Although Zinn argues that the conflicts caused by the differentiating social classes in order to dissolve the class divisions was the main cause of the American Revolution, the “other side of the story” is told by Schweikart and Allen, as they reason that it was actually the British who unknowingly burdened the colonies with oppression, which brought about the revolution itself. In Zinn’s fourth chapter of A People’s History of the United States, Tyranny is Tranny; he focuses more on the class differences in society that triggers the opposition against England, rather than the effects of British oppression. He states that the “American leadership was less in need of English rule, and the English more in need of the colonists’ wealth” (Zinn 60). With this said, the colonists then focused more on the pursuit of exploitation and profit, which would definitely spark rebellions of the poor against the rich especially because the poor had been overwhelmed by British taxes and the fact that only a small percentage of the wealthy controlled a huge majority of the city’s taxable assets. For this reason, the poor developed a hatred for the upper class that would
The book begins in Britain where the King and Parliament are expressing their concerns on engaging in a war with their colonies. “America must be made to obey.” America was in open revolt, they declared, and they denounced as traitors those who labored to agitate the people in America. There was a conspiracy going on. All the time they had been professing loyalty to the parent state, they were preparing for rebellion. Opposing ideas were being expressed in the parliament in England, some supporting others against the war.
THE AMERICAN AND FRENCH REVOLUTION The revolution between the French and Americans were being forced by liberty and equality. Both wanting to obtain freedom by the high ranking monarchs. Differences were mainly visible between these two revolutions, such as the Americans wanting to get some sort of freedom from the taxes and laws that were forced buy Great Britain. Great Britain was a strong and powerful “group”. Whereas the French wanted a revolution to be freed from the monarchs that were implementing things in France.
Egyptian Revolution The relevance of a revolution in a far place like Egypt may be questioned by some, however, for those who aware of the American government involvement in that country stability it is clear that what has just transpired is indeed a historical event. As the revolution in the United States has shaped the lives of Americans, hopefully the Egyptians can use that example of a functional democracy as a model for themselves. Many people saw television news networks that masses of Egyptian people crowded the streets of their country to show their discontent about their right to basic human rights and freedom. These demonstrations were cause by a society that was politically oppressed by a military dictatorship for almost 30 years. According to historian Noam Chomsky, Hosni Mubarak
Tensions began to grow rapidly and the American colonies were becoming more opposed to the British and their King. Britain and the colonies slowly become more and more divided in the way they think and act, as shown when the British imperial polices were soon being established and enforced against the colonies will. Intensified resistance to the British rule made the colonies have more and more resentment with a want of independence to be separated from England. Although British made these imperial polices between 1763 and 1776 while the American colonies and Britain were ideally Father and Son nations, they had overstepped their boundaries as the father country and became monarchy based as they created new laws and enforced taxes and made
The whole point of America becoming its own sovereign country was Britain’s overbearing control on the colonies. Many early Americans had concerns and feared a government in which, by design, could become too strong. Consequentially, the Democratic – Republican party (later known to historians simply as the Republican Party) was formed with ideas of smaller government and thusly, less control. A semblance of the rivalry between the parties in the United States could be seen in the French Revolution. The Republicans supported the popular forces in the French Revolt and wanted America to assist.
We as citizens have the right to live life in freedom without undue harm and to pursue our dreams and goals. Jefferson believes the government needs to respect our opinion by not putting it aside and to just listen to the citizens. The citizens have the right to set up a new government so the citizens have a better political life. To achieve the happiness we desire, the need for possession would be required. Jefferson says, “We hold these truths to be self-evidence, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (Jefferson, 80).
America’s decision to declare independence form Great Britain was both due the change of economic policies and to the development of refining life and liberty. After driving the French out, with help from the Indians and British troops, colonist began to quarrel with Parliament’s insistence of testing the limits of their power in North America. Their control was made difficult when residents decided to smuggle and boycott goods. Eventually, the colonies resistance and loss of patience would lead them directly to independence. The Proclamation of 1763 was the first to anger the colonist.
On January 10,1776, Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense’’ is published in Philadephia. This 50 page pamphlet is highly critical of King George III and it attacks allegiance to Monarchy in principle while it provided strong documents for American independence. “We have it in our power to begin the world anew.. American shall make a stand, not for herself alone, but for the world,” Paine states and due to continuing actions of the Parliament, many who disliked it, such a Thomas Paine, had been tired of it. Members of the Philadelphia Congress, instructed by their respective colonies, gradually edged toward a clean break; on June 7, 1776, fiery Richard Henry Lee of Virginia moved that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states…” after considerable debate, the motion was adopted nearly a month later, on July 2, 1776. The passing of Lee’s resolution was the formal “declaration” of independence by the American colonies and technically this was all that was needed to cut the British tie.
The Glorious Revolution was the dethroning of the unpopular Catholic James II and enthroning Protestant rulers William III and Mary. When the people of New England heard of this, they rose against their royal leaders and tried to get a sense of equality in their colonies. 29. The result of the rebellion in New England was upsetting in that royal governors did eventually restore semblance and order lead by the mother country. There was even more administrative control in the colonies due to Charles II's appointed English officials which hired their friends of whom knew little and did not care about American affairs.