Liberty: The American Revolution Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Program: Liberty, The American Revolution
• Sponsor: KCET Los Angeles
• Funding: Supported by NorWest, National Endowment for the Humanities, and others
• Speaker: Forrest Sawyer

The Challenge of Government

• 18th-century issue: Forming a government that protects liberty
• Post-Revolution challenge (1783): Creating a united system of governance
• Current state of Union: Loose federation, no national president or court system
• Historical context: Washington's surrender of power as a revolutionary event

Post-War America

• Washington's retirement: Return to Mount Vernon
• State of the Union: 13 republics loosely held together
• Cultural perception: States viewed as separate entities (e.g., Massachusetts vs. Virginia)
• Future vision: A unified nation was uncertain

Revolutionary Changes

• Post-war migration: Expansion westward
• Impact on Native Americans: Decimation of cultures
• Loyalists: Displacement and adaptation to new lives
• Social changes: Breakdown of old hierarchies and servitude
  • Mum Bett case: Emancipation based on equality principles

National Vision and Challenges

• Emergence of nationalism: Artists and thinkers like Hamilton and Webster
• Hamilton's vision: America as a world leader through industrialization
• Cultural stereotypes: Regional differences as societal perceptions

Governance Issues

• State independence: Varied currencies, laws, and identities
• Confederation weaknesses: No national power to tax or form an army
• Economic struggles: National bankruptcy and debtors vs. creditors conflict
• Shays' Rebellion (1786): Highlighted weaknesses of popular government

Constitutional Convention of 1787

• Location: Philadelphia
• Purpose: Address and reform Articles of Confederation
• Notable figures: Washington, Madison, Hamilton
• Madison's role: Intellectual driving force
• Decision: Total revision leading to the new Constitution

Constitutional Debates

• Key issues: Power balance, rights of minority vs. majority
• Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: Centralized power vs. state autonomy concerns
• Bill of Rights: Push for individual freedoms

Ratification and Legacy

• State conventions: Ratification debates
• Outcome: Constitution ratified, Bill of Rights added
• Significance: Foundation for America's democracy

Conclusion

• American Ideals: Ideology as the country's adhesive
• Ongoing struggle: Extending "We the People" to all
• Revolution's impact: Shift from top-down to mass-consent governance
• Final thought: The revolution's success in creating a lasting republic

Additional Resources

• Visit PBS Online for more information on the American Revolution
• Order resources: Liberty series, book, and soundtrack