Unit 2 Dbq - American Revolution

Andrew Wallach

2/1/16

Unit 2 DBQ

        In 1776 when the American Revolution began, the impact it would have on the future of this country was never imagined. As the revolution raged on the patriots fought for the freedoms they deserved. The British did their best to keeps their colony under colonial rule. Women, slaves, and loyalists experienced a great amount of change in society. America didn’t experience a lot of economic change however, it did experience political and social changes.

        After the revolution ended and the colonies were beginning to discuss the new government that would be made, the founding fathers wanted a government with a weak central government so as to avoid being anything like Britain was. They achieved this with the Articles of Confederation. The leaders of the confederation soon realized that the articles did nothing to help create a great nation due to the lack of centralized power. While the Constitution was being written, the Federalist Papers were also being written. One of the most influential of the federalist papers, Federalist 51, James Madison wrote, “you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” (Document I).  This displays how the government needed a system to control itself. This gave birth to the system of checks and balances which set the American government apart from the British government.

        The newly formed American economy had very few differences from the old colonial economy. Document F displays a medal from the Philadelphia Society for the Promotion of Agriculture that was given to farmers most likely to make them feel less bad about being not as good as others in America. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, Abigail Adams describes Shay’s Rebellion by saying “Some of them were crying out for a paper currency, some for an equal distribution of property.” (Document G). Shay’s rebellion showed the real economic issues that were present in this time. As this was prior to the ratification of the constitution, these issues were soon addressed.

        After the Revolution society had a major change. Especially as it relates to women and slaves. During the revolution women had more significant roles than in the past as is displayed by Document A where a woman is show holding a rifle. This role of woman was not seen as something that should continue post revolution by many of the early Americans. However women were unhappy being sent back to their lives as house maidens. This is greatly evidenced by Molly Wallace when she says “because we are females, we ought therefore to be deprived of what is perhaps the most effectual mean of acquiring a just, natural and graceful delivery?” (Document J). She explains that women should not be forced to stay at home when they have proven that they can be more significant members of society. After the revolution, in the north many slaves were set free. However the southern slaves were not set free yet. Slavery was outlawed by an ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio. This showed the declining popularity of slavery across the nation. Loyalists were also targets of societal changes. In 1779 the Pennsylvania Packet can be quoted as saying “Instantly banish every Tory [loyalist] form among you. Let America be sacred to freemen.” (Document B). This describes the hatred toward loyalists after the crown was pushed out.