American History, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

American History, - Essay Example Its vitriolic language and common approach differed from the existing political writings, which were often considered elitist, and gave Common Sense a wider mass appeal. After 25 editions, it sold thousands of copies and is credited for tipping the scale in the move towards independence (Henretta, Brody, and Dumenil, 181) Richard H. Lee, American patriot, had been a delegate from Virginia to the Continental Congress in September 1774. At this time he and Patrick Henry were joined by others to argue against the Coercive Acts, which had severely limited shipping in Boston in a response to the Boston Tea Party. In June 1776, with the pamphlet Common Sense reaching mass popularity, Richard Henry Lee introduced a congressional resolution calling for independence from England. Sensing impending defeat Loyalists and many moderates withdrew from the Congress. This was the beginning of the Patriots' formal declaration for independence and the move towards the war. Samuel Adams was a staunch Patriot who had gained the notoriety and experience during the Seven Years War that would later place him in a place of prominence. He led a revolt against the Townsend Acts in 1765, which taxed tea, paper, and other miscellaneous items. He was instrumental in establishing the Committee of Correspondence in Boston in 1772 (Henretta, Brody, and Demenil, 151). He became the leader of the radicals in Boston while organizing action against the monarchy (Nash et al., 179). In 1774, as a delegate from Massachusetts, he joined Richard Lee and Patrick Henry in their fight against the Coercive Acts in the Continental Congress. After the Revolutionary War, Adams helped draft the Massachusetts Constitution and the Articles of Confederation. He would later become the acting Governor of Massachusetts. John Peter Zenger John Peter Zenger was a printer and journalist that advocated and promoted the freedom of the press. Faced with corruption and tyranny in the colonies, a newspaper, the New-York Weekly Journal, was published by Zenger to expose the actions of Governor William Cosby of New York. Zenger was arrested for seditious libel and defended by a Philadelphia Lawyer hired by Zenger's supporters. Zenger claimed he was merely printing the facts and informing the public. Zenger was acquitted and the idea of the free press began to gain more popularity and would eventually rise to a significant part of American democracy. Bacon's Rebellion By 1675, the Chesapeake colonies were facing limited land and resources due to agreements with the Indian tribes. There was a need for more land as more settlers arrived in the New World. Nathaniel Bacon, joined by slaves and ex-slaves, brutally waged war against the native populations. Governor Berkeley who called for the arrest of Bacon denounced these attacks. This began a series of skirmishes and battles between Bacon's men and Berkeley's troops known as Bacon's Rebellion. It continued through 1677 involving 1000 British troops and resulted in the destruction of Jamestown (Nash et al., 84,86). Bacon's Rebellion was a sign of events to come as it pointed out the necessity of acquiring Indian land with the arrival of the new immigrants. The Great Awakening The Great Awakenin