-SH+Responses+to+Essentional+Questions

8-30 England's colonization of the New World in the 16th century was due in large part to their competition with Spain. When England heard of Spain's exploration to find new trade routes to Asia, they could do nothing but finance explorations of their own. Increasing trade would solve England's economic collapse and high unemployment rate. Then, Spain's success of finding gold in the New World put desire in the hearts of England's wealthy landowners to find gold of their own. With competition being their overall motive, England set out to colonize the New World. After arriving in the New World, the English colonists found many hardships. Starvation, disease, and native attacks were accustom to the colonists new life. At this point, it would be suspected that the English would return because of the failure and hardship being endured. But the English remained. At first, the promise of gold made the Englishmen leave England, but the freedom they experienced in the New World made them stay. After all of the battles, disease, and days without food, the thought of returning back to England couldn't have been better. Returning to England could have made these rich, adventurous Englishmen, who invested so much in their exploration, one of the poor, starving, unemployed vagabonds living in poverty. At least in America, the success of the men was in their own hands and they could ultimately die having pride in their mission for freedom.

9-6 As the development of the New World began to take place near the end of the seventeenth century, different styles of colonies were being founded and expanded. Two of these distinct colonies were the Puritans of Massachusetts and the Quakers of Pennsylvania. While being in close proximity to each other, these colonies had very different economic and social statures. The Quakers had a growing economy and diverse populations while the Puritans were struggling financially and had a social structure completely of Puritans. Given the opportunity to settle in one of these areas, I would prefer Pennsylvania’s rising economy and diversity to be the best choice in finding success in the New World. The economic and social aspects of Pennsylvania attracted many settlers to this area. Given a grant in 1681 by King Charles II, William Penn began creating a colony that was economically strong and socially equal. His idea of purchasing land from the Native Americans solidified the existence of trade between the settlers and the Indians. This created peace in the colony as well as expansion to trade and goods. Penn also allowed the settlement of all nationalities into Pennsylvania. Because of all the different languages and customs, there were more industries and occupations existing in the colony. The Dutch could have new ideas in technology while the German’s could give new ideas in agriculture. The government Penn created also attracted many settlers. Landowners, which was everyone because land was free, elected an assembly to represent themselves. This gave the settlers a greater sense of equality along with the religious toleration and equal opportunity for economic growth. Being a settler during the colonization of the New World, I would be attracted to Pennsylvania’s economy and diverse social aspects.

9-17 The intended result of the French and Indian War was to strip the French of its North America empire, but a broken relationship between the Britians and colonists became a more evident result. After the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the fighting between the British and French officially ended. At this time, conflicts emerged between the British authority and the colonists. The turning point succeeding the French and Indian War creates this disputing relationship in effect from the high taxes placed on colonists by British legislature and the social differences experienced by both the so called Englishmen of Britain and the colonies. The costly expenses of the Seven Years' War took its toll on the British economy. Dropping into a major debt, the British Pariment decided to put taxes on the colonists. The Prime Minister George Grenville created several acts to pull out of debt and gain control over the colonies. The only direct tax that Grenville created was the Stamp Act, which enraged the colonists from every social class. In response, colonial protests were demostrated by groups such as the Loyal Nine and the Sons of Liberty in Boston and New York City. More importantly, the Stamp Act created opposing groups such as the Stamp Act Congress, which was full of well educated lawyers and congressmen. One man in particular was Patrick Henry, who gave persuasive speeches opposing and questioning the British authority. Eventually the British had to repeal the taxes, but it wasn't only the money that angred the colonists. The questioning of the British authority still remained and would eventually be sparked again before the American Revolution. After the arrival of British soldiers in the colonies, social differences became apparent between the so called Englishmen. In the time period separating the start of coloization in the early seventeenth and the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, the colonists had created their own type of society, economy, and culture. This gave rise to a divide between the British and colonists, and gave the colonists the question of, "Are we still Englishmen?" They found their answer when the "true" British citizens regarded them as only secondhand subjects to England's authority. The recognition of no longer being Englishmen by the colonists is an important turning point and would ultimately increase the colonists motivation for a revolution.

