Mass protests have long been part of American culture, even before there was a United States[[File:detail1. When the United States formed, it was recognized that the First Amendment protect citizens rights png|thumb|The Knowles riot resulted from an attempt to protest. In many cases, these mass movements based on organized and sometimes not so organized protests have led to major social and political change. This is not always the case but these movements have been both a positive and sometimes destructive part of US historyforce Bostonians into naval service.]]__NOTOC__
==Early Mass Protests==The largest protests in US history have all occurred since 2016; however, early in US history mass protests were vital to social and political change. Class discontent has often long been a main reason for mass movements and protests. Culpeper's Rebellion was one part of the first large-scale, at least based on the population at the time, movements in Carolina Colony in 1677. This was led by John Culpeper in a protest movement and armed rebellion against the British authorities over the issue of taxes in the Navigation Act. At the time, the British had begun to create a series of duties on cotton and other exports from their American colonies, such as tobacco exports. The movement was ultimately suppressed but for a time the rebellion and protests worked in getting the British to exempt taxesculture, demonstrating some effectiveness of mass mobilization and mix of violence. John Culpeper even successfully defended himself while he before there was on trial in Britain. This also elped him to become a prominent citizen in what is today North Carolina, where ultimately his descendants continued to even be influential in North Carolina politics long after the establishment of the United States. The Knowles Riot of 1747 was a major disturbance in Boston that occurred after Admiral Charles Knowles attempted to impress poor Bostonians into naval service, leading to protests and armed rioting (Figure 1). This represented one of When the largest class-based protests and riotsUnited States formed, as it was mostly working class and poor affected, on recognized that the issue of civil rights in the 18th century, that is what First Amendment protects citizens' rights do individuals have in refusing military service. While this was put down, it did lead to more cautious approaches by the British in recruiting colonists for their armed forces. The theme of taxes continued to be a strong one in North America and what ultimately sparked the Revolutionary Warprotest. The Stamp Act in 1765 proved very unpopular in the US ColoniesIn many cases, which raised taxes and required printed paper be produced in Britain. A series of increased protests occurred in the Colonies after this tax was imposed. Among different acts, the Townshend Acts, which led to a series of new taxes, created tensions that ultimately led to the Boston Tea Party in 1773 and subsequent American Revolution that was sparked by these mass movements in reaction to this and other events. The main disputes centered based on whether Parliament had the right to tax in the Colonies rather than local representatives. The Sons of Liberty, an initially secret organization led by Samuel Adams, opposed taxation without local representation as their main rallying call organized and helped lead a series of movements that sometimes not so organized protests have led to coordinated anti-tax protests major social and disturbances, including the Boston Tea Partypolitical change. It This is arguable that not always the events leading to the American Revolutioncase, led by the Sons of Liberty but these movements have been both a positive and other related groups, could be considered the first coordinate acts sometimes destructive part of disobedience and protests across what became the United States.<ref>For more on early colonial protests and violent incidents related to civil disturbances, see: Gilje, Paul A. <i>Rioting in America</i>. Interdisciplinary Studies in History. Bloomington, Ind: Indiana Univ. Press, 1999US history. </ref>
[[File:detail1====Early Mass Protests====The largest US history protests have all occurred since 2016; however, early in US history, mass protests were vital to social and political change. Class discontent has often been the main reason for mass movements and protests. Culpeper's Rebellion was one of the first large-scale, at least based on the population's movements, movements in Carolina Colony in 1677. John Culpeper led this in a protest movement and armed rebellion against the British authorities over taxes in the Navigation Act. At the time, the British had begun to create a series of duties on cotton and other exports from their American colonies, such as tobacco exports. The movement was ultimately suppressed, but for a time, the rebellion and protests worked in getting the British to exempt taxes, demonstrating some effectiveness of mass mobilization and a mix of violence. John Culpeper even successfully defended himself while he was on trial in Britain. This also helped him become a prominent citizen in North Carolina. Ultimately, his descendants continued to even be influential in North Carolina politics long after establishing the United States.png|thumb|The Knowles riot resulted from an attempt Riot of 1747 was a major disturbance in Boston that occurred after Admiral Charles Knowles attempted to force impress poor Bostonians into naval service, leading to protests and armed rioting (Figure 1). This represented one of the largest class-based protests and riots, as it was mostly working-class and poor affected, on civil rights in the 18th century, that is what rights do individuals have in refusing military service. While this was put down, it did lead to more cautious approaches by the British in recruiting colonists for their armed forces. ]]
