“The American Revolutionary War lasted for eight years - between April 1775 to September 1783” (Pettinger). It is now remembered as a major landmark for the United States and its independence. The war began over a rebellion, initially caused by Britain, that eventually led to the demand of taxes without any representation of American representatives in Parliament. American patriots from the Thirteen Colonies of North America: Delaware, New Jersey, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, Connecticut, New Hamshpere, Massachusetts Bay, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolinas, and Rhode Island won independence from Britain. Throughout the American Revolution, Britain was given dominance over the Americans, however the patriots achieved independence. …show more content…
The American Revolutionary War was constructed with events from the very first battle of the revolution, the Battles of Lexington, to the very last, The Battle of Yorktown. After the war, the thought of freedom took over the people causing them to revolt against their leadership. “ Americans began to feel that their fight for liberty was a global fight” (Societal Impacts of the American Revolution). This paper will address how the American Revolutionary War began, what happened during the war, and its significance. The Revolutionary War was first initiated through built up hostility between the British and the colonies.
During the French and Indian War, Britain gradually added towards the national debt. British authorities implemented tax measures such as the Stamp Act, a tax on paper and paper products, the Sugar Act, reduced tax on molasses but lead to authoritarian administration. Also the Townshend Act, a tax not only on paper and tea but also things such as glass, lead and paints. Not to mention, an act that planned to raise revenue in the colonies along with the Sugar Act. “Parliament said it had fought the long and costly war to protect its American subjects from the powerful French in Canada” (William). Colonists were obligated to repay England for the “long and costly war”. Throughout time, the colonists eventually generated fierce emotions towards the British. After the application of taxes, arose the Boston Tea Party of 1773. In rebellion against the Tea Act, the colonists responded with prohibition towards British goods, inhabitants had disguised themselves as Native Americans (Mohawks), and snuck onto the ships of Boston Harbor. They successfully threw thirty chests of tea overboard into the harbor. Rebellion soon lead to the Intolerable Acts of 1774 which were meant to penalize the colonists after the Boston Tea Party. Not long after, disapproval to the Intolerable Acts arose and formed the Continental Congress, also known as the leaders of the …show more content…
colonists. “The battles of Lexington and Concord were the first battles of the American Revolution, a conflict that would escalate from a colonial uprising into a world war that, seven years later, would give birth to the independent United States of America” (The American Revolution Begins).
In 1775, Lexington and Concord became the initiation towards the revolutionary war. Although the battle was initially an altercation between the British army and the colonists in Massachusetts, American patriots from Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire would soon join, forming the Continental Army lead by, commander in chief, George Washington. After the second Continental Congress, congress proposes the Olive-Branch Petition. A thought to the end of the Intolerable Acts in exchange for a truce. The idea was soon rejected by George III and lead to an open rebellion. Soon after Thomas Paine published “Common Sense” in 1776 which supported independence for the colonists, the Continental Congress declares the Declaration of Independence. The year 1777 becomes the turning point to the revolutionary war. Over 5,000 British troops surrendered at Saratoga, and the British militia had surrendered in Yorktown in 1781. “From the beginning of the American Revolution, Congress felt the need for a stronger union and a government powerful enough to defeat Great Britain” (Articles of Confederation). By March 1, 1781, the Articles of confederation, set functions of the national government after
independence was established, were ratified by all Thirteen Colonies. Lastly by 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed after the battle of Yorktown that signaled the end to the American Revolutionary War. Independence was formally declared. The American Revolutionary War announced the United States independence from Britain. The Revolution not only enacted Shays Rebellion, a rebellion led by Daniel Shays against the high taxes in Massachusetts, but it also led to the ratification of the constitution in 1787. Later, it became known as the Constitutional Convention which eliminated the Articles of Confederation in hopes for a better government. After the idea that the thirteen colonies merged and became a single nation, uprisings from the people formed new colonies established with a democratic government. The American Revolution allowed for the rights and freedoms of the people to be declared through the Constitution, voting rights were expanded, westward migration was accepted. Plus, it also had significant effects on both women and slaves. “Society became less deferential and more egalitarian, less aristocratic and more meritocratic” (The Consequences of the American Revolution). Throughout the American Revolution, the patriots were dedicated towards achieving independence. However, the loyalist were separated and some were faithful to England and others were traitors. Colonists who also made up part of the people during the Revolution were fence sitters. They were uncertain Americans that shifted their support from the patriots and the loyalists and back and forth throughout the war. Furthermore, major historians that formulated the victory of the Revolutionary War were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and as well as Thomas Paine. Washington was positioned commander of the Continental Army and lead its military through not only the Revolutionary War but also the Battle of Yorktown which then led to their independence. Jefferson, on the other hand, is famously known for writing the Declaration of Independence. Similarly, Benjamin Franklin helped write the Declaration and the Constitution. Additionally, Paine is known for creating “Common Sense” which influenced the American Revolution.
