The major areas of disagreement between the American colonists and the British policymakers that developed during the period 1763 to 1776. Great Britain’s victory in the French and Indian War gained new territory west of the Appalachian Mountains for the Empire but at the same time added great debt to the Empire. Great Britain looked for revenue from the American colonists as part of the solution to their growing debt issues. Great Britain’s attempts to gain tax revenue from the American colonists increased tensions between the colonies and Great Britain. From 1763 to 1776, Great Britain formed a series of Acts and was met with considerable resistance by the American colonists.
Duggan 1 Paul Duggan APUSH-3 10-20-10 American Revolution DBQ During the period from 1775 to 1800, American’s views toward Britain began to change. British policies between 1763 and 1776 intensified the colonial’s resistance to Britain and commitment to their new Enlightenment ideals. The policies involved many taxes which the colonists’ resisted due to their belief that such taxes without representation abused their rights. Americans began to look for political, economic, and social freedoms that Britain continued to deny them. They felt that the king was abusing his power as a monarch and therefore their rebellion was for a just cause of declaring the independence they wanted.
The Revolutionary War was a colonial fight for independence from Britain. In 1775 the battle of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of a brutal six year war for independence. Both the Americans and the British had advantages and disadvantages, which could be put into the categories of: economics, leadership and support, and experience. Economics was a major advantage to the power of Britain but sometimes hindered the American’s chances of winning this War. The British government had a vast empire across the world, it was once said that, “the sun never sets on this British Empire”.
Likewise, England also tightened its control on the colonies’ economy. Beginning around early 1700s, England embraced an economic theory known as mercantilism, a policy in which the colonies served to benefit the British empire. Although there were already some limitations, such as the Navigation Laws and Molasses Act, placed on the colonies before 1763, they were only loosely enforced during this period of salutary neglect. However, this soon came to an end with the British victory in the French and Indian War as Britain concluded that the colonies should aid in paying off the empire’s debt for half of it incurred from defending the colonists. Consequently, England began imposing taxes in the colonies.
Once the Americans got rid of the British, they could move forward and give people their rights. This would not have been possible without the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence, also Document H, let Britain know that the Americans were serious about their independence and this led to their eventual victory over Britain. After the war ended they had to set up a new government system, so they wrote the Articles of Confederation, Document I. All the Articles of Confederation did was set up a system to fail
The colonies had thought they won the freedom to expand their colonies further west. As a result of the French and Indian War; the political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and its American colonies changed. After 1763 England had officially gained control of over half of North America (DOC A). This meant that because England had a half a nation to govern, they must change and establish laws to control this empire. As a result of Pontiac’s rebellion, England had established the Proclamation of 1763.
America was able to create its own governmental structure, and progress towards democracy was made. The Virginia House of Burgesses, created in 1609, was the first legislative assembly held by elected representatives in North America. It was created by the Virginia Company, to make the colonists conditions more agreeable. Other acts were also signed in other colonies that contributed to the new self-government, such as the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. Although the British believed in Mercantilism, America began trading with other countries during this period.
The main concept for the Article of Confederation came from the England because at that time British excessive pride was strong and powerful colonies and the same concept came for the central government system. Therefore their disappointment helps to implement a young government with strong centralized power. Congress believes this would make the new revolution among the Hobbesan government. Even though the fear of oppression was in their minds, most of the Congress members, inspired by the fact of the British inefficient and worthless government system. Congress men always think twice about the fact of losses of their States and their Civilians.
Socially they developed an identity by uniting because of hardships of British taxation, and regulation. Constitutionally they developed identity through coming together by drawing out freedoms, in which Britain did not allow, creating a sense of being their own nation. Thus, throughout the revolution colonists created a sense of identity as Americans through conventions like the Albany Conference, unity because of British oppression, and creating freedoms which physically set them apart from Britain. Politically the colonies developed identity by unifying through conferences like the Albany conference. The Albany conference of 1754 which adopted Ben Franklin’s plan of union, which proposed that Indian affairs, Western settlement, and other items of mutual interest be placed under the authority of one general government.
DBQ: Identity and Unity of the Colonists The American colonist had an exceptionally developed interpretation of their identity and alliance as a whole by the close of the revolution; nevertheless it still took a longer duration of time to acquire the colonial unification as a whole than rather a distinguished identity. The colonies distributed envy towards each other causing a slow procession in unity. The tyranny brought upon the colonist by King Philip gave the enlightened ideas that commenced into the fight for their freedom from Great Britain. The French and Indian War was one of the first steps in stimulating unity. The Americans fought under British’s flag giving them victory towards the France.