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The American Revolution, also known as the United States War of Independence, was an uprising by which 13 of Britains colonies gained political independence. By the middle of the 18 th century, differences in life, thought, and economic interests began to grow between the colonies and Britain, the mother country. The French and Indian war caused considerable war debts in Britain, and as a means of generating revenue, Britain implemented taxes within the colonies. The colonists felt that these taxes were unfair.
Although the colonies were still technically a part of the British nation, the views and opinions they expressed to the Parliament were ignored. This lack of representation and respect further developed the colonists feelings of isolation and separation from Britain. Having an almost completely self-governed society, they resented the restrictions placed on them in the form of taxes and trade restrictions, and so began their political rebellion. Thus, the American Revolution began as an economic conflict, but soon developed into a passionate dispute over personal rights and political liberty. One of the first of many seeds of the American Revolution was the Stamp Act. This act forced the colonists to purchase and use specially stamped paper for all official documents, deeds, mortgages, newspapers, and pamphlets.
Passed in 1765, the Stamp Act was designed to raise revenue in order to pay for not only the over 140 million pounds of war debts left over from the French and Indian War, but also for a share of the cost of maintaining a permanent force of 10, 000 British troops to prevent conflict between the colonists and the Native Americans. Also in 1965, the British passed the Quartering Act, which forced colonists to provide stationed British soldiers with quarters, food, and transportation. These acts caused almost total undisputed opposition among the colonists, who believed them to be a violation of their rights. The colonists also believed the Stamp Act was a violation of the right of English subjects not to be taxed without representation. One month before the Stamp Act was to go into effect, riots organized by the Sons of Liberty broke out and prevented British-appointed stamp vendors from assuming their posts. The Stamp act continued without success for one year, proving to do nothing but encourage illegal smuggling within the colonies, bringing trade between Britain and the colonies to a standstill.
In March of 1766, British parliament repealed the act due to the demands of economically depressed British merchants, not the colonists objections to taxation. This repeal, however, left Britains financial problems unresolved. In order to resolve their financial problems, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, which imposed taxes on lead, glass, tea, paint, and paper that was imported from Britain. Passed in 1767, these taxes were based on urgings from Charles Townshend. Once more the colonists protested strenuously. The Sons of Liberty formed violent protests against customs officials, merchants agreed to not import British products, and the Daughters of Liberty endorsed non-consuming of products that were taxed under the Townshend Acts.
On top of all this, the Massachusetts legislature also sent the other colonies a circular letter condemning the Townshend Acts and encouraging a combined American resistance. The other colonies at first were hesitant to sign the circular letter, however, did so after the British attempted to interfere with the colonial legislature. As the colonists continued to rebel, Britain struggled to regain political and economic power. Writs of Assistance, search warrants in essence, were created to allow British Customs Commissioners to search any building, at any given time. People caught smuggling were tried in Admiralty courts which had been established at Halifax, Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston. These courts could sit without juries drawn from the population; therefore, the colonists found it difficult to avoid the conclusion that they had been set up.
Additional British troops, or Standing Armies, were stationed on the streets of the colonies, inhibiting the colonists sense of peace and privacy. Colonial resistance to British rule grew, leading to such events as the famous Boston Massacre in 1770, when a riot broke out between British troops and Boston civilians. The soldiers fired, killing five people. Unfortunately for Britain, this incident made the colonists resent them even further. Another such event of rebellion was the Boston Tea Party, which occurred when a group of citizens, disguised as Native Americans, flocked over British ships in the harbor and dumped the tea cargoes into the water.
This uprising was a result of the colonists being discontent about the Tea Act, which was passed in 1773, which allowed the colonists to purchase tea only from the East India company. Shortly after this event, in 1774, the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, were passed. Under these acts, the Boston port would close for trade until the citizens compensated for the destroyed tea. The colonists did not like this and refused to pay. They had lost all respect for British rule, and were ready to fight for their rights and independence.
The American Revolution was caused by a series of factors, one leading to another. The conflict began with the British taxation of the colonies to raise money for debts left over from the French and Indian War. This led to an economic breakdown as the colonists refused to restrict trade or pay taxes, and smuggling ran rampant. The many controversial acts that followed met great colonial opposition, but not only because of their economic effects on the colonies.
Intertwined with what seemed to be solely economical intents of these acts were issues of power, politics, and democratic rights. The colonists were not rebelling and speaking out against the British government because of the money involved, but because their rights were being violated. They were forced to live their life how Britain wanted them to live it, for the prosperity of the mother country. As Britain placed more restrictions and regulations on the colonies, the colonists responded with violent and passionate opposition. The colonies no longer possessed the personal rights or liberty that they felt they were entitled to, and they were willing to fight at all costs to obtain the freedom they desired.
Neither war nor complete independence was the original intent of the colonists, but because of their strong desire for liberty, freedom from Britain became the goal.
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Research essay sample on French And Indian War Sons Of Liberty
