Question

today, equality is generally interpreted to include protection for the rights of minorities. during the revolution, the body of the people referred exclusively to the majority. it is one of the supreme ironies of the american revolution that the assumption of authority by the body of the people - probably its most radical feature - served to oppress as well as to liberate. this was a real revolution: the people did seize power, but they exercised that power at the expense of others - loyalists, pacifists, merchants, indians, slaves - who, although certainly people, were not perceived to be part of the whole. this was, after all, a war. it would not be the last time americans sacrificed notions of liberty and equality to the name of the general good. our revolutionary heritage works both ways: the body of the people, the dominant force during the 1770s, has oppressed and deprived. by raphael, a peoples history of the american revolution, 2001. using the excerpt, answer (a), (b), and (c). (a) briefly explain one major difference between woods and raphaels historical interpretations of how radical the american revolution was. (b) briefly explain how one historical event or development in the period 1774 to 1787 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support woods interpretation. (c) briefly explain how one historical event or development in the period 1774 to 1787 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support raphaels interpretation.

Explanation:

(a) Wood likely emphasizes a more inclusive view of the people in the American Revolution, while Raphael may focus on how the concept of "the body of the people" excluded certain groups like loyalists, pacifists, Indians, and slaves, making the revolution less radical in terms of who was considered part of the power - wielding populace.
(b) The Articles of Confederation could support Wood's view as it was a step towards self - governance by the people, showing a more unified and inclusive approach to nation - building.
(c) The treatment of Native Americans during the land - grabbing and westward expansion efforts in this period could support Raphael's view, as it shows how certain groups were systematically excluded from the benefits of the revolution.

Answer:

(a) Raphael focuses on exclusion in 'the body of the people' concept during the revolution compared to a potentially more inclusive view by Wood.
(b) Articles of Confederation could support Wood's view.
(c) Treatment of Native Americans during westward expansion could support Raphael's view.