The American Revolution was a war fought between Great Britain and the American colonies over independence from 1775 to 1783 which resulted in a fundamental change in American politics, society, and economics. The American Revolution began as a result of Great Britain taxing the colonies to cover the debts accumulated through the French and Indian War. While the majority of the colonies stayed loyal to their ‘Mother Land’, some of the colonist felt resentment toward England. Some colonist felt that England had no right to tax the colonies, while they had no representation in parliament. This created a divide within in the colonies between those who were in favor of independence-Patriots, and those who were still loyal to the Crown- Loyalist (or Tories). Even though the majority of the colonist considered themselves to be Loyalist, there was a bitter resentment toward the ‘Tories’ by the ‘Patriots’, as seen in Document B. In the Document it states that the colonist should ‘Instantly banish every Tory from among you’, and to ‘Let America be sacred alone to freemen.’ The unrest did not stop there, as the war ended it had became evident that the young nation would be going through major changes for years to come. On the economic standing, the young nation did not have a tax system, a monetary system, or any source of attaining money. Prior to the war, the colonies each had a separate monetary system. When the war was over, it became clear that the colonies would need to have one equal economic system for the entire nation. This lead had led to many uprisings, and civil unrest within the colonies. An example of this type of unrest would be Shays Rebellion. In her letter to Thomas Jefferson, Abigail expressed her concern about the un... ... middle of paper ... ...ating that ‘No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever…but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion ‘ (Document D). Another discussion that kept arising after the American Revolution was how much power the government should have. Having already dealt with tyranny under King George III, the colonists were apprehensive about giving the government too much power. However, in ‘The Federalist’ James Madison states that Government must have the power to control people, but that the abuses of government must be controlled. He states that ‘in framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the greatest difficulty lies in this; you must first enable the government to control the govern; and in next place oblige it to control itself.’
The American Revolution was caused by a series of attempts from the British to tax American colonists. After a war against France, Britain ruled an enormous overseas empire. Britain however faced war debt and was in need of money to administer the overseas empire. The crown decided that since the colonists were the primary beneficiaries of this empire, it was time to have them contribute to the empire’s revenue by paying taxes.
The American Revolution is without a question one of the, if not the most, important period in the beginning of American history. Between 1765 and 1783, the colonists rejected the British monarchy and aristocracy after a series of taxes and tariffs were forced upon them, finally the colonists then ultimately overthrew their authority and founded the United States of America. Many historians and authors have debated over the exact reason and overall effects of the War for Independence, however, all agree of the significance and importance of this event. The colonies, which were created as a resource for raw materials and a means for generating profits for Parliament and the Crown, began to desire managing their own affairs and worked towards
The American Revolution was a conflict that arose from growing tensions between Great Britain and the Thirteen North American colonies. It was a long bloody war and one of the most well-known, and because of that it has many interpretations, and these interpretations have made it a challenge to be able to come to a single understanding of the war. In this week’s readings, two different views on the same war are given. The American Yawp describes the American colonies point of view on the revolution while the History Lesson discusses how British wanted to control America but instead drove them to rebel and fight for their independence. The colonists saw the war for their independence as a revolution, but through British eyes, events and people were, not surprisingly, seen quite differently.
The American Revolution (1775-1783) was a war between England and the colonies which were settled earlier by the English. There were many factors and events that led to the American Revolution. The Revolution was mainly an economic rebellion that was fueled by taxation without representation following the French and Indian War. The English Parliament was more often than not considered cruel and unfair by the colonists. With conflicts over trade, taxes and government representation, the colonies were at a starting line of a revolution that would later transform into the basis of the United States of America.
The American Revolution has great importance on the way the United States views itself. Contrary to popular belief, Americans were not separate people subject to British tyranny. A large portion of American colonialists thought of themselves as British. There are many ideas and causes as to why the American Revolution began. Differing political traditions, both parties economic interest, trading interest of those involved in transatlantic commerce, Britain’s large debt that accumulated during the Seven Years War, mutual misunderstandings, and the Great Awakening are many of the reasons that the colonist began to revolt against England.
It all started with the war with the French. The colonies were not too fond of the northern Quebec French territory. They begged for King George to send troops over and destroy the French. George agreed, so he started a war with them. Great Britain conquered their territory successfully. This war was quite costly, so King George decided to raise the taxes on all goods being sent over from Britain. America was very upset by this idea. They fought with the King and he told them that they did not have to pay any taxes but one, the tea tax (Marshall 294-295). For some reason, America was still upset. A few people decided to dress up as Red Indians and hijack the ship of goods. They threw all of the tea overboard into the Boston harbor. This act is known as the Boston Tea Party (296-297). America was tired of being told what to do by the king, so they came together to write the Declaration of Independence. This letter stated that America wanted to become their own country. They wanted to be separated from Great Britain and the king’s power. This started the Revolutionary War. America elected General George Washington to be their leader (297). The people fought for their rights for years, but finally, King George gave up and let the colonies be a free independent country. If King George was not such a bad king, America still might have been apart of Great Britain today
The American Revolution, fought for the independence of the American colonies from British rule, was a turning point in American history since it granted autonomy to the colonies from the powerful, influential nation of Great Britain. The colonists, as well as the founding fathers, helped plan the counterattack against British influence and actions to remove the burden placed on them through taxes and military involvement. The founding fathers, who were part of the colonial elite, galvanized the public and used their power to fight against the British and grant the colonists their ultimate desire: freedom. Bernard Bailyn is correct in saying that the British parliament was systematically trying to strip the colonists from their civil liberties, and the Founding Fathers and the colonists fought against this simultaneously for the advancement of society and ideals.
