Category: American Revolution

Introduction

Historians regard the American Revolution as an epic struggle for independence by American colonists against Great Britain. The Revolution was started by the breakaway of the 13 American Colonies from the British Crown.

Great Britain was unwilling to grant independence to the American colonies and this led to an armed conflict as Britain sought to reassert imperial authority over the American colonies.

The revolution was characterized by significant upheaval lasting for about two decades starting from 1765. The struggle led to the defeat of British forces and the successful formation of an independent United States of America.

This paper will argue that the Revolutionary War, which was sparked by opposition to British rule over the colonies, led to significant changes in American society.

Reasons for the Revolution

By the 18th century, many immigrants from Europe inhabited the American Colonies. France and Britain were the two major powers that initially exerted influence over North America. However, Britain succeeded in expelling France from North America and the British established control over the American colonies (Andrews, 1961).

In spite of being the only colonial power, Britain faced significant contentions from the colonists. These contentions eventually led to the outbreak of the American Revolution. A major issue leading to the Revolution was the taxation of the American colonies by British authorities.

The British government had for decades taxed the American colonies and administered the states through a colonial government. However, the colonists lacked representation in Parliament in spite of being subjected to constant taxation.

This situation led to protests as the colonists demanded for representation in Parliament. Instead of responding to the grievances of the colonists in an amicable manner, the British authorities deployed soldiers and passed even more stringent laws against the protesting colonists.

The American Colonists were opposed to the manner in which their colonial masters treated them. They felt that they had a right to be given the rights and protections afforded to British Citizens. The colonists therefore engaged in protests to compel Great Britain to extend basic political rights and social equality in the American colonies (Morton, 2003).

However, Britain did not see the need to grant any liberties since the British government felt that the American colonies were Crown Property that was to be used in a way that benefited Britain. Colonists were deprived of the rights normally extended to British subjects and instead ruled over without consultation.

Due to these realities, the colonials protested against British oppression, tyranny, and the intention of the British Empire to enslave the Americans (Gary, 2006).

Changes in American Society

Due to the grievances expressed by the colonists, a Revolution Took place. Paige (2009) documents that the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, officially marking the beginning of the American Revolution.

The American Revolution led to the creation of a United States through acts of military, political, and ideological aggression against British Colonizers. Following the successful defeat of Britain, a number of changes occurred in American society.

A significant consequence of the American Revolution is that it led to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 (Armitage, 2007). This document, which is considered one of the United States most important documents, articulated the intention of the 13 colonies to become independent of Britain.

After the political upheaval caused by the revolution, the document became a symbol of liberty for Americans (Vile, 2005). Its tenets are enshrined in the American constitution and the ideals expressed in the document continue to be upheld by American.

Arguably the most important impact of the Revolution is that it led to the formation of the United States. Before the Revolution, the American colonies were separate entities governed over by the British Crown. The proposal to form a Union of the States was a strategic plan aimed at giving the colonists a better chance at opposing the British Empire (Swindler, 1981).

The colonies therefore joined in a loose confederation that was to wage war against Great Britain. After independence was attained in 1783, most Americans supported the idea of maintaining the union of the States (Swindler, 1981). This led to the formation of the United States as the previously independent colonies surrendered their sovereignty in order to create a unified government.

The American Revolution led to the formation of a strong Central government that fostered the political, economic and military prosperity of the nation in future centuries.

Following the formation of the United States, a Federal Constitution, which created a strong Central government, was ratified (McNeese, 2001). This constitution led to the formation of a Central government that was able to operate effectively due to its far-reaching powers.

The Revolution promoted the concept of social egalitarianism within the American society. This is a concept that has prevailed to modern times where social democracy is highly regarded in the US. Before the revolution, America was not a land of equal opportunity since the vast majority of the countrys wealth and power was in the hands of the elite who had inherited aristocracy.

The aristocratic elite within the American colonies held all the political power and most of the wealth in society (Andrews, 1961). The Revolution led to the banishment of thousands of loyalists, who included the aristocratic elite, from the American colonies.

The notion that success and prosperity were possibilities for all members of the society also began to grow. After the Revolution, there was a widespread belief that all Americans, regardless of their social class, could achieve success in society (Morton, 2003).

The Revolution had an impact on the rights of women in society. Before the Revolution, women were second-class citizens whose only significant role in society was to raise families. Following the Revolution, the position of women in society improved slightly.

To begin with, the American population embraced the philosophy of liberty, which denoted that man was free and equal (Morton, 2003). Women who had previously been considered the property of their husbands could therefore demand for greater rights in post-revolution America.

While the rights enjoyed by women in the years immediately following the Revolution were minimal, they set a trend, enabling women to gain greater rights in the decades to come.

Conclusion

This paper set out to highlight the causes of the American Revolution and document some of the major changes in American society that this Revolutionary War led to. The paper began by noting that the Revolution is of great importance in the countrys history.

