1)TURNING POINTS A critical period that was in need of constitutional change was between 1781-87, as the Articles of confederation needed to be replaced with something that offered more “harmony and stability” for our nation. Citizens knew that republicanism was in danger. It was apparent that state governments need to be closer to the people, which was good as elections and office competition soon increased. Despite that, the Articles were still not going to cut it. Fears were growing that tyranny would make its way back into society. The Philadelphia Constitutional Convention began in 1787 in effort to create our new constitution.
2)DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists-After the constitution was written, some delegates still believed that the Articles could have been revised and pointed out many issues to this new and controversial constitution. Anti-Federalist believed that there was too much power given to the Central Government – especially the executive branch. They also argued that there was no Bill of Rights and therefore did not want to ratify it.
-I agree with Becca on her evaluation that the section about Republicanism was unbiased and remained very informative.
Preview/Predict: Before reading this chapter I assumed it would be about the struggles that the Colonies faced during their restructuring of society and what types of struggles through authority they had. Also I thought it would be about the wars and battles that America would go through in the future.
Vocabulary: Marxism: is the system of economic and political thought that states that actions and human institutions are economically determined, that the class struggle is the basic agency of historical change, and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism. Magnanimous: means to be free from petty resentfulness and vindictiveness. Also, to be high minded or noble. Through Their Eyes: After the Colonies officially became their own country, people thought they were going to leave a big mark in history as becoming a free republican nation. Among the marks they set forth republican ideals and values about the good life, citizenship, political health, and social morality that have had a powerful and lasting effect on Western culture. Change and Continuity: The Colonies are now their own country eager to pave a way into society that will define them as a new and unique country that will become one of the best and most successful country in the world. The goals of The United States have remained the same, to become a free society and to represent their people in a way that will benefit all. Also to have leaders that are chosen by the people. America and Britain have both benefited from this split because they have become great allies through war and peace. The world’s economy has also benefited from this by having many new things created technologically and environmentally from landing on the moon to developing cars that depend on only electricity.
Peyton Stefan: Predict: Section five’s title, “Republicanism”, gave me insight on the chapter and lead me to predict that it would be about the formation of the American government. I assumed this section would sow how the new society’s government, formed by the colonists, differed from that of Britain’s.
Vocabulary: “Marxism” - A system of economic, social, and political philosophy based on ideas that view social change in terms of economic factors. A central tenet is that the means of production is the economic base that influences or determines the political life.
Through Their Eyes: When looking through the eyes of new Americans, I see hope for the future. The victory of being free at last spurred emotions and gave the settlers reason to celebrate. An entirely new government would be formed centering only on the beliefs, values, and lives of the people. These Americans were eager to exercise their freedom and live their lives the way they had always dreamed of.
Turning Point: James Otis declared in 1764 that all colonists were, “by the law of nature freeborn … white or black.” For the first time in history, Americans were confronting the issue of slavery. After much effort, fighting, and time, slavery was abolished. This new law left farmers in the south unable to keep up with their farm work and lead to changes in the way livelihoods were made. Plantation owners began paying assistants to help them which called for budget adjustments. In order to further this occupation, new technology advancements were being made; this allowed the work to be done in a more efficient manor. Abolishing slavery in the New World was a major turning point in American history.
- I like the cause and effect that Nick noticed. Because of the colonist’s former government in Britain, they wanted to take away as much power as possible from the central government.
Natalie Schael READING THOUGHTS Connections: Reaching the part on equality, the book talked about how people who were more wealthy would look down at people; “Common people, when they were noticed at all, were often looked upon as little better than animals” (p.101). People in the past were all about status’ and who was and wasn’t good enough depending on how much they had. This connects to today because in our world we see the situation of those who have more money treating those with less money different then what they would anyone else. People today that have more money can get so lost in their “perfect, high-class” lives that they forget money doesn’t matter and that its truly about who people are not what they have.
Vocabulary: Reading, I came across two words I didn’t understand. In order to find the meaning I used Dictionary.com. --Belligerent: (p.108) warlike or given to waging war; adjective --Egalitarianism: (p.121) belief in the equality of all people (political, social or economic); noun
THINKING LIKE A HISTORIAN Through Their Eyes: At about the time period when the American Revolution brought on republicanism people were excited to see the New World grow and be everything they wanted. With this feeling people took to heart the line that all men are created equal from the Declaration of Independence. The vast majority of Americans were very focused on having freedom and equality—for whites and blacks. Governor Fauquier once stated that “White, Red, or Black; polished or unpolished, Men are Men” (p. 102). The essence of equality from influential people gave a definite push down the path of ending slavery.
Cause and Effect: The cause was that the Confederation was too weak to do anything and there were second thoughts about all the power that had been given to the state legislatures in 1776. So therefore the Confederation came together with a major concern over different conditions in the states. The effect of this concern was that the federal Constitution of 1787 was created. This Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, limited the authority of the states and also created “…an unprecedented concentration of power at the federal level” (p.139).
--Peyton, Marxism is a good vocabulary word to pick out. When I came across it I had to think for a moment and remember what it meant. As for your prediction I shared the same thoughts; just by the title of “Republicanism” I knew that it was going to be all about how the government came to be and how people were viewing it along the way.
Hayden Witucki Differing Perspectives (on equality): There were many different perspectives portraying to the topic of equality. Ordinary citizens were claiming titles that were formerly only known to the wealthy. Ordinary citizens enjoyed this new luxury, while the wealthy's perspective was alrarming. Farmers were taking their titles and becoming involved in politics. They didn't believe that uneducated folks belonged in the government. I agree with both pserspective. I feel that a certain level of political education is needed but that you must also know directly what happends to the citizens so you can do your best to fix it.
Question: I was curious as to know how men felt about women in religion. I wanted to see if they felt it was "okay" as 70% of church members were female, but women weren't created equal. Wouldn't this lead to some attacks on opposite genders, because men didn't feel that women couldn't be seen in public society, or be independent?
Prediction: In early America, people's personal vaues such as greed seeemed to be overrunning the idea of a republican society. Private interests and selfishness overrode cooperation and teamwork. Using this information and my prior knowledge of America's early struggles, I can predict that this chapter is about America's beginning struggles and how they got passed them.
Using the past (summary): We can learn from the past by examing it and taking what the problem was, and its solutions, putting them together, in trial and error format, to find the best solution possible. America learned this by switching from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution, which was better for the people. They didn't get the best system of government right away, they learned by their mistakes, and tried new things. In conclusion, we can learn from the past by taking events in the past, examining what happened in those events (what the problem was) and finding the best solution to that problem so that if that problem shows itself in the future, the citizens have a way to take care of it.
Natalie Schael (response on equality): I find that thinking to be very ture, but also quite depressing. There are sterotypes going on that judge a person by the way he dresses and puts him in a social class. This is sad because it shows that we do place people in classes without getting to them, taking away that sense of equality.
