The Olive Branch Petition: American Revolution

712 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Aftermath of the American Revolution

Celine Molfetta Ms.Velazquez U.S. History 1 20 February 2014 Olive Branch Petition The Olive Branch Petition, drafted on July 5th, 1775 by John Dickenson, was, not only, a major turn point in the movement of the American Revolution, but marked a very important point in American History. During the creation process of the Olive Branch Petition, the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill had just taken place. Members within the Continental Congress had opposing views on what approach they should take to dissolve the tension between the colonies and Great Britain. Some strived for Independence no matter the consequences, while others disagreed. These others were Loyalist who didn’t agree with the idea of betraying the …show more content…

The Olive Branch Petition was the last and final opportunity for Great Britain to agree with a nonviolent negotiation with the Colonists (lively). In more detail, the Olive Branch Petition summarized that the colonists requested to have their own self ran government, but made it clear that they would show loyalty to their “mother country”. As history reveals, King George III rejected their compromise, resulting in the American Colonies having no other choice, but to go to war with Great Britain. The American Colonies were so determined to gain freedom from the English parliamentary authority, specifically the taxation laws (Sosin). With the Olive Branch Petition not being successful, the American Revolutionary War was bound to happen, due to the negative response from Great Britain confirming that there wasn’t any other tactics the Colonists could take, other than …show more content…

The petition happened to be delivered to the King after both the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill had just previously concluded. The king was in a state of infuriation and was enraged with the thought of the colonies rebelling. His anger and disapproving attitude towards the rebellious colonies blinded him to see what the Colonist were truly imposing in their petition by refusing to even open the petition (Lively). John Adams, who opposed the Olive Branch Petition, sent a letter to the King noting his opinion on the Olive Branch Petition. John Adam concluded that he had a strong opinion that the Olive Branch Petition doesn’t have any significant purpose and that war was unavoidable. This letter, unfortunately, was read by the King and confirmed his views on it, as well. King George III took advantage of John Adam’s writing to demonstrate that the colonist were not being insincere, nor convincing in their attempts for a tranquil, respectable negotiation, also known as, the Olive Branch

Show More
Related

  • Bacon's Rebellion, And The Boston Tea Party: An Analysis

    677 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people know about the Revolutionary war and how the colonists seized their independence from the British. What most do not understand is that there was a series of events that steared the colonists onto the road to independence. They began to think for themselves and started to challenge authority. Coming to the New World, the colonists reached for power and financial opportunity when challenging authority in these three examples: the Witchcraft Trials, Bacon’s Rebellion, and the Boston Tea Party.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Olive Branch Petition

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Their need to make peace made them write a petition that tributed a man they deemed despicable. King George III was their enemy, on the contrary after reading the plea one would say he was a “great man” crucial to the colonists. In the king’s lense, The Olive Branch Petition may have seemed as fragility, demonstrating the desperation of the people, he was not amenable to fulfill. In addition, they state they are connected with Britain by unbreakable ties, which is ironic because the sole purpose of fleeing was independence. The Olive Branch Petition was their last endeavor to make truce peacefully; thus, the American Revolution was waged as a war of last resort. Also, the colonists constantly mention the benefits of being an ally with Britain, depicting that it was not their first choice to conduct a war. Adversity was at such level that they risked destabilizing their economy and their comfort to be free. They did not want to be isolated from great Britain because they considered them as the roots from which they sprouted. Nevertheless, the anguish was so high that the colonists decided to risk their security for

    Read More

  • The British and the American Colonists: Tension Prior to Revolutionary War

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    When the colonies were being formed, many colonists came from England to escape the restrictions placed upon them by the crown. Britain had laws for regulating trade and collecting taxes, but they were generally not enforced. The colonists had gotten used to being able to govern themselves. However, Britain sooned changed it’s colonial policy because of the piling debt due to four wars the British got into with the French and the Spanish. The most notable of these, the French and Indian War (or the Seven Years’ War), had immediate effects on the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain, leading to the concept of no taxation without representation becoming the motivating force for the American revolutionary movement and a great symbol for democracy amongst the colonies, as Britain tried to tighten their hold on the colonies through various acts and measures.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Patriots And The Loyalists

    408 Words  | 1 Pages

    On the brink of revolution, the colonies were divided amongst themselves. Two factions with different ideologies “The Patriots” & and the “The Loyalist”, to know these factions we must first know another. Because both parties played a pivotal role in the “American Revolution”.

    Read More

  • Colonists Won the War more than the British Lost It

    438 Words  | 1 Pages

    Historians may argue that the British lost the war more than the Colonists won it. Simply looking at the statistics of the British three to one ratio over the colonists, and their overwhelming wealth and naval power, it is virtually impossible to believe that the Americans came out victorious. During this war, the newly emerging colonists proved to the rest of the world that they were becoming an upcoming world power. Although unknown at the time, Washington would prove to be a military genius. This would benefit the colonists in many ways. The colonists, although only one-third of them were pro-war, were patriots who were willing to die for their country. The colonists had more to gain from the war then the British had to lose, thus creating more of an incentive to win. The colonists also had aid from other countries such as France and created allies that would eventually be useful in other wars. The Colonists won the war more than the British lost it because of Washington's great military skills, their patriotism and motives to triumph, and aid of foreign countries.

