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Causes of the American Revolution
Main factors that lead to the revolutionary war
Causes of the American Revolution
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The American Revolution was a colonial insurrection that took place between 1775 and 1783. The colonists won independence from Great Britain, becoming the United States of America. They defeated the British in the American Revolutionary War in alliance with France and others. Britain had the most powerful military, but the colonies had many advantages, some more important than others. First, the colonists were fighting on familiar land and were fighting for their freedom and homes while the British were fighting because it was their job. The British also greatly underestimated the colonists, which in turn hurt them the helped the colonists. Finally, the Americans had an amazing leader. To start with, the colonists were fighting for a cause they believed in. British soldiers were fighting because it was their job while Americans were fighting for their freedom and homes. Minutemen would fight in a minutes notice, for they had to protect their homeland and their families. They had more desire and ambition to win the war, therefore …show more content…
there was more motivation. This feeling of pursuing their dream of independence gave them the strength to continue fighting, even when their chances were little. Soon they united to fight. Unfortunately, to the colonists disadvantage, a considerable amount of colonists were still supporting the British. It also helps that the land was familiar to the colonists. They knew every hillside, swampland, and forest trail. They knew the terrain and could navigate the land better. They also did not need to send any supplies or troops across the sea. Distance was a major disadvantage for the British. Another factor that ultimately led to a large colonial advantage was the underestimation of the British.
No one could defeat the British army, for they were the most powerful. Britain greatly underestimated the colonists' resolve to win the war once it began. They expected the people to give up their resistance once thousands of troops landed in America. The British expected some Loyalists support for their leaders to crumble, especially because none of the colonial leaders had had any previous experience in leading a national government or a major war. They also believed that the American military and political leadership was inexperienced and unable to fight a sustained war against an organized government and military force, such as Britain. British commanders greatly underestimated the skills, talents, and maturity of George Washington. They probably considered him unfit for command and unable to lead, which leads to my final
point George Washington knew it was crucial to preserve the army. He knew when to retreat and kept his army going. He used a retreat and pursue method. Washington was an outstanding leader and greatly impacted the win of the American Revolution for the good. Not to mention his persistence, charisma, and ambition that made colonists very ardent and eager to win. In the British military, it was customary to appoint and promote officers based on family ties and titles of nobility, political connections, and loyalty to the Crown. George Washington, on the other hand, promoted officers based on performances on the battlefield and individual merit.
McCullough describes washington as a leader of many qualities in which makes him successful. After making the British evacuate from Boston, washington is praised for being such a courageous and smart leader, therefore lifting morale around American troops. The war most likely would not have been won without George Washington's help most likely due to his incredible leadership skills. The colonies are virtually nothing without George Washington because he keeps them together by asking congress to support them and as McCullough describes, is relentless about doing so as we're Knox and Greene later on. George Washington was so important that even the loyalists plotted to assassinate him with hopes to derail the American rebellion. However, the colonies success wasn't just off George washington. Mccullough describes the average british soldier as strong and more fit compared to the colonial soldier, superior and overall well trained.The fact that the colonies were untrained made the British cocky, Making them think they didn't have to use their superior weaponry thinking the Americans would surrender out of free will. McCullough gives us an insight to how the Americans tried new things using their resources making great things with what little they
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.
In the second half of the eighteenth century, the British were faced with rebelling colonies. Finally realizing that they had to fight to keep their colonial possessions, the British sent troops to America. Once the battles began in America, the British were not impressed with the colonial military, but the weak militias soon proved to be effective. With foreign aid from France, American devotion, and the lack of British vigor, the Americans soon discovered the open doors of independence. In my opinion, the American advantages and the British disadvantages proved to be the downfall of the English in the American Revolution.
The Americans had an advantage over the British for a simple reason: they were fighting for something they wanted, rather than the British fighting to “play defense” and prevent American independence. Americans colonists wanted to become an independant nation, have a new system of self governance, claim equal rights for all citizens, and rid themselves from tyranny. The Patriots who fought in the Revolution were primarily fighting for independence from Britain, and it was that similar goal that boosted morale. As stated in the Declaration of Independence American colonists were subject to a “long train of abuses and usurpations” and it was also argued that the British tyranny forced colonists to “alter their former system of government”. Therefore, the Patriots were fighting for a cause that affected their everyday lives which inspired them even more to defeat Britain. The British was fed up with the casualties and heavy taxes to pay for the war they were fighting without cause, while the Americans would have done anything to defeat the British. The American colonists and their want to defeat the British for the rights they deserved was a crucial factor to American victory during the revolutionary
By no doubt Britain held an incredibly intimidating military, but sometimes it is not just the strength of the soldiers that counts. The colonists had the benefit of an exceedingly morale filling cause that most could not help but rally around. Britain tried to fight a war the traditional way without incentive for victory. Entering the American Revolutionary War, the colonists possessed a keen desire and aspiration to have and keep their freedom. With determination the chaotic army of America strived toward victory. The British had the powers of money, numbers, and experience, but sometimes seemingly potent advantages have little effect on the determination of free will.