It then highlighted the various grievances advanced by the colonists against Great Britain. The paper has demonstrated how a large segment of the colonial population in the New World rose to throw off the yoke of British tyranny.

The Revolution led to the formation of a United States of America and the ratification of the Federal Constitution. The paper has shown how the American Revolution promoted egalitarian values and the attainment of rights for all members of the society.

References

Andrews, C.M. (1961). The Colonial Background of the American Revolution: Four Essays in American Colonial History. Boston: Yale University Press.

Armitage, D. (2007). The Declaration of Independence: A Global History. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

Gary, N. (2006). The American Revolution in Red and Black. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 86(3), 19-22.

McNeese, T. (2001). U.S. Constitution: American Experience. Boston: Lorenz Educational Press.

Morton, J.C. (2003). The American Revolution. NY: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Paige, N.B. (2009). For God, King, and Country: Loyalism on the Eastern Shore of Maryland during the American Revolution. International Social Science Review, 84(3), 135-156.

Swindler, W.F. (1981). Our First Constitution: The Articles of Confederation. ABA Journal, 67(1), 166-169.

Vile, J. (2005). The Constitutional Convention of 1787: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Americas Founding. NY: ABC-CLIO.

After the conclusion (end) of the Seven Years War in 1763, British, facing no immediate threat from the French turned her interest to the colonies (Pauline 16). British had accumulated enormous defence expenses during the wars and as such needed to collect revenue from the colonies in order to offset them (Pauline 43). As a consequence British administration started enforcing the Navigational Acts strictly. These Acts restricted colonial trade with other nations (Pauline 43). Strict application of these Acts was an attempt to control colonial legislatives.

Americans anger was aroused by the passing of the Sugar Act and subsequent Currency Act. The former sought to raise American money for the Crown through increased taxation of imported merchandise from non British colonies, while the latter forbade colonies from printing their own money (Pauline 67). This move was opposed by the colonies as they decried unanimously against taxation without representation. Protests followed as well as boycotts of British merchandises (Pauline 71). Americans were also angered by the passing of the Quartering Act in 1765 that required the colonies to provide lodging and supplies for British troops (Pauline 73). New York being the headquarters of British troops responded by dishonoring the Act, and a scuffle ensued injuring one colonist.

Whereas many events led to American Revolution, however the most crucial ones were the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party as well as The Stamp Act. As a result of the passing the Tea Act in 1773 British East India company was allowed to sell tea directly to the colonist, by passing the colonists middlemen (Pauline 97). This meant that the firm could undersell any other tea found in the colonies including smuggled tea (Ibid 97). Such acts rekindled colonial fury on the issue of taxation without representation.

There was clamour for removal of tax on tea by the colonists. Subsequently citizens of Boston would not allow for the unloading of British ships that had docked on the habour carrying tons of tea. On the other hand the governor of Massachusetts insisted on payment of duty (Pauline 99). This stalemate led to what was referred to as Boston Tea Party  an event in which groups of Bostonians under the directions of Samuel Adams and in disguise of Indians, boarded the vessels and unloaded the tea in Boston harbor (Pauline 105).

British responded by closing the port. These acts of the British coupled with the tea issue aroused the Bostons anger to repulse. American Revolution was also triggered by the Boston massacre (Pauline 114). This was a confrontation between British troops and Boston citizens in the Massachusetts Bay colony. British troops had been stationed in the city to counter demonstrations probable as against the Town sheds Acts. The Town sheds Acts required taxation of imports to the colonies. Due to harassment by the demonstrating citizens, British troops responded by firing into the crowd killing five of them (Pauline 117).

This incident fueled anti-British sentiment in the colonies. After the incident the sons of liberty were more and more agitated by the soldiers and they were not going to allow such instances any more (Pauline 117-118).

The colonies failure to be represented in the passing of the Stamps Act was also crucial in advancing the Revolution bell. This Act required tax stamp upon all legal documents, licences, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets and playing cards (Pauline 120). This Bill having been passed without debate and representation of the colonies aroused widespread opposition from the colonists.

In summary, whereas American Revolution was due to many events however the most crucial ones were the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party as well as the Stamp Act. The American Revolution crucially being the greatest movement in human history was responsible for the birth of federal government and an independent one indeed.

Work cited

Pauline Maier, From Resistance to Revolution: Colonial Radicals and the Development of American Opposition to Britain, 1765-1776 (1972).

The thirteen British North American colonies developed from two distinct English settlements in the early 17th century. The earliest settlement was in Jamestown, Virginia, created by a group of settlers who migrated from England searching for fortunes in 1607. On the contrary, the other settlement was in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Puritans who had escaped religious persecution in England settled there, intending to exercise freedom of worship. Ideally, the two settlements formed the basis of the significant social, political, and economic differences between the northern and southern colonies in British North America (British Reforms and Colonial Resistance, 1763-1766). Notably, various changes occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries, precisely the Great Awakening, Westward expansion, and consumerism that influenced American Revolution (Shi and Tindall 178). The thirteen colonies generally did not have good relationships but united against the British. There are three that support this position; the new understanding brought about by the Great Awakening, the fury against limitation for westward expansion, and the imposition of stricter control of trade and navigation regarding the emergence of consumer revolution ultimately led to American Revolution.