When I saw that chapter five is titled Republicanism, I immediately thought of the ideas of government. I remembered the ideas of classical republicanism from last year and how some of the founding fathers used these ideas to form our government and so I predicted that this chapter would be about the forming of government.
Vocabulary
When I started reading the last section, I noticed that the words republic, monarchy, and tyranny came up a lot. I knew somewhat and the basics of what each was but I didn’t know the exact specific differences. Republic- A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch. Monarchy- A form of government with a monarch at the head. Tyranny- Cruel and oppressive government or rule
Through Their Eyes
As a colonist at the time of reconstructing a new government I would be hopeful and also a little discouraged at the same time. I would be hopeful of a better government and for one that would be new and never before seen because the founders are looking back on all governments in history and taking things that worked from each one. On the other side I would be discouraged because I know it will take time to perfect something and also a little worried that our new government wouldn’t turn into the government (Britain’s) that we just fought away from.
Change and Continuity
From the colonies trying to start a new government and country to America today not a lot has changed in the ideas of government. Their will always be arguments about exactly how much government should be involved and in what (as we see in political parties), but we still see value in the free society and in having the power be in the people. We can also see how our country has grown and changed and has had success in a free market where everyone is free to have any job they want. America’s core values have remained the same in equality and in having a government who’s power is held by the people.
Responding to Natalie Schael’s comments in Through Their Eyes, I agree that although it took a long time to get slavery abolished, that their always had to be the ideas of equality somewhere and it just took influential people to communicate it.
Generalizations: In this section I made a couple generalizations. Trade can help many countries during times of economic struggle and war. It can also increase relationships between countries. So, all in all, war generally effects everyone in some way. Also, some extreme loyalists actually left America, in support of Britain. Britain actually freed many slaves to help in fighting the war.
Preview/Predict: I predicted the section entitled Republicanism & also the section Republican Society would explain republicanism in the colonies, how it began, why and how colonists shifted to republicanism, and reasons why it was so popular in the colonies. The section The Federal Constitution I predicted would tell how more rules needed to be set into place for the new country, and would better explain reasoning's to why certain things were put into the constitution.
Reading Like a Historian-
Through Their Eyes: This section showed that many of the colonists viewed religion as their choice, and something that was important, but also easily changeable. With all the changes in the colonies, many new religions and practices were introduced, so the colonists wanted to find one that worked for them. Page 129. "Washington, for example, was a frequent churchgoer, but he scarcely referred to God as anything but "the Great Disposer of events,"... This shows that most people in the world were "Christians" but some were more devoted to it than others.
Change and Continuity: The revolution not only changed America and its colonies, but also how the world viewed certain things overall. America was now not just some extension of Great Britain, but an independent country that came together and beat the strongest force in the world at the time. After breaking away from Britain, America wanted their own form of government that protected itself from tyranny, and monarchy they just broke away from. They wanted to show the importance of each individual, they wanted new morals, and support, just like what our government strives for today. However, one thing that has changed since then is now that also includes women, native Americans, African Americans, and other minorities. At the time, the only people that were thought of as real citizens were property owning white men.
Hayden (response to using the past summary):I agree with the format you talked about in solving problems by using the past. However, in the future, there may be problems we can't use the past to help figure out. Which is why the Constitution can be amended to help with futuristic change.
VOCABULARY: Egalitarianism can be an idea, system, person or society is on that expressess or supports the belief that all people are equal and should have the same rights and opportunites. (French Word) This word came across the novel and i really had no idea how to say it or what it meant so i looked it up.
CONNECTIONS:
John Locke was mentioned a lot in this section. It reminded me of the ideals of John Locke, and his republicanism beliefs. THe colonies got a lot of their beliefs on government and how it should be run from him, and his beliefs that date back to the romans.
Through Their Eyes: After The Americans broke away from England they needed to come up with new ideas to create a government. The colonies needed to show the world and prove to them that breaking away from England was a good idea and they could do without the world power, The Brits, and be independt.
Preview/Predict: While looking through Republican society I was able to predict that it would be about how America became truly independent and society became what it is. I also guessed it would be about how post-war society grew into success. After reading it saw it was some on racial perspective of the population, religion and migration. I predicted the Federal Constituion section would focus on the federalist and anti-federalist ideas and differences. Vocabulary: As i was reading i didnt understand what factious meant on page 163. I looked it up and it means relating or inclined to a state of faction. Also, i didnt know what Belligerent meant on page 108. I found that it meant warlike or given to waging war.
Through Their Eyes: While i looked through eyes of Americans, I feel like they would have felt very accomplished. They finally had victory and freedom that they had strived for. It was finally a light in the darkness. They got to produce their own government for once. No one could control them; they could finally live their lives and believe what they wanted to believe.
Cause and Effect: Because of the negative affects of the strong British power over colonists, the Americans wanted to cancel the power of government. They did realize that it was important for Congress to have some authority over the states. This need for power effected the writing of the Constitution.It was a big cause and effect and it was very neccessary. In response to Hannah's Change and Continuity, it was very smart for her to realize that it didnt just effect America and Britian, it effected world views too. It created new morals and ways of government for the whole world to see.
On page 113 it said that the loyalists may have had numbered close to half a million or 20% of white Americans. I was just wondering if this information was historically accurate because it is quite a high number of people. Also on page 125, where it said Pennsylvania began the experiment of confining criminals in solitary cells in penitentiaries that were designed to be schools of reformation. i could picture it, and also i could see the other states copying the new kinds of prisons too, motion picture. Using the past: the past help us today because now America is a free country. The past helped us make the present equal in everything, doesn't matter what our ethnicity or backgrounds or knowledge is, every man in America is equal. Turning point: the decisions and actions that were made in the federalist-anti-federalists debate were i guess fine because the federalists of the 1790s did discovered their dismay, and the democracy was no longer a term of political science describing representation from people in lower houses of rep. This debate or more like the emergence of this rambunctious was the most important account of the American Revolution. I also agree with Katrina about the people feeling proud n very accomplished in what they have done to make what is today.
Vocabulary: On page 91 I was confused by the saying "radical ideology", so I researched the two words separately. Radical-thoroughgoing or extreme, especially as regards change from accepted or traditional forms. Ideology-the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group. So, I can only assume that it means extreme beliefs that guide a person?
Questions: Who was Machiavelli? I looked this up and apparently he was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer during the Renaissance. Also, another question came to mind as I was reading the last section. Was their always liberals? When did they start playing a major role? And if their were always liberals, did they have the same ideals then that they have today????
Change and Continuity: I agree with the book when they say that it was extremely hypocritical when slavery was even more popular after the revolution than before it. There was even more slaves captive than their were blacks free. This is kind of a dark mark when thinking about the revolution but eventually the slavery stopped and equality kicked in later after the revolution was done, which was a great change!
