Overview
The Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment were important world events that helped shape the principles — the “Revolutionary Ideals” — of the American Revolution, including Natural Rights, Democracy, and Republicanism. In addition, the First Great Awakening encouraged Americans to take control of their destinies instead of surrendering their fate to the ideals of religious leaders or monarchs.
As the American Colonies stabilized and matured, society transitioned from a subsistence economy to a market economy, and Americans were exposed to newspapers, books, and schools that spread the ideals that drove the American Revolution.
These inspired Thomas Jefferson to write, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” and Abigail Adams to say, “If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and philosophers, we should have learned women…”
While education was usually reserved for Americans — and boys — living near the larger cities on the East Coast, like Boston and Philadelphia, many people believed it was important for girls as well, even if there were limitations. For example, Mercy Otis Warren was allowed to study alongside her brothers in most subjects, but not Latin and Greek.
Like their male peers, Adams and Warren were inspired by the Enlightenment and understood the value of education. Because of their roles in Colonial Society, women were in a position to ensure the ideals of the American Revolution were shared with their children, even if those ideals were not always reflected in society. This helped women build the foundation for an egalitarian society that developed over time.
There were also Americans who believed Revolutionary Ideals extended to all people, regardless of skin color or social status. In 1761, Boston merchant John Wheatley purchased a young girl, just eight years old, from a slave trader. He gave her to his wife, Susanna, and they named her Phillis. Their children, Mary and Nathaniel, taught Phillis to read and write. By the time she was 12, she could read Latin and Greek. At 14, she wrote her first poem.
This happened at a time when the prevailing idea among Europeans and Americans was that Africans were unable to learn. Phillis not only shattered this idea but also went on to publish the first book of poetry written in America, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. It was published in England in 1773 and was popular in England and America. The Wheatley family manumitted (legally freed) Phillis, who continued to write and publish poems.
Another American with African roots who broke barriers was Prince Hall. It is believed he was born into slavery in Barbados and was transported to Boston, where he was manumitted in April 1770, one month after the Boston Massacre. Hall went on to join the Freemasons and founded African Lodge #1 in Massachusetts. He used this position to speak out against slavery and advocate for equal rights. By 1787, he opened a school for African American children in his home.
One of the most important passages Thomas Jefferson included in his draft of the Declaration of Independence dealt with the ongoing slave trade in the American Colonies. However, Southern delegates did not agree to it, and it was removed from the final draft. Jefferson accused King George III of conducting “…war against human nature itself, violating it’s most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither.” Attempts to end slavery were not new (see Abolition in Colonial America), but placing the blame on the King was a bold accusation.
During the American Revolutionary War, Vermont (known as the Republic of New Connecticut at the time) banned slavery in 1777. Resistance to slavery slowly increased but was often put aside due to the war. However, in 1780, Pennsylvania passed a law for Gradual Emancipation.
George Bryan, a Philadelphia merchant who served as a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, supported the measure, saying, “In divesting the state of slaves you will equally serve the cause of humanity and policy, and offer to God one of the most proper and best returns of gratitude for his great deliverance of us and our posterity from thraldom.”
When the American Revolutionary War ended, the struggle for equality and civil rights in the new nation was only beginning. However, the nation’s struggle to throw off the oppressive British Empire inspired people in France. In 1789, just as the United States Constitution was taking effect, the French Revolution started. At first, it was a peaceful movement, as the legislature announced it was a “Constituent Assembly,” intending to draft a new Constitution for France. At first, the movement was popular with Americans, but support quickly faded when King Louis XVI was executed, transforming into the “Reign of Terror.” The Revolution created tensions between the United States and France that led to Jay’s Treaty with Britain and the Quasi-War with France.
The instability in France spread to its colony, Sainte Domingue, on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. In 1791, a revolution started that culminated in a slave rebellion led by Toussaint Louverture. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson provided support to Louverture’s government, but he was removed by the French in 1803. While Napoleon hoped to use the island as a base of operations to reclaim French territory in North America, the French Army was plagued by Yellow Fever. Napoleon decided to focus on affairs in Europe, so he abandoned the island and sold Louisiana to the United States. Haiti became an independent nation in 1804.
Thematic Focus
APUSH Topic 3.6 has two areas of focus.
The first is on “Social Structures,” which explores how Revolutionary Ideals laid the foundation for movements that helped transform society, including Abolition, Suffrage, Civil Rights, and Equal Rights. These movements helped shape the course of the American government, culture, and economic system.
The second area of focus is “America in the World,” which connects the Revolutionary Ideals to similar movements, including the French Revolution.
Learning Objectives
The first Learning Objective for Topic 3.6 is to be able to explain the various ways the American Revolution affected society. Following the end of the war, Americans sought to extend “Natural Rights” to all people. The key points are:
- Abolition of Slavery — This included ending the slave trade and slavery in America.
