The American Revolution: A Revolutionary Change

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the word revolution is defined as "the usually violent attempt by many people to end the rule of one government and start a new one." The word revolutionary means "relating to, involving, or supporting a political revolution."

According to the definitions of revolution and revolutionary, it is evident that the American Revolution was, in fact, revolutionary, because the colonies achieved independence, cultivated and implemented an effective constitution, questioned the roles of both the roles of women in society and the institution of slaves, acquired territory, and loyalists departed because of it. These accomplishments all relate back to the colonists coming together to support the political revolution that took place.

The American Revolution allowed the colonies to gain independence. As tensions rose between the colonies and Britain, the "delegates voted unanimously to declare independence" 197 on July 2, 1776. The Declaration of Independence reiterated familiar principles that applied to the American situation in a clear and simple way 198 Asserted all were born with

fundamental rights, and that the government should protect these rights and represent the people that they governed. Congress created. When war between the colonists and the British broke out, the Continental Army and militia slowly wore down the British and eventually forced them to surrender. When the British signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the officially recognized American independence. The United States became the first country in modern history created a by revolution. The colonies gaining independence makes the American Revolution, revolutionary, because
The American Revolution led to the cultivation and implementation of the Constitution.
Prior to the Revolution congress drafted the Articles of Confederation in order to organize Western territories to become states. The Article of Confederation was the first constitution that the United States lived under, however, it proved to be ineffective, because it claimed independence from the monarch, but not Parliament, gave congress little power, and had no executive branch. Essentially, Congress had no means of enforcing regulations. After the revolution, delegates recognized the need for a new and stronger national government. The constitution was the result of dozens of compromises, and was ratified (and replaced the Articles of Confederation) in 1788, without any bloodshed. The Constitution created a strong central government with an executive branch, judicial branch, and legislative branch (which had the power to levy taxes, declare war, raise an army, and create laws 219). The cultivation and implementation of the Constitution makes the American Revolution, revolutionary, because
The American Revolution was revolutionary, because it questioned the roles of women and the institution of slavery. The American Revolution was "a revolution based on beliefs in human equality and a common human nature" (Oakes et al., 2012, P.212). The Revolution challenged the notion that women had the inability to think or reason for themselves. After the war ended, the education of women improved vastly. The revolution challenged the idea that women could be intelligent beings who had the ability to make choices regarding the market, family, and politics. The egalitarian ideals of the Revolution also challenged the institution of slavery in America. Radicals from all areas acknowledged that the institution of slavery was inconsistent with the Revolutionary principles of freedom. The Revolution offered many opportunities for slaves to obtain their freedom, which encouraged them to petitioned for “the natural rights and privileges of freeborn men” (Oakes et al., 2012, P.214). The Revolution instigated the abolition of slavery in the North. The questioning of the roles of women in society and the institution of slavery makes the American Revolution, revolutionary, because
The American Revolution led to the acquisition of territory. In 1783, Britain recognized American Independence in the Treaty of Paris, and the "United States acquired territory between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River and south of the Great Lakes" 207. The acquisition of a large amount of territory makes the American Revolution, revolutionary, because
The American Revolution led to the departure of loyalists. Loyalists were colonists who remained loyal to the Crown during the Revolution. Loyalist were usually whites from the top tier of society. When loyalists departed after the Revolution, their vast wealth was redistributed. The departure of loyalists due to the American Revolution removed the most conservative element in American society, thus, cultivating opportunities for many Americans to rise to power. The mass departure of loyalists makes the American Revolution, revolutionary, because
The American Revolution was absolutely revolutionary, however, there are many critical shortcomings, including the Three-Fifths Compromise, which assured the continuation of slavery, the fact that women were still considered partial citizens, and the fact that the new government was not truly democratic.

Despite the obvious shortcomings, the American Revolution was revolutionary, because it was a catalyst to the resolution of issues such as women's rights and the abolition of slavery, because the ideas from the Revolution, Enlightenment, and the Great Awakening ignited the debate to challenge slavery and the roles of women in society. While the new system of government was not a true democracy, it gave the people a voice in government, and was a drastic improvement over the old system of government created under the Articles of

Confederation.
In conclusion, the American Revolution was absolutely revolutionary, according to the definitions of revolution, "the usually violent attempt by many people to end the rule of one government and start a new one,” and revolutionary, "relating to, involving, or supporting a political revolution.” The revolution was revolutionary, because it allowed the colonies to achieve independence from Britain, led to the cultivation and implemented of the Constitution, questioned women's and slaves roles, acquired vast amounts of territory, and led to the departure of loyalists.