1662 Halfway Covenant

1676 Bacon’s Rebellion

1689 England’s Glorious Revolution

1691-2 Salem Witch Trials

1754 – 1763 French & Indian (Seven Years’) War

Becoming Americans

The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.

Every Man has a Property in his own Person. This no Body has any Right to but himself. The Labour of his Body, and the Work of his Hands, we may say, are properly his. … The great and chief end therefore, of Mens uniting into Commonwealths, and putting themselves under Government, is the Preservation of their Property.

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you and is dreadfully provoked. … You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince, and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else that you did not go to hell the last night … there was no other reason to be given why you have not dropped into hell since you arose this morning, but that God’s hand has held you up. (Edwards)

The common people claim as good a right to judge and act for themselves in matters of religion as civil rulers or the learned clergy. (Baptist minister)

George Washington in 1758:

• 66 gallons + 10 bowls of rum punch

• 58 gallons of beer

• 35 gallons of wine

• 8 quarts of hard cider

• 3 ½ pints of brandy

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[In Philadelphia] the poorest laborer thinks himself entitled to deliver his sentiments in matters of religion or politics with as much freedom as the gentleman or scholar.

Morison (who, I understood, had been at the Land Office in Annapolis, inquiring about a title he had to some land in Maryland) was a very roughspun, forward, clownish blade, much addicted to swearing, at the same time desirous to pass for a gentleman, notwithstanding which ambition, the conscientiousness of his natural boorishness obliged him frequently to frame ill-timed apologies for his misbehaviour, which he termed frankness and freeness. It was often,"Damn me, gentlemen, excuse me; I am a plain, honest fellow; all is right down plain-dealing, by God." He was much affronted with the landlady at Curtis's, who, seeing him in a greasy jacket and breeches, and a dirty worsted cap, and withal a heavy, forward, clownish air and behaviour, I suppose took him for some ploughman or carman, and so presented him with some scraps of cold veal for breakfast, he having declared that he could not drink "your damned washy tea." As soon as he saw his mess, he swore, Damn him, if it wa'n't out of respect to the gentleman in company" (meaning me) "he would throw her cold scraps out at the window and break her table all to pieces, should it cost him 100 pounds for damages." Then, taking off his worsted nightcap, he pulled a linen one out of his pocket, and clapping it upon his head, "Now," says he, "I 'm upon the borders of Pennsylvania and must look like a gentleman; t' other was good enough for Maryland

1750

1763

This land where ye dwell I have made for you and not for others. Whence comes it that ye permit the Whites upon your lands? Can ye not live without them? …

Did ye not live by the bow and arrow? Ye had no need of gun or powder, or anything else, and nevertheless ye caught animal to live upon and to dress yourselves with their skins. …

But as to those who come to trouble your lands, - drive them out, make war upon them. I do not love them at all; they know me not, and are my enemies, and the enemies of your brothers. …

and the news was spread from village to village and finally reached Pontiac.

(Neolin’s vision of the Master of Life)