The Causes Of American Revolution Essay, Research Paper
The American Revolution was a dramatic change in the political, social, and economic system of New England. It was not a bloody revolution; on the contrary it is unique because it was not as violence as other revolutions we know (French, Russia and China).
The American Revolution had many causes. Long-term social, economic, and political changes in the colonies before 1750 provided the basis for an independent nation with representative political institutions. More immediately, the French and Indian War (1754-1763) changed the relationship between the colonies and the Mother land. Finally, a decade of conflicts between the British government and the colonists that began with the Stamp Act in 1765, led to the outbreak of war in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence the 4th of July of 1776.
There are both precipitating and underline causes for the revolution. The precipitating causes are the dramatic change in the circumstances like the end of the Seven-Year War (1754-1763) against the French and Indians. From this day this two groups were not a threat anymore. However, the colonists had to pay for the war England had fought and almost immediately the Parliament started levying taxes over the colonies. The colonists perceived a dramatic treat to their liberties coming from the English monarchy, a perceived for uncheck power. They agreed to pay taxes if they had a representation in the Parliament.
The underline cause of the revolution was the increasing demand of independence, and autonomy the colonies had developed over hundred years they had settled in the New World. The consequences would be a profound changes in the political, the creation of the state, United States of America . The long-term consequence was always a demand for a great among power of concentrate power.
Different historians had different opinions on the revolution; for example, J. Franklin Jameson said the nature of the revolution could be divided in four categories:
a. Establish personal rights and liberties. Through the war of independence, American society started to pay attention to their rights. The improvement of the slave s condition was a very good example.
b. Focus on land and availability of land for the settlers. In fact during Andrew Jackson period was a movement of peasants that can hold lands.
c. The abolition of the primogeniture, entail and quitrent. The revolutionaries stand for right to land
d. The develop of a unique American culture that revolves among colonists. Democracy and egalitarianism was they key of the movement. This unique idea later on provides support to the women movement, finishing of slavery and separation of the church.
After all, he suggested that revolution was about power and what kind of government will be better to rule. United States is a decentralized government. There are economical crisis decentralized powers because the colonists did not want to have just a group of people holding power.
There is another historian, Hannah Aren t who suggested that American Revolution was a conservative revolution because preserve the right of the English and the leaders came from the English enlightenment.
I agree on Jameson s idea more because his point of view agrees with my knowledge toward American Revolution. There are great effects in the American history such as the shifts of liberties and personal rights, and they are the most important results came out from American Revolution.