The British were facing economic difficulties after the French and Indian war; therefore, they passed taxes on the colonies to help repay the debt. Initially, the British introduced the Sugar Act in 1764. The colonists did not approve of the British taking control over them. The colonists opposed the Sugar Act because they had to pay three cent tax on sugar. In addition, the Sugar Act increased the taxes on coffee, indigo, and wine. This act was the start of colonist frustration. Subsequently came the Stamp Act the following year in 1765. The Stamp Act was the mind changer for many colonists known as the Patriots. The Patriots started forming as a result of England enforcing acts. The patriots believed the colonies should go to war and separate
With out competition the East India Company had full control over the prices they set. This infuriated the Colonists. Pamphlets and protests did not seem to be cutting it anymore, so some felt like action needed to be taken. The Sons of Liberty answered the call. In an act of defiance, “a few dozen of the Sons of Liberty, opposing new British laws in the colonies, systematically dumped three shiploads of tea into Boston harbor. They acted to prevent the royal authorities from collecting taxes on that import” (Bell). This made left Parliament infuriated. They did what they only know how to do and put a tighter squeeze on the colonists. Their answer was the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts in the Colonies. The first of these acts was the Boston Port Bill. This bill shut down the Boston Harbor, the livelihood of many Bostonians. It would not re-open until the tea that was dumped could be paid off. Another one of the Intolerable Acts was the Massachusetts Government Act, in which they had to hand their government over to royal officials. Many saw this as too far or unacceptable. As shown by the statement, “Most historians agree that the Intolerable Acts were among the leading causes of the American Revolution (1775–83) as the legislation galvanized opposition to British political and economic policies in the
By this point, the colonists were beginning to question Britain’s motives. They believed they were being treated like slaves and being used solely for the economic growth of Britain. One night, in 1773, the colonists rebelled against these taxes on their tea. A group of men dressed as Native Americans boarded a ship at Boston Harbor and unloaded three vessels of taxed tea (Boston Tea Party). This event, known as the Boston Tea Party, enraged King George III, and inevitably prompted Parliament to pass the Intolerable Acts in 1774....
The revolutionary war of 1775 – 1783 was a victorious military uprising against Great Britain of 13 American colonies which merged to form United States of America in 1776. Initially, the war was between the colonies and Great Britain but it escalated to involve other countries such as Spain and France. The taxes imposed on Americans by the British parliament were the cause of the war. Many Americans felt that the taxes were unlawful hence they started resisting (Greene & Pole, 2008). In 1774, the rebellion started officially when the Patriot Suffolk Resolves successfully eradicated the legal government of the province of Massachusetts Bay (Greene & Pole, 2008). After two years of fighting, the rebels had seized control of all thirteen colonies and they declared their independence.
The Revolutionary War was a war between the Thirteen Colonies and Great Britain from 1775-1783 during the American Revolution. The American colonists fought the British in hope of freedom and separation from Great Britain. “This was the completion stage of the political American Revolution whereas the colonists had denied the rights of the Parliament of Great Britain in governing them without any representation,” ("American Revolutionary War."). The Revolutionary War consisted of many different bloody battles on American soil. The war resulted in an American victory because of many historical reasons. The factors that contributed to an American victory of the Revolutionary War are British debt, distance between America and Great Britain, war tactics, French involvement, and important battles.
