Thai
Sikh International School.
History
Notes, Year8, [American War of Independence.]
1.
Mention
the period of the American war of independence. What were its main causes?
The American Revolution lasted for
eight years from 1775-1783. It was the conflict between 13 colonies in North
America and their parent country, Great Britain. The Revolution had many
causes. Long-term social, economic and political changes in the colonies before
1750 provided the basis for the revolution.
2.
What
was the political system existed during the American Revolution?
In 1750 each of the 13 colonies was
a separate entity, with its own governor and legislative assembly. The
assemblies had two houses, a lower and upper house. The assemblies had the
authority to make their laws covering most aspects of local life. The
assemblies had the right to tax, to regulate trade, religion and social
behavior. But the British government was responsible for the external matters
such as foreign affairs and international trade.
3.
What
is called seven years war? How did it affect the American colonies?
The warfare between Britain and
France that began in 1754 with Skirmishes in North America is called seven
years war. In the end Britain defeated France. However, Britain also
accumulated a large debt over the course of the war. To help pay off the debt ,
Britain turned to the colonies to generate revenue.
4.
Explain
the different types of Acts passed by the British government against the
colonists to raise their revenue.
a. Molasses Act:
The Molasses Act of March 1733 was an Act of great Britain which imposed a tax
of six pence per gallon on imports of molasses from non- British colonies. This
Act was not passed for raising revenue but it was to control the trade.
Molasses was used for making Rum. The Act would destroy the entire Rum industry.
b. Sugar Act: This is referred as the American Revenue Act
passed in April 1764. It is a law passed by the British parliament for raising
duties in foreign refined sugar imported by the colonies so as to give British
sugar growers in the West Indies a monopoly on the colonial market.
c. Stamp Act, 1765: It was a direct British Act on colonists.
According to this every news paper, pamphlet and other public and legal
document had to have a seal, on it. The stamp, of course, costs money. The
colonists responded in force with demonstrations. Seeing the hostile reactions,
the British government repealed the Stamp Act in March 1776.
d. Townshend Acts
: These were a series of Acts passed by the British parliament against the
colonies in North America. These Acts were named after Charles Townshend , the
chancellor of exchequer, who proposed the program. These Acts include five
revenue Acts. The purpose of these Acts was to raise revenue from the colonies
to pay the salaries of government officials in the colonies.
e. The Tea Act:
The Act was passed in may10, 1773. The Act granted the East India Company the
right to the duty –free export of tea from Britain. Its aim was to reduce the
massive surplus of tea held by the British.
5.
Mention
the economic problem faced by the Americans during their war of independence.
During the war of independence,
British war ships temporarily destroyed the New England fishing industry and
seized many American merchant ships. Both the tobacco and the rice exporting
states of the south and the grain-marketing regions of the north suffered from
the disruption of Atlantic trade. The port cities had the greatest difficulty.
Boston, New York and few other ports were occupied by British troops for a
period. Thus trade virtually ceased.
6.
What
did the Revolutionaries do to make a national government after the American
war?
In 1787 nationalist minded patriots
devised a constitution, creating a “National Republic” whose powers were drawn
from the people at large and which established a much stronger central
government.
7. What was the nature of the
Revolution?
The patriot leaders who led the
independence movement did not want a political or a social revolution. The
governments they founded did not attempt to alter the existing unequal
distribution of wealth or eliminate the barriers of class, race or gender
status. Most of the benefits of political independence went to men who were
white and property owners.
______________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment