The Extent of American Unity and Identity

The Extent of American Unity and Identity

Since early colonization the English colonies had always felt closer

to England than to each other. In fact, it took a British newspaper

less time to reach Savannah than a letter from Massachusetts. However,

after the French and Indian War a sense of unity began to permeate

through the colonies as a result of British acts. For every British

action there was an American reaction, which fed the spirit of a new

identity as Americans, not English colonists. The American identity

was being established in the years before the revolution, but it was

not the majority as some colonists stayed loyal to the King. Events

such as the Albany Plan, Boston Tea Party and the First Continental

Congress were the beginnings of a new nation as united Americans.

These events would eventually lead up to the Revolution when American

colonies would band together and establish themselves independently

among the European world.

As tension rose between the colonists and the French, the first

attempt for colonial union took place in Albany, New York. Seven

colonies met to discuss their common problems such as the Indian

attacks, their colonial militias, and the colonies' boundaries.

Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan that would unite the

colonies under a central government with a "president general" that

would be appointed by Parliament. There would also be a legislative

body elected by colonial assemblies. Franklin expressed his feeling of

urgent unity with a sketch he published in the Pennsylvania Gazette,

which displayed an almost threatening request to join and adopt the

Albany Plan (Doc. A). With the pr...

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...itias, gathering weapons and training men. They

also established the Continental Association which would not trade

with Britain. The American were uniting against there new common foe

and becoming Americans (Doc. C).

In the events that led up to the revolution, a sense of unity was

definitely acquired, but an American identity was not as prevalent.

Although there was a strong opposition to the British government, it

did not represent the entire population of the American colonies. Many

would still be loyal to the King and others would just side with

whoever was winning. The southern colonies were more reluctant to part

for Britain, because they were more reliant on Britain for trade of

their cash crops. This rift in opinions would show itself throughout

the war and even afterward while trying to draft a constitution.