Juan Pablo Peralta

Evaluate the extent of change in ideas about American independence from

1763 to 1783.
Socratic Seminar Reflection and follow up activities

I. Please reflect on  the seminar essential question by responding to  the following. Place your
responses in your drive folder with your research documents

1. What questions do you still have and or are you clear on the objective of the
prompt? Please explain.

I don’t really understand how the Seven Year War impacted the American Revolution if it was a war
between England and France.

2. Do you understand the series of event that led to change in the American Colonies with
respect to their attitudes toward Great Britain, if so please explain using specific details?

Yes I understand that the colonists began to feel oppressed by Britain as they were imposing
various forms of taxes in the colonies without them having any form of representation.
Especially around the 18th century many colonists believed in the ideas of Enlightment, and
sought liberty and justice, so the fact that they were being oppressed in different ways by an
island which was an ocean away angered them. After the Boston Massacre in 1770, we can see
how the colonists were fed up and respond to the Tea Act. The came the continental congress,
the continental association, the committee of correspondence, committee of safety, the Suffolk
resolves, Paine’s common sense and other factors which now stood for their independence.

Taxations on the colonies.

British efforts to collect taxes without direct colonial representation or consent and to asset
imperial authority in the colonies, began to unite the colonists against the perceived and real
constraints on there economic activities and political rights, the colonial leaders argue about the
rights of the British subjects, the rights of the individual, local traditions of self-rule and the ideas
of enlightment.

Examples: Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act, Currency act, quartering act, Stamp act

The British imposed these laws on the colonies, based on the theory of virtual representation, bi
which the role of Parliament was to legislate on behalf of the colonists. The colonist identified
themselves as Englishmen, in full possession of all the political right of Englishmen, who lived
across the Atlantic. They fell back upon traditions of salutary neglect, as well as the
democratizing influences of the great awakening, and Enlightment ideals about the social
contract/consent of the governed ague that British legislating for the colonies was tyranny. This
began an intercolonial common cause, known as shared grievances, which began to gradually
unite the colonies.
- The Boston massacre and the Tea Party, examples of public defiance as public
statements or propaganda victories.
- Women of all levels of society were critical to the success of the boycott
movement. The production of handmade alternatives to British produced and
purchased good became a political statement. A female production of homemade
goods to produce alternatives for British goods and the purchasing of those goods
became a political statement supporting the Patriot cause. They also produced
bandages, clothings, foodstuffs, gunpowder, bullets and provided general supplies
to the army.
- The success of boycotts as tools of economic warfare required the discipline
participation of persons from all levels of society. Women were the ones who
purchased numerous items for homes and hosueholds.
- The Sons of liberty began to collect and store weapons and supplies, establish
intelligent networks and create shadow governments at local level