Revolutionary War Research Paper

The Revolutionary War was brought on largely by political, economical, and social disgruntlement between Colonized America and their mother country, Great Britain. During the duration of Britain’s rule over the thirteen American colonies, numerous acts and events led to detestation of the British government by the colonist whom they were ruling. Such events led to colonists protesting certain parliamentary acts, and political tension between the two nations. Although there were countless events and discrepancies between the British authorities and the American colonists, there were some events which affected both nations forever. Issues between the American colonists and the British government leading up to the Revolutionary War can be summarized

into three main happenings, under which most of the major discrepancies fall: Reform, Rebellion, and Independence.
The Seven Years’ War, better known to Americans as the French and Indian War, left Great Britain in over 75 percent more debt than they had prior to the war(Otis pg.

99). In addition, they were now in control of a gigantic landmass overseas. Although Great Britain was ultimately victorious in the war and defeated France and all of its allies, Britain was weighted with a war debt which was nearly too great to account for. To try to compensate for such great financial burden, Great Britain instituted hefty taxation on American colonists overseas, which were declared by the king. Popularly called “taxation without representation,” strict taxation policies despite lack of citizen consent and legal representation created firm tension and anger towards the British (Whately pg.101-102).
After multiple colonist upheavals, the British instilled a temporary army within the colonies to keep control uncompromised and “enforce imperial reform measures.” (Preston pg. 115). This frightened the colonists, because it led them to believe that America was soon to become completely occupied by Britain’s rule. Colonists began to resist British authority, and they fought against the king, arguing that they did not want to just be independent from Great Britain. They believed that they were creating a “new order for the ages,” or novus ordo seclorum (Yazowa

pg.149).
Colonists looked to show Britain that a body of people could freely govern themselves void of rule of a king. However, Great Britain believed that they were justified in their actions against the colonists. Losing control of the colonies meant losing control over the largest revenue of their empire, so they began instilling higher taxes and regulating trade in the colonies (Yazowa pg. 149). In 1764, Great Britain instilled the Sugar Act. However, the colonists soon retaliated against British despotism, and began to use one of the most notorious rebellion tactics of the Revolutionary War: boycotting. American colonists boycotted British goods left and right, refusing to buy products with inflated prices and heavy taxes. However, these tactics could not last forever, as the Stamp Act crisis and many others quickly brought colony life to its knees at the feet of the British rule.
In conclusion, life on both sides of the Revolutionary War was contrasted between the governors and the governed. Like all wars, the stories and opinions of both sides are different. However, both parties believed that they were righteous in their cause pertaining to the events leading up to the Revolutionary War. The sparks of political, economical, and cultural differences and conflicts started a raging fire that would last for years to come between the British power and the American colonists.