It could be argued that there are multiple factors that could be argued to be the primary cause of the American Revolution. These factors include social, economic, and political causes, all of which branch out into far more intricate categories. However, a major precursor of the revolution was the tyrannical control with which Britain treated the Americans as an inferior people, mainly through absurd taxes. The colonists began to see the economic restraints that Britain’s laws placed on their lives. Americans grew to believe that the many taxes were levied for the enhancement of British capital at the expense of American welfare.
Seldom can it be said that complex historical events have simple causes. This is certainly true with the American Revolution. However an exploration of the events prior to the Revolution reveal that the Stamp Act of 1765, Boston Massacre, and the Boston Tea Party were the most important causes of the revolution. The Stamp Act of 1765 was a law that was put on legal documents such as newspapers, pamphlets, court documents, licenses, wills and ships cargo lists and it required an affixed at stamp as proof that tax has been paid. The stamp act was plainly ad simply to raise money, the act extended to the colonies the system of stamp duties then employed in Great Britain and was intended to raise money to lower the cost of maintaining the military defenses of the colonies.
The conflicts over trade, taxes, and government representation brought about the revolution that began shaping the United States as it is today. Although there were many economic influences on the American Revolution, these were not the primary causes of it. The colonists believed that the king of England, King George III at the time, was too controlling over the colonies, with tyrannical attitude and laws. This is shown in the Declaration of Independence, declaring the United States free from "absolute Tyranny over the States." To add to this conflict, British forces were attempting to intimidate the colonists into just plainly giving up.
Britain kept taxing anything it could think of, in order to keep a tighter grip on the colonies. Thomas Paine knew this was the perfect time to open the eyes of the colonists to the tyrannical behavior of Britain. That it was common sense to separate from your king when he is not doing its job, which is to protect and serve the people for the well being of the people, not for the selfish interests of the king. Thomas Paine did not only help start the revolution but he also helped in making sure independence from Britain was accomplished. A midst the revolution, his second work "American Crisis", overall intention was to persuade not just the soldiers but the common public as well.
Throughout a long period of time, the values instilled have formed a crucial part of America’s development and it’s relative to people of all walks of life. Without the enlightenment period, the central ideas and values in general helped to shape the country from the formative years (Ellis, 1976). During and after the American Revolution, most of the core ideas became vital in the progress of American governance. For instance, the constitution and the declaration of independence. Concepts such as the natural rights, freedom from oppression, and revitalized ways of thinking about the government and its structure came from the enlightenment period.
Restrictions on what colonist manufactured angered the merchants because they were not allowed to produce certain items in the colonies, just as they were prohibited from distributing paper currency, and the ability of having any legislation passed in the assemblies nullified. These laws made smuggling an honest profession and more common, and encouraged the idea of independence because colonists believed trade could be regulated by the states instead of a central government. The back-to- back laws of the Sugar Act (1764), Quartering Act (1765), and The Stamp Tax (1765) worked to exacerbate the colonists. The Sugar act raised tax revenue on foreign sugar, specifically from the
As slave-owning and slave trading were accepted routines of colonial life, slavery would play a central part in the language of the revolution. The perseverance of the legalized institution of slavery until 1865 is unquestionably the most controversial aspect of all American history. The hypocrisy of the new republic dominated the spotlight of the global stage. The US cultivated and advocated philosophy of the Enlightenment while continuing to legitimize the evil of slavery amongst countless innocent souls. As the European lands were building powerful states on the foundations of revolutionary ideas, and dismantling the whole system, the United States forged a strong central government to deal with the political and social issues that divided the American republic.
The conflict between Britain and its American colonies was greatly affected by the French and Indian War. During the war, the British did not want the New England or Middle colonies to export any supplies to anyone but them or the West Indies. The British felt this way because the American shippers liked this way of trade because they were able to get things the West Indies and Britain could not offer them, and Britain did not want to lose money that the American colonies brought in for them. Thus said, economics was a major origin of the Revolutionary War. There were many economic reasons why there was turmoil before the Revolutionary War, which ultimately helped lead to the war.
Pornography requires a government grant. Of course all these laws are in place for a reason, but it goes to disprove the misguided views of those who believe Americans are truly free. Well....America was formed on the idea that religion and speech should not be controlled by the government. The success of the American revolution motivated the French to overthrow there government, the basic ideas of the constitution, (seperation of powers, freedom of speech) [originally european thinkers' ideals] were the
Lake gave a long history of British and American hegemony, stating how Britain dominated the Dutch industries with the theory of mercantilism (protectionism) and thereafter, how America took over British hegemony with the theory of liberation (free trade). In comparing both hegemony, America dominated with a foresight by adopting the theory of liberalism which does not only encourage free trade, but also created an environment that encouraged continuous trade with other part of the world, this further strengthen and sustained their dominance. Britain on the other hand, adopted a theory of protectionism that scared states from it , thereby forming less economic alliance because of their prohibitions and trade restrictions, for this reason, they could not sustain their dominance. I consider America a better state in terms of strategic thoughts because during their dominance, they were able to establish international financial institutions that supported their dominance and increased their economic strength, insttutions like GATT, IMF, World Bank etc. Britain failed to establish such institutions that will serve as economic backbone.