Firstly, the Great Awakening played a significant role in enlightening the colonists. Despite a considerable population of the colonists not professing any religion, the Great Awakening swept across entire North America, bringing notable changes to the perception of people regarding governance, human rights, and religious matters. Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield were highly influential preachers who taught religious doctrine with a touch of philosophical and psychological logic (Shi and Brown 154). As a result of the philosophical teaching, the colonists learned the idea of questioning authorities they perceived as incompetent or acting contrary to their expectations. Therefore, when the British government tried to impose harsh economic policies on the colonists, Americans quickly countered by protesting and boycotting since they were now aware of defending their rights. The Great Awakening triggered the understanding that all colonies shared the same identity and needed to stand collectively against any external oppression. Thus, the Great Awakening was not only a religious revival but a mental awakening that brought the thirteen colonies together against the British once they felt fed up with new regulations.

Secondly, the consumer revolution was another significant change that had far-reaching effects on American society. The Atlantic economy that rapidly developed in the 17th century allowed American colonies to access goods from different parts of the world, especially Europe (British Reforms and Colonial Resistance, 1763-1766). The buying habits of consumer goods among ordinary people rose, fueling the consumer revolution. As the consumer culture escalated, trade thrived, primarily in the New England colonies of Massachusetts and New York, where most people engaged in business instead of farming (Shi and Brown 132). Thus, the booming trade triggered the British government to consider imposing taxes to generate revenue. Since the strict regulations affected the entire region, the thirteen colonies collaborated against the British. The consumer revolution brought uniformity of culture across the states. Trade became the single most sought-after economic activity, which the majority of the colonists depended upon. Therefore, when the British imposed restrictions, all the colonists felt targeted and rose in unison to challenge the policies. The colonists felt that the British government was taking advantage of them by taxing them without representation. Hence, protests emerge, leading to physical fights and ultimately the Revolutionary War.

Thirdly, the westward expansion that had started by the French and Indian Wars commencement contributed to the American Revolution. The Proclamation of 1763 worsened the situation as the British failed to strike a balance on how to handle the colonists and Indian tribes (British Reforms and Colonial Resistance, 1763-1766). At first, the colonies engaged in different activities, but by the conclusion of the War, the colonists discovered a common identity in opposition to the British Empire (Rosenbloom 16). British fought the War to eliminate both the Spanish and French as rivals for dominating the North American territories. Although the British succeeded in defeating their enemies, the victory came with a devastating cost. First, Great Britain suffered huge loans with enormous interest per year. Second, the British had to keep a standing army in America to prevent attacks from the Native tribes and other external threats (British Reforms and Colonial Resistance, 1763-1766). Keeping the army meant the country had to spend more funds on weapons, food, and general supplies. The British parliament ruled that the cost of maintaining the army be transferred to the colonies, which elicited anger and discontentment across the thirteen colonies. The limitation of westward expansion angered the colonists as most of them saw the region as a land of opportunities. Thus, the changes influenced the thirteen colonies coming to fight against the British directly and indirectly.

In short, notable changes occurred between the 17th and 18th centuries, which led the colonies to collaborate during the American Revolution. Specifically, the events that influenced Americans the most were the Great Awakening, the consumer revolution, and the westward expansion. The Great Awakening, for instance, played a significant role in enlightening the colonists about their rights, freedoms, and the importance of questioning traditional authorities. Due to the philosophical and psychological rationale learned from the religious revival, the Americans were able to apply the concepts in challenging the British government when harsh economic laws were instituted. The colonists realized they had the responsibility and right to question the authorities concerning the harsh trade restrictions imposed on them. Forcing the colonist to pay the British standing army, limiting their expansion through the Proclamation of 1763, and imposing stricter control of trade infuriated the colonists, at the same time uniting them against the British. What infuriated the colonists more is the lack of representation in the parliament. The British did not allow them to elect representatives that would influence policymaking process in the British parliament on their behalf. Fortunately, the enlightenment from the Great Awakening had taught the colonists their vital role in checking the authorities. In the end, the thirteen colonies fought on the same side against the British government during the American Revolution.

Works Cited

British Reforms and Colonial Resistance, 1763-1766. Library of Congress. Web.

Rosenbloom, Joshua L. The Colonial American Economy. Iowa State University, 2018. Web.

Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A Narrative History. WW Norton & Company, 2016.

Weingast, Barry R. War, Trade, and Mercantilism: Reconciling Adam Smiths Three Theories of the British Empire. SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018.

