Toasting the Rebellion - Essay Example

The Dynamics of Toasts and Songs Toasts signified celebrations; celebrations signified confidence and what is known as the American Standard of celebrating public celebration. The idea of celebrating in a group brought into perspective the cause and the method of getting together, rather strongly. The illustrations and examples stated in this text range from the time of the Declaration of Independence until the present time. The idea of Toasting, Singing and celebration has certainly gained popularity since then.

Something that began as a mere declaration of rights and announcements, to becoming an American Ritual in the eighteenth-century, Toasting and Singing has come a long way. The examples of how such public display of Celebration shaped the formation of various revolutions are explained quite vividly in the text. Some of the examples are, The Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party and The Stamp Act Riots. The text points out that despite the idea behind such Toasting and loud singing are revolutionary the act in itself have been carried out in a very peaceful manner on various occasions.

Thus, the focus remained on affirmation of political and national identities rather than public outcry. The significance of Toasts and Singing were usually carried out by huge amounts of drinking and singing in famous public places like Tavern and coffeehouses. At first the tradition was to play and sing songs that are mainly patriotic, however later the tradition moved on to playing satirical Ballads especially on politico-administrations. Usually its significance lay in venting oneself out, and to display one’s spirit openly.

Most of the time, such Toasts and songs were utilized in exerting enough pressure by certain politico groups. A huge amount of nationalism and collective consciousness was created among the people of similar beliefs, or even drawing people on one’s belief, during that time. Toasts and songs are referred to as a ‘Masculine Tradition’ since most of these songs are sung by men, however, there have been certain women empowerment songs too that have worked towards the benefit of American Women in general.

It was mostly convenient to put forth ideas that were both confrontational and controversial in nature through these friendly upheavals. The festive culture of the Eighteenth Century America, induced the widespread participation and democratizing the process of Welfare of the People. Elements that attracted attention such as illuminations, gunshots and bonfires were used to show disobedience to a said government. The idea of authority was emphasized with the elite members of society forming a part of these demonstrations.

It became quite evident that the power to change and dominate was possible and was quite rightly in the hands of the people. Coercions was one of the prime motives for these toasts and songs, especially to display non-compliance to the Government, it was almost like a new reinvented way of expressing one’s political opinions apart from Adult Suffrage. Thus, consequently, protests became a usual sight during the Late Eighteenth Century. These protests brought about legitimacy of authority of the people who led it, thus orienting the whole system of the Body Politic in general.

The songs that accompanied these toasts were usually patriotic; many of them are mentioned in the text itself. Such as “The Rights of Women”, “God Save the King”, etc; some of them were meted out to discuss the various social conditions of the times and to merely raise the curiosity level in the people to understand and try and change the various unfair methods of the Government. It was a useful methodology in case of repealing a law, like the ‘Stamp Act’. On the whole, Toasts and Songs have not only proven to be useful during the early Eighteenth Century but even today.

The examples of Toasts and Songs remain the Fourth of July Celebrations, fireworks as well as the Yankee songs that Americans sing, songs are meant to be catchy and draw the attention of the people towards them. They have always been a method to promote the solidarity of a group indigenously as well as in other countries. In fact, they work like positive reinforcement which are more beneficial than negative reinforcement like protests and riots. Although, today the entire idea of Toasts and Songs has taken a new meaning, they have still remained to be one of the most popular and acceptable ways to showing agreement and disagreement all the same.