Becoming America: The Revolution Before 1776 Fr... [DIRECT]

In 1680, most European settlers were English. By 1770, the colonies had become a "polyglot" society. Waves of Scots, Germans, Dutch, Swiss, and French Huguenots joined a landscape already inhabited by Native Americans and a rapidly growing population of enslaved Africans. This "unprecedented jumble of peoples" created a unique ethnic and racial diversity that we still recognize as fundamentally American today. 2. The Birth of Global Consumerism

The "Hidden" Revolution: How America Became Modern Before 1776 Becoming America: The Revolution before 1776 fr...

We often hear about New England town meetings, but Butler argues that real political power moved to the provincial level. Colonists became "politically self-conscious" and power-hungry, building complex political institutions that were far more participatory than those in Europe. They weren't just reacting to British taxes; they were practicing the art of self-governance for decades. Why It Matters In 1680, most European settlers were English

Between 1680 and 1770, the British mainland colonies underwent a transformation that turned them into the world’s "first modern society". Long before George Washington took command, the DNA of modern America was already being spliced together. 1. A "Jumble of Peoples": The First Melting Pot This "unprecedented jumble of peoples" created a unique

Next time you think about the founders, remember that they were the products of a century-long cultural revolution that changed the world before the first shot was ever fired. Becoming America - Harvard University Press

This era saw a shift toward the materialistic and commercial values that remain central to American life. 3. Religious Pluralism (With a Catch)