Preview

How Did Equality Become A

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1612 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did Equality Become A
How did equality become a stronger component of America freedom after the Revolution?

The revolution released public debates and political and social structures that expanded the scope for freedom. It also challenged inherited structures of power within America. In result of rejecting the principle of hereditary aristocracy, Americans also rejected the society of patronage, privilege, and fixed status. Men who led the revolution from start to finish were considered the most prestigious men of the American Elite. The lower classes however, did not rise to power in result of independence. Nonetheless, Inequality had been fundamental to the colonial social order. The revolution challenged it in many ways, therefore American freedom would be forever linked with the idea of equality. For free white men, the democratization of freedom was dramatic. In the political thought of the eighteenth century the term democracy had several different meanings, one meaning, coming from the writings of Aristotle defines democracy as a system in which he entire people governed directly. In the wake of the Revolution, democracy came into wider use to basically express the aspirations for greater equality.

The revolutions potential was way more evident in Pennsylvania. In the other states, the established leadership embraced independence in the spring of 1776 or they either split into pro-independence and pro-British factions. In Pennsylvania, almost the entire prewar elite opposed independence, the feared that serving the tie with Britain would lead to attacks on property. The vacuum of political leadership however, opened the door for the increase of new pro-independence grouping, based on the lower class and atisian communities of Philadelphia. Their leaders included Thomas Pain, Timothy Matlack, and Thomas Young. As a whole group these men of the middle-class who stood outside of the Merchant Elite had little political influence and believed strongly in democratic reform.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    During the pre-revolutionary period most colonists considered themselves Englishmen. Throughout the late seventeen hundreds many events occurred in which the colonists began to reevaluate their status as Englishmen. They began to think of themselves more as statesmen. This shift in sentiment led to the formation of a republic by the Articles of Confederation. No longer attached to the traditional propensities of the British monarchy and aristocratic social structure, colonists began to revise their social structure and allow for more social mobility. No longer was heredity the only way to acquire wealth and position. This alone was a momentous change in world history, allowing people, with no previous wealth or political affiliation, to rise in the ranks of society.…

    • 887 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The main objectives of the lower estates was the obliteration of negligent government, liberty for the third estate since they were the majority excluded from any basic freedoms, and the stage of radical protection in order to keep the idea of the republic intact. These were not solely democratic changes, but a necessary step towards a more democratic mindset, which is enjoyed in modern times in developed countries like the United States of America. Also the principle ideas of the American Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights were influenced through the written work titled, Declaration of the Rights of Man, thus these works during the French Revolution helped impact the modern…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Revolution came from them-the middle class. They were just beginning to learn to read” (Document 4). Through this the middle class gained knowledge and ideas of the Enlightenment. They became philosophers. They started to believe and realized many things. Voltaire believed in freedom of speech but gone thrown in jail for making fun of a rich baron. This made the rest of the citizens to wonder about what they could say and why weren’t they allowed to talk about whatever they wanted?. John Locke was a believer of natural rights from birth and is famous for his writings on rights of life, liberty and property. His writings made people have an “oh yeah!why NOT?!” moment and questioned their rights and the other estates rights deciding that this was unfair and unjust. These people started to believe and agree with what these philosophers thought than what the king or the clergy…

    • 806 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The emergence of democracy would change the United States forever. Our country today wouldn’t be what it is today without democracy in place. During the 1820s-1850s democracy truly started to appear in the nation. With ideas of every man should be equal and the uprising of the abolition movements. Women didn’t keep their thoughts out of it either. In 1828 President Jackson was elected and with this he brought the idea of everyman should be equal. He also believed in that whatever he wanted, he would get and take it by any means. Also during this time abolitionist started voicing their ideas about how there should be no slavery and that all slaves are on an equal level as the white man. Woman also felt this was the perfect time to voice their opinion as well. Not all women but some felt like they were being pushed to the side and not even looked at for any decision. The women started protests and took legal action on this and fought for their right to be acknowledged in the social and political society. All these events helped develop democracy.…

    • 1076 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Like the earlier distinction between “origins” and “causes,” the Revolution also had short- and long-term consequences. Perhaps the most important immediate consequence of declaring independence was the creation of state constitutions in 1776 and 1777. The Revolution also unleashed powerful political, social, and economic forces that would transform the post-Revolution politics and society, including increased participation in politics and governance, the legal institutionalization of religious toleration, and the growth and diffusion of the population. The Revolution also had significant short-term effects on the lives of women in the new United States of America. In the long-term, the Revolution would also have significant effects on the…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the years of 1700s, it’s a period of reborn, it’s a period of revolution, it’s a period freedom, it’s a period of relief for the 13 American colonies. The Declaration of Independence initiated in 1776 helped the 13 colonies to escape from the British Empire by declaring themselves as independent sovereign states, and believed in the rights to have independent. Following in the year of 1787, the U.S. Constitution was authorized ,explaining the basic rights of all American citizens and provided information on how the government should function. The idea of democratic government came to the mind of the colonist, and the idea of the Constitution is based of democracy. Democracy is are formed by the people, which the supreme power is vested in the people or by their elected agents under the electoral college. The information proclaimed in the U.S. Constitution showed a democratic thinking of the colonists, they believed that by establishing a democratic government, citizens will earn the rights they deserved. The thinking of the colonist during the Continental Congress period are democratic, by providing the rights granted to the citizens, the separation of power from all branches, and process any major changes with the constant of the citizens.…