Many historical figures are worthy of respect as heroes of the American Revolution. However, among all of them, I especially want to highlight two specific ones: George Washington and John Adams. Their demeanor and determination make me admire them and inspire me to adhere to their ideals as well. Together, these two figures formed the country in which they lived, having achieved independence. This is one of three critical achievements of the Patriots, along with a sense of unity and the creation of a single nation with equal rights for all citizens (HistoryUnshelved, 2014). However, it is also necessary to remember those groups of people whose contribution has been undeservedly forgotten.

For example, it must be remembered that African Americans made a massive contribution to the United States liberation by fighting alongside whites. Nevertheless, after only half a century, their sacrifice was forgotten, and they again became slaves of the system. On the other hand, it is necessary to remember the role of women in this war, who founded the group Daughters of Liberty between 1768 and 1769 with Massachusetts leaders. However, their role was forgotten by the emergence of heroes such as Washington and Adams, white men who reformed the country.

Reference

HistoryUnshelved (2014). The revolution: American crisis [Video]. YouTube.

Introduction

Every Fourth of July, all Americans celebrate the Declaration of independence. Marina in his article Only a third of Americans supported the American Revolution wonders what exactly is celebrated on this day, especially when one considers the fact that the US is usually involved in bringing democracy in the world. He argues that he does not really understand why a country such as the US pretends to be democratic in the world when the American Revolution, in itself, was not a democratic movement.

This article will help us understand the American Revolution and determine whether Americans have a reason to celebrate Independency Day every Fourth of July or not, whether all American supported the war, and whether the Revolution taints American image in its democratic interventions in the world.

The American Revolution

The American Revolution witnessed the first of many wars that ended European control of both South and North America. Many of us American celebrate the Independency Day believing that all Americans fought or supported the war to independence. This article shows that actually not every American supported the revolutionary war, or in other words, not all Americans sided with fellow Americans in the war. The author Marina shows that not all Americans favored the war.

This was mostly pronounced in areas occupied by mixed races and those that had not been affected by the war. Two specific regions stood out, these were the two loyal colonies to Britain, Quebec and Florida. Records show that there were fifteen British colonies in America, meaning that thirteen colonies didnt like the way the British was ruling with the exception of Florida and Quebec.

It is also shown that many Native Americans sided with the British because the colonial power promised to protect their land from the American settlers. One notable Native American who supported the British was Joseph Brant who worked with the British as their translator and fought alongside them in the war.^[1]

The author claimed that a letter written by John Adams during the war indicated that only a third of Americans supported the revolution, a third did not support it, and the other third were either neutral or indifferent to the revolution. The author further shows that the British also had the same view, a fact the compelled them to venture into the interior with the hope that they would find British loyalists there. They strongly believed that just a few rebellious Americans wanted independence from them.

This letter has been held to be true by many intellectuals in America for many years. However, Marina says that a close look at the letter shows that its writer was emphatic about the neutral part, which, he said were lukewarm to the French and the British. He therefore concludes that the Revolutionary war was not just a war for independence, but it also determined the type of nation that would be formed out of the war.^[2]

For us to understand better the American Revolution, Marina splits it into three phases. The first was the debate over the freedoms or liberties of Americans after the war. The second phase he called it the issue of independence and the ensuing war to win it. The last phase was the eventual formation of an American nation. This last phase was not achieved until after the civil war. He has also shown us that majority of the Americans were against the Stamp Act of 1765.

This Act led to the British occupation of Boston, an act that led to the 1770 Boston Massacre, the 1773 tea party and many opposition acts. For a while the British thought that end of protests meant victory on their part, but this was just the opposite because American militias were busy organizing themselves in the villages. They eventually waged war which ended British rule in America.^[3]

This author has tried to answer the question as to whether all Americans supported the revolutionary war by showing that only a third of Americans supported the war. He has not conclusively tackled this issue; instead he ends by promising that this will be the subject of another article. The question on whether Americans should celebrate Independence Day or not has not been answered. He also leaves us in suspense regarding Americas intervention in the democratic process in the world.

He only briefly mentions that Americas independence war was not democratic. He also alludes to it when he mentions that the British thought that the end of protests meant victory to them, just as what happened to America and the issue in the Middle East. Marina has only given us part of what happened, he has not resolved the issues he started with, in other words, he has just given open-ended answers that need more research to better understand what really occurred.^[4]

Conclusion

Although, this article does not answer all the questions, it has at least raised my curiosity about the American history, whether everyone supported it, whether we should celebrate Independence Day, and whether we should be the one advocating for democracy in the world. This gives me reason to read more for a better clarification of these issues.

Bibliography

History, Wiz. Native Americans and the American Revolution. History wiz, 2008. Web.

Marina, William. Only 1/3rd of Americans Supported the American Revolution? History News Network, 2004. Web.