==Later Developments==The main difference between protests theme of taxes continued to be a strong one in the 18th century North America and those in ultimately sparked the early 19th century was many protests were more likely to be less violent as the First Amendment came into effectRevolutionary War. After The Stamp Act in 1765 proved very unpopular in the establishment of the United States, protests often shifted to different issues that reflected the politics of the timeUS Colonies, including which raised taxes, question of state rights, and rights required printed paper to votebe produced in Britain. However, violence was still common. Shays' rebellion A series of increased protests occurred in 1786 led to an armed rebellion that was caused by the issue of Colonies after this tax collection and debtwas imposed. Race became perhaps Among different acts, the most consistent and long-term issue in the history Townshend Acts, which led to a series of the United States new taxes, created tensions that ultimately led to protests and riots. Other protests often turned violent, such as the Hard Scrabble and Snow Town riots Boston Tea Party in 1824 1773 and 1831, when mostly working-class whites destroyed homes occupied the subsequent American Revolution sparked by African Americans. The first riot mass movements in 1824 was sparked by a African American man refusing reaction to get off a side walk when approaching white men came near himthis and other events. In 1836 and 1839, The main disputes centered on whether Parliament had the Cherokee natives tried right to peacefully protest their forced removal from the southeastern United States to what is Oklahoma. Many natives simply refused to go with their possessions as they were moved but ultimately federal troops removed the natives and their long march and death along tax in the way became known as the Trail of Tears.<ref>For more on early US protests and incidents, including violent actions, see: Danver, Steven Laurence, ed. <i>Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American History: An Encyclopedia</i>. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2011Colonies rather than local representatives.</ref>
While the Trail The Sons of Tears Liberty, an initially secret organization led by Samuel Adams, opposed taxation without local representation as to their main rallying call and protests during the forced removal of Native Americans failed to helped lead to any political change, one a series of the most successful peaceful protests movements that created political and social change was the Women's Suffrage Movement that spanned from the 1840s led to 1920. The main achievement was the establishment of the 19th Amendment in the Constitution. However, the early years of the movements sprang from the coordinated anti-slavery movementtax protests and disturbances, including the eventual acceptance of women to join the American Anti-Slavery Society which occurred for the first time in 1839Boston Tea Party. Women became active in peaceful national protests against slavery. One of the first political parties to form It is arguable that advocated not only an end to slavery but also suffrage for all was the Liberty Party, which formed in the 1840s but ultimately failed. Its prominent members, however, went on events leading to help found the Republican Party in the 1850s and put Abraham Lincoln as President. The American Anti-Slavery Society also became a key blueprint for protests movements Revolution, led by establishing key speakers, such as Frederick Douglass, and publications (<i>The the Sons of Liberty Bell</i>) that helped such organization not only organize protests but also establish movements that lasted for decades through active enrollments of members. The organization used publications and speakers to also establish networks across other related groups, could be considered the United States that helped to gain an increased following among anti-slavery supporters. In the post-Civil War era, labor strikes and protests became an increasing phenomenon as industrialization accelerated. The Knights first coordinate acts of Labor disobedience and American Federation of Labor (AFL) were among the most successful organizations to conduct protests and strikes, which across what became common in the 1880s. While strikes and protests often led to violent incidents, such as the Haymarket affair in 1886, eventually improved labor conditions and pay by the early 1900s did lead to some success for the labor movement, including access to healthcare, such as for some railroad workers, and paid time offUnited States.<ref>For more on labor, anti-slavery, early colonial protests and suffrage movements and protestsviolent incidents related to civil disturbances, see: BerkinGilje, Carol, edPaul A. <i>Making Rioting in America: A History of the United States</i>. 6th edInterdisciplinary Studies in History. BostonBloomington, Ind: Wadsworth, Cengage LearningIndiana Univ. Press, 20121999.</ref>
==Modern Period Protests==Later Developments====The main difference between protests in the 18th century and those in the early 19th century was many protests were more likely to be less violent as the First Amendment came into effect. After establishing the United States, protests often shifted to different issues that reflected the politics of the time, including taxes, question of state rights, and rights to vote. However, violence was still common. Shays' rebellion in 1786 led to an armed rebellion that was caused by the issue of tax collection and debt. The race became perhaps the most consistent and long-term issue in the United States' history that led to protests and riots. Other protests often turned violent, such as the Hard Scrabble and Snow Town riots in 1824 and 1831, when most working-class whites destroyed African Americans' homes.