Through Their Eyes: Back in the eighteenth century, people thought about money differently. Especially because of the war. Today, if we can't afford something, we buy it anyways because we want it and we will take out a loan to buy it. Or, we will make a thousand broken up payments so that we can spend ten years paying off this one thing instead of saving like we SHOULD do. Back then, if they could not afford it, they did not buy it. They made do with what they had and saved up when they wanted to upgrade their living style. Of course this was during a time of strife. A war probably had their pocket books pretty tight, especially the citizens who were just trying to get on with their daily lives while their country was fighting their home country.
In response to Katrina's post, I agree that American's would have felt very accomplished that they finally had their freedom and finally got everything they were fighting for.
Miranda Resch Preview/ Reading Thoughts: When I first saw that this section was entitled “Republican Society” I predicted that it would explain the struggles that occurred for the people living in America as they struggled to put together a government and rebuild everything that a war takes away from a person. Reading like a Historian: A very important topic in this section is to understand the importance the constitution had for America. There was a lot of responsibility put on those who constructed it to make sure that it would be strongly written, apply for all aspects of our country, and be “better” than the King’s style of government. I like Becca’s comment about how ending slavery caused many people to change their style of living. She said that because slavery was made illegal that that could have been a result to farmers needing more efficient equipment due to the lack of help. Her comment made me look at the end of slavery in a different way than I had before.
Questions: As I was reading about how many of the colonists came to have a strong belief in the equality of all men, I wondered: If they believed so much in equality, then why didn’t they believe and treat the African American slaves equally? The fact that they didn’t abolish slavery contradicts this idea greatly.
Preview/Predict: As I came across the title of the last section of the book, “The Federalist-Anti-Federalist Debate” I predicted that it would explain about the disagreements and arguments that went on between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists; about how their different ideologies and viewpoints would create controversies on accepting the Constitution.
Through Their Eyes: As the revolution came to a close, whites began moving westward into the Indians’ territory without permission. If I were a Native American at that time, I would’ve felt angry and violated. I would’ve believed that the Americans were being selfish and rude, taking and settling on land that wasn’t theirs.
Change & Continuity: Before the revolution took place, white servants were more willing to do work for their masters but after the war, they grew ambitious and believed that they could be doing so much more than what they were doing now. With the end of the revolution, all the colonists felt ambitious and determined to do greater things in their lives.
In response to Miranda's thought on the importance of the constitution, I agree. The ratification of the constitution was a huge turning point for the colonists. It really showed that they were serious about their independence and about creating a better government.
Predict: After reading the title of chapter five republicanism it brought me back to american institutions and the types of government republicanism being one of them I predicted that the chapter would be about the forming of the new government.
Turning Point: the biggest turning point in the revolution had to be the making of the constitution and the government itself, for if these to things never happened america would have fallen apart as fast as it became america
Change & Continuity: Not only was the revolution a big icon in history it also should that anything can be possible. The British were the strongest empire in the world at that time and america being a branch of people that just were looking to start new. In the war the British were better trained and the Americans just farmers and shop owners. this part in history should that even the weaker foes can triumph
Through Their Eyes: If i was an american and was just freed i would be joyous and excited to see what would come and be for my new country but i would also be troubled about what may happen if we chose the wrong paths for the whole world was watching us to see how bad we would mess up.
In response to Caroline's question about equality. slavery wasn't seen bad until people started to voice out against it. back then slavery benefited everyone in the country in some way or another.
Preview: I could tell that these sections would be about the rebuilding that the United States had to do after the war had basically destroyed them, being that all of it was fought on American soil. I could also tell that it would be about the very beginnings of America as a country.
Through Their Eyes: I think that the colonists would have felt extremely excited and proud of themselves, but I also feel that they probably would have had a feeling of "what do we do now", It think that their would have been a lot of uncertainty about the entire situation.
Turning Point: I would say that the turning point of this development of the country was the writing of the constitution. It signified the creation of a new country, and i think it unified the nation.
Prediction: I predict that this section would be about how America turned out with having their independence from Britain and now having to form their own government. The main idea is for the government to revolve around the people, because with the power in the people there is a less chance that tyranny can emerge but it is also risky with a Republic. The later idea will revolve around balance of power between the federal and state governments and even further later to the branches.
Turning Point: The turning point would be with the new Constitution replacing the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was weak and didn't enforce a central government. With the Constitution, there is a central power and would lead America to become more stable. Without the new Constitution, America would become more split apart and lead to divisions and eventually leave someone to become in control and it will be a tyranny again.
Change and Continuity: The biggest change from the Revolution is that the government would be revolved more around the people than from when they were still with Britain where the people weren't even part of the government, most of the decisions were made from a specific group of people but now the people have more of a say in everything and also they are more protected with their rights being actually written. Something that will stay the same is that for any issue that will come up, there is always debate and arguments.
Reading Thoughts #1 – Visualize When reading about the American Revolution visualizing the lives of the colonists at the time of this revolution is one of the first things I do. I imagine husbands, young men and women, farmers and all the people getting together discussing the issues of the day. You can picture people sitting at a tavern discussing the King and taxes. During this time, reading became an important part of the culture. The colonists no longer just talked about what was happening through word of mouth – they began publishing pamphlets. Could you imagine sitting down with the family and reading for the first time a pamphlet written in the common man’s language and not containing Latin quotations? The words as well as the manner must have been powerful.
Reading Thoughts #2 – Vocabulary / Concepts As with many historical books there were words that were used that needed to be looked up. 1. Egalitarianism - belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, social, or economic life. (p.121) 2. Demagogue - a person, especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people. 3. Intrepid - resolutely fearless; dauntless: an intrepid explorer. (p.37)
Thinking Like a Historian
Category #1 – Through their Eyes During the post-war and during its growing years – for the first time colonists were able to view an equality that had never been seen before. Anyone could be an artist, a politician, or anything they wanted to be. Religions sprouted up all over the place. It was no longer just the “Church of England”. The colonists were living in a time where they could change their lives and world at any time. Could you imagine what they must have felt? For years, what family you were born into used to establish if you were worth anything or not, now – hard work and tenacity could change your financial and social position. Science, art education etc. flourished as the minds of the colonists expanded in its new found freedom.
Category #2 - Turning Point One of the interesting turning points mentioned in the book was in the 1780s. This was the period where more power was given to the “Congress”. The turning point came as the result of the change in the players. It was almost a change in the regime of the congressional leadership. On page 146 of the book Wood explained that “older popular radicals like Richard Henry Lee and and Samuel Adams were replaced by such youngers men as James Madison and Alexander Hamilton who were more interested in authority and stability than in popular democracy.” When this change occurred the shift of power greatly changed into the hands of the congress. This is not the only reason that this change occurred, but this was a very specific turning point in the formation of the United States.
