The Causes Of The American Revolution?

A Revolution as defined by Webster’s dictionary is a fundamental change in political power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time when the population rises up in revolt against the current authorities. Although the American Revolution does align with this definition, the change that came for white Americans after the war was not applied to African Americans. Americans fought the British for what they believed were their natural rights, African Americans were not granted their natural rights until many years down the road; therefore the American Revolution was hardly revolutionary for African Americans. None of the rights gained by Americans from the British were granted to enslaved African Americans.

These natural rights included to life, liberty and property; revolutionaries believed that the government should protect these rights for the individual. After the Revolution as the government was being formed, the government did protect these rights for the individual if they were white males. African American men and women were not granted these rights and protection. African American men and women were aware that the Revolution was unjustly not granting them there natural rights: In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Banneker uses religious arguments to try to reason with Jefferson and show him that black and whites are the same and should be treated the same natural rights (Benjamin Banneker and Thomas Jefferson Letters). Jefferson does reply saying that he believes that slavery should change, but he is very dismissive and only replies to be polite. This response by Jefferson proves that the rights given to white American and not African Americans is know and prevalent to both parties. Jefferson show the prejudice shown to African Americans even after a fight for

Slaves that fled to British lines were promised freedom through Dunmore’s proclamation, although they were promised freedom slaves were often not immediately granted freedom. Dunmore’s proclamation also came with many restriction; for example, run away slaves could not came from owners that were British Loyalist, just slaves of American Loyalist. Later, The Philsberg Proclamation came along. This proclamation was much like Dunmore’s proclamation, but slaves that made it to British lines were free to do what they wanted. At the end of the war, the Treaty of Paris said thee slaves should be returned, but the British refused and ended up evacuating the slaves for New York (lecture on March 1st). As mentioned by Boston King in African American Voices slaves knew that they would not be freed if Americans won the war, but the were uncertain of the British, but hopeful. This first hand account shows the know fact that the American Revolution would not be beneficial to African Americans. These proclamation liberated slaves through British means, not American; technically they were liberated through the American Revolution, but they were never actually given right by Americans. Many slaves that made it to British lines did stay in America, and although a significant number of African Americans were