The suffrage protests perhaps peaked first riot in the 1910s with several large marches in the United States and globally (Figure 2). In the United States, Alice Paul led 1824 was sparked by an African American man refusing to get off a large protest in Washington and became a key strategist in helping the 19th Amendment to be ratified. She continued to protest well after her younger years and even in the 1960s she was active in the civil rights and women's rights movementssidewalk when approaching white men who came near him. In fact, in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, women Paul's organization 1836 and campaigning. Interestingly1839, as the anti-slavery protests helped Cherokee natives tried to shape protest their forced removal from the suffrage movement for women in the 1800s and early 1900s, it was the suffrage movement that also shaped the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, as peaceful large marches, including in Washington, became the norm in post-World War II protests in order southeastern United States to gain increased national attentionOklahoma. This was the case for Martin Luther King's protests, initially in the US South, but also the strategy in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August 28, 1963. This march led Many natives simply refused to the well known "I Have a Dream Speech" by Dr. King but also demonstrated that large gatherings, filmed by the media, and focusing on inspirational and national figures could help spark success for protest movements across the country go with their possessions as the national mood shifted. The subsequent anti-war Vietnam protests used similar strategies of having large protests, often by young people, focused on major cities and drawing national media coverage. Other events in the 1950s shaped the civil rights movement, which became the most prominent post-World War II protests and actions. This included Rosa Parks in 1955 being asked to give up her bus seat to a white man that helped to launch protests against segregation in Montgomery, Alabama and elsewhere. That incident not only launched Martin Luther King into a prominent leader for civil rights they were moved but it also demonstrate that non-violent civil disobedience and boycotts could be an effective strategy of protest for many involved in the civil rights movement, helping to inspire these strategies for other movements across the world and United States. The Montgomery Bus boycotts in 1955-1956 successfully ended bus segregation. From the 1957-1964, increasing civil rights laws at the ultimately federal level improved legal protection for African Americans despite persistent racial tensions. Both troops removed the anti-Vietnam war natives and civil rights movements helped to inspire their long march and shape other non-violent protests in death along the 1960s and 1970s, such way became known as the American Indian movement, but violence often persisted and accompanied more peaceful protests, including in against the war in Vietnam and civil rights. More recently, similar strategies were used for the gay, lesbian, and bisexual movements to gain increasing rights. One Trail of the largest protests in United States history in Washington occurred in April 25, 1993, where over 800,000 marched in support of lesbian, gay, and bisexual rightsTears.<ref>For more on protest movements in the 20th centuryearly US protests and incidents, including violent actions, see: SullivanDanver, JamesSteven Laurence, ed. <i>Which Side Are You on? 20th Century Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American History in 100 Protest Songs: An Encyclopedia</i>. New YorkSanta Barbara, NYCalif: Oxford University PressABC-CLIO, 20192011.</ref>
In recent decades, riots often formed when racial injustice became evident. The Los Angeles riots in 1992 was a well known example, which occurred after white police officers were acquitted in While the beating [[Trail of motorist Rodney King. Anti-globalization protests sometimes turned violent such as Tears|Why did Indian Removal cause the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization meeting that led to clashes between police Trail of Tears?]]and protesters. The largest anti-war protests arguably occurred in February 15, 2003 in during the forced removal of Native Americans failed to lead up to the Iraq Warany political change, when cities across one of the United States and many countries organized a day of most successful peaceful protests against the impending war. The largest marches in United States history (both over 1.5 million people) occurred in the 2017 that created political and 2018, with social change was the Women's Rights marchs occurring and initially sparked by President Trump's statements that were seen as anti-women and offensiveSuffrage Movement 1840s to 1920. The March main achievement was the establishment of Our Lives the 19th Amendment in 2018 was another large-scale (over 1.2 million) demonstration against gun violencethe Constitution. Racial related protests and riots, however, continued to persistHowever, including the Ferguson Unrest in 2014 that led to protests and rioting in Ferguson Missouri. The most recent example is early years of the George Floyd killing, which has now led to mostly peaceful protests globally with some more violent incidents. These events highlight that while many protests and movements have shiftedsprang from the anti-slavery movement, often because including the eventual acceptance of great success, race continues to be an issue leading women to peaceful and violent protest movements in the United States.<ref>For more on recent protest and riots that shaped join the United States, see: Stoltman, Joan. <i>Protests and Riots That Changed America</i>. American History. New York: Lucent PressAnti-Slavery Society, 2019which occurred for the first time in 1839.</ref>
[[File:6-1Women became active in peaceful national protests against slavery. One of the first political parties to form that advocated an end to slavery and suffrage for all was the Liberty Party, which formed in the 1840s but ultimately failed.jpeg|thumb|Figure 2However, its prominent members went on to help found the Republican Party in the 1850s and put Abraham Lincoln as President. The suffrage American Anti-Slavery Society also became a key blueprint for protests movements by establishing key speakers, such as Frederick Douglass, and publications (<i>The Liberty Bell</i>) that helped give an example such organization not only organize protests but also establish movements that lasted for decades through active enrollments of members. The organization used publications and speakers to other protest movementsestablish networks across the United States that helped increase following among anti-slavery supporters. ]]