Comment: In the previous post by Ian Theiss he mentioned that the biggest turning point was having the constitution. Some questions would be – how do you think America would have been different without the constitution? Why do you think the constitution is such a powerful document? By having a “United States” did the Revolution accomplish what it was meant to do? I thought a lot about how difficult the debate must have been during that time. There were people who thought that putting the power into the government’s hands would be re-creating the monarchy from England. No one could envision how the decisions that were made back then would be used for today.
Preview: The first thing i always do is to skim over the chapter titles to get an idea of what i'll be reading. From the titles i was able to infer that the chapters would be mostly about the type of government Americans believed was necessary and the ways that they found to best implement those ideas into a working republican government.
Questions: This book led me to wonder how the american's viewed themselves during the period of struggle after the revolution was won. This also brings up the question as to how the rest of the world viewed these crazy americans and their new forms of government that they were experimenting with.
Cause and Effect: The many disputes that arose after the revolution, such as how the national legislature was to gain income to pay the national debts and the soldiers in the war, were what pushed american's to seek a stronger national government. This stronger government could then better regulate interactions between the states and ultimately other nations to establish trade and other things.
Turning point: The major turning point that caused the articles of confederation to be abolished was the continental congress that was called together to amend it. Once all the delegates got together and actually started discussing, they then realized that the articles of confederation did not supply enough power to the national government for a nation of such immense size.
Comment: in response to brianna's post, i have a question regarding what you saw as the major turning point. do you believe that this change was for the best, or did it simply delay the inevitable that popular democracy is a major part of our government, and cannot be replaced by just creating a stable environment for the masses.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehow will we get credit for this if we are anonymous??
ReplyDeletetype in your name at the start of your comment and then we will know it is you (and we will ignore the anonymous)
ReplyDeleteWasana Pinsonneault
ReplyDeletePreview/Predict: The first couple of lines in this chapter gave me insight on what I was about to learn about. “A military victory over Great Britain may have been essential for the success of the Revolution, but for Americans it was scarcely the whole of the Revolution. Although the Revolution had begun as a political crisis within the empire, by 1776 it was no longer merely a colonial rebellion.” (p. 91) I predict that this portion of the reading will be about how America really became independent and how their government and society became what it is today.
Evaluation: When Slavery was brought up I could relate to what they were talking about based on prior knowledge that I already had. “Now, however, republican citizenship suddenly brought into question all kinds of personal dependency. For the first time in their history Americans were compelled to confront the slavery in their midst as an aberration, as a peculiar institution, and, if they were to retain it, to explain and justify it” (p.127) This quote was the start of Americans rationalizing slavery; whether or not it should be justified and why. This led to many events that either pushed or pulled away from the thought of slavery.
Using The Past: “The initial efforts to end the contradiction were directed at the slave trade. In 1774, the continental congress urged abolishing the slave trade, which a half-dozen northern states quickly did.” (p. 127) This quote explains how slavery became abolished in our nation and why slavery is not allowed today. Although this did not come easy for the southern states, “But in the end, slavery in the South was too entrenched to be legislatively or judicially abolished.” (p. 128) it eventually came around with many pushes for ending slavery. We can learn from this by realizing all the work that was put into making this nation free for all.
Turning Points: The decision to abolish slavery eliminated how farmers worked. Normally farmers would have their slaves do all of the work (working the fields, cleaning, caring for kids) and the “owners” of the slaves did not have to pay them anything. They probably paid an initial fee for the slave or traded something but in the end, “owners” owned the slaves. Therefore when slaves became free and a law was put into place former owners of slaves were left with having to do the work themselves or to actually hire people to do their work.
Darian Woller
ReplyDeleteConnections:
One connection that was made during the last section of the book was the philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Thomas Hobbes created the social contract between government and people based on their need for security. What reminded me of him was when the monarchy theory on people without a government would “… run amuck, each doing what was right in his own eyes.” , which is exactly what Thomas Hobbes explained by how people created communities for the sole purpose of security by giving their freedoms to a tyrannical or monarch figure. So that paragraph made me recall Hobbes philosophy.
Preview/Predict:
Upon reading that the chapter was titled “Republican society” my initial guess was how the post-war American society transformed. To be more specific I thought the chapter in detail would explain the attitude of the people such as changes through economic, society, and politics. After reading the chapter however some things that did differ from what I believed it was about was racial perspective of the population on how they treated Native Americans and African Americans. Finally religion and migration were vital topics that I indeed left out of my theory on what the chapter was mainly about.
Through Their Eyes:
In the post-war atmosphere many Americans took the opportunity of a new country to invent something completely innovative. In their perspective they wanted to challenge everything they despised by every aspect of their lives. Instead of having a monarchy where people would follow the king out of a necessity for order and security, Americans revived old ideas of republicanism where the common people were there upholders of order. Also another essential design of society that Americans wanted to bring into their society was the “self-made man” concept where anyone from any corner of life was allowed to make their lives the way the wanted, contrary to English beliefs.
Turning Points:
One major turning point of the American Revolution was the idea of Federalism overtaking their original government of Confederacy. During the 1780’s state legislators were abusing their powers and tampering with constitution, similar to the British parliament. Also “political scrambling” occurred as well where many legislatures were only worried about what they could bring to their groups of interest. This selfishness and greed was when the turning point started. The Congress that ruled over all the states had barely any power, so it was decided by many that the Government would be changed into one that is more powerful and eliminate the problems of the obsolete Confederacy. These past actions caused the movement for a Federalist government to be created.
Comment:
I agree with Wasana with the movement of a Republic society was the cause that made Americans question about slavery and from that point on caused many events the shaped our stands on having slaves.
Nick Sierakowski
ReplyDeleteVocabulary:
As I was reading the last few chapters, the word hierarchy cam up a lot, and I remembered learning about it but I couldn't recall what it meant. I looked it up and it is a system which ranks people or groups one above the other according to status or authority. This was a traditional form of government that the colonies were trying to shake up.
Connections:
A connection I made happened when I first opened to the fifth chapter and it was titled Republicanism. This brought me right back last year in my American Institutions class. I remembered that republicanism goes back to Ancient Greece and Rome with philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. I knew Americans were also heavily persuaded by John Locke and eventually became the choice of many of the "Founding Fathers".
Through Their Eyes:
For the Americans, the work was just beginning as the war ended. They needed to create a new government and do something never done before to show the world there was a reason for breaking away from England. It took guts to intertwine old ideas with new ideas to create our government which we still use today, but with no guts there is no glory. All the conventions, debates, and arguments it took to write not only the Constitution, but also the Articles of Confederation paid off for not only the 18th century America, but also for the 21st century America.
