History DBQ - "Revolutionary Thinking"

 Recently, I had my first DBQ "test" in history, and we were assigned to write a 6-part paragraph, answering the following question, What events, documents, movements, ideas and or people were responsible for colonist’s Revolutionary Thinking and did it encourage them to become change makers that prepared them for civic engagement before the Declaration of Independence?

Documents such as the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, and movements such as the House of Burgesses were the main events which introduced revolutionary thinking to the colonists, and helped their daily lifestyle become more civically engaged. According to Document #4, "...the framework for their government needed to be written and approved by representatives of the people...the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut stated the powers and limits of government." As the Fundamental Orders listed the laws and rules that the community had to follow, and different people helped put together the list, new ideas and topics were introduced to some. Just like our government today, different houses and groups of people help create different laws for communities of people to follow. Since everyone has different perspectives of what is right and what is wrong, new ideas are passed around, giving everyone a new sense of what others think should be fair. Going back to the Fundamental Orders, the entire community working together overall had an impact, in the civic engagement of the colonists, nearly forcing everyone to cooperate with one another. Finally, as the colony of Connecticut was first 2 individual settlements, combining into one larger and stronger group helped everyone have a better sense of what working in a large community is like. According to Document #3, "the Virginia Company had voted to abolish martial law and create a legislative assembly, known as the General Assembly — the first legislative assembly in the American colonies." Being the first legislative assembly to happen in all of the American colonists, the House of Burgesses also helped the colonists work together and share their personal thoughts with one another, letting everyone see new perspectives of different conflicts and events. Once the final 21 men were selected as burgesses, or heads of the assembly, they held the most power. Even so, all 21 still contributed to the communities understanding of laws and rules, overall strengthening their government. Before the Constitution was written and provided more spread information, the Burgesses assembly helped the colonists meet more people in their community, and find more people to connect and work with. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut and the House of Burgesses were the most significant contributors to helping the colonists live a more civic engaged lifestyle, and also helped them learn/deepen their understandings about revolutionary thinking.