The American Revolution : A Modern And Democratic Revolution

Between 1770 and 1776, resistance to imperial change turned into a full-on revolution. The American Revolution, also known as the Revolutionary War, was a time of revolting and political uprising, in which the 13 colonies separated from the British Empire, forming the independent nation known as the United States of America. Though the American Revolution began because the colonies wanted independence from Britain, many important historical events and revolts also lead to the tensions and resistance to what resulted in freedom and independence for the colonies from British rule. Events such as the Stamp and Sugar Acts, the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts, and the Continental Congress led to expanding tensions and soon to the outbreak of the American Revolution.

The American Revolution was seen by many as a win for enlightenment ideas. The American colonies wanted a republic government and not a monarchy like many European countries. Lynn Hunt writes in The Making of the West, “…they denied that Parliament had any jurisdiction over the colonies, insisting that the king govern them through colonial legislatures and recognize their traditional British liberties” (Hunt, 589). The colonies did not have representation in parliament. This caused them to rebel against many of the taxes that were issued. They felt that if they could not vote then they should not have to follow the laws. Eventually fighting began and the Declaration of Independence was issued.

The Road to the Revolution was the product of 40 years of abuses by the British authorities that many colonists regarded as a threat to their liberty and property. The Revolution resulted from the way the colonist interpreted events. “You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you make good use of it” that quote was from John Adams.“Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war, let it begin here’’ - Captain John Parker, 1175. Captain John Parker was an American colonial farmer, mechanic, soldier, and colonial militia, he faced British troops on Legington common; he was in the revolutionary war he died in Bunker Hill because, what is called Tuberculosis.

Political tyranny was the driving force to the start of the American Revolution. In one sense, the tightened control over the American colonies, through the use of numerous laws and decrees, was seen as an outrage by the American public because they were accustomed to salutary neglect and because they were not represented in Parliament. Also, the Boston Massacre and its reverberating effects were other driving forces due to alleged bias and the lack of justice. Lastly, Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, riled up the public into to turning against the king and turning to democratic view of government. All in all, the tightened control of the colonies, the Boston Massacre, and Common Sense added fuel to the fire and jumpstarted the Revolution.

After the seven year war with France, The British was low on money and needed to gain money fast. King George III decided that he should tax the colonist living in America to be able to regain some money he had lost. He put taxes on tea and paper and immediately people were outraged with Britain because they justed these taxes as unfair and wanted a say in it. At that point the colonist formed the continental congress to discuss whether to negotiate with the British or depart from then, In the end the colonist started a revolution. John Locke was an english philosopher who once said that the government is supposed to serve the people, but when the government fails, the people have a right to claim and change the government for the better.

The American Revolution caused an immense separation of the rich and poor. Taxes increased tremendously because they needed to find a way to pay for the war. They thought what better way to gain money then to tax the uneducated which meant the poor. The poor people felt the revolutionary

Delegates from 12 American colonies gather at the Second Continental Congress to discuss America’s future. The year is 1775, 12 years after the end of the French and Indian War England fought to protect the colonies. This war gave Britain significant debt that the king felt the colonists owed them. The French and Indian War caused England to end their period of salutary neglect by imposing many new taxes on America, provoking the colonists to protest. These protests increased tensions and animosities until April 1775, when the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord. This divided the colonies into two sides: the Loyalists, those who remained loyal to Britain and its government; and the

war, it is a sign of radical action. Britains' army was four times as big

The people were finally being valued and everyone was given a chance to work towards improving the things taking place around them. While it is very debatable, the actions that were taken and how individuals started to think on their own cause the Revolution to be a special and more defining type of radical. There has never been a revolution that has been born out of ideas alone and this time, it was at least the beginning of seeing change. Starting with the Tories and Whigs reformation, carrying out through the war and even the justice and social systems, the radicalism started growing and spreading. There was still a long way to go and a huge separation between conservative and liberal views, but it was a revolution for the people. It was special for the 18th century and was able to be carried out due to the segregation of beliefs, the magnum opus, and the acts of the

The American Revolution modeled the path taken by a social and economic movement in many more aspects than that of a political and intellectual movement. Even though political reasons existed for the cause the Revolution, the revolution should be considered an economic movement based on the idea of “no taxation without representation.” The colonists believed that the British rule in the colonies was extremely unfair, but these intellectual causes are greatly outnumbered by economic causes such as taxes and trade.

The American Revolution started when Britain started to tax the colonists without their consent. The stamp acts started a chain reaction of discontent. The colonists realized they were being treated unfairly and unequal to the citizens in Britain. Around this time when the Americans were facing discontent, many Enlightenment ideas were spreading. The colonists took many ideas like John Locke’s into mind when they planned their revolts. They were fighting for natural rights of

The American Revolution, perhaps the most significant event in the history of the United States, was indeed radical enough to be considered a true revolution. One historian stated that, “The founding generation articulated enduring political questions and provided the structures by which we still conduct our political lives” (Kerber 25) to emphasize the enormous impact that the revolutionaries had on contemporary American society. These questions and structures however do not only pertain to America’s political system and ideals; they also greatly changed American social standards and practices throughout the years directly preceding and following the revolution.

The American Revolution set the ground work for a major change in the New England colonies. It was a time of significant governmental changes on political and social levels, and a growing ideology on the obedience of a women and the dissolution of slavery.

In regards to the American Revolution, the point that armed rebellion became inevitable arrived when after nearly five constant years of American colonist protesting. American 's had enough and needed to take a stand for the numerous inequalities they were forced to deal with. It was foreseeable that the American Revolution took place due to the unfair taxes that the British were giving Americans. Also, England was not allowing Americans their freedom, along with violence and the political dominance by the Parliament over the colonies by announcing the Stamp Act in 1765, which happened to nearly affect all Americans tremendously.

“The revolution was effected before the war commenced. The revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people.” - John Adams, 1818