American Revolution


I. Background
  1. Reasons for the war
  2. Stamp Act and editors' response

II. Mobilizing for the Revolution

A. Major Groups

  1. Tories: loyal to England
  2. Whigs: Wanted England to reform
  3. Radical agitators--wanted to separate from England
  4. lower class--undecided

B. Groups used propaganda to persuade lower class

III. Patriot Propaganda

A. Media in this time not objective

1. strongly advocated your side,
tried to whip up hatred against enemy

Types of propaganda

A. newspapers--Most important source because:

  1. came out frequently
  2. many other forms of media reprinted there (or printed there first)
  3. newspapers widely read
  4. audience and message
  5. important patriot leaders were newspaper editors

Important paper: Boston Gazette

B. Pamphlets

  1. allowed extended discussion of topic
  2. aimed at elite
  3. could be highly emotional:
    Tom Paine's Common Sense and Crisis Papers

C. broadsides: posters tacked up in town square--aimed at lower class

D. oratory (speeches, rallies, sermons)

E. Committees of correspondence --major way leaders communicated

F. books--not an effective propaganda

IV. Views on Freedom of the press

A. Patriots intolerant of opposing views

  1. Samuel Adams and loyalty oaths
  2. destroying press
  3. used economic intimidation

B. Tory papers more balanced

V. Tory Propaganda

A. Sources of propaganda

  1. newspapers: James Rivington's New York Gazetteer
  2. pamphlets
  3. oratory--sermons

VI. Influences of Revolution

  1. Increased power of press
  2. Established opinion-making function of press
  3. Typographical advances