The American Revolution was a key moment in the history of the country, it went on to dictate the foundations on which the country would base its future off of. Without the revolution, the Americans would not have separated from England and their political, Ideological, and economical beliefs. The conflict regarding those three beliefs was the base of the revolution and caused a great number of events such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Act and the Boston tea Party. As well serving as the inspiration for the Declaration of Independence and Common Sense by Thomas Paine, and influenced the French and Indian war. The American colonist’s political and economical incentive for independence can be considered ‘common sense’, but the ideological
In the Birth of the Republic, 1763-89, Edmund Morgan, the author, examines the basis for the colonist’s frustrations to try and form an explanation for why the American Revolution occurred. Specifically, he examines the colonist’s struggles with Parliament and the taxes that were imposed on common people and merchants. The colonists did not get angry over the fact of the British taxing them, it was on the grounds that the British were taxing them without allowing them a say in Parliament. They wanted to be seen as equals to the people back at in the Old World. If they were to live under the crown then they should be treated as those living back in Europe. “Britons were taxed only by consent; therefore Americans must be. Britons had a right to be represented in their own legislative body; therefore Americans should have such a right and their assemblies be coordinated with Parliament.” Morgan took the position that the American Revolution occurred because the colonists were searching for equal representation in Parliament, equal liberty, and the ability to
The American Revolution was marked by the colonies’ independence from Britain. This separation pronounced a new age marked by a decisive political change in the colonies because of the implementation of the Enlightenment ideals and the continuation of English liberties. However, the American Revolution was considered a conservative movement because it “originated from an effort to preserve the existing liberties of the colonies rather than create new ones” (Strayer, 782). Furthermore, the revolution occurred not on the issue of taxation, but on the issue of representation. The colonists believed autonomy was part of their birthright and as Englishmen along with their economic rights and their “natural rights to life, liberty, and property” (Kramnick, Lockean Liberalism). These two sentiments can be seen in their famous slogan “No taxation without representation”. By challenging their economic interests, their established traditions of local autonomy, and their identity as true Englishmen, the colonists were truly infuriated. Thus the American Revolution didn’t grow out of the social tensions within the colonies but rather from an unexpected effort by the British government to tighten its control over the colonies and ex...
The American Revolution stirred political unity and motivated the need for change in the nation. Because many Americans fought for a more balanced government in the Revolutionary War, they initially created a weak national government that hampered the country's growth and expansion. In the Letter from Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, Mrs. Adams complained about the inadequacy of power that the American government had to regulate domestic affairs. The Articles of Confederation was created to be weak because many had feared a similar governing experience that they had just eliminated with Britain. The alliance of states united the 13 local governments but lacked power to deal with important issues or to regulate diplomatic affairs. Congress did not have the power to tax, regulate trade, or draft people for war. This put the American citizens at stake because States had the power to refuse requests for taxes and troops (Document G). The weakened national government could not do anything about uprisings or small-scale protests because it did not have the power to put together an army. The deficiencies of the confederation government inspired the drafting of the American Constitution. The document itself embodied the principle of a national government prepared to deal with the nation's problems. In James Madison's Federalist Paper, he persuades the American public to adopt the Constitution so that the government can protect humans from their nature and keep them out of conflicts.
The American Revolution was sparked by a myriad of causes. These causes in themselves could not have sparked such a massive rebellion in the nation, but as the problems of the colonies cumulated, their collective impact spilt over and the American Revolution ensued. Many say that this war could have been easily avoided and was poorly handled by both sides, British and American; but as one will see, the frame of thought of the colonists was poorly suited to accept British measures which sought to “overstep” it’s power in the Americas. Because of this mindset, colonists developed a deep resentment of British rule and policies; and as events culminated, there was no means to avoid revolution and no way to turn back.
The American Revolution was a war in which the colonists achieved political independence from their former rulers Great Britain. It was "the formulation of new principles of the relation of men to government, and of the relation of colonies to mother country. It was the inauguration of effective self-government and of social and economic equality."1 The colonists, in effect, achieved full autonomy from Great Britain through the American Revolution. The colonists felt (for the betterment of all Americans) that it was their duty and responsibility to rise up against their oppressors to form their own government. John Adams even states, "[that] the real American Revolution was a radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people. Above all, [the Revolution] was in the minds and hearts of the peopl...
The American Revolutionary era was a time of innovation, politics, and liberty. This was expressed in many ways and created lasting impacts on Americans, but one of the most important effects was the new-found sense of independence and identity. W.J. Rorabaugh discussed this change and how it affected the relationship between master and apprentice and stated that “. . . Apprentices were simply asserting their liberties” (Apprentices & Masters, 206). Clare Lyons also pointed out this change in public behavior, which was characterized by an increase in self-expression and open sexuality, with information regarding the sexual evolution of the time. Essentially, she stated that “. . . Sexual behavior was an important manifestation of personal freedom”
In history, there have been occurring events that have fundamentally changed our society in more ways than just one. An event that had a drastic affect on the American society today is the American Revolution. The American Revolution helped our American society with the political views, social changes on the people, and the economic effects that have taken place during this time.