    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The politics of the nation was vastly changing between 1820 and 1840. The nation was getting more democratic and fair in its politics by giving a role for the common people of the nation. The two party system was one of the events that led to greater democracy in the nation because it gave opposing ideas to govern the nation as the previously one party system failed to do. This gave the common people a choice to pick which party they saw fit to govern the nation. The nation also gave all white males the right to vote and hold office during this time which gave the white males more power in politics which increased their activities in the politics of the nation. Lower and middle classes were also allowed to hold political offices which showed how the nation was steering towards democracy by giving the common people the right to hold political offices and to vote. The candidates for office were also directing their campaigns more towards the common population because they became aware of how important the common people’s votes were. This increased the common people’s role in…

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The equalizer sociology

    • 1229 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Deviance it self involves breaking a norm set by our society and evoking a negative reaction from others. Reaction from others not committing deviancy can differ depending on how severe the act is (class September 29th, slide 1). The movie the The Equalizer has many forms of deviancy that results in many different reactions. I am going to talk about the forms of deviancy in this film. The Equalizer is about a man, Robert McCall, which leads a normal life. He has a secret past that seems to have been important. His wife died, which leads the audience to believe that this is why he decided to lead a normal life. He works at a Home Mart which is similar to a Home Depot and is a good worker and well liked by his coworkers. During the night he usually goes to a diner to read books, which is where he meets a young girl, Alina, who works for a Russian escort service.…

    • 1229 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Liberty is fist that shows America's freedom from governmental control and its economic freedom. In respect to governmental control, the class looked at the spectrum of democracy, which illustrated that political systems are not black and white rather most countries govern with different levels of democracy implemented. The class then briefly looked at America's economic freedom, comparing the capitalist approach to other governmental systems such as socialism and communism. Equality is the merit that regardless of a person's status or wealth in America, every individual has the right to participate in politics based on the principle of “one person one vote”. Finally, democracy was express as a system whereby political authority is determined and ultimately controlled by the people, which the lecture also refers to as popular…

    • 340 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Enlightenment

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “Thus a public can only attain enlightenment slowly. Perhaps a revolution can overthrow autocratic despotism and profiteering or power-grabbing oppression, but it can never truly reform a manner of thinking; instead, new prejudices, just like the old ones they replace, will serve as a leash for the great unthinking mass” (36). Kant prophesied that enlightenment will cause waves in bourgeoisie class, and it was possible through revolutions and changes that the world went over. As an illustration, a great example of the transformation could be shown from the changes of political view in France. That is, when revolution was sparked by the fierce passions of Frenchmen and issued statement of rights, demanding equality and freedom, among others. King Louis XVI was viewed as villain through the eyes of the revolutionary, where he governed France through monarchy. His rich in the palace of Versailles were seen as tyranny, and his credibility worsened as the people of French starved from scarcity. “the kernel gradually reacts on a people’s mentality, and it finally even influences the principles of government, which finds that it can profit by treating men, who are now more than machines, in accord with their dignity” (42). As Kant’s prediction, the First French Republic was formed and aimed for a better government and the desire for equality. They…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Revolution was about gaining freedom from government and finding equality for all. While many enjoyed the spoils of success, there were some that were left out and/or over looked.…

    • 263 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Revolution was an extremely important event in history; social, political and economic aspects all helped develop a very strong revolutionary spirit within the colonists of America. It helped enlightenment philosophers like John Locke or Benjamin Franklin to step up and lead the revolution politically with great success. All these aspects made the American Revolution the historical landmark that it is today; it symbolizes the way that Americans came together to become independent and formed state. This essay will be reflecting and analyzing the most important events that caused what we call today the American Revolution. The ideas of the enlightenment philosophers helped the people of America stay united and fight for their right…

    • 1007 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Equality in America

    • 3957 Words
    • 16 Pages

    In the middle to late 1800s, diversity swept across the United States of America. What is diversity? Diversity implies a wide variety in gender, race, culture, ethnicity, age, and other characteristics of certain groups ("Diversity," 2006). Diversity is present in every possible aspect of life. It does not matter where one goes or what one does in America, no two people look or act exactly the same. America has been and still is known as a nation of freedom and diversity. Today, America is considered to be the "melting pot," a place where all cultures are supposedly accepted and come together as a whole. Diversity is an issue that Americans have dealt with in the past, are currently dealing with, and will deal with in the future. Simply because America is tolerant of such a wide variety of people, does that mean that all people living in America are treated equally? The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal (The National, 2006);however, certain groups do not find this to be accurate. For generations, women, African Americans, and Mexican Americans have not been equal and have struggled to keep up in an "equal" society; however, as time progresses, these groups are making an immense advancement.…

    • 3957 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Equality changed social relations and social division that had determined the way of people viewed each other. The roles of women changed, the war inspired changes in the relationship between man and wife which became more liberal. The revolution also motivated African Americans to resists slavery. The institution became stronger in the south, and slaves began to speak out and petition against the slave trade. Although slavery was not abolished until 100 years later, Thomas Jefferson made it clear that all men should be created equal.…

    • 86 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Equality Between Genders

    • 505 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A few dozen years ago, women and men were not seen as equals. Women did not even have the right to vote and men were paid more than women for doing the same work. Even now, some societies still have this barbaric vision of inequality. Thankfully, our society evolved and we can see more clearly. There sure are differences between the two sexes but it’s not necessarily a bad thing when the two can work together to compensate for their weakness. Women and men complete each other well, because they have different skills: multitasking, perspective and taking care of children.…

    • 505 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays