英语国家文化the road to independence.docx
- 文档编号:23983168
- 上传时间:2023-05-23
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:6
- 大小:19.55KB
英语国家文化the road to independence.docx
《英语国家文化the road to independence.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《英语国家文化the road to independence.docx(6页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
英语国家文化theroadtoindependence
AmericanHistory:
TheRoadtoIndependence
AlthoughsomebelievethatthehistoryoftheAmericanRevolutionbeganlongbeforethefirstshotswerefiredin1775,EnglandandAmericadidnotbeginanovertpartingofthewaysuntil1763,morethanacenturyandahalfafterthefoundingofthefirstpermanentsettlementatJamestown,Virginia.Thecolonieshadgrownvastlyineconomicstrengthandculturalattainment,andvirtuallyallhadlongyearsofself-governmentbehindthem.Inthe1760stheircombinedpopulationexceeded1,500,000——asixfoldincreasesince1700.
ANEWCOLONIALSYSTEM
AftertheFrenchandIndianWar,Britainneededmoremoneytosupportitsgrowingempire.UnlessthetaxpayerinEnglandwastosupplyallmoneyforthecolonies'defense,revenueswouldhavetobeextractedfromthecoloniststhroughastrongercentraladministration,whichwouldcomeattheexpenseofcolonialself-government.Toputanewsystemintoeffect,andtotightencontrol,Parliamenthadtocontendwithcoloniststrainedinself-governmentandimpatientwithinterference.
ThefirststepininauguratingthenewsystemwasthereplacementoftheMolassesActof1733,whichplacedaprohibitiveduty,ortax,ontheimportofrumandmolassesfromnon-Englishareas,withtheSugarActof1764.ToenforcetheSugarAct,customsofficialswereorderedtoshowmoreenergyandeffectiveness.BritishwarshipsinAmericanwaterswereinstructedtoseizesmugglers,and"writsofassistance,"orwarrants,authorizedtheking'sofficerstosearchsuspectedpremises.
Laterin1764,ParliamentenactedaCurrencyAct"topreventpaperbillsofcredithereafterissuedinanyofHisMajesty'scoloniesfrombeingmadelegaltender."Sincethecolonieswereadeficittradeareaandwereconstantlyshortofhardcurrency,thismeasureaddedaseriousburdentothecolonialeconomy.EquallyobjectionablefromthecolonialviewpointwastheQuarteringAct,passedin1765,whichrequiredcoloniestoprovideroyaltroopswithprovisionsandbarracks.
STAMPACT(印花税法)
Thelastofthemeasuresinauguratingthenewcolonialsystemsparkedthegreatestorganizedresistance.Knownasthe"StampAct,"itprovidedthatrevenuestampsbeaffixedtoallnewspapers,broadsides,pamphlets,licenses,leasesorotherlegaldocuments,therevenue(collectedbyAmericancustomsagents)tobeusedfor"defending,protectingandsecuring"thecolonies.
TheStampActboreequallyonpeoplewhodidanykindofbusiness.ThusitarousedthehostilityofthemostpowerfulandarticulategroupsintheAmericanpopulation:
journalists,lawyers,clergymen,merchantsandbusinessmen,NorthandSouth,EastandWest.Soonleadingmerchantsorganizedforresistanceandformednon-importationassociations.
TOWNSHENDACTS
Theyear1767broughtanotherseriesofmeasuresthatstirredanewalltheelementsofdiscord.CharlesTownshend,Britishchancelloroftheexchequer,wascalledupontodraftanewfiscalprogram.IntentuponreducingBritishtaxesbymakingmoreefficientthecollectionofdutiesleviedonAmericantrade,hetightenedcustomsadministration,atthesametimesponsoringdutiesoncolonialimportsofpaper,glass,leadandteaexportedfromBritaintothecolonies.Theso-calledTownshendActswerebasedonthepremisethattaxesimposedongoodsimportedbythecolonieswerelegalwhileinternaltaxes(liketheStampAct)werenot.
TheTownshendActsweredesignedtoraiserevenuetobeusedinparttosupportcolonialgovernors,judges,customsofficersandtheBritisharmyinAmerica.Inresponse,PhiladelphialawyerJohnDickinson,inLettersofaPennsylvaniaFarmer,arguedthatParliamenthadtherighttocontrolimperialcommercebutdidnothavetherighttotaxthecolonies,whetherthedutieswereexternalorinternal.
TheagitationfollowingenactmentoftheTownshenddutieswaslessviolentthanthatstirredbytheStampAct,butitwasneverthelessstrong,particularlyinthecitiesoftheEasternseaboard.Merchantsonceagainresortedtonon-importationagreements,andpeoplemadedowithlocalproducts.Colonists,forexample,dressedinhomespunclothingandfoundsubstitutesfortea.Theyusedhomemadepaperandtheirhouseswentunpainted.InBoston,enforcementofthenewregulationsprovokedviolence.Whencustomsofficialssoughttocollectduties,theyweresetuponbythepopulaceandroughlyhandled.Forthisinfraction,twoBritishregimentsweredispatchedtoprotectthecustomscommissioners.
ThepresenceofBritishtroopsinBostonwasastandinginvitationtodisorder.OnMarch5,1770,antagonismbetweencitizensandBritishsoldiersagainflaredintoviolence.WhatbeganasaharmlesssnowballingofBritishsoldiersdegeneratedintoamobattack.Someonegavetheordertofire.Whenthesmokehadcleared,threeBostonianslaydeadinthesnow.Dubbedthe"BostonMassacre,"theincidentwasdramaticallypicturedasproofofBritishheartlessnessandtyranny.