Footnotes

1. History Wiz, Native Americans and the American Revolution. (History Wiz, 2008)
2. Marina William, Only 1/3rd of Americans Supported the American Revolution? (History News Network, 2004)
3. Marina William, Only 1/3rd of Americans Supported the American Revolution? (History News Network, 2004)
4. Marina William, Only 1/3rd of Americans Supported the American Revolution? (History News Network, 2004)

In 1775, the black Americans constituted of about 20 percent of the entire colonial population, yet only 5 percent of the African-Americans were engaged in the Continental Army¹. This presented worrying statistics on the American Revolution history. The black soldiers mainly originated from the Northern states, which constituted of many Freedmen.

Historical findings ascertain that these blacks from the Northern states were accorded some liberty for enlisting. During these times of the American Revolution, it was witnessed that some regiments were mainly composed of black men, but the officers in charge were the whites².

For example, this kind of arrangement was witnessed in Rhode Island, where most solders went to the battle fields and fought with conviction as well as valor. Indeed, Edward Hector was among these little known heroes of the American Revolution, who took part in the Battle of Brandywine. Edward Ned Hector was a black solder who came from Pennsylvania.

Hector was appointed to be a wagoneer under the leadership of Captain Courtney. The Captain was under Colonel Proctor who was manning the third Pennsylvanias Artillery Regiment³. Besides, it was witnessed that the unit positioned itself next to Chads Ford, and this could be somewhere on the ridge that was after John Chad House.

On September 11, Hessians as well as the British started overrunning the positions of the Americans, especially on the Eastern Brandywine. This event took place in the afternoon, and the Americans were ordered to abandon their horses, wagons, and guns in order to save their lives⁴.

Indeed, during this dreadful attack, Edward Hector strongly came out to protest against the threats of the enemy by arguing that he would save his team, horses and himself⁵. Hector made some remarkable achievements during this war when he ensured that all the abandoned arms were grabbed, thrown into his wagon, fended off the enemies, and escaped with his salvage wagon⁶.

In fact, this was one of his remarkable achievements because the salvaged items were critically required by the armys operation in the coming days. It can as well be argued that Hector regarded both the wagon and the team as his personal property, and losing them would mean the loss of his personal livelihood⁷.

Moreover, Ned Hectors activities during the Americas war with the British were very remarkable in the American political history since the white people had never heard of black heroes. Therefore, it is important to realize that the story behind Hectors heroism could break certain stereotypes, build bridges, and even create links among individuals⁸.

This story provokes historical scholars thinking that many people and individual groups are excluded from history, and are unrecognized as heroes and heroines for their remarkable achievements towards political freedom.

Indeed, these groups of unrecognized heroes and heroines have never been rewarded by the society for the good work they did⁹. This would provoke scholarly thinking on whether Hector was fully rewarded for his good service at the battle front¹⁰.

In sum, it should be realized that those who took part in the American Revolution were not fully rewarded, yet this was an important event that led to independence. It was revealed that the blacks were behind the Americans liberation from the British colonial rule, and this was witnessed with Ned Hectors brevity to salvage his army at the battle of Brandywine.

References

Bennett, Lerone. Before the Mayflower: A History of the Negro in America 1619- 1962. Chicago, IL: Johnson Publishing Co., 1962.

Ciment, James. Atlas of Africa-American History. New York, NY: Facts on File, c2001.

Gutman, George. The Black Family in Slavery and Freedom, 1750-1825. New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1976.

Hope, Franklin. From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Negro Americans. New York, NY: Knopf, 1967.

Reich, Steven. The Negro in the Civil War. Boston, MA: Little Brown Pub., c1953.

Schubert, Frank. On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier: Biographies of African American Soldiers in the US Army, 1866-1917.Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 1995.

Uarles, Benjamin. Afro-Americans in the Revolutionary War Era. The Journal of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, 7.1 (1986):3-11.

Weir, William. The Encyclopedia of African American Military History. New York, NY: Prometheus Books, 2004.

Westwood, Howard. Black Troops, White Commanders and Freedmen during the Civil War. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1992.

Wilson, Joseph. The Black Phalanx: A History of the Nero Soldiers of the United States in the War of 1775-1812, 1861-65. Hartford, CT: American Publishing Co., 1892.

Footnotes

¹ Bennett, Lerone. Before the Mayflower: A History of the Negro in America 1619-1962. Chicago, IL: Johnson Publishing Co., 1962.

² Wilson, Joseph. The Black Phalanx: A History of the Nero Soldiers of the United States in the War of 1775-1812, 1861-65. Hartford, CT: American Publishing Co., 1892.

³ Gutman, George. The Black Family in Slavery and Freedom, 1750-1825. New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1976.

⁴ Schubert, Frank. On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier: Biographies of African American Soldiers in the US Army, 1866-1917.Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 1995.

⁵ Hope, Franklin. From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Negro Americans. New York, NY: Knopf, 1967

⁶ Uarles, Benjamin. Afro-Americans in the Revolutionary War Era. The Journal of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, 7.1 (1986):3-11.

