Chapter 4:
1. Zinn’s thesis for Chapter 4 was best stated when he noted that when the founding fathers created the United States they also created “the most effective system of national control devised in modern times, and showed future generations of leaders the advantages of combining paternalism with command.” Meaning that the creation of America as we know it had alternative motives to keep the colonial leaders in charge as they feared a lower class revolt. They no longer needed Britain for political leadership and at the same time Britain began to need money as it was in debt from the Seven Years War leading them to tax the colonies. This was the perfect excuse for the colonial leader to start a succession movement and a succession movement was the perfect distraction for the mistreated lower class who were, in actuality, mad at the colonial elites. …show more content…
As Zinn stated, the creation of the nation, symbol, and legal unity that is the United States benefited the upper class at that time because they could use it to “take over land, profits, and political power from favorites of the British Empire.” And, in this process, they could also “hold back a number of potential rebellions and create a consensus of popular support for the rule of a new, privileged leadership."
3. Leaders like Samuel Adams and James Otis actually advised against fighting the acts and taxes of the King. They stressed the importance of maintaining peace or at least not creating disorder and both even said “No Mobs or Tumults” concerning the Townshend acts.
4. The Sons of Liberty were from mostly the middle and upper class. They wanted to “relieve class tension between upper and lower classes and form a bond against the British.” Mostly they were against riots and “unlawful assemblies tending to the disturbance of public tranquility.” They placed an importance on “order and restraint” probably because though they wanted action against Britain, they still wanted “control over the crowds at