Cause and Effect:
Since the British government had so much control over the colonists, the Americans wanted to take away the power of the central government. However, because the state legislators were taking advantage of the system, our forefathers realized the U.S. Congress still needed to have some authority over the states. For this reason, the federal Constitution needed to be written.
Comment:
I agree with Darian that Americans took the challenge and looked forward to creating something new and innovative for a government.
Becca Wittek
ReplyDeleteVocabulary:
Exhortations-- (word found on page 94) Noun... an address conveying urgent advice or recommendations.
Egalitarianism-- (word found on page 121) Noun... belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, social, and economic life.
Corsairs-- (word found on page 148) Noun... another name for pirates.
Evaluation:
Any time an author makes a statement about a political standpoint, there is always a risk that the author is a bit biased. I think that even though an entire section of the book focused on Republicanism and how it developed and how the country was forming through it, the author remained very unbiased throughout the entire book and was strictly informative.
Turning Points:
When slavery became illegal, everyone who owned slaves had to alter their lives to maintain a living without the slaves. Maybe the lack of slaves sparked some technological advances to make the work easier for the farmers. This would be a major turning point for future farmers who could now be more efficient or safe with their machinery and would ultimately propel the country forward with a higher crop output because each farmer could handle more land.
Through Their Eyes:
People in this post-war world viewed the world perhaps as a clean slate. Now that they had freedom to do as they please, each person could live their lives the way they wanted them to be without the guidelines of Britain holding them back. This was a big opportunity for a lot of people who felt oppressed while under the rule of Britain. Each person developed their life under their own terms which made for a more diverse and productive America.
Comment:
I agree with Darian when he said that a major turning point in the revolution was when Federalism overtook the original government. He had a few good bits that backed his information up and made very good points.
Alexis Phaneuf
ReplyDeletePredit: Before reading this section, I was under the assumption that the rest of the reading would be about how society was changing and becoming less like the society they knew before. Before I read the chapter Federal Constitution, I thought that it would be about how the colonists started forming states and, obviously, how the constitution was formed.
Vocabulary: I kept coming across the word "republicanism" and was very confused. The only thing that kept popping up in my head was "republicans and democrats" and I didn't fully understand what they meant by that. But after going back and re-reading a section early in the chapter, I came across a section that I missed that explained the term. The book said "It is meant...eliminating a king and establishing an elective system of government."
Turning Points: I think the major turning point for this section would be the making of the constitution. It was more or less the most important part of them being freed from the king's rule, because it was a written statement of how their government would be a better system than the king's. The revolution itself was indeed a great thing, but in my opinion, it wasn't the thing that finalized the separation between the colonists and britain.
Through Their Eyes: Through the eyes of the colonists, I believe that they now had hope to have a better society than before. But I also believe that they knew their new government wouldn't be perfect overnight. They knew they created a great government system by learning from how the king had ruled with his government system. I think they colonists saw hope for America, and I believe that that hope is what helped us win the war, become free, and prosper as a new independent country.
Responding to Becca's post, I agree with your evaluation on the author and how he wrote the book. He was strictly writing to put out information and not to make any side look bad or good. I also agree that they had a big opportunity to do what they pleased without having to worry about taxes and housing military personel.
Alexandra Folino
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts-
1)VOCABULARY
As I went into Chapters 5 & 6, I realized that a huge part of them dealt with becoming a republic and decided to find a definition for it to help my understanding. A Republic is “a state in which supreme power Is held by the people and their elected representatives. A republic has an elected or nominated President rather than a monarch.” I found it interesting that this definition brought up a monarchy, probably pointing out that the revolution separated us from the world of monarchy. Yes, republicanism may have been very radical at the time, but as said in the book, it “set forth republican ideals and values…good life, citizenship, political health, and social morality…” (p. 92).
2)BIG IDEA/GENERALIZATION
Chapter 5 entitled “Republicanism” was mainly about the concept of Republicanism as Woods wrote about society’s view on it and what occurred after the Revolutionary War. It brought up things such as order, equality, and pride in our country. This was opposed to Chapter 6, in which Woods wrote mainly about what stemmed from our newly Republican Society. I thought it was great that Woods included the downfalls of war in the beginning of this chapter, but also how he included the positives, and what came out of it – republicanism obviously being one thing. Woods says “The Revolutionary War itself was at once both a disruptive and a creative force, and it touched nearly everyone one way or another”. (p.115)
Thinking Like A Historian
1)TURNING POINTS
A critical period that was in need of constitutional change was between 1781-87, as the Articles of confederation needed to be replaced with something that offered more “harmony and stability” for our nation. Citizens knew that republicanism was in danger. It was apparent that state governments need to be closer to the people, which was good as elections and office competition soon increased. Despite that, the Articles were still not going to cut it. Fears were growing that tyranny would make its way back into society. The Philadelphia Constitutional Convention began in 1787 in effort to create our new constitution.
2)DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists-After the constitution was written, some delegates still believed that the Articles could have been revised and pointed out many issues to this new and controversial constitution. Anti-Federalist believed that there was too much power given to the Central Government – especially the executive branch. They also argued that there was no Bill of Rights and therefore did not want to ratify it.
-I agree with Becca on her evaluation that the section about Republicanism was unbiased and remained very informative.
Emilee Mytinger
ReplyDeletePreview/Predict:
Before reading this chapter I assumed it would be about the struggles that the Colonies faced during their restructuring of society and what types of struggles through authority they had. Also I thought it would be about the wars and battles that America would go through in the future.
Vocabulary:
Marxism: is the system of economic and political thought that states that actions and human institutions are economically determined, that the class struggle is the basic agency of historical change, and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism. Magnanimous: means to be free from petty resentfulness and vindictiveness. Also, to be high minded or noble.
Through Their Eyes:
After the Colonies officially became their own country, people thought they were going to leave a big mark in history as becoming a free republican nation. Among the marks they set forth republican ideals and values about the good life, citizenship, political health, and social morality that have had a powerful and lasting effect on Western culture.
Change and Continuity: The Colonies are now their own country eager to pave a way into society that will define them as a new and unique country that will become one of the best and most successful country in the world. The goals of The United States have remained the same, to become a free society and to represent their people in a way that will benefit all. Also to have leaders that are chosen by the people. America and Britain have both benefited from this split because they have become great allies through war and peace. The world’s economy has also benefited from this by having many new things created technologically and environmentally from landing on the moon to developing cars that depend on only electricity.
Peyton Stefan:
ReplyDeletePredict: Section five’s title, “Republicanism”, gave me insight on the chapter and lead me to predict that it would be about the formation of the American government. I assumed this section would sow how the new society’s government, formed by the colonists, differed from that of Britain’s.
Vocabulary: “Marxism” - A system of economic, social, and political philosophy based on ideas that view social change in terms of economic factors. A central tenet is that the means of production is the economic base that influences or determines the political life.