⁷ Westwood, Howard. Black Troops, White Commanders and Freedmen during the Civil War. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1992.

⁸ Reich, Steven. The Negro in the Civil War. Boston, MA: Little Brown Pub., c1953.

⁹ Weir, William. The Encyclopedia of African American Military History. New York, NY: Prometheus Books, 2004.

¹⁰ Ciment, James. Atlas of Africa-American History. New York, NY: Facts on File, c2001.

Though the Americans were not rebellious initially, there came a point when they were ready for war. They had played second fiddle for a bit too long and could not take it any more.

Slowly, the awakening call was being heeded. People were tired of the course things were taking. Time had come for the Americans to fight for their rights and equal treatment from the British. It should be noted that there are several factors that contributed to the revolution in which the Americans were successful.

To begin with, the Americans had been under the rule of the British for a very long time. During this duration, Americans were subjected to various forms of regulations some of which were against their will. As a result, the spirit of extrication was high in peoples minds.

Therefore, Americans wanted to be free from the restrictions that were imposed to them by the Britons. On the same note, the British concentrated on taxing various establishments and forgot to read the mood of the people. Meanwhile, the people were complaining about methods that were being used to rule them which they felt were not in the interest of the common Americans.

Similarly, the Britishs anti-smuggling policy came too late when the culture had taken roots. Consequently, people were not ready to leave the act which had come to be part of their daily activities. To the smugglers who were at the time powerful and influential, the anti-smuggling policy was a violation of their rights. The smugglers therefore organized people to resist the anti-smuggling policy.

In addition, the proclamation Act of 1763 restricted movement of the colonists across the Appalachian Mountains. Later, the restriction was extended to include areas up to Ohio River. This was received negatively by the Americans, especially those who wanted to possess more and more Indian land.

Moreover, there were Acts implemented by the British parliament that propagated the American Revolution. The Acts include, the Townshend Act, the Stamp Act and the Tea Act and the Boston Tea party.

Despite facing a lot of challenges, Americans emerged successful from the revolution. The Americans employed Guerilla skills in their attacks thus getting the British troops unaware. Similarly, American solders used different colored clothing which made it a bit difficult for the British to spot them.

On the other hand, the British army attacked in straight lines and wore red uniforms which were easily recognizable from far distances. Consequently, it was very easy for the continental Army to lay ambushes for British Armies. On the same note, the continental army highly benefited from the home advantage.

While the British troops had to travel over very long distances sometimes taking months, the American troops were composed of the locals who were readily available.

Furthermore, the locals understood well the battle ground while the British were new and had little knowledge of the place. Additionally, supplies and other requirements were easily available for the continental army which highly motivated them as opposed to the British army.

Another factor that highly boosted the Americans during the revolution was the support they received from the French. Though initially they had shown no intention of joining the Americans, the French troops joined towards the end of the war.

The French navy helped in detaining General Cornwallis thus further weakening the British. Other than France, extra countries for example, Spain also joined in the war thus ensuring that Americans were successful.

Introduction

The role of the American Revolution in history seems to be great indeed: in spite of the fact that some historians define it as a successful American attempt to reject the ideas set by the British government, this event has much more significant aspects and impacts on human lives.

By its nature, a revolution is an effort to change something in order to improve the conditions under which people have to live; it is a change from one constitution to another; it is a beginning of the way that should considerably improve everything. In fact, such definitions are close to those offered by Gordon Wood and Howard Zinn.

These writers made effective attempts to define the nature of the American Revolution as well as to help the reader build a personal opinion.

The nature of the American Revolution is considered to be better understandable relying on the ideas offered by Wood because one of the main purposes which should be achieved are connected with an idea of radical ideological change so strongly supported by Wood:

The Americans did not want to follow the rules dictated by the British people but to create their own constitution and live in accordance with their own demands; and Zinns approach based on the material needs is poorer as the results of the American Revolution did not prevent the development of poverty but spread it on the American citizens only regarding British interruptions.

Body

To understand whether the American Revolution was really revolutionary, it is necessary to comprehend the essence of each word in this phrase. The idea of revolution is certainly based on some changes to be achieved. The main goal of the Americans was to gain independence from the British Empire and to become a powerful country in the world.

The results of this revolution were all about American independence and the improvements of living conditions for American people, in other words, it was obligatory to decrease the poverty rates. However, the methods and purposes set during the revolution deserve more attention to be paid. There was a necessity to compare the American and British styles of life (Wood).

Americans were eager to defend their rights as well as to prove their liberty out of the British Empire. What they achieved was the possibilities to develop manufacturing, to establish their own government, to expand any kind of religion, and to vote relying on their own interests.

Wood and Zinn evaluate these achievements from different perspectives: Woods ideas seem to be more radical, and Zinns ideas are regarded as conservative ones to protect wealth of the country.

As it has been mentioned above, Woods approach is based on the radical ideas according to which a revolution presupposes an idea of an ideological shift under which human rights may be recovered and salvation of liberty will be achieved.

