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The Origins of the USA

Some early thoughts on how US society developed before 1850.

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The new world

  • From 1492, the new world was fought over by the emerging European powers; Spain, France, Holland, Portugal and Britain.
  • Britain and France vied for control of North America.
  • Spain conquered much of South America.
  • By the mid 1700s, Britain was the established power in North America.

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The Pilgrim Fathers

  • Left England for North America in 1620.
  • They were nonconformist followers of a sect of Christianity called Puritanism.
  • They left and left in the ship Mayflower and arrived in Massacheusetts (now Northern part of the USA).

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Virginia and the South

  • Developed a plantation economy, based around Virginia and expanding. Products; cotton, sugar, tobacco.
  • A part of the triangular trade, with Europe and Africa.
  • Relied on African slave labour.
  • Sold raw products to Europe, particularly Great Britain.

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The Declaration of Independence 1776

  • The birthday of the United States of America—Independence Day—is celebrated on July 4, the day the wording of the Declaration was approved by Congress.

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A famous extract

  • “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
  • What can we tell about the author of this statement?

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Brief analysis

  • This sentence has been called "one of the best-known sentences in the English language" and "the most potent and consequential words in American history". The passage has often been used to promote the rights of marginalized groups, and came to represent for many people a moral standard for which the United States should strive. This view was greatly influenced by Abraham Lincoln, who considered the Declaration to be the foundation of his political philosophy, and promoted the idea that the Declaration is a statement of principles through which the United States Constitution should be interpreted.

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Thomas Jefferson

  • One of the architects of the US Declaration of Independence.
  • Came from Virginia
  • Owned over 600 negro slaves.

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Benjamin Franklin�

  • Was an inventor, statesman and writer.
  • He was influenced by French writers, like Voltaire and British intellectuals- he visited Edinburgh, at the time of it’s greatest intellectual flowering; see Adam Smith, Hume etc.
  • He espoused puritan values.

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Drawing a conclusion

  • From this basic background, I can conclude;
    • USA was a nation which developed from the eastern seaboard.
    • The mother country was Great Britain. US broke from Britain in 1776; its established people were however WASPs.
    • The country is large and climate varies, so developed differently.
      • The north; Puritan, agricultural with developing industry
      • The South; relied on slavery, plantations and triangular trade.
    • The nation was established with a bold statement of the equality of all men, however slavery was acceptable.
    • From it’s very beginnings, there were inherent conflicts and tensions in the USA.
    • These tensions would return to impact the future development and prosperity of the USA.