- Expansion of Suffrage — The establishment of Democratic and Republican principles in State Constitutions, which were not linked to the Peerage System of the Old World, slowly expanded voting rights.
- Civil Rights — Extending rights to all African Americans.
- Equal Rights — Extending rights to women.
The second Learning Objective is to describe the global impact of the American Revolution, which inspired the French Revolution and the Haitian Revolution. It also inspired revolts in Latin America against Spanish rule, which included Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela. These revolts started around 1808 and contributed to the establishment of the Monroe Doctrine, a cornerstone of American foreign policy.
Historical Developments
The Revolutionary Ideals that spread during and after the American Revolution slowly raised awareness of the inequalities in American society.
The Declaration of Independence is often criticized for declaring that “all men are created equal…endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” at a time when a significant percentage of the population was enslaved. The reality is that the long struggle to eliminate slavery in America started well before the American Revolution. As the colonies transitioned to States and unified, the Abolition Movement grew and became stronger. However, slavery was a complex issue that had no easy solution.
- In 1774, Congress called for the complete abolition of the slave trade, which was supported by most states.
- In 1775, Quakers established the world’s first anti-slavery society, the “Philadelphia Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage,” commonly referred to as the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
- Some northern states took steps to either abolish slavery outright or implement gradual emancipation laws.
- Even in Virginia, a few slaveholders freed their slaves.
In 1787, just before the Constitutional Convention started, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin became President of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. For the last three years of his life, Franklin publicly opposed slavery, writing and publishing essays in support of the growing Abolition Movement. In 1790, Franklin petitioned Congress, asking it to “…cut the cancer of slavery out of the American body politic…” The petition led to a fierce debate in Congress and was eventually rejected.
Founding Mothers like Abigail Adams and Mercy Otis Warren played an important role in helping establish the ideology of the American Revolution. Adams wrote letters and memoirs that are considered to be major historical documents, and Warren wrote the first published history of the American Revolution.
They contributed to the concept of “Republican Motherhood,” a term coined by historian Linda K. Gerber in an article she wrote in 1976 titled “The Republican Mother: Women and the Enlightenment – An American Perspective.” Republican Motherhood emphasizes the importance of mothers instilling Revolutionary Ideals, including “civic virtue,” in their children.
The American Revolution and the Revolutionary ideals of the Declaration of Independence inspired movements for independence in France, Haiti, and Latin America. While these movements increased Democracy worldwide, they often created tensions between the United States and European nations.
A key difference between the American Revolution and others is in leadership. The American Revolution was largely driven by the educated upper class — merchants, scholars, and the clergy,
Review Video
This video from Heimler’s History provides an excellent overview of APUSH 3.6. You can also check out our APUSH Guide, which provides a look at all Units and Topics in the APUSH Curriculum.
Vocabulary and Notes
The following terms and definitions relate to the Key Concepts for Unit 3 and are broken into sections by APUSH Themes. Within the explanations of APUSH 3.6, Terms are links to content on American History Central that should provide a more comprehensive understanding of each topic. Terms and definitions are organized according to the APUSH Themes:
- American and National Identity
- Work, Exchange, and Technology
- Migration and Settlement
- Politics and Power
- America in the World
- Geography and the Environment
- Culture and Society
American and National Identity — Organizations
Ladies Association of Philadelphia
The Ladies Association of Philadelphia was established in 1780 by Esther de Berdt Reed and other prominent women. It was one of the first organized women’s civic groups in the United States. The Association raised funds, provided supplies, made shirts, and raised money for the Continental Army.
American and National Identity — People
Hannah Adams
Hannah Adams was a Massachusetts teacher who published a study on American religion, An Alphabetical Compendium of the Various Sects, in 1784. Her work helped her earn international renown as a scholar. She also wrote A Summary History of New England and advocated for educating women.
Benjamin Banneker
Benjamin Banneker was an African-American mathematician and astronomer who challenged racial stereotypes, published almanacs, and contributed to early anti-slavery efforts. Banneker wrote a letter that challenged Thomas Jefferson’s views that African Americans were mentally inferior.
Paul Cuffe
Paul Cuffe was a businessman, whaler, and Abolitionist. His father was an African American, and his mother was a Wampanoag. During the American Revolutionary War, Cuffe smuggled goods to the Patriots in Nantucket. Later, he became involved in the Abolition Movement and the establishment of a colony in Sierra Leone for former slaves.
Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, was a writer and Abolitionist. Equiano was enslaved in Ethiopia and eventually crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. He survived the Middle Passage and was purchased by a British officer in Virginia. Equiano was eventually purchased by a Quaker merchant, who educated him and allowed him to buy his freedom in 1766. In 1789, his memoirs, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, were published. The book fueled the growing Anti-Slavery Movement.