Through Their Eyes: When looking through the eyes of new Americans, I see hope for the future. The victory of being free at last spurred emotions and gave the settlers reason to celebrate. An entirely new government would be formed centering only on the beliefs, values, and lives of the people. These Americans were eager to exercise their freedom and live their lives the way they had always dreamed of.
Turning Point: James Otis declared in 1764 that all colonists were, “by the law of nature freeborn … white or black.” For the first time in history, Americans were confronting the issue of slavery. After much effort, fighting, and time, slavery was abolished. This new law left farmers in the south unable to keep up with their farm work and lead to changes in the way livelihoods were made. Plantation owners began paying assistants to help them which called for budget adjustments. In order to further this occupation, new technology advancements were being made; this allowed the work to be done in a more efficient manor. Abolishing slavery in the New World was a major turning point in American history.
- I like the cause and effect that Nick noticed. Because of the colonist’s former government in Britain, they wanted to take away as much power as possible from the central government.
Natalie Schael
ReplyDeleteREADING THOUGHTS
Connections: Reaching the part on equality, the book talked about how people who were more wealthy would look down at people; “Common people, when they were noticed at all, were often looked upon as little better than animals” (p.101). People in the past were all about status’ and who was and wasn’t good enough depending on how much they had. This connects to today because in our world we see the situation of those who have more money treating those with less money different then what they would anyone else. People today that have more money can get so lost in their “perfect, high-class” lives that they forget money doesn’t matter and that its truly about who people are not what they have.
Vocabulary: Reading, I came across two words I didn’t understand. In order to find the meaning I used Dictionary.com.
--Belligerent: (p.108) warlike or given to waging war; adjective
--Egalitarianism: (p.121) belief in the equality of all people (political, social or economic); noun
THINKING LIKE A HISTORIAN
Through Their Eyes: At about the time period when the American Revolution brought on republicanism people were excited to see the New World grow and be everything they wanted. With this feeling people took to heart the line that all men are created equal from the Declaration of Independence. The vast majority of Americans were very focused on having freedom and equality—for whites and blacks. Governor Fauquier once stated that “White, Red, or Black; polished or unpolished, Men are Men” (p. 102). The essence of equality from influential people gave a definite push down the path of ending slavery.
Cause and Effect: The cause was that the Confederation was too weak to do anything and there were second thoughts about all the power that had been given to the state legislatures in 1776. So therefore the Confederation came together with a major concern over different conditions in the states. The effect of this concern was that the federal Constitution of 1787 was created. This Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, limited the authority of the states and also created “…an unprecedented concentration of power at the federal level” (p.139).
--Peyton, Marxism is a good vocabulary word to pick out. When I came across it I had to think for a moment and remember what it meant. As for your prediction I shared the same thoughts; just by the title of “Republicanism” I knew that it was going to be all about how the government came to be and how people were viewing it along the way.
Hayden Witucki
ReplyDeleteDiffering Perspectives (on equality):
There were many different perspectives portraying to the topic of equality. Ordinary citizens were claiming titles that were formerly only known to the wealthy. Ordinary citizens enjoyed this new luxury, while the wealthy's perspective was alrarming. Farmers were taking their titles and becoming involved in politics. They didn't believe that uneducated folks belonged in the government. I agree with both pserspective. I feel that a certain level of political education is needed but that you must also know directly what happends to the citizens so you can do your best to fix it.
Question:
I was curious as to know how men felt about women in religion. I wanted to see if they felt it was "okay" as 70% of church members were female, but women weren't created equal. Wouldn't this lead to some attacks on opposite genders, because men didn't feel that women couldn't be seen in public society, or be independent?
Prediction:
In early America, people's personal vaues such as greed seeemed to be overrunning the idea of a republican society. Private interests and selfishness overrode cooperation and teamwork. Using this information and my prior knowledge of America's early struggles, I can predict that this chapter is about America's beginning struggles and how they got passed them.
Using the past (summary):
We can learn from the past by examing it and taking what the problem was, and its solutions, putting them together, in trial and error format, to find the best solution possible. America learned this by switching from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution, which was better for the people. They didn't get the best system of government right away, they learned by their mistakes, and tried new things. In conclusion, we can learn from the past by taking events in the past, examining what happened in those events (what the problem was) and finding the best solution to that problem so that if that problem shows itself in the future, the citizens have a way to take care of it.
Natalie Schael (response on equality):
I find that thinking to be very ture, but also quite depressing. There are sterotypes going on that judge a person by the way he dresses and puts him in a social class. This is sad because it shows that we do place people in classes without getting to them, taking away that sense of equality.
Spencer Ahles
ReplyDeletePredict/Preview
When I saw that chapter five is titled Republicanism, I immediately thought of the ideas of government. I remembered the ideas of classical republicanism from last year and how some of the founding fathers used these ideas to form our government and so I predicted that this chapter would be about the forming of government.
Vocabulary
When I started reading the last section, I noticed that the words republic, monarchy, and tyranny came up a lot. I knew somewhat and the basics of what each was but I didn’t know the exact specific differences. Republic- A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch. Monarchy- A form of government with a monarch at the head. Tyranny- Cruel and oppressive government or rule
Through Their Eyes
As a colonist at the time of reconstructing a new government I would be hopeful and also a little discouraged at the same time. I would be hopeful of a better government and for one that would be new and never before seen because the founders are looking back on all governments in history and taking things that worked from each one. On the other side I would be discouraged because I know it will take time to perfect something and also a little worried that our new government wouldn’t turn into the government (Britain’s) that we just fought away from.
Change and Continuity
From the colonies trying to start a new government and country to America today not a lot has changed in the ideas of government. Their will always be arguments about exactly how much government should be involved and in what (as we see in political parties), but we still see value in the free society and in having the power be in the people. We can also see how our country has grown and changed and has had success in a free market where everyone is free to have any job they want. America’s core values have remained the same in equality and in having a government who’s power is held by the people.
Responding to Natalie Schael’s comments in Through Their Eyes, I agree that although it took a long time to get slavery abolished, that their always had to be the ideas of equality somewhere and it just took influential people to communicate it.
Hannah Mezei
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts-
Generalizations:
In this section I made a couple generalizations. Trade can help many countries during times of economic struggle and war. It can also increase relationships between countries. So, all in all, war generally effects everyone in some way. Also, some extreme loyalists actually left America, in support of Britain. Britain actually freed many slaves to help in fighting the war.
Preview/Predict:
I predicted the section entitled Republicanism & also the section Republican Society would explain republicanism in the colonies, how it began, why and how colonists shifted to republicanism, and reasons why it was so popular in the colonies. The section The Federal Constitution I predicted would tell how more rules needed to be set into place for the new country, and would better explain reasoning's to why certain things were put into the constitution.