Greene, J. P., & Pole, J. R. (Eds.). (2008). A Companion to the American Revolution (Vol. 17). John Wiley & Sons.
The American Revolution is without a question one of the, if not the most, important period in the beginning of American history. Between 1765 and 1783, the colonists rejected the British monarchy and aristocracy after a series of taxes and tariffs were forced upon them, finally the colonists then ultimately overthrew their authority and founded the United States of America. Many historians and authors have debated over the exact reason and overall effects of the War for Independence, however, all agree of the significance and importance of this event. The colonies, which were created as a resource for raw materials and a means for generating profits for Parliament and the Crown, began to desire managing their own affairs and worked towards
Most American colonists were more motivated than the Redcoats were to fight and defeat their rivals in the war. The colonists had many reasons for them to defeat the British. The Colonists were treated unfairly by the British and they believed Great Britain had too much control over them. “The colonists' disappointment began shortly after the French and Indian War ended in 1763, when the British government tried to reduce the debt incurred during the war by collecting additional taxes and gaining more control over the colonies,” ("Reasons for the Revolution on Colonial Williamsburg's Website."). These factors angered the colonists to keep fighting until Great Britain was
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
“Is there a single trait of resemblance between those few towns and a great and growing people spread over a vast quarter of the globe, separated by a mighty ocean?” This question posed by Edmund Burke was in the hearts of nearly every colonist before the colonies gained their independence from Britain. The colonists’ heritage was largely British, as was their outlook on a great array of subjects; however, the position and prejudices they held concerning their independence were comprised entirely from American ingenuity. This identity crisis of these “British Americans” played an enormous role in the colonists’ battle for independence, and paved the road to revolution.
Revolution is briefly described as an attempt to overthrow a government to start a new one. The American Revolution took place between 1775 and 1783 and was a fight for American Independence from England. In 1764, the first of many “Intolerable Acts” were passed. The British Parliament began to excise tax on the American colonies without representation, sparking the great conflict. The British were continuing to incorporate new ways to make more money. England was the most powerful country at the time with an intimidating military, so this wasn’t a hard task to complete. The American Revolution was very Revolutionary because, it jump started the abolition of slavery, it brought about many political and social advances, and served as a stepping stone towards a democracy and a strong centralized government.
The American Revolution: the war for our independence. This revolution opened the door to our liberty, freedom, and basically what America is now. Most Americans have heard the stories of famous battles, important people (George Washington for instance), and everything in between. However, this was only for our side of the American Revolution and a small fraction of people have been told of Britain’s campaign of the revolution. The only thing people have been told was the Britain lost the war. What of Britain’s triumphs, strategies, and everything that happened in the span of a few years? Not many people know it, but the British struck a major blow against the Patriots in the last few years of the war. Even though the United States won the American Revolution, Britain struck a major blow against the colonists when the British successfully and brutally took the town of Charleston, South Carolina.
Compared to that of the British Army, the American Army had a significant amount of disadvantages throughout the duration of the American Revolution. However, despite their many disadvantages, the American Armed forces still defeated the British. Simply put, the Americans had more to fight for then the British did. The Americans fought for their rights, their independence, as well as their liberty.
A huge advantage the colonist had was that they were mainly fighting a defensive war. The war was being fought on their home turf which meant that they knew the lay of the land. Having this distinct advantage meant they knew what problem areas to avoid, what shortcuts existed and the best possible places to hide. This only added to the lethality of their fighting style that favored a more unconventional guerilla fighting style. Not to be dismissed was the perspicuous advantage the colonist had of fighting for their rights, their liberty and their independence. They had much at stake such as losing their home, losing their livelihood, and possibly the death of their families. All together these intrinsic motivations are what formed the indomitable American fighting spirit. But I would I also be remiss if I did not talk about the phenomenal leadership that the colonists’ had. Starting with the brilliant George Washington who was considered a giant among men. To the diplomatic acumen of Benjamin Franklin which would become instrumental in securing foreign aid. As well as the savvy military appointment of the French Nobleman Marquis de Lafayette that greatly improved the colonist’s ability to secure help from the French. But alas the colonists had their fair share of disadvantages. The fact the colonies were an emerging nation meant that they did not have a vast storage of
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.