POLI 100C POLITICAL PARTIES
10 April 2007

  1. The Historical Context of Federalist # 10

    1. The Colonial Economy

      1. Virginia: Tobacco and Indentured Servitude

      2. The Carolinas: Naval Stores, Indigo, and Rice

      3. Georgia: Rice

      4. New England: Timber, grains, Rum, Ships

    2. Colonial Politics

      1. BiCameral Legislatures -- House of Burgesses in Virginia founded 1619

        • Population Based
        • Legislatures Expanded as Population Expanded
        • Legislatures Very Active -- Land had to be distributed; public facilities had to be provided for an ever rapidly growing population

      2. Social Classes were Very Fluid -- No Real Aristocracy

      3. Economy Rapidly Shifted as it Diversified with the Rapidly Epanding Population -- This Constantly Produced New Self-Made Men -- Successful Merchants, Shippers, Growers, Mechanics, etc. -- So Political Alliances were fluid and were in constant ferment.

      4. The Royal Governors did not have enough British Troops to enforce their will so they were never able to assert much control.

      5. The combination of Fluid Social Classes and little or no British Military presence, meant that the rampant factionalism was uncontrollable.

    3. The Economic Grievances that led to the War for Independence

      1. The Cost of the French-Indian War 1753-1763

      2. British Payment of Defense Costs of Colonies Led to Attempts to Tax

      3. The Navigation Acts and Enumerated Articles

    4. The Political Grievances that led to the War for Independence

      1. The Economic Burden of Taxation by Britain

      2. Winners and Losers From the Navigation Acts

      3. Various Acts of Parliament 1763 - 1774 that Negated Fundament Rights of the Colonists

    5. The Interaction Between the Economic and Political Grievances