Reading Questions
1. What different groups of people lived in the British colonies before the revolution?
2. How did the Enlightenment lead to revolution?
3. How did mercantilism provoke resentment in the colonies?
4. How did political inefficiency lead to the Revolution?
4. What type of government did the American Revolution produce?
5. In what way did the American Revolution produce freedom? What were the limits of this freedom?
6. In what way did the American Revolution produce equality? What were the limits of this equality?
2. How did the Enlightenment lead to revolution?
3. How did mercantilism provoke resentment in the colonies?
4. How did political inefficiency lead to the Revolution?
4. What type of government did the American Revolution produce?
5. In what way did the American Revolution produce freedom? What were the limits of this freedom?
6. In what way did the American Revolution produce equality? What were the limits of this equality?
The Enlightenment and Revolution
During the 1600s & 1700s, various philosophers in Western Europe developed ideas about how government and society should be based on reason, freedom, and equality. Enlightenment philosophers wrote pamphlets about their ideas that were sold throughout Europe and colonies in the Americas, causing their ideas to diffuse across the Atlantic World. The Enlightenment influenced all the major revolutions that occurred in Europe and the Americas. Mostly read by the educated upper and middle classes, the Enlightenment philosophy influenced many people to develop democratic governments, protect the peoples’ rights and freedoms, and for the colonies in the Americas to establish independence from their European rulers.
American Revolution 1783
Socially and economically, the thirteen British colonies in North America fell into two groups. The southern colonies, Virginia the largest among them, had largely plantation-based agrarian economies dominated by a planter elite and worked by African and African-American slave laborers. These plantations focused on cash crop production for the Atlantic economy. The northern colonies had relatively large commercial and handicraft sectors, dominated by mercantile capitalists and worked by indentured servants and free artisan labor. Northern agriculture featured a large population of small, independent farmers, and its scale was much smaller than in the southern colonies. Slavery was part of the northern economy but not to the same extent as in the south. Also present in the colonies were two groups that formed direct links with other world societies: the British colonial government, consisting of both administrators and soldiers, and members of Indian nations living both outside and within the boundaries of the colonies themselves.
ECONOMIC CAUSES
The area of the original United States was set up into thirteen British colonies. Thus, like all colonies in the Americas, they must follow the economic system known as mercantilism. This economic system legally required the colonies to send their raw materials to Mother England, who would sell back to the colonies manufactured goods, thus generating major profits for the British back home. This system was highly unfavorable, as it left little economic opportunities for the people of the colonies. Colonists were NOT free to buy and sell their products to any other state. They wanted economic independence from the British and follow capitalism, a system that encourages economic freedom over government control. In addition, the colonists encountered another economic issue in the aftermath of the Seven Years War. Since the British government owed money to several different countries, King George III urged the government to solve these debts the best way possible: increase the collection of taxes. In order to pay off their debts, the British government taxed their subjects throughout the colonies on certain products like tea, sugar, paper, and other popular goods. |
POLITICAL INNEFICIENCY
The colonists were angry about these taxes, arguing there should be “No taxation without representation.” However, the middle class was not necessarily angry about the taxation part. In fact, these taxes barely affected their wealth. Rather, they were much more concerned about not having any government “representation.” The local governments of the colonies were not allowed to send politicians to the British government to share their views on the taxes and other laws. The colonists were angry that these taxes were being enforced by the British government without any concern about the colonists, especially since they fought for the British in the Seven Years War. Without any representation in the government, colonists cannot stop these taxes from being created. As a result, a series of boycotts (which means not buying certain items as a form of protest) began whenever a new tax was issued. Some colonists violently attacked tax collectors, destroyed property of British government officials, and infamously dumped tons of tea into the Boston Harbor, all of which were considered violent acts of terror by British newspapers. This would cause the British government to send soldiers to the colonies to enforce order over the rebellious colonists. However, revolution was already set in motion and war was approaching.
The colonists were angry about these taxes, arguing there should be “No taxation without representation.” However, the middle class was not necessarily angry about the taxation part. In fact, these taxes barely affected their wealth. Rather, they were much more concerned about not having any government “representation.” The local governments of the colonies were not allowed to send politicians to the British government to share their views on the taxes and other laws. The colonists were angry that these taxes were being enforced by the British government without any concern about the colonists, especially since they fought for the British in the Seven Years War. Without any representation in the government, colonists cannot stop these taxes from being created. As a result, a series of boycotts (which means not buying certain items as a form of protest) began whenever a new tax was issued. Some colonists violently attacked tax collectors, destroyed property of British government officials, and infamously dumped tons of tea into the Boston Harbor, all of which were considered violent acts of terror by British newspapers. This would cause the British government to send soldiers to the colonies to enforce order over the rebellious colonists. However, revolution was already set in motion and war was approaching.
