Commack Schools



The Causes of the American Revolution291465045085The American Revolution began in 1775 as open conflict between the united?thirteen colonies?and Great Britain. By the?Treaty of Paris?that ended the war in 1783, the colonies had won their independence. While no one event can be pointed to as the actual cause of the revolution, the war began as a disagreement over the way in which Great Britain treated the colonies versus the way the colonies felt they should be treated. Americans felt they deserved all the rights of Englishmen. The British, on the other hand, felt that the colonies were created to be used in the way that best suited the crown and parliament. This conflict is embodied in one of the rallying cries of the American Revolution: "No Taxation Without Representation."America's Independent Way of ThinkingThe mindset of the Founding Fathers was greatly influenced by:Geographic Considerations?- The distance of the colonies from Great Britain created an independence that was hard to overcome.?Colonial Legislatures?– The existence of colonial legislatures?meant that the colonies were in many ways independent of the crown. The legislatures were allowed to levy taxes, muster troops, and pass laws. When they were cut by the British, conflict ensued.?Salutary Neglect?- Even though the British believed in?mercantilism, Prime Minister Robert Walpole espoused a view of "salutary neglect." This was a system whereby the actual enforcement of external trade relations was lax.?The Enlightenment?– Many of the revolutionary leaders had studied major writings of the Enlightenment including those of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Baron de Montesquieu. From these writings, the founders gleaned the concepts of the?social contract, limited government, the consent of the governed, and?separation of powers.The road to revolution built slowly over time. Many events fed the growing desire of the thirteen colonies for independence. Following are the major events that led to the Revolution.Main CharactersBenjamin Martin (Mel Gibson)- This character is based on the Revolutionary War figure Francis Marion, known as the Swamp Fox. Historically, Marion is known for his fighting against the British in South Carolina and is considered to be one of the fathers of modern guerilla warfare.Gabriel Martin (Heath Ledger)- Son of Benjamin MartinCharlotte Selton (Joely Richardson)- She is the sister Benjamin's deceased wife. She accepts Benjamin's request to care for his children while he is away fighting the British.Col. William Tavington (Jason Isaacs)- He is a fictional character based on real-life British commander Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton. Tarleton served under Lord Cornwallis during the American War of Independence. Like Tavington, Tarleton embraced the concept of "total war," but he did not engage in the atrocities that Tavington does in the movie.Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson)- Serving as the Commanding General of the British forces during the American Revolution, he captured Charleston and won at Camden (August 16) and Guilford Court House. However, his plan to invade Virginia was foiled. Trapped by French and American forces at Yorktown, he was forced to surrender on October 19, 1781 effectively ending the Revolutionary War.Historical Inaccuracies in The PatriotThe British soldiers are referred to as "Redcoats," though this was not actually a term applied to British soldiers until the 1870s.Benjamin Martin shoots a British soldier who is on a moving horse using a flintlock pistol at a range of approximately 100 yards. The effective range of a black powder pistol is about 20 feet as the barrel is too short to allow all the powder to burn before the ball leaves the barrel (too low a muzzle velocity to achieve any sort of range)When Aunt Charlotte takes in the children after the family's home is destroyed her hair is down. Women only wore their hair down during sickness or bedtime, as long tresses in public were considered to be risqué. During the day, out in the world, and during evening socializing hair was always pinned up or tucked under a bonnet.George Washington's proclamation regarding the freeing of slaves who give one year of service is incorrectly interpreted. The historical offer applied to slaves who enlisted in the Continental regulars or served in regular state forces which served with Continental armies. It did not apply to units such as Benjamin Martin's local militia, which solely were under state control.In the film, Lord Cornwallis is portrayed as a much older man. This is incorrect as in 1780, the year in which the film is supposed to be set, the real General Charles Lord Cornwallis was only in his early forties. He was, in fact, born in 1738, which would make him six years younger than George Washington. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download