I want to set out these themes for you in. this wee talk
ONE – THE WHIG IDEA, AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT
- Civil War, and the concept of tyranny
- John Lilburne
- Glorious Revolution
- John Locke: the contract theory of government, the consent of the governed
- The Enlightenment, deism and the natural order
- Patriots: John Wilkes (Wilkes and Liberty), Tom Paine (The American Crisis)
TWO – RULE BRITANNIA
- Colonies, colonial governors, colonial assemblies
- King & parliament
- Navigation Acts
- Seven Years’ War (1756-63)
THREE – GO WEST?
- Beyond the Mississippi
FOUR – NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
- Stamp Act, 1765
- Townsend Act, 1767
FIVE – BRITONS NEVER, NEVER SHALL BE SLAVES
- Boston Massacre, 1770
- Boston Tea Party, 1774
- Coercive Acts, 1774 (sometimes known as the Intolerable Acts)
- First and Second Continental Congresses, 1774; 1775-81
- Declaration of Independence, 1776
- Congress of the Confederation, 1781-83
The BBC Bitesize pages help here, and here (just click on the links). Use them and the talk above to take notes on why the American revolution came about. Next, to the heart of it: how on earth the Brits lost!
RGS History 