He tries to explain that changes which have been achieved influenced considerably the relations between Americans as well as between family members and even between the governmental representatives (Wood).

Zinn, in his turn, focuses on the material backgrounds which are inherent to people: as there is a considerable extent of rich and poor people, supporters of the revolution should get the right to have the same opportunities and develop their knowledge.

The main achievements of Americans were based on the creation of the Constitution under the conditions of which people should be divided again into the representative of the elite and those members of the middle class. The point is that Zinn is more attentive to the examples from the history to support his position. However, the simple facts used are not as possible as the sophisticated arguments offered by Wood.

The language of the American Revolution is based on rebellions, burdens, and attacks which made people be united for some period of time only in order to win the enemy (Zinn). This is why it was more important to concentrate on the moral or even ideological dimension that should lead to the required political separation (Wood).

So, the evaluation of the American Revolution and the attention to the approaches offered by Wood and Zinn help to comprehend a true essence of the event under analysis. Woods approach concerning the ideological shift of the conditions defines a revolutionary nature of the events which took place at the end of the 18^th century. Americans were in need of being separated from the tyranny of the British Empire.

Their main purpose was all about separation and independence, and the elimination of poverty among people should be considered as an additional outcome. Woods definition of the revolution seems to be correct; however, at the same time, it is wrong to say that Zinns attempt was not correct, it is better to admit that his idea was not as powerful and persuasive as the one of Wood is.

Conclusion

In general, the success of Woods argumentation of the American Revolution and its nature helps to understand that this event played a very important role in the American history. People should realize that during that period of time, Americans made one of the most powerful and influential attempts to prove their dignity, their rights, and possibilities.

It was possible to achieve the desirable success only by means of the ideological shift described by Wood, and Zinns ideas are focused on the consequences which may be observed after the revolution was over.

Still, the American Revolution changed American society considerably and make Americans more confident in personal powers and abilities to change ideologies and follow their own interests to become one of the largest and the richest countries in the whole world.

Works Cited

Wood, Gordon. The American Revolution: A History. New York: Modern Library, Random House Publishing Group, 2002. Print.

Zinn, Howard. Tyranny is Tyranny. In A Peoples History of the United States. History Is a Weapon. n.d. Web.

The American Revolution was a world war against one of the worlds most powerful empires, Great Britain, and a civil war between the American Patriots and the pro-British Loyalists. The conflict and the subsequent Treaty of Paris had a series of profound outcomes that impacted the new nation, its adversary, and the European allies. The domestic effects of the Revolution included territorial gains, the division of the society, and long-term economic consequences, while the worldwide effects were predominantly political.

The main domestic effects of the American Revolution were the acquisition of new territories and the division of society. The Revolution considerably extended the boundaries of the new country, which doubled its territory with 900,000 square miles of land in total (Shi and Tindall 246). A large part of the land belonged to the trans-Appalachia region inhabited by Native Americans (Shi and Tindall 246). The American colonists promised Indians to respect their land but eventually displaced them from their western settlements, causing hostility toward the government. It is worth mentioning that the Revolution was not only a rebellion against British rule but also a civil war between the colonists. After the conflict was over, people supporting the Loyalists were forced to either surrender to the Patriots or leave their properties and flee with the British troops. The Patriots established the new government, and the states began drafting their own constitutions as opposed to the unwritten legislation of Great Britain.

Despite favorable outcomes and territorial gains, the Revolution had a devastating impact on the new nations economy. Farmers were recruited into the Continental Army, and the absence of workers hurt the American economy primarily based on agriculture (Shi and Tindall 229). In an attempt to restore international trade, the ports were open to foreign ships after the British trade regulations were canceled during the Continental Congress of 1776 (Shi and Tindall 223). However, the British Navy eventually destroyed the American merchant ships and disrupted the U.S. export and the import of affordable European goods into the country.

The American Revolution produced several profound political effects experienced worldwide. A global fight against the British influence encouraged the formation of military alliances between the Patriots and the European countries, including France, Spain, and the Netherlands (Shi and Tindall 215). The allies provided the American colonists with food, supplies, and troops to help them defeat their common enemy, Great Britain. The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, officially secured the independence of the former British colonies and announced the emergence of the new nation, the United States of America (Shi and Tindall 246). The treaty also established peace between Great Britain and the European allies. Overall, the Revolution had a worldwide significance because it changed the global political landscape, challenged imperialism, and exposed the limitations of the British influence in the world.

In conclusion, the American Revolution was a major event that impacted the United States and the European countries. The territorial gains extended the U.S. boundaries but resulted in the hostility of Indians, while the civil war between the Loyalists and the Patriots further divided the society. Additionally, farm workforce shortages and trade restrictions imposed by Great Britain disrupted the American agriculture-based economy. Finally, the Revolution had worldwide importance due to its effects on the political landscape, undermining the global influence of the British Empire.

