How the American Revolution Changed American Society

There were many causes that led to the American Revolution, some include economic situations, discontent with autocratic rule, and political changes in the British colonies. A major factor in the start of the revolution was the French and Indian War (1754 - 1763) changed the bond between the colonies and Britain, because of the colonists' identities. Thomas Paine (an American colonist born in Britain) published a Political Pamphlet in 1776, which supported the colonist into open rebellion. The excerpt, "Common Sense," Paine emphasized the case for the revolution in straightforward language, where it became clear and direct to understand the meaning of the excerpt. The excerpt itself influenced colonists to take actions for their tolerance from the British and gave them the strength they needed to become unified.

The American revolutionaries had no choice but to defend their liberties; the tactics used by the Americans were not as directly aggressive as those used by the French. The American Revolution, beginning in 1776, was initiated due to the tension that existed between the thirteen American colonies and the island of Great Britain due to the war debt Great Britain had incurred when defending American colonists against the French and Indians. As a solution to the debt the British began passing legislation, which increased the taxation of American colonies, tightening their control over the colonists. One of the regulations that Parliament passed was the Stamp Act of 1765. This taxed all printed documents, including: wills, newspapers, and pamphlets.

There is a common misconception that the sole cause of the American Revolutionary War was the taxes imposed on the colonies by Britain. If a closer look is taken at the history of the Americas, however, it is easy to see that idea of freedom had been pulsing through the colonies for years. Just how did His Majesty King George III lose his American colonies? The answer is a chain of events stringing from the French and Indian war to the day George Washington handed over his troops to the Continental Congress, officially ending the War for Independence. Before the French and Indian War, Britain had used a system of Salutary Neglect with the colonies, giving them a sense of freedom.

In order to fund for the war, England manufactured these goods and then raised the price, and sold them back to the colonists under the the Navigation Acts. The Acts were used to prevent smuggling by allowing the colonies to only trade with England, however, Parliament did not strictly enforce them until 1750, which allowed Great Britain to set tariffs for goods however they pleased. According to ushistory.com, “The colonies were wholly interested in overcoming the French in North America and appealed to the King for permission to raise armies and monies to defend themselves.” They wanted protection from their mother country, which they had a right to do. Yet the King was insecure to grant them the money for the war because he was afraid they would revolt against the Bri... ... middle of paper ... ... denied their natural born rights “with taxation without representation.” Parliament had exercised “virtual representation” when it came to the Americans. In Parliament there was recognition of the colonies issues at hand, however, no one was there to represent them.

At the opening of the American Revolution, in 1775, the American society was tainted with high taxes and a tyrannical king. Politically, the creation of a new constitution, led to the establishment of a new centralized democratic government. Socially, more individuals and groups fought to secure rights for themselves, especially women, slaves, and religious groups. Economically, a method for fixing the national debt, along with a strong agrarian base, would help a slow, but steady improvement to American society. Political, social, and economic aspects of the overall American society were affected so dramatically as to create a new country that is so unlike any nation created before it.

Could America have gradually and peacefully developed independence within the British Common wealth, as Canada later did, rather than engaging in a violent revolt? Soon after England’s victory in the Seven Years’ War, England struggled with the financial costs of the war. England’s Parliament tried to establish power in the New World by issuing a series of laws. England attempted to have the colonies help pay for the cost of the war that would later help lead to revolt in America. Prior to the Seven Years’ War, the English rarely intervened with colonial business.

The Impact of the American Revolution During the late eighteenth century, the thirteen colonies demanded independence from the domineering Great Britain. Angered by unjust taxes and acts limiting the autonomy of the colonies, the colonies acquiesced in a weak union to fight for freedom from oppression and British rule forever. While the American Revolution caused massive change in the political structure of the government, the fight for independence had less impact on the social atmosphere and economy of the United States. The American Revolution incited the most change politically, because a completely new system government was created. After a long period of salutary neglect, in 1763 Prime Minister George Grenville began to enforce the

Townshend wanted to strengthen the power of the British parliament which would simultaneously strengthen the power of royal officials. He convinced the Parliament to pass a series of laws imposing new taxes on the colonists. These laws included special taxes on lead, paint, paper, glass and tea imported by colonists. In addition, the New York legislature was suspended until it agreed to quarter British soldiers. The Acts also insured that colonial officials, including governors and judges, would receive their salaries directly from the Crown.

However, they still relied on Great Britain to back them up in the Monroe Doctrine. That was until the U.S. built up their army in the late 1820s early 30s and were able to turn dependence on Europe to a partnership and alliance. Another thing that made America independent from European politics is that America set up a democratic government and not a monarchy. Americans believed that monarchies take money from their people in order to run their country (Doc C). People came to America in search of freedom and independence, so America developed a political system founded on these ideals instead of wealth and power.

Towards the end of the Revolutionary War, the people felt they needed a document to secure their independence from Britain. This document was the Articles of Confederation. Shortly after that, a new document was formed to what we know as the Constitution of the United States. These documents were similar but more different at the same time with each other, and each granted specific powers to the national government. By throwing off the British monarchy it left the states without a central government.