Reading Like a Historian-
Through Their Eyes:
This section showed that many of the colonists viewed religion as their choice, and something that was important, but also easily changeable. With all the changes in the colonies, many new religions and practices were introduced, so the colonists wanted to find one that worked for them. Page 129. "Washington, for example, was a frequent churchgoer, but he scarcely referred to God as anything but "the Great Disposer of events,"... This shows that most people in the world were "Christians" but some were more devoted to it than others.
Change and Continuity:
The revolution not only changed America and its colonies, but also how the world viewed certain things overall. America was now not just some extension of Great Britain, but an independent country that came together and beat the strongest force in the world at the time. After breaking away from Britain, America wanted their own form of government that protected itself from tyranny, and monarchy they just broke away from. They wanted to show the importance of each individual, they wanted new morals, and support, just like what our government strives for today. However, one thing that has changed since then is now that also includes women, native Americans, African Americans, and other minorities. At the time, the only people that were thought of as real citizens were property owning white men.
Hayden (response to using the past summary):I agree with the format you talked about in solving problems by using the past. However, in the future, there may be problems we can't use the past to help figure out. Which is why the Constitution can be amended to help with futuristic change.
Alexandria Lee Fehlandt
ReplyDeleteSection Three:
VOCABULARY: Egalitarianism can be an idea, system, person or society is on that expressess or supports the belief that all people are equal and should have the same rights and opportunites. (French Word) This word came across the novel and i really had no idea how to say it or what it meant so i looked it up.
CONNECTIONS:
John Locke was mentioned a lot in this section. It reminded me of the ideals of John Locke, and his republicanism beliefs. THe colonies got a lot of their beliefs on government and how it should be run from him, and his beliefs that date back to the romans.
Through Their Eyes:
After The Americans broke away from England they needed to come up with new ideas to create a government. The colonies needed to show the world and prove to them that breaking away from England was a good idea and they could do without the world power, The Brits, and be independt.
Katrina Raskie
ReplyDeletePreview/Predict: While looking through Republican society I was able to predict that it would be about how America became truly independent and society became what it is. I also guessed it would be about how post-war society grew into success. After reading it saw it was some on racial perspective of the population, religion and migration. I predicted the Federal Constituion section would focus on the federalist and anti-federalist ideas and differences.
Vocabulary: As i was reading i didnt understand what factious meant on page 163. I looked it up and it means relating or inclined to a state of faction. Also, i didnt know what Belligerent meant on page 108. I found that it meant warlike or given to waging war.
Through Their Eyes:
While i looked through eyes of Americans, I feel like they would have felt very accomplished. They finally had victory and freedom that they had strived for. It was finally a light in the darkness. They got to produce their own government for once. No one could control them; they could finally live their lives and believe what they wanted to believe.
Cause and Effect:
Because of the negative affects of the strong British power over colonists, the Americans wanted to cancel the power of government. They did realize that it was important for Congress to have some authority over the states. This need for power effected the writing of the Constitution.It was a big cause and effect and it was very neccessary.
In response to Hannah's Change and Continuity, it was very smart for her to realize that it didnt just effect America and Britian, it effected world views too. It created new morals and ways of government for the whole world to see.
Kaosheng Thao
ReplyDeleteOn page 113 it said that the loyalists may have had numbered close to half a million or 20% of white Americans. I was just wondering if this information was historically accurate because it is quite a high number of people.
Also on page 125, where it said Pennsylvania began the experiment of confining criminals in solitary cells in penitentiaries that were designed to be schools of reformation. i could picture it, and also i could see the other states copying the new kinds of prisons too, motion picture.
Using the past: the past help us today because now America is a free country. The past helped us make the present equal in everything, doesn't matter what our ethnicity or backgrounds or knowledge is, every man in America is equal.
Turning point: the decisions and actions that were made in the federalist-anti-federalists debate were i guess fine because the federalists of the 1790s did discovered their dismay, and the democracy was no longer a term of political science describing representation from people in lower houses of rep. This debate or more like the emergence of this rambunctious was the most important account of the American Revolution.
I also agree with Katrina about the people feeling proud n very accomplished in what they have done to make what is today.
Sara Theobald
ReplyDeleteVocabulary: On page 91 I was confused by the saying "radical ideology", so I researched the two words separately. Radical-thoroughgoing or extreme, especially as regards change from accepted or traditional forms. Ideology-the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group. So, I can only assume that it means extreme beliefs that guide a person?
Questions: Who was Machiavelli? I looked this up and apparently he was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer during the Renaissance. Also, another question came to mind as I was reading the last section. Was their always liberals? When did they start playing a major role? And if their were always liberals, did they have the same ideals then that they have today????
Change and Continuity: I agree with the book when they say that it was extremely hypocritical when slavery was even more popular after the revolution than before it. There was even more slaves captive than their were blacks free. This is kind of a dark mark when thinking about the revolution but eventually the slavery stopped and equality kicked in later after the revolution was done, which was a great change!
Through Their Eyes: Back in the eighteenth century, people thought about money differently. Especially because of the war. Today, if we can't afford something, we buy it anyways because we want it and we will take out a loan to buy it. Or, we will make a thousand broken up payments so that we can spend ten years paying off this one thing instead of saving like we SHOULD do. Back then, if they could not afford it, they did not buy it. They made do with what they had and saved up when they wanted to upgrade their living style. Of course this was during a time of strife. A war probably had their pocket books pretty tight, especially the citizens who were just trying to get on with their daily lives while their country was fighting their home country.
In response to Katrina's post, I agree that American's would have felt very accomplished that they finally had their freedom and finally got everything they were fighting for.
Miranda Resch
ReplyDeletePreview/ Reading Thoughts:
When I first saw that this section was entitled “Republican Society” I predicted that it would explain the struggles that occurred for the people living in America as they struggled to put together a government and rebuild everything that a war takes away from a person.
Reading like a Historian:
A very important topic in this section is to understand the importance the constitution had for America. There was a lot of responsibility put on those who constructed it to make sure that it would be strongly written, apply for all aspects of our country, and be “better” than the King’s style of government.
I like Becca’s comment about how ending slavery caused many people to change their style of living. She said that because slavery was made illegal that that could have been a result to farmers needing more efficient equipment due to the lack of help. Her comment made me look at the end of slavery in a different way than I had before.
Caroline Gasao
ReplyDeleteQuestions: As I was reading about how many of the colonists came to have a strong belief in the equality of all men, I wondered: If they believed so much in equality, then why didn’t they believe and treat the African American slaves equally? The fact that they didn’t abolish slavery contradicts this idea greatly.
Preview/Predict: As I came across the title of the last section of the book, “The Federalist-Anti-Federalist Debate” I predicted that it would explain about the disagreements and arguments that went on between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists; about how their different ideologies and viewpoints would create controversies on accepting the Constitution.