Facedwithsuchopposition,Parliamentin1770optedforastrategicretreatandrepealedalltheTownshenddutiesexceptthatontea,whichwasaluxuryiteminthecolonies,imbibedonlybyaverysmallminority.Tomost,theactionofParliamentsignifiedthatthecolonistshadwonamajorconcession,andthecampaignagainstEnglandwaslargelydropped.Acolonialembargoon"Englishtea"continuedbutwasnottooscrupulouslyobserved.Prosperitywasincreasingandmostcolonialleaderswerewillingtoletthefuturetakecareofitself.
BOSTON"TEAPARTY"
In1773,however,BritainfurnishedAdamsandhisallieswithanincendiaryissue.ThepowerfulEastIndiaCompany,findingitselfincriticalfinancialstraits,appealedtotheBritishgovernment,whichgranteditamonopolyonallteaexportedtothecolonies.ThegovernmentalsopermittedtheEastIndiaCompanytosupplyretailersdirectly,bypassingcolonialwholesalerswhohadpreviouslysoldit.After1770,suchaflourishingillegaltradeexistedthatmostoftheteaconsumedinAmericawasofforeignoriginandimported,illegally,duty-free.Bysellingitsteathroughitsownagentsatapricewellunderthecustomaryone,theEastIndiaCompanymadesmugglingunprofitableandthreatenedtoeliminatetheindependentcolonialmerchantsatthesametime.Arousednotonlybythelossoftheteatradebutalsobythemonopolisticpracticeinvolved,colonialtradersjoinedtheradicalsagitatingforindependence.
InportsupanddowntheAtlanticcoast,agentsoftheEastIndiaCompanywereforcedtoresign,andnewshipmentsofteawereeitherreturnedtoEnglandorwarehoused.InBoston,however,theagentsdefiedthecolonistsand,withthesupportoftheroyalgovernor,madepreparationstolandincomingcargoesregardlessofopposition.OnthenightofDecember16,1773,abandofmendisguisedasMohawkIndiansandledbySamuelAdamsboardedthreeBritishshipslyingatanchoranddumpedtheirteacargointoBostonharbor.Theytookthisstepbecausetheyfearedthatiftheteawerelanded,colonistswouldactuallycomplywiththetaxandpurchasethetea.Adamsandhisbandofradicalsdoubtedtheircountrymen'scommitmenttoprinciple.
AcrisisnowconfrontedBritain.TheEastIndiaCompanyhadcarriedoutaparliamentarystatute,andifthedestructionoftheteawentunpunished,Parliamentwouldadmittotheworldthatithadnocontroloverthecolonies.OfficialopinioninBritainalmostunanimouslycondemnedtheBostonTeaPartyasanactofvandalismandadvocatedlegalmeasurestobringtheinsurgentcolonistsintoline.
THECOERCIVEACTS
Parliamentrespondedwithnewlawsthatthecolonistscalledthe"CoerciveorIntolerableActs."Thefirst,theBostonPortBill,closedtheportofBostonuntiltheteawaspaidfor——anactionthatthreatenedtheverylifeofthecity,fortopreventBostonfromhavingaccesstotheseameanteconomicdisaster.Otherenactmentsrestrictedlocalauthorityandbannedmosttownmeetingsheldwithoutthegovernor'sconsent.AQuarteringActrequiredlocalauthoritiestofindsuitablequartersforBritishtroops,inprivatehomesifnecessary.InsteadofsubduingandisolatingMassachusettsasParliamentintended,theseactsrallieditssistercoloniestoitsaid.
TheQuebecAct,passedatnearlythesametime,extendedtheboundariesoftheprovinceofQuebecandguaranteedtherightoftheFrenchinhabitantstoenjoyreligiousfreedomandtheirownlegalcustoms.Thecolonistsopposedthisactbecause,bydisregardingoldcharterclaimstowesternlands,itthreatenedtohemthemintotheNorthandNorthwestbyaRomanCatholic-dominatedprovince.ThoughtheQuebecActhadnotbeenpassedasapunitivemeasure,itwasclassedbytheAmericanswiththeCoerciveActs,andallbecameknownasthe"FiveIntolerableActs."
AtthesuggestionoftheVirginiaHouseofBurgesses,colonialrepresentativesmetinPhiladelphiaonSeptember5,1774,"toconsultuponthepresentunhappystateoftheColonies."Delegatestothismeeting,knownastheFirstContinentalCongress,werechosenbyprovincialcongressesorpopularconventions.EverycolonyexceptGeorgiasentatleastonedelegate,andthetotalnumberof55waslargeenoughfordiversityofopinion,butsmallenoughforgenuinedebateandeffectiveaction.Thedivisionofopinioninthecoloniesposedagenuinedilemmaforthedelegates.TheywouldhavetogiveanappearanceoffirmunanimitytoinducetheBritishgovernmenttomakeconcessionsand,atthesametime,theywouldhavetoavoidanyshowofradicalismorspiritofindependencethatwouldalarmmoremoderateAmericans.Acautiouskeynotespeech,followedbya"resolve"thatnoobediencewasduetheCoerciveActs,endedwithadoptionofasetofre
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- 英语国家文化the road to independence 英语 国家 文化 the
![提示](https://static.bdocx.com/images/bang_tan.gif)