    Read More

  • How Did The British Colonies Influence The American Colonies

    1336 Words  | 3 Pages

    On the eve of the American Revolution, colonists have signified and ensured their newly discovered identity by coming together to rid the American colonies of the British monarchical influence. Throught means of newly developed legislatures, both passive and aggressive protests, and formation of propaganda were the American colonists able to engrave their identity on the future of America forever.

    Read More

  • Causes Of American Rebellion in 1776

    1305 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some say that the Revolution was destined to happen ever since Settlers set foot on this continent, others argue that it would not have happened if it weren't for a set of issues that finally drove the colonists to revolt. Ultimately, Britain lost control in 1765 when they gave in to the Stamp Act Congress’s boycotts against parliamentary taxation and gave them the idea that they had the power to run a country. To a lesser degree, Salutary Neglect led to the conception of a legacy of colonial religious and political ideals which set in motion an eminent conflict. During this period, England “forgot” about the colonies and gave them colonists a taste of independence and suspicions of individual political theories. Through Parliament's ruthless taxation without representation and a near opposite religious and political mindset, Britain and the colonists were heaved into a revolutionary war.

    Read More

  • Essay On Second Continental Congress

    492 Words  | 1 Pages

    They also helped create many things, including The Continental Army; George Washington being Commander-in-charge. The Olive Branch Petition was formed by the congress and sent to King George III to try and avoid a war between 13 colonies, but just made the king declare and prepare for a war. The congress also formed the Committee of Correspondence, active from 1775 to 1776. The Committee played a big part in lure allies and get French assistance. There was also the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, which was an official paper provided by The Second Congress on July 6,1775, to describe why the thirteen colonies had taken up arms in what had become the American Revolutionary War. The Congress also introduced The Lee Resolution, a solution of freedom that was a deed by The Second Continental Congress, proclaiming, the United Colonies to be free of the British Territory. The Declaration of Independence was also a big part in The Second Congress; this is a establishing contract of the American political historical convention that build the American republic saying that all men are made equivalent and possess the same built-in original entitlement.

    Read More

  • No Discipline by the British Soldiers Created the Boston Massacre

    807 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Americans would not allow themselves to live under harsh rule without any kind of resistance. Nonviolent means of diplomacy were demonstrated to give themselves freedom. After all, one does not start a violent revolution without asking for a chance to be heard. As expected, the British did not listen. Colonists turned toward protest. Protest eventually turned to action. Action led to bloodshed ("P...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Revolutionary War

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    This conclusion seemed to contradict every presumption about Great Britain’s imperial power. In all other conflicts, the British seemed to win decisively but the problem in the American Revolution lies with Britain underestimating the colonists. The British were blind to America’s symbolic presence as an end to an imperial structure. France and Spain aided the colonists in hopes of defeating the tyrannical empire. Britain underestimated George Washington and the Continental Army. Over time, the colonial militias trained in the European fashion and transformed into a challenging force. Ultimately, the most distinctive miscalculation of the British was the perseverance of the colonists and their fight for freedom. While Britain was fighting for control over yet another revenue source, America was fighting for independence and principle. The difference between the motivations was the predominant factor in deciding the

    Read More

  • Abigail Adams And The French Revolution

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    From a young age, Abigail was centred around her the governmental and political views of both her parents and other influential nationalist figures. Abigail believed that the ties between Great Britain and its colonies should be severed. One such example came after Britain’s rejection of the Olive Branch Petition. Abigail is quoted to have said: “Let us separate, they are unworthy to be our Brethren. Let us renounce them and instead of supplications as formerly for their prosperity and happiness, Let us beseech the almighty to blast their counsels and bring to Nought all their

    Read More

  • The Olive Branch Petition

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Olive Branch Petition professed colonial loyalty to his majesty in a final appeal for peaceful reconciliation with Britain. Fighting with the British had already started with the Battles of Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hi...

    Read More

  • Could The American Revolutionary War be Avoided?

    1735 Words  | 4 Pages

    There were many factors that led up to the American Revolutionary War, one of these factors were the laws and acts being passed at the time. The British Parliament attempted to limit the power the American Colonist had at the time by taking away from their income. How they did this one may ask? The simple answer is taxes. One of the many taxes imposed was the stamp act. During this time the American colonies were being oppressed by the British one of the first signs of this was the Stamp Act. The act stated that almost anything written had to be stamped and tax...

    Read More

  • King George III

    445 Words  | 1 Pages

    King George III, after the French and Indian War, was large. debts to pay, and thought he could extract the necessary money from the colonies. King George was incensed when the insolent American colonists objected to the taxes being levied. particularly the Stamp Act. When the Stamp Act was repealed, King George flew into a rage.

    Read More

  • Causes of the American Revolution Essay

    1662 Words  | 4 Pages

    The American Revolution began as a conflict over political and social change, but soon developed into a dispute over personal rights and political liberty. A decade of conflicts between the British government and the Americans, starting with the Stamp Act in 1765 that eventually led to war in 1775, along with The Declaration of Independence in 1776. Americans united as one and knew that they wanted to be an independent country, have their own laws, rights, and not be a colony of the Great Britain. They fought hard for their independence and people lost their lives in the process of it, but in the end they succeeded. Never give up, keep fighting till the mission is accomplished, just like the Americans did when they were fighting for their independence.

    Read More

More about The Olive Branch Petition: American Revolution

Open Document