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Difficulty: EasyAtlantic Revolutions and Ideological Declarations

Source: The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, 1776

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do."

Which of the following best describes the primary political goal of the authors of this document?

  1. To establish political sovereignty and separate from a foreign ruling empire.Answer
  2. B
    To overthrow a domestic monarch and eliminate the legal privileges of the nobility.
  3. C
    To implement a state-controlled mercantilist system to restrict international trade.
  4. D
    To dismantle the class structure by redistributing land to enslaved laborers.

Answer

To establish political sovereignty and separate from a foreign ruling empire.
The correct answer is correct because the American Declaration of Independence was primarily focused on political sovereignty, anti-colonialism, and self-governance. Unlike the French Revolution, which sought to radically overthrow the domestic social structure, the American colonists aimed to sever political ties with the British Empire while largely maintaining their internal social and economic systems.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical context and the source document.
The document is the United States Declaration of Independence (1776), representing the American Revolution.
Establishing the source helps identify the specific political goals and grievances of the authors.
2
Analyze the text for explicit political objectives.
The text states the colonies are "Free and Independent States" and are "Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown."
This direct phrasing shows that the main concern of the writers was independence from foreign rule.
3
Compare the American goals with other Atlantic revolutions to eliminate distractors.
The goal of political independence matches the correct option, while the other options conflate it with the social radicalism of the French Revolution, the abolitionism of the Haitian Revolution, or mercantilism.
This distinguishes the anti-colonial focus of the American Revolution from internal social revolutions.

Key Concept

Distinguishing the anti-colonial political goals of the American Revolution from the radical social restructuring of other Atlantic revolutions.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Atlantic Revolutions and Ideological Declarations

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