World History 173: The Age of Revolution
Artifacts
Stamp from the Stamp Act of 1765. Embossed stamp on blue-gray paper reading "II Shillings VI Pence," 1 1/2 inches square. c.1765.
The 2-shilling 6-pence stamp paid the tax on a variety of contracts, leases, conveyances, protests, and bills of sale, as well as conveyances of real property of more than two hundred acres but not more than 320 acres.
For more information on the object, click here
No Stamp Act Teapot, England c.1766-1770
"Teapots such as this were made for sale to the American market soon after the 1766 repeal of the hated Stamp Act, passed by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765...This was the first direct tax on the American colonies and provoked an immediate and violent response throughout the colonies."
For more information on the object, click here
"The Boston Massacre." Engraved, printed and sold by Paul Revere Jr. After Henry Pelham (1770)
"The Bostonian silversmith-engraver Revere made this print in response to a violent confrontation between local residents and British troops on March 5, 1770."
For more on this engraving, click here. For a whole lot more on this engraving, click here
William Waller's Powder Horn, Virginia 1775-1776 Horn (cow), Wood, Brass, Ink
"Virginia rifleman William Waller carried this powder horn during the Revolutionary War. The horn is decorated with several popular slogans of the American Revolution, including “LIBERTY or DEATH” and “APPEAL TO HEAVEN."
For more details about the object and other Revolutionary War powder horns, click here
Deeper Dives
Deeper Dives
Annette Gordon-Reed on What She Calls “The American Dilemma” (14:00)
American Revolution
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Background/Overviews
- The Origins, Purpose and Legacy of the Declaration
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- Revolution, AmericanContains 5 subsections. Some are more relevant to the questions asked in the assignment than others. The political history section is a good place to start.
- American Revolutions
Alan Taylor is Thomas Jefferson Foundation Professor of History at the University of Virginia
Setting the Stage
- How Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense’ Helped Inspire the American Revolution
The 47-page pamphlet took colonial America by storm in 1776 and made critical arguments for declaring independence from England. - Excerpt From Common Sense
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Key People and Ideas
- John Adams: An Essay on Man’s Lust for Power (1762), with the Author’s Comment in 1807
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- Federalist 10 (1787) [Excerpt]
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- George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)
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Hmmm..some of this looks familiar... - "Remember the Ladies" (Abigail Adams to John Adams in 1776) [excerpt]
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Legacy and Impact
- How Did the American Revolution Influence the French Revolution?includes a video on the Global impact of the American revolution.
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