In the post-Civil War era, labor strikes and protests became an increasing phenomenon as industrialization accelerated. The Knights of Labor and American Federation of Labor (AFL) were among the most successful organizations to conduct protests and strikes, which became common in the 1880s. While strikes and protests often led to violent incidents, such as the Haymarket affair in 1886, eventually improved labor conditions and pay by the early 1900s did lead to some success for the labor movement, including access to healthcare, such as for some railroad workers, and paid time off.<ref>For more on labor, anti-slavery, and suffrage movements and protests, see: Berkin, Carol, ed. <i>Making America: A History of the United States</i>. 6th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2012.</ref> ====Modern Period Protests====[[File:6-1.jpeg|thumbnail|Figure 2. The suffrage protests helped give an example to other protest movements. ]]The suffrage protests peaked in the 1910s with several large marches in the United States and globally (Figure 2). In the United States, Alice Paul led a large protest in Washington and became a key strategist in helping the 19th Amendment to be ratified. She continued to protest well after her younger years, and even in the 1960s, she was active in the civil rights and women's rights movements. In fact, in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, women Paul's organization and campaigning. Interestingly, as the anti-slavery protests helped to shape the suffrage movement for women in the 1800s and early 1900s, it was the suffrage movement that also shaped the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, as peaceful large marches, including in Washington, became the norm in post-World War II protests in order to gain increased national attention. This was the case for Martin Luther King's protests, initially in the US South, and the strategy in March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. This march led to the well-known "I Have a Dream Speech" by Dr. King and demonstrated that large gatherings, filmed by the media, and focusing on inspirational and national figures could help spark success for protest movements across the country the national mood shifted. The subsequent anti-war Vietnam protests used similar strategies of having large protests, often by young people, focused on major cities and drawing national media coverage. Other events in the 1950s shaped the civil rights movement, which became the most prominent post-World War II protests and actions. This included Rosa Parks in 1955 being asked to give up her bus seat to a white man that helped to launch protests against segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, and elsewhere. That incident not only launched Martin Luther King into a prominent leader for civil rights but it also demonstrate that non-violent civil disobedience and boycotts could be an effective strategy of protest for many involved in the civil rights movement, helping to inspire these strategies for other movements across the world and United States. The Montgomery Bus boycotts in 1955-1956 successfully ended bus segregation. From 1957-1964, increasing civil rights laws at the federal level improved African Americans' legal protection despite persistent racial tensions. The anti-Vietnam war and civil rights movements helped to inspire and shape other non-violent protests in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the American Indian Movement. Still, violence often persisted and accompanied more peaceful protests, including against the war in Vietnam and civil rights. More recently, similar strategies for gay, lesbian, and bisexual movements were used to gain increasing rights. One of the largest protests in United States history in Washington occurred on April 25, 1993, where over 800,000 marched in support of lesbian, gay, and bisexual rights.<ref>For more on protest movements in the 20th century, see: Sullivan, James. <i>Which Side Are You on? 20th Century American History in 100 Protest Songs</i>. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2019.</ref> In recent decades, riots often formed when racial injustice became evident. The Los Angeles riots in 1992 was a well-known example, which occurred after white police officers were acquitted in the beating of motorist Rodney King. Anti-globalization protests sometimes turned violent such as the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization meeting that led to clashes between police and protesters. The largest anti-war protests arguably occurred on February 15, 2003, in the lead up to the Iraq War, when cities across the United States and many countries organized a day of protests against the impending war. The largest marches in United States history (both over 1.5 million people) occurred in the 2017 and 2018, with the Women's Rights marchs occurring and initially sparked by President Trump's statements that were seen as anti-women and offensive. The March of Our Lives in 2018 was another large-scale (over 1.2 million) demonstration against gun violence. However, racial-related protests and riots continued to persist, including the Ferguson Unrest in 2014 that led to protests and rioting in Ferguson, Missouri. The most recent example is the George Floyd killing, which has led to mostly peaceful protests globally with some more violent incidents. These events highlight that while many protests and movements have shifted, often because of great success, race continues to be an issue leading to peaceful and violent protest movements in the United States.<ref>For more on recent protest and riots that shaped the United States, see: Stoltman, Joan. <i>Protests and Riots That Changed America</i>. American History. New York: Lucent Press, 2019.</ref> ====Summary====
Protests and the rights to express dissatisfaction with government and official policy is so ingrained in American history that it forms the country's First Amendment. While violence has continued to plague many movements and strong reactions to events, many protests have shifted over the decades in strategy. Pamphlets and underground actions were typical in the early protests against slavery. Later, powerful speakers such as Dr. King and mass media helped to inspire large-scale protests and movements. More recently, social media has helped galvanize efforts such as the Women's March in 2017 and 2018.
====References====<references/> [[Category:Wikis]] [[Category:United States History]] [[Category:Civil Rights History]]
