The idea of wanting its independence from Britain was forced upon them after the French and Indian War when Americans felt that they were receiving unfair treatment from Great Britain. The French and Indian War altered British and American relations by changing the colonist's beliefs in having the need for British control, and these events brought American colonies together for the first time politically. Economically, the British made relations harsh by enforcing things such as the Stamp Act which made many of the colonist's unhappy. The ideological viewpoint of the American colonist's drastically changed with the opposing viewpoints of the British. American colonists questioned many of Britain's laws and beliefs after the French and Indian War.
The Goals of the Declaration of Independence The American Revolution was not only a battle between the British and the colonists; it was a historical movement that brought about new ways of thinking. The ideas of liberty and equality began to be seen as essential to the growth of the new nation. The separation of the American colonies from the British Empire occurred for a number of reasons. These reasons are illustrated in the Declaration of Independence. Although Thomas Jefferson wrote the document, it expressed the desire of the heart of each colonist to be free of British rule.
Despite the outrage, the colonists of the backwoods appeared divided. Some colonists of the backwoods, as mentioned, argued that the land past the Appalachians indeed belonged to the... ... middle of paper ... ...e British believed in their constitutional monarchy. The ideological differences proved difficult for the colonists to overcome as war with Britain was imminent. The Enlightenment, the driving force of colonial discontent, came to the forefront on July 4, 1776; with signing the Declaration of Independence. The liberties of the colonists, no longer denied distanced themselves from tyrannical rules of the Crown.
Some relevant ways the colonists approached their disgust with the taxes is through documents, events, and prominent key figures. One method that colonists used to act out against the taxes bestowed upon the colonies was through documents. In the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the structure of the whole document is based off of the flaws committed by the king of Britain onto the colonies. One of the flaws listed within the confines of the text is the issue on taxation against the colonies. For example, Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, states, “He [king of Britain] has imposed taxes on us without our consent” (DOI), which is substantial evidence to prove that the colonists were taxed unfairly.
The pamphlet placed blame on the British government for the distress of the colonies. Paine’s writing stated Britain was taking advantage of America through taxes and by using its corrupt power to keep the colonist in submission. It was this writing that became a stepping stone for the American Revolution and the changes that would soon follow. Thomas Paine's drastic thinking and legendary writings were what helped provoke the Colonies to fight for liberty and freedom. It was his writings that provided the inspiration necessary for many colonists to support the movement for independence from Britain.
He tried to pursue equal rights therefore proclaim this in his Declaration of Independence. He asked for rights jet gathering the government to protect those rights. The before-and-after era in American history generated encouraging conditions for Enlightenment thought to succeed on an order comparable to that witnessed in the European Enlightenments. In the pre-revolutionary years, Americans reacted to the misrule of King George III, the unfairness of Parliament (“taxation without representation”) and abusive treatment at the hands of a cruel majestic rule: the English Empire. As stated in the article ¨Reason for Revolution¨ ¨The colonists reacted with outrage against acts of taxation passed by the parliament.¨ This demonstrate how they want equal treatments and want to have representation or not have to pay because they are not in the affair with the government but themselves.
The American Revolution has great importance on the way the United States views itself. Contrary to popular belief, Americans were not separate people subject to British tyranny. A large portion of American colonialists thought of themselves as British. There are many ideas and causes as to why the American Revolution began. Differing political traditions, both parties economic interest, trading interest of those involved in transatlantic commerce, Britain’s large debt that accumulated during the Seven Years War, mutual misunderstandings, and the Great Awakening are many of the reasons that the colonist began to revolt against England.
How America Gained Its Independence The Colonists were justified in declaring their independence from the Mother Country, Britain, but fought a war to break away from its rule. The colonists started out with their own self-government and built on from there. The many of the British rules and taxes were harsh on the colonists, but they wouldn’t go down without a fight. Thanks to Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, and also to the Treaty of Paris, which helped form an agreement between Britain and the United States, justify the rights of the colonists, and create a new nation called the United States of America. From the beginning, Britain looked down on the colonists and they were only mere subjects of the British rule, and were only expected to live under the law provided.
This paper will examine the specific causes and effects of the American Revolution. Ideology really laid the foundation for the Revolution. British citizens, including those in the North American colonies, felt a special sense of pride in their political system. Unlike in other European countries at the time, the English king did not possess absolute control over his country. England has a parliament, and that stood as a check against the king’s power.
Many acts made by the British against the Americans in order to pay back debt from the French and Indian war. The British were not happy with the Americans at the beginning of the rebellion but as things cooled down, there was an alliance made between the two. The American Revolution had a huge impact on the way America is today. Have you ever thought of how America would be today if the American Revolution had not occurred? According to Martin Kelly, writer for About.com, the revolution was caused because the American colonists felt like they were being treated unfair by the British parliament.