Through Their Eyes: As the revolution came to a close, whites began moving westward into the Indians’ territory without permission. If I were a Native American at that time, I would’ve felt angry and violated. I would’ve believed that the Americans were being selfish and rude, taking and settling on land that wasn’t theirs.
Change & Continuity: Before the revolution took place, white servants were more willing to do work for their masters but after the war, they grew ambitious and believed that they could be doing so much more than what they were doing now. With the end of the revolution, all the colonists felt ambitious and determined to do greater things in their lives.
In response to Miranda's thought on the importance of the constitution, I agree. The ratification of the constitution was a huge turning point for the colonists. It really showed that they were serious about their independence and about creating a better government.
Ian Theiss
ReplyDeletePredict: After reading the title of chapter five republicanism it brought me back to american institutions and the types of government republicanism being one of them I predicted that the chapter would be about the forming of the new government.
Turning Point: the biggest turning point in the revolution had to be the making of the constitution and the government itself, for if these to things never happened america would have fallen apart as fast as it became america
Change & Continuity: Not only was the revolution a big icon in history it also should that anything can be possible. The British were the strongest empire in the world at that time and america being a branch of people that just were looking to start new. In the war the British were better trained and the Americans just farmers and shop owners. this part in history should that even the weaker foes can triumph
Through Their Eyes: If i was an american and was just freed i would be joyous and excited to see what would come and be for my new country but i would also be troubled about what may happen if we chose the wrong paths for the whole world was watching us to see how bad we would mess up.
In response to Caroline's question about equality. slavery wasn't seen bad until people started to voice out against it. back then slavery benefited everyone in the country in some way or another.
Jeff Schlichte
ReplyDeletePreview: I could tell that these sections would be about the rebuilding that the United States had to do after the war had basically destroyed them, being that all of it was fought on American soil. I could also tell that it would be about the very beginnings of America as a country.
Through Their Eyes: I think that the colonists would have felt extremely excited and proud of themselves, but I also feel that they probably would have had a feeling of "what do we do now", It think that their would have been a lot of uncertainty about the entire situation.
Turning Point: I would say that the turning point of this development of the country was the writing of the constitution. It signified the creation of a new country, and i think it unified the nation.
Nao Shoua Thor
ReplyDeletePrediction: I predict that this section would be about how America turned out with having their independence from Britain and now having to form their own government. The main idea is for the government to revolve around the people, because with the power in the people there is a less chance that tyranny can emerge but it is also risky with a Republic. The later idea will revolve around balance of power between the federal and state governments and even further later to the branches.
Turning Point: The turning point would be with the new Constitution replacing the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was weak and didn't enforce a central government. With the Constitution, there is a central power and would lead America to become more stable. Without the new Constitution, America would become more split apart and lead to divisions and eventually leave someone to become in control and it will be a tyranny again.
Change and Continuity: The biggest change from the Revolution is that the government would be revolved more around the people than from when they were still with Britain where the people weren't even part of the government, most of the decisions were made from a specific group of people but now the people have more of a say in everything and also they are more protected with their rights being actually written. Something that will stay the same is that for any issue that will come up, there is always debate and arguments.
Brianna Ziolkowski
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Reading Thoughts #1 – Visualize
When reading about the American Revolution visualizing the lives of the colonists at the time of this revolution is one of the first things I do. I imagine husbands, young men and women, farmers and all the people getting together discussing the issues of the day. You can picture people sitting at a tavern discussing the King and taxes. During this time, reading became an important part of the culture. The colonists no longer just talked about what was happening through word of mouth – they began publishing pamphlets. Could you imagine sitting down with the family and reading for the first time a pamphlet written in the common man’s language and not containing Latin quotations? The words as well as the manner must have been powerful.
Reading Thoughts #2 – Vocabulary / Concepts
As with many historical books there were words that were used that needed to be looked up.
1. Egalitarianism - belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, social, or economic life. (p.121)
2. Demagogue - a person, especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people.
3. Intrepid - resolutely fearless; dauntless: an intrepid explorer. (p.37)
Thinking Like a Historian
Category #1 – Through their Eyes
During the post-war and during its growing years – for the first time colonists were able to view an equality that had never been seen before. Anyone could be an artist, a politician, or anything they wanted to be.
Religions sprouted up all over the place. It was no longer just the “Church of England”. The colonists were living in a time where they could change their lives and world at any time. Could you imagine what they must have felt? For years, what family you were born into used to establish if you were worth anything or not, now – hard work and tenacity could change your financial and social position.
Science, art education etc. flourished as the minds of the colonists expanded in its new found freedom.
Category #2 - Turning Point
One of the interesting turning points mentioned in the book was in the 1780s. This was the period where more power was given to the “Congress”. The turning point came as the result of the change in the players. It was almost a change in the regime of the congressional leadership. On page 146 of the book Wood explained that “older popular radicals like Richard Henry Lee and and Samuel Adams were replaced by such youngers men as James Madison and Alexander Hamilton who were more interested in authority and stability than in popular democracy.” When this change occurred the shift of power greatly changed into the hands of the congress. This is not the only reason that this change occurred, but this was a very specific turning point in the formation of the United States.
Comment:
In the previous post by Ian Theiss he mentioned that the biggest turning point was having the constitution. Some questions would be – how do you think America would have been different without the constitution? Why do you think the constitution is such a powerful document? By having a “United States” did the Revolution accomplish what it was meant to do? I thought a lot about how difficult the debate must have been during that time. There were people who thought that putting the power into the government’s hands would be re-creating the monarchy from England. No one could envision how the decisions that were made back then would be used for today.
Jason Parde
ReplyDeletePreview: The first thing i always do is to skim over the chapter titles to get an idea of what i'll be reading. From the titles i was able to infer that the chapters would be mostly about the type of government Americans believed was necessary and the ways that they found to best implement those ideas into a working republican government.
Questions: This book led me to wonder how the american's viewed themselves during the period of struggle after the revolution was won. This also brings up the question as to how the rest of the world viewed these crazy americans and their new forms of government that they were experimenting with.
Cause and Effect: The many disputes that arose after the revolution, such as how the national legislature was to gain income to pay the national debts and the soldiers in the war, were what pushed american's to seek a stronger national government. This stronger government could then better regulate interactions between the states and ultimately other nations to establish trade and other things.
Turning point: The major turning point that caused the articles of confederation to be abolished was the continental congress that was called together to amend it. Once all the delegates got together and actually started discussing, they then realized that the articles of confederation did not supply enough power to the national government for a nation of such immense size.
Comment: in response to brianna's post, i have a question regarding what you saw as the major turning point. do you believe that this change was for the best, or did it simply delay the inevitable that popular democracy is a major part of our government, and cannot be replaced by just creating a stable environment for the masses.
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