James Forten
James Forten was an African American merchant and Abolitionist. Born free, he used his personal fortune and influence to advocate for civil rights for African Americans. Forten opposed the American Colonization Society, believing African Americans had the right to pursue a life in America. Forten provided financial support for William Lloyd Garrison and his newspaper, The Liberator, and served as Vice President of the American Anti-Slavery Society.
Elizabeth Freeman
Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mumbet, was an enslaved African American woman who successfully sued for her freedom in Massachusetts in 1781. Her case, Brom and Bett v. Ashley was based on the Massachusetts Constitution’s declaration that “all men are born free and equal.” Freeman’s victory helped set a legal precedent that contributed to the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts.
Nancy Morgan Hart
Nancy Morgan Hart was a legendary heroine of the American Revolutionary War, known for defending her Georgia home against Loyalist forces. According to various accounts, Hart captured and killed a group of British soldiers who had entered her home. She held them at gunpoint, and when they attempted to overpower her, she shot and killed several of them. Although her story is more of a legend than reality, it is true that her cousin was Daniel Morgan, who led American forces to victory at the Battle of Cowpens.
Absolom Jones
Absalom Jones was an African American religious leader and Abolitionist. Born into slavery in 1746, he purchased his freedom in 1784 and became an advocate for African American rights. Jones co-founded the Free African Society in 1787 with Richard Allen to support the black community in Philadelphia. In 1794, he founded the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, becoming the first African American to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church.
Judith Sargent Stevens Murray
Judith Sargent Stevens Murray was an early advocate for women’s rights, particularly in education, and one of the most prominent female essayists of the late 18th century. In her influential essay On the Equality of the Sexes (1790), Murray argued that women were intellectually equal to men but were not given the same educational opportunities. She believed that women should have the right to education and be able to achieve independence and self-reliance.
Mary Lindley Murray
Mary Lindley Murray was married to Robert Murray, a Loyalist merchant who violated the Articles of Association. According to legend, after the British Landing at Kip’s Bay on September 15, 1776, Murray invited General William Howe and his officers into her home for tea. She entertained them long enough to give General George Washington and his retreating army time to safely withdraw and regroup.
Eliza Lucas Pinckney
Eliza Lucas Pinckney was a pioneering agriculturalist in South Carolina who is credited with developing Indigo as a major Cash Crop. Born in Antigua in 1722, she took over her family’s plantations at a young age and experimented with cultivating Indigo. Pinckney’s efforts made Indigo one of South Carolina’s most valuable exports in the mid-18th century.
Molly Pitcher
“Molly Pitcher” is a legendary figure representing the women who supported American soldiers during the American Revolutionary War. The name is most often associated with Mary Ludwig Hays. During the Battle of Monmouth (1778), she carried water to soldiers and took her husband’s place at a cannon after he collapsed.
Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross is widely credited with sewing the first American Flag. According to legend, Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, was commissioned by a committee that included George Washington to create the flag in 1776.
Susanna Haswell Rowson
Susanna Haswell Rowson was an influential author, playwright, and educator in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. She is best known for her novel Charlotte Temple (1791), the most popular fiction book in America until Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published.
Deborah Sampson
Deborah Sampson was a woman who disguised herself as a man to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Enlisting under the name “Robert Shurtliff” in 1782, she fought in several skirmishes and was wounded in battle. To conceal her identity, she tended to her own own injuries. After her identity was discovered in 1783, she was honorably discharged. Later, she gave public lectures about her experiences, making her one of the first women in America to go on a speaking tour.
Martha Washington
Martha Washington, the wife of George Washington, was the inaugural First Lady of the United States and played a significant role in supporting the American Revolution. During the war, she frequently joined General Washington at his winter encampments, including Morristown and Valley Forge. As First Lady, she set important precedents for the role, hosting formal events and establishing a dignified public image.
Politics and Power — Court Cases
Quok Walker Case
The Quok Walker case refers to a series of legal actions in Massachusetts in the 1780s that played a crucial role in ending slavery in the state. Quok Walker, an enslaved African American, sued for his freedom in 1781, arguing that the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 declared all men “born free and equal.” The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Walker’s favor, asserting that slavery was incompatible with the state’s new constitution. This decision, along with other cases, effectively abolished slavery in Massachusetts, making it one of the first states to do so.
Politics and Power — French Revolution
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was adopted by the French National Assembly in August 1789 during the early stages of the French Revolution. It proclaimed that all men are born free and equal in rights, including the rights to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. It also emphasized the principles of Popular Sovereignty, Freedom of Speech, and equality before the law. Inspired by the Enlightenment and the American Revolution, it was a direct challenge to the monarchy and aristocratic privileges.
