2.1 The Pre-Revolutionary Period and the Roots of the American Political Tradition

American political thought is rooted in core values like individualism, limited government, and popular sovereignty. These ideals shaped the colonists' response to British control, leading to resistance against taxes and policies imposed without their consent.

The Enlightenment heavily influenced American philosophy. Thinkers like Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau contributed ideas about natural rights, separation of powers, and social contracts that became foundational to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Core American Political Values and Colonial Responses

Core values of American political thought

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• Individualism
  • Places strong emphasis on personal freedom and liberty for each person
  • Holds a fundamental belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every individual
• Limited government
  • Approaches concentrated power with skepticism and wariness
  • Favors decentralized political authority spread across different levels and branches
• Popular sovereignty
  • Asserts that legitimate political power originates from the people themselves
  • Holds that government derives its authority from the consent of the governed citizens
• Republicanism
  • Rejects the concept of hereditary monarchy and aristocracy as forms of government
  • Advocates for representative government elected by the people and civic virtue
• Natural rights
  • Believes in inalienable rights that belong to all people, such as life, liberty, and property
  • Asserts that these rights are inherent to all individuals and cannot be taken away by the government

British actions and colonial responses

• British attempts to assert greater control over the colonies
  • Proclamation of 1763 restricted westward expansion into Native American territories
  • Sugar Act (1764) and Stamp Act (1765) imposed new taxes on the colonies without their consent
  • These actions marked the end of the period of salutary neglect, during which Britain had loosely enforced regulations on the colonies
• Colonial resistance to British policies
  • Boston Tea Party (1773) protested the Tea Act by dumping British tea into the harbor
  • First Continental Congress (1774) formed to coordinate colonial response and grievances
• Escalation of tensions between Britain and the colonies
  • Intolerable Acts (1774) punished Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, closing the port of Boston
  • Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775) marked the beginning of armed conflict in the American Revolution
• Declaration of Independence (1776)
  • Formally stated the colonies' intention to separate from Great Britain and become independent
  • Outlined grievances against the British Crown and asserted the colonies' right to self-governance

Colonial Development and Unity

• Colonial charters established the legal framework for early American colonies
• Mercantilism shaped British economic policies towards the colonies, viewing them as sources of raw materials and markets for finished goods
• The Great Awakening, a religious revival movement, fostered a sense of shared identity among colonists
• The Albany Plan of Union (1754) proposed a unified colonial government, demonstrating early attempts at inter-colonial cooperation

Enlightenment Influences on American Political Philosophy

Enlightenment influence on American philosophy

• John Locke's theory of natural rights
  • Emphasized the importance of life, liberty, and property as fundamental rights
  • Argued that the primary purpose of government is to protect these individual rights
• Montesquieu's separation of powers
  • Proposed dividing government into executive, legislative, and judicial branches
  • Aimed to prevent the concentration of power in any one branch and protect individual liberty
• Rousseau's concept of the social contract
  • Suggested that individuals surrender some personal freedoms to the government in exchange for protection of their rights
  • Emphasized the importance of the general will of the people and popular sovereignty
• Impact on key founding documents
  • Declaration of Independence drew upon Locke's ideas of natural rights and the right to revolution against tyranny
  • U.S. Constitution incorporated Montesquieu's separation of powers and system of checks and balances between branches