9-24 Tensions between the British and colonists gradually intensified in the years leading up to the American Revolution. Order was held as long as possible with the constant supply of British troops and series of acts targeting the colonists. Actions of the colonists warned England of their revolutionary intensions, but the King and Parliment did not obserb the warnings. With the writting of Thomas Paine's Common Sense and the forming of the Declaration of Independence, the reasons for American colonists fighting for their independence is understandable. In Common Sense, Thomas Paine presents the colonists with a powerfull argument for independence from British rule when the question of separation was still undecided. One of his justifications is that nowhere in the universe does the smaller heavenly body control the larger one. Paine also makes a distinction between government and society, saying that holding elections are the best way to balance government and society. In a later section, Paine talks about the colonists' military potential saying the shipyards, while using the abundance of lumber in the area, could be used to create a navy. In all, he gives reason for the actions of the American colonists in a form he called, //common sense//. In writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson was justifying the actions of the American colonists in declaring independence. He accuses King George III and the English Parliment for many of the reasons for independence."The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States". Immediately after this statement, Jefferson proves this with facts such as the cutting off of the colonists' trade with the world, imposing taxes without consent, and depriving the benefit of a trial by jury. Jefferson even includes the actions of the colonists to make peace saying, "We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people".With his continueous reasons for seeking independence, Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence justify the actions of the American colonists in fighting for independence.

10-11 After its final ratification in June 1787, the Constitution became a highly debated document. Most of these debates were based on the comprehension of the Constitution. On one side were the Democratic Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, who took a more word for word interpretation. On the other side were the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, who thought the Constitution should be more flexible. Since there were two opposing parties that had different views of the meanings of the Constitutioin, many debates occured that ultimatly created the political parties we have today. During Washington's first presidency, he created a cabinet that had both Democratic Republicans and Federalists. These sides were led by Jefferson and Hamilton respectivly. Many of the debates came down to the division of power within the United States. Jefferson argued that states should get more power and that a centralized government doesn't represent the people as well as the state or local government. At the same time Hamilton argued that an upper class of wealthier, more educated men should rule over the "lesser sort"; a more natural distribution of power. Other issues debated in the cabinet were of foreign affairs, such as the French Revolution. Jefferson, who had close ties to France, pleaded to aid the French saying, " the ball of liberty....will roll around the world". He also hoped that the French revolution would stregthen the legitimacy of the American Revolution. Hamilton, on the other hand, argued to not get involved and remain neutral. His side said that joining the French in war would greatly hurt the American economy and put American patriots back onto an unnecessay battlefield. In the end, Washington decide to side with Hamilton and remain neutral.in the war. Not all of the debates were favored to one group though. Washington approved decisions from both parties. Because of his decision to hear two parts to important issues in American history, Washington sent this country in the right direction and eventually created the two political parties we have today.

10-25  In 1819, two decades after his presidency, Thomas Jefferson called his election a revolution in American politics. The "revolution of 1800…was as real revolution in the principles of our government as that of 1776 was in its form; not effected indeed by the sword, as that, but by the rational and peaceable instrument of reform, the suffrage of the people." A revolution was the right word for Jefferson to use because his presidency created dramatic changes in the American government. With the drastic change of political ideals resulting from the 1800 Presidential election, as well as its peaceful and orderly transition of political powers, the Revolution of 1800 was, to a large extent, a revoluition in American history.  The Revolution of 1800 created a shift in political ideals in several ways. According to Jefferson, the Federalists he defeated didn’t only represent a different political vision, but a political vision that threatened to restore the principles of a British government. The Republicans said that with the Federalists creating a large standing army, imposing heavy taxes, and using federal troops and federal courts to restrain any disagreements, the liberties of the American people would be endangered. With the Republicans having power in the government, they executed their ideas of peace with France, strict interpretations of the Constitution, and states’ rights. While the shift of political power in the American government created a sense of a revolution, the way the power was transitioned made the election a definite revolution. Thus, the peaceful and orderly transition between the Federalist ruled government to the Republican ruled government made the election a revolution. The change between these two parties was entirely legal. The Republican Party inoffensively and methodically received the power with nothing but the Federalist acceptance. This style of government, with more than one political side being elected into office, was how the founding fathers designed our government to function. Although the Republicans took the government with all fairness, the Federalists lost control of both the presidency and the Congress and would eventually never return to power. With a rightful transition between powers, Jefferson’s election became a true revolution.