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.
Since England owned these particular areas of the New World, these colonies were very influenced and affected by their mother country. The social faults, political chaos, and economic distress in England during the early colonial years in America played a role in shaping the English colonial experience. The societal issues that were present in England during the 17th century pushed many people to go to the Americas. The overpopulation in England was a major incentive for many to move across the Atlantic. Another reason for migration was the idea of primogeniture, which allowed the eldest son to inherit the wealth; leaving others desperate and in hopes of finding riches overseas.
American Government was influenced greatly by the ideas of the Enlightenment. Enlightenment ideas helped open people’s minds to a new way of thinking and not to except the ways of the past. Many people spoke out towards their ideas during the Enlightenment, and many became well-known. Those same people helped influence the American Government. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution established the many ideas borrowed from the Enlightenment.
British stated they fought to preserve the colonies therefore colonies should repay the favor. British started to tax them and Americans believed parliament could not represent them. England implemented the “virtual” representation of colonies by parliament. It became like Howard Zinn says, “the American leadership was less in need of English rule, the English more in need of the colonist’s wealth. (60) Many Acts were implemented to the colonies but the most significant was the Stamp Act.
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.
The Roots of America Today Since the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago, it has continued to develop and flourish into one of the most powerful countries in the world. Through these long years there have been many significant events that have shaped America today. The United States is the world’s oldest federation, upholding the ideals of constitutional republic: a system, where the government represents the peoples’ interests and abides by constitutional law. We live in a nation where our founding fathers hoped for peace among human beings and other nations. We live in a nation where our founding fathers wished for freedom and just rights.
During the beginning of colonial settlement, Britain did not enforce strict laws upon the colonies because it wanted them to prosper. Once war broke out between the French and the British in the French and Indian war, Britain began to enforce harsher laws and greater taxes on the colonies to draw revenue for the war. This in turn, angered the colonists and they began to think twice about having another country rule them. The colonists at the time also violated the same ideals of equality of rights and rule of law when they discriminated against the African Americans, Native Americans, and the poorer white settlers by forcing people into slavery with terrible conditions and taking land just because the colonist needed it. When the French and Indian War broke out between the British and the French, Britain hoped to use the colonies as an extra source of wealth to fight the war.
The British created monopolies in their colonies by adding protectionist taxes on foreign trade material, economically making British goods and services appear to be at better prices. b. To stress and instill mercantilism, England put into place Navigation Acts from 1650 to 1673. These Acts established all the laws involving colonial trade. Some colonists decided to smuggle goods from other countries, being irritated by these Acts.
The notion that America was exceptional would continue to be re-created again and again on the frontier. The frontier was closely related to the myth that sustained the American faith, the ideals and images that represent the American Dream as well as America as an exceptional nation. The existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward explain American development. In his thesis, the frontier created independence and liberty, breaking the bonds of custom, offering new experiences, calling out new institutions and activities. According to Turner, he felt the frontier is the “line of most rapid Americanization.” Ultimately,
Britain's American empire was slowly expanded by war and colonization. Victory over the French during the Seven Years' War gave Britain control over almost all of North America. Mercantilism was the basic policy imposed by Britain on its colonies. Mercantilism meant that the government and the merchants became partners with the goal of increasing political power and private wealth, to the exclusion of other empires. The government protected its merchants—and kept others out—by trade barriers, regulations, and subsidies to domestic industries in order to maximize exports from and minimize imports to the realm.