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, also known as the War for Independence began from 1785-1783. The primary cause for the war was because of a conflict between the 13 British colonies and England. The American Revolution resulted in a victory for the 13 British colonies who would declare themselves as the United States of America. However, there are many questions on whether or not the American Revolution was really revolutionary and if there were revolutionary changes being made to society. The American Revolution was not revolutionary because separation between African-Americans and Whites still existed, no change in women's representation or their voices being valued as high as men, and the Indians were promised the “Utmost Good Faith” but the result
The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775, when British soldiers and American patriots clashed at Lexington, Massachusetts, and at nearby Concord. The war lasted eight years. It ended on September 3, 1783, when Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which gave independence to the United States.
The imperial tactics of the British Empire were exercised on the colonists through heavy taxes trade restrictions because of their mercantilist economy. The Stamp Act taxed the colonists directly on paper goods ranging from legal documents to newspapers. Colonists were perturbed because they did not receive representation in Parliament to prevent these acts from being passed or to decide where the tax money was spent. The colonists did not support taxation without representation. The Tea Act was also passed by Parliament to help lower the surplus of tea that was created by the financially troubled British East India Company. The colonists responded to this act by executing the Boston Tea Party which tossed all of the tea that was imported into the port of Boston. This precipitated the Boston Port Act which did not permit the colonists to import goods through this port. The colonists protested and refused all of these acts which helped stir the feelings of rebellion among the colonists. The British Mercantilist economy prevented the colonists from coin...
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 Revolutionary War, 1775-1783, also known as the U.S. War of Independence and the American Revolution occurred both during and after the classical Era (1775-1825) (History). The American Revolution occurred from the mounting strains between residents of Great Britain’s thirteen North American colonies, and the colonial government, which represented British royalty (History). Although the war was far from over, the patriots, members consisting of the Thirteen Colonies, rebelled against, and severed all ties with the British control. On July 1, 1776 the second continental congress met in Philadelphia and 12 of the 13 colonies voted in favor of an independence, and on July fourth of the same year, Congress officially adapted the declaration. Meaning the United States of America as is now an Independent nation and no longer under control of the British Crown. Although America has formally won their independence,
The connection between Britain and the English colonies was that of the ruling of the colonies by the king of Britain, King George III and his parliament. The king’s ruling was very unfavorable for the colonists because of his tyrannic dictatorship and unjustly taxations. The mere thought of an island ruling an entire continent thousands of miles away with poor communication and lack of supervision of the colonies by the king, did not work in favor of the colonies nor for Britain. Three contributing factors for the outbreak of the American Revolution were (1) the king’s taxes, (2) neglect of the 13 colonies and (3) England’s mercantilism policy. King George III and his decisions were one of the major causes that had the English colonists fumed with anger towards Britain and this eventually led to the American Revolution.
Leading up to the time of the Revolutionary War, seven policies were passed by Britain in hopes of controlling the colonies. These acts culminated in the Quebec Act which persuaded many Americans into supporting the revolutionary effort. The Proclamation of 1763 was the first policy passed by the British. This forbid any settlement west of Appalachia because the British feared conflicts over territory in this region. The proclamation, however, infuriated the colonists who planned on expanding westward. The Sugar Act was passed shortly after in 1764. This act sought harsher punishment for smugglers. The next act to be passed was possibly the most controversial act passed by Britain. The Stamp Act passed in 1765 affected every colonist because it required all printed documents to have a stamp purchased from the British authority. The colonist boycotted British goods until the Stamp Act was repealed but quickly replaced by the Declaratory Act in 1766. The British still held onto the conviction that they had the right to tax the Americans in any way they deemed necessary. The Declaratory Act was followed by the Townshend Acts of 1767. This imposed taxes on all imported goods from Britain, which caused the colonies to refuse trading with Britain. Six years passed before another upsetting act was passed. In 1773, the Tea Act placed taxes on tea, threatening the power of the colonies. The colonies, however, fought back by pouring expensive tea into the Boston harbor in an event now known as the Boston Tea Party. The enraged Parliament quickly passed the Intolerable Acts, shutting down the port of Boston and taking control over the colonies.
The American Revolution had some of its beginnings in the French and Indian war. For seven years, Britain battled the French and Indian nations in the colonies. Where the colonies militia fought beside the troops of the British army and learned war first hand. After winning the war, Britain had a large debt 140 million pounds. To pay these expenses, it was reasoned that taxing the colonies should pay the debt. The war had been fought to protect the land of the Ohio River Valley, land that was part of the colonies.
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.