American History Homework Two Answers - Student Twenty

Jonathan R.

1.What do you think were the three most important causes of the American Revolution. –British burdens hurt nearly all Colonists in all walks of life. The Proclamation Act hurt the farmers. The Sugar Act hurt the Southern colonies. The Stamp Act hurt the Northern colonies, especially Pennsylvania, which ran a large printing business. The Coercive Acts which were known to the colonists as the Intolerable Acts, hurt Massachusetts. It was as if England was trying to cripple the colonies. \--Taxes hit at a bad time: postwar depression After the war the colonists did not have chance to recover financially, before England began taxing them. \--Colonists were accustomed to much independence and self-determination, and Tory efforts to regulate and tax were bitterly opposed by the Colonies. The colonies thrived under “salutary neglect”. When England became ‘hands-on’, the conflicts began.

Excellent!

2\. Who used the phrase "taxation without representation," and why? James Otis is quoted as saying, “Taxation without representation is tyranny.” It became the battle cry for the colonists. According to the British, virtual representation gave them the right to make decisions for the colonies. According to the colonists, if they didn’t have actual representation in the Parliament, they should not be taxed.

Good.

3\. What was the Boston Tea Party? The Boston Tea Party was a protest against the rising number of miscellaneous taxes… including the new tax on tea. Colonists staged a boycott on British tea. In response, Britain gave the East India Company a monopoly in tea. The rage against Britain’s blatant ignorance of the fragile economy, forced the colonists to do something. So, on December, 16, 1773, a group of colonists led by Samuel Adams, dressed up as Indians, and got on the East India Company’s ship. They threw about $1.87 million (converted to today’s dollars) worth of tea into the harbor. This must have been exhausting considering that it took a whole night.

Superb.

4\. Do you blame anyone for the Salem Witch Trials? Explain. I blame the judicial system of the time. It was definitely not Judge Judy. Today, someone is innocent until proven guilty; in Salem, the accused were guilty with no chance of being proven innocent. Evidence that would be excluded from modern courtrooms-- hearsay, gossip, stories, was generally admitted. The accused witches had no legal counsel and could not have witnesses testify under oath on their behalf. Defendants could testify, produce evidence, and cross-examine their accusers.

Excellent, with good humor.

5\. True or false: colonies having more religious freedom had less conflict with the King. Explain your answer. False, the desire for religious freedom caused more conflicts with the King. The Great Awakening in America caused people to desire political freedom. They realized to have true religious freedom, they needed political freedom. It gave the colonists a sense of unity as well. President Coolidge stated, “It was because religion gave people a new importance and a new glory that they demanded a new freedom and a new government.”

Slightly off the mark. See model answers, and also use examples. (Minus 1).

6\. Briefly discuss (in a few sentences) any of the debate or discussion topics from the lecture, or mysteries (see H3 below for the link). Did England have the right to directly tax the colonies? I say no…During the French & Indian War, England funded the colonies with guns and ammunition. When they were done, the English wanted, all the war expenses paid back. Hence the taxation on the colonies. England chose to be involved in the war. England could have said, “No, we’re not funding this war anymore. It’s costing us too much.”… but they didn’t. So, did England have the right to directly tax the colonies? England had as much right to tax the colonies, as the colonies had to tax the English.

Clever conclusion.

7\. Explain the meaning of the political cartoon on the right. As with all cartoons, pay particular attention to all of its details. Provide a rough estimate for its date. The snake represents the American colonies. From the head to the tail, the colonies are listed from North to South. NE (New England) is Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire; NY (New York); NJ (New Jersey); P (Pennsylvania); M (Maryland); V (Virginia); NC (North Carolina); and SC (South Carolina). A snake, cut up, will die. The cartoonist was trying to say that if the colonies were separate, the ‘snake’ would die. The cartoon was created around the time of Ben Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union in 1754, when seven colonies met to discuss the possibility of forming a unified front against the French in the French & Indian War. The colonies opposed the plan because they did not want to give up their power to another.

Excellent.

Great work! 69/70.--Aschlafly 23:21, 28 September 2008 (EDT)