Estates-General
The Estates-General was a legislative assembly in pre-revolutionary France that represented the three traditional estates of French society: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the commoners (Third Estate). It was convened by the monarch when needed, typically to address financial or political crises. In 1789, King Louis XVI called the Estates-General for the first time in over 170 years to address France’s financial crisis. The Third Estate, frustrated with its lack of power, broke away to form the National Assembly, sparking the French Revolution. The Estates-General’s failure to address the demands of the Third Estate marked the beginning of the revolutionary movement.
Limited Monarchy
A Limited Monarchy, also known as a Constitutional Monarchy, is a form of government in which the monarch’s powers are restricted by a constitution or legislative body, such as a Parliament. Unlike an Absolute Monarchy, where the King or Queen holds unchecked power, in a Limited Monarchy, the monarch must govern in accordance with laws and often shares authority with elected officials. This system ensures that no single ruler has absolute control, promoting checks and balances. The British Monarchy is a classic example of a Limited Monarchy, particularly after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which established Parliament’s supremacy over the Crown.
King Louis XVI
King Louis XVI was the last King of France before the French Revolution, reigning from 1774 until he was deposed in 1792. His reign was marked by financial crises, political mismanagement, and growing unrest among the French population. Despite attempts to reform the French tax system and government, his indecisiveness and resistance to change contributed to the outbreak of the French Revolution. In 1789, he convened the Estates-General to address the country’s financial issues, but it led to the rise of the National Assembly and the Revolution. After France became a republic, Louis XVI was tried for treason, found guilty, and executed in January 1793.
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a period during the French Revolution, from September 1793 to July 1794, marked by mass executions and political repression. Led by the radical Jacobins under Maximilien Robespierre, the Revolutionary government sought to eliminate its political enemies. The Revolutionary Tribunal oversaw trials, and thousands of people, including King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and many ordinary citizens, were executed. The Reign of Terror ended with Robespierre’s own execution in July 1794.
Storming of the Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille occurred on July 14, 1789, when insurgents in Paris attacked the Bastille, a fortress and prison that symbolized royal tyranny. The storming was driven by the growing unrest over King Louis XVI’s refusal to address economic and political issues and the fear that he would suppress revolutionary efforts. The capture of the Bastille marked the start of the French Revolution, signaling the collapse of royal authority and the rise of popular resistance. The event is celebrated every year as “Bastille Day.”
Geography and the Environment
Chile
Chile gained independence from Spanish colonial rule in 1818, following a series of battles led by revolutionaries like Bernardo O’Higgins and José de San Martín. The Chilean War of Independence was part of the larger Latin American independence movement during the early 19th Century.
France
France experienced significant political upheaval during the French Revolution (1789–1799), which resulted in the abolition of the monarchy and the rise of the French Republic. The Revolution spread democratic ideals and greatly influenced global revolutionary movements.
Haiti
Haiti, the first independent black republic, gained independence from France in 1804 following a successful slave revolt led by Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and others. The Haitian Revolution was the only successful slave revolt in history and ended French colonial rule on the island.
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is the Caribbean island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It was a major site of European colonization, initially by Spain, and later became central to the struggles for independence, particularly with Haiti’s successful revolution.
Mexico
Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821 after an 11-year war, which began with Miguel Hidalgo’s Grito de Dolores in 1810. Leaders such as José María Morelos and Agustín de Iturbide played significant roles in achieving Mexican Independence.
Peru
Peru gained its independence from Spanish rule in 1821, largely through the efforts of José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar, who was known as “El Libertador.” The final battle for Peru’s independence occurred in 1824 when Bolívar’s forces defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Ayacucho.
Venezuela
In 1811, Venezuela became one of the first South American countries to declare independence from Spain. Simón Bolívar led the struggle for independence, which was achieved in 1821 after numerous battles and campaigns across the region.
Unit 3 Topics and Key Concepts
Key Concepts
3.1 — British attempts to assert tighter control over its North American colonies and the colonial resolve to pursue self-government led to a colonial independence movement and the Revolutionary War.
3.2 — The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideas inspired new experiments with different forms of government.
3.3 — Migration within North America and competition over resources, boundaries, and trade intensified conflicts among peoples and nations.
Topics
- 3.1 — Contextualizing Period 3
- 3.2 — The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War)
- 3.3 — Taxation Without Representation
- 3.4 — Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution
- 3.5 — The American Revolution
- 3.6 — The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals
- 3.7 — The Articles of Confederation
- 3.8 — The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification
- 3.9 — The Constitution
- 3.10 — Shaping a New Republic
- 3.11 — Developing an American Identity
- 3.12 — Movement in the Early Republic
- 3.13 — Continuity and Change in Period 3