A Very Short Summary of the “American Revolutionary War”
After a group of Enlightenment educated, wealthy, white men from all thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia in 1776 to sign the American Declaration of Independence, King George III saw this “declaration” as an act of war from the colonists. The colonists had soldiers and generals that fought for the British in the Seven Years War, but their army was severely outmatched to the strength and number of the British Redcoats and the British Navy. The colonists faced many defeats in the beginning years of the war. However, the war shifted in favor of the colonists after the strategic victory in Saratoga, where the French, still angry about losing to the British in the Seven Years War, agreed to help the colonists by providing soldiers, weapons, uniforms and even ships for the navy. The Battle of Yorktown was the final defeat for the British, but only after they received heavy pressure from the French attacking British colonies in the Caribbean, Spain declaring war on Britain, Russia threatening war if the British continue fighting with the French, and the Netherlands attacking British colonies in South Africa and India. Ultimately, the British decided to cut their losses with the Treaty of Paris (1783), which recognized the thirteen colonies as a new independent nation.
After a group of Enlightenment educated, wealthy, white men from all thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia in 1776 to sign the American Declaration of Independence, King George III saw this “declaration” as an act of war from the colonists. The colonists had soldiers and generals that fought for the British in the Seven Years War, but their army was severely outmatched to the strength and number of the British Redcoats and the British Navy. The colonists faced many defeats in the beginning years of the war. However, the war shifted in favor of the colonists after the strategic victory in Saratoga, where the French, still angry about losing to the British in the Seven Years War, agreed to help the colonists by providing soldiers, weapons, uniforms and even ships for the navy. The Battle of Yorktown was the final defeat for the British, but only after they received heavy pressure from the French attacking British colonies in the Caribbean, Spain declaring war on Britain, Russia threatening war if the British continue fighting with the French, and the Netherlands attacking British colonies in South Africa and India. Ultimately, the British decided to cut their losses with the Treaty of Paris (1783), which recognized the thirteen colonies as a new independent nation.
SUCESSES
The “American” victory over the British was a shocking turning point in history. While colonies have broken off from empires before, the North American Revolution is significant for establishing a democratic government. Following the ideas of the Enlightenment, they established the republic, which meant the general population elects politicians to “represent the people” in the government. Named the United States of America, this “Enlightened” republic included three branches of government (Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court), new laws that protect the rights of all citizens like freedom of speech and religion and eliminated the practice of mercantilism. For a further explanation of the contents of the Constitution follow this link. |
LIMITATIONS
While the North American Revolution is truly “revolutionary” politically and economically, claiming that its “revolutionary” for all people in the colonies is hard to argue. Since the wealthy middle class men were the main leaders of the Revolution, they effectively became the “new elite” and established a government that was favorable for them. This new white elite would dominate both the government and the economics of the United States, which still happens in today. Despite the Declaration of Independence stating that “all men are created equal,” there were several limitations to this idea of who is considered “equal.” First, only white men that were wealthy enough to own property were guaranteed their rights, allowed to vote, and run for government positions. |
Second, racial inequality continued in the new United States. African slavery was still practiced primarily in the southern states on the cotton and tobacco plantations, where African slaves faced terrorism and extreme brutality from their masters. Racial inequality was built into the system as well. Despite the initial objections of some delegates to the conventions, a compromise allowed slaves to be counted as three-fifths of a person to determine the size of a state’s representation in the House of Representatives without allowing slaves to vote. African slavery was abolished in 1865 with the end of the U.S. Civil War, almost 90 years after the North American Revolution. And even after achieving their freedom, African Americans still experience racism, inequality, and violence.
In addition to Africans, Native Americans also experienced little change from the revolution. The United States Government wanted to expand their territory towards the west coast, where there was more natural resources that could generate economic growth. This led to a series of treaties, broken treaties, and wars that would see the United States occupying North America from the Eastern seaboard to the West Coast by the mid-nineteenth century. Indian nations were pushed off ancestral lands and onto reservations, at the cost of many lives. When the US government could not form treaties, it began a series of wars and even forced peaceful native tribes to relocate in order to gain their land. Some historians claimed these actions were a form of genocide, especially in California where the state government passed laws that allowed citizens to kill Native Americans legally.
Lastly, women of all races experienced little changes to their lives after the revolution. They were not considered citizens due to their gender, and experienced few opportunities in both education and in job opportunities. Women would eventually get the right to vote in 1920, over 130 years after the North American Revolution.
In addition to Africans, Native Americans also experienced little change from the revolution. The United States Government wanted to expand their territory towards the west coast, where there was more natural resources that could generate economic growth. This led to a series of treaties, broken treaties, and wars that would see the United States occupying North America from the Eastern seaboard to the West Coast by the mid-nineteenth century. Indian nations were pushed off ancestral lands and onto reservations, at the cost of many lives. When the US government could not form treaties, it began a series of wars and even forced peaceful native tribes to relocate in order to gain their land. Some historians claimed these actions were a form of genocide, especially in California where the state government passed laws that allowed citizens to kill Native Americans legally.
Lastly, women of all races experienced little changes to their lives after the revolution. They were not considered citizens due to their gender, and experienced few opportunities in both education and in job opportunities. Women would eventually get the right to vote in 1920, over 130 years after the North American Revolution.