Difference between revisions of "Portal:America's Heritage"
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− | Understanding how American democracy developed requires knowing a few interesting pieces of American history as they relate to how they shaped the beliefs and attitudes of Americans. | + | Civicwiki does not exist as a history website, but it must take note of historical elements to make its case for a more civic society. |
+ | <br>Understanding how American democracy developed requires knowing a few interesting pieces of American history as they relate to how they shaped the beliefs and attitudes of Americans. | ||
+ | <br>It is also instructive to touch on what we owe to England, its Common Law, and its constitution during colonial times. The issues and ideas that shaped America are remarkably similar to those that shaped England in that time frame. In both cases the driving issue was a desire for personal freedoms and representative government vs. despotic rule. | ||
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Articles in this category, among other things, deal with these elements of America's heritage. [[File:Channing 1-3.JPG|250px|thumb|American History / America's Heritage|link=]]<br> | Articles in this category, among other things, deal with these elements of America's heritage. [[File:Channing 1-3.JPG|250px|thumb|American History / America's Heritage|link=]]<br> | ||
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Some of the relevant topics: | Some of the relevant topics: | ||
*The factors that induced the colonists to move from civilization in England and Europe to America, wilderness and hardship at enormous personal cost. | *The factors that induced the colonists to move from civilization in England and Europe to America, wilderness and hardship at enormous personal cost. | ||
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:The efforts on the part of those who obtained patents, charters, grants of land, and formed companies to colonize America were driven by motives of commerce and personal gain. For the most part, these "adventurers" were investors who remained in England. Such ambitions were ever present and influential. | :The efforts on the part of those who obtained patents, charters, grants of land, and formed companies to colonize America were driven by motives of commerce and personal gain. For the most part, these "adventurers" were investors who remained in England. Such ambitions were ever present and influential. | ||
:The emigrants themselves - the colonists - were moved by a variety of motives | :The emigrants themselves - the colonists - were moved by a variety of motives | ||
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:*Some had religious motives. | :*Some had religious motives. | ||
:*Some were sent as alternatives to prison or other punishment. | :*Some were sent as alternatives to prison or other punishment. | ||
− | *The conditions colonial settlers encountered produced statistics that are surprising today. | + | *The conditions colonial settlers encountered produced statistics that are surprising today. |
:The toll in terms of health, welfare and life was staggering. Yet they continued to come. | :The toll in terms of health, welfare and life was staggering. Yet they continued to come. | ||
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*English colonists brought a set of political expectations with them. Their English heritage defined the colonists view of the rights of man. | *English colonists brought a set of political expectations with them. Their English heritage defined the colonists view of the rights of man. | ||
− | :Because of the relatively liberal degree of individual liberty that existed in England at the time | + | :Because of the relatively liberal degree of individual liberty that existed in England at the time, it meant something to be English. In the first Virginia Charter of 1606 the king declared that all Englishmen residing on English soil - wherever that may be - were to enjoy the same rights as Englishmen at home. This was something new in colonization and differed markedly from the approaches of other European colonizing powers such as Spain and France; and it set the political expectations of the colonists. |
− | + | *The evolution of representative government in the colonies | |
− | + | :Few colonial charters called for local representative government, but representative government happened in spite of charter direction. | |
− | + | *Our Common Law Heritage | |
− | + | *Virginia and its charters | |
− | + | *Maryland | |
− | + | *New England and its charters | |
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*The role of religion. | *The role of religion. | ||
:It was a religious age. Religion was part of daily life and part of the language. Moreover, both government and society placed importance on uniformity of religion. But just as in England, there was very little actual uniformity to be found. This caused, as in England, a great deal of religious intolerance in the early history of the colonies. | :It was a religious age. Religion was part of daily life and part of the language. Moreover, both government and society placed importance on uniformity of religion. But just as in England, there was very little actual uniformity to be found. This caused, as in England, a great deal of religious intolerance in the early history of the colonies. | ||
− | :Religious intolerance at home was behind the decision of many settlers to emigrate, but | + | :Religious intolerance at home was behind the decision of many settlers to emigrate, but founding tolerant societies was not usually their intent. They sought a new land in which they could establish a society that conformed to their beliefs rather than being forced to conform their beliefs to others. Tolerance did evolve in the colonies; but almost every colony, when founded, sought to establish a church and form of worship defined by the leaders of the colonies and that would be uniform among their settlers. |
*The estrangement from England. | *The estrangement from England. | ||
:The colonists liked being English subjects. It was the foundation of a degree of freedom unmatched by the subjects of other European countries and it associated them with the most successful commercial and military power in Europe. | :The colonists liked being English subjects. It was the foundation of a degree of freedom unmatched by the subjects of other European countries and it associated them with the most successful commercial and military power in Europe. | ||
− | + | :The failure of king and Parliament in the 17th century to understand the mood and attitudes of their English colonies was reflected in the laws they passed that sought to tax and regulate commerce and life in the colonies. These acts guaranteed that America would eventually seek independence. | |
===1763 to 1800=== | ===1763 to 1800=== |
Revision as of 08:53, 12 August 2014
America's Heritage
Civicwiki does not exist as a history website, but it must take note of historical elements to make its case for a more civic society.
Articles for this categoryThis portal is the place to assign categories and pages that present and discuss the elements of America's heritage that shaped the United States. 1600 to 1763Some of the relevant topics:
1763 to 18001763 was a turning point. Sample of relevant topics:
After 1800
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Articles about America's Heritage |