Work Cited

Shi, David Emory, and George Brown Tindall. America: A Narrative History. 10th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2016.

Introduction

The American Revolution started in the early eighteenth century, particularly as a fight for the American peoples rights but eventually ended up as a battle for Independence from their colonial masters, Great Britain. All the American colonies united together to defend their land as well as their freedom from their colonial masters, who were highly oppressive.

Grievances

The Indies (American colonies) were complaining about hard times, were taxed heavily, and their families were chargeable (Benjamin, 1758, pg 454). Jefferson (1730, pg. 654) claimed that taxes were imposed without the prior consent of the inhabitants of the colonies and deprivation of fair justice in trials. The British offended the sacred right of life as well as liberty through slavery and execrable commerce. Americans were also protesting against the British for using their powers in granting the chief magistrate permission to foreign mercenaries to invade their territory and damage them.

The American property was all possessed, confiscated and forfeiture by the British (Jefferson, 1730, pg.655), and the locals had lost their trust with the British power which had induced sorrow, starvation and turned them into beggars (Paine, 1776, pg. 635).

Paine noted that reconciliation was now out of hand, and their connections with the British had been deserted by nature. He asserted that it was almost impossible for reconciliation to take root where wounds of hatred had deeply pierced. Great Britain alienated the Americans from other European countries with whom they had no conflicts, and would be viable associates in commerce. According to Paine (1776, pg. 364), the crying voice of nature was calling for separation Tis time to part.

The white men were sometimes abusive to the extend of calling the natives Indian dogs if they ventured into Whitemans house and asked for a drink while having no money. The natives ideas were to demolish and get rid of this great empire, starting from the remotest province. Natives in the remote provinces were denied the right to enjoy similar common rights with the rest of the country, commercial privileges in addition to being governed by laws that were severer than the rest of the country. People in the colonies were enslaved in tyranny of churches as well as monarchies, and Benjamin, (1758, pg. 450) believed that with proper undertaking of education, the colonies would arise to their freedom and Independence.

The English parliament was the one responsible for making all laws to govern the colonies. The colonies themselves had no freedom to govern their affairs independently. The colonies choice for Benjamin to be a representative in the Second Continental Congress ignited their quest for Independence, especially when the Declaration for Independence was drafted in 1775. (Benjamin, 1758, pg 451). They felt that it was the right time to renounce the unfeeling brethren the British (Jefferson, 1730, pg. 656)

The ideological climate in the American colonies

The ideological ambiance among the American colonies was to free themselves from their administrators great empire, which was characterized by vices such as rudeness, extortion in terms of taxes, and an empire of impolite people. Their master (Great Britain), coupled with their own parliament, were grievously oppressing the people in the American land (Paine, 1776, pg 631). The Americans were determined to use the sword to declare war against the violators of natural rights entitled to all humankind. Even though there were assertations that America had flourished while under her master the Great Britain, many natives discarded the assertations as fallacious. Many maintained that America would have flourished more if no European power interjected her (Paine, 1776, pg.632).

The Americans were realizing that the Great Britain had its private selfish motives and interest behind offering the Americans protection. In fact the masters protected their own interests in the American land from enemies. The Americans were awakening from their blindly submission to the masters leadership marred in prejudice. American colonies wanted to protect their trade from invaders as well as securing friendship and peace attachments with the rest of Europe through commerce. Paine (1776, pg 634) challenged any single advantage the American colonies derived from their connection with the Great Britain. The injuries and disadvantages they sustained from their relationship with the British were many, and time had come for the alliance to be renounced.

The colonial empire was perceived to be in contrast with the Native Americans natural and honorable undertakings. The masters never valued the natives industrious and laborious way of life, and in contrast, they regarded it as useless and frivolous.

According to Jefferson (1730, pg.651), the drafting of the Declaration for Independence and the preparation of the confederation of the colonies plan were the main catalysts for staging revolution against the oppressive tyranny of the British. Jefferson maintained that people had the right to alter or abolish a government which is proving to be destructive and violating peoples rights to life, liberty, happiness, among other rights. The suffering exposed to the colonies constrained them to oust their masters governance.

The American representative who had assembled in a general congress declared that their states had renounced their relations with Great Britain and that they had dissolved all connections with the parliament of Great Britain. Finally they asserted and declared freedom and Independence of their states. They declared that they now had the power to wage war and do anything as independent states (Jefferson, 1730, pg. 656-657).

Conclusion

The quest for freedom of the Americans was the major grievance they had against the Great Britain. The declaration of Independence ignited the American revolutionary wars against their colonial masters, which culminated to full Independence of the American states.

Works cited

Benjamin, F. The Way to Wealth, pp. 449  451; Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America, pp. 468  472. Own publication and print, 1758.

Jefferson, T. From The Autobiography, pp. 649  657. Philadelphia, 1730.

Paine, T. Common Sense, pp. 630  637. Philadelphia: W. and T. Bradford, 1776.