American revolution are teh pe
American revolution are teh peThe earliest settlers left England in an attempt to escape the kings unfair ways of life. They came to North America in search of a better life and for freedom of expression. Even though the settlers left England, the British still had control over them and their lives. They did not find the freedom they traveled 3,000 miles they came here for. They only way that the colonist had a chance of becoming a free and independent state was to break away from English rule. The only way to do so was to become unified and strong as a whole. During this time period England was the strongest nation in the world, it would be impossible for a nation that was not unified nation to defeat them. When posed the question “ To what extent had the colonist developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans by the eve of the Revolution?” I feel that they developed it greatly. In this essay I will attempt to prove that the colonist slowly became unified as time drew closer to the actual revolution.
A political cartoon titled “ Join or Die” was published by Benjamin Franklin in the Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9th, 1754. The cartoon shows a snake cut into eight different pieces and every one of them representing a colony. Each part corresponds to the geographical position of the colonies along the East Coast. This cartoon was established to stretch the importance of the need of the uniting of the colonies during this time period. Felling the need to resolve their differences and a restore on the Indians confidence, delegates met in Albany in 1754. They gave the Indians 30 wagons of supplies and came up with a plan for a colonial confederation. This plan included a “Grand Council” representing all the colonies and a president general as its executive officer. This plan failed quickly because they did not have any say in taxation or any other laws in Parliament.
As time went on the British continued to tax the colonist in order to pay off their debts and war damages. They taxed all kinds of paper in use; they had to carry a small official stamp on it in order to be legal. This became known as the Stamp Act. Rebellion to the Stamp Act was strong and violent. Many of the assemblies in the colonies prepared for a total boycott of British goods. Within a year of riots, protest, and debates Parliament stopped the Stamp Act. This act made the colonist want more say in the government and how the colonies were run. They wanted to control the taxes and laws not having Britain do so. In “Notes for speech in Parliament” Edmund Burke argued the fact that the British shouldn’t be ruling the American colonies. His statement “ The eternal barriers of nature forbid that the colonies should be blended or coalesce into the Mass. of this kingdom.” This statement meant that Britain was too far away to rule North America. He feels that they don’t have the ability to do an effective job.
The same mind frame of thought is stated in The Farmers Mather Byles: The Noted Boston Troy Preacher, Poet and Wit. Mather Blyes says there is no sense in a small island such as Britain parenting a continent such as North America. He also says that Britain is too far away to rule America. The forms of both governments are also compared; he states “ Which is better. To be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away, or by three thousand tyrants one mile away?"” This compares the monarchy in England to the desire for a democratic government in the American colonies.
Even though the Stamp Act was repealed a year later the Townsend Duties were imposed on the Americans by the British. Charles Townsend taxed all good coming to the American colonies shipped from England. This money was used to pay off English officials and didn’t have an economical but political purpose. The opposition to these acts were both powerful an effective. The colonies cut the importation of British goods to their ports. The acts were quickly repealed in 1770 but tax on tea was still in effect. They felt that Britain had no right to tax them without representation. The colonist smuggled in tea in order not to pay the tax imposed by Britain. The government decided to just leave the tea ships on dock knowing that they will have to be bought. One night freedom fighters dressed as Indians Came aboard that ship and threw the tea over board. This was known as the Boston Tea Party.
In 1774 the British government decided to pass the Intolerable Acts to punish Boston for defying its policies. The Boston Port Act closed the ports of Boston to trade. The Massachusetts Government Act closed the colony’s charter and didn’t allow town meetings. The quartering Act forced the colonist to provide billets for British soldiers. The Impartial acts removed British officials from jurisdiction of Massachusetts’s courts.
As a result of the Intolerance acts many other colonies united and sent donations to Boston to help them in their struggle . Since they did not have the proper materials to beat England physically, they tried it psychologically. Colonies such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and both North and South Carolina contributed goods. They donated many things such as sheep, grain, wheat, corn, and rice. This was a big step in the unity of the American colonies because they came together to help another colonies in need in the struggle against Britain. The British didn’t expect this help to come the other colonies.
On February 24th, 1774 Richard henry Lee spoke of how all the colonies began to become outraged over the acts being passed by the British Parliament. He feels that the colonies are becoming more united and should begin to defend themselves. As a result of the Intolerance Acts, the first Continental Congress was formed. It was formed to create a response to these acts passed by Britain. This was a big step towards revolution. This Congress called for a boycott of trading with British companies.
The Continental Congress met on July 6th, 1775 to discuss the necessity to bear arms . They stated that North America is their native land and that freedom is their birthright. They said that Britain unfairly treated them and that they have the right to bear arms to fight for their freedom. All the causes meaning the acts and actions taken by Britain which lead them to write this declaration and the reasons why they need to bear arms are also explained.
The citizens of the colonies began to slowly change their opinion of the rule Britain had over them. They thought of being a satellite left their mind and they didn’t understand the fact that the parent nation was much smaller and far away from its satellite. The Origin of the American Revolution to the year 1776, Peter Oliver stated that a real parent nation would take care of its satellite, not use it for tax dollars to pay off their debts. He posed the question “Why was the sudden transition made form obedience to rebellion, but to gratify pride, ambition and resentment, of a few abandoned Demagogues, who were lost to all sense of shame & of humanity?” This statement put a different mind frame of thought into the heads of the American colonist. The colonist felt that they weren't properly treated and protected by England at the time. This is the reason they went from being obedient to rebellious.
The Americans began to claim their own identity than the one England tried to impose on them. The Congress informed the colonies to form their own governments and begin thinking of Revolution for independence. In Letters from an American Farmer , Hector St. John Crevecoeur says not all colonists are from England. He says that they are all either European or descendents of Europeans. He asks the question; why h should the English have control over the Europeans? He explains his desire for settlers to become “ American” and lose all prejudice towards other colonist, regardless of religion or origin. This is thought is ideal for America to unify and become a powerful independent nation.
In the following essay I proved that the American colonists had a sense of their own identity prior to the actual revolution. For many of the documents I stated facts and events to help prove my thesis correct. By showing that they revolted against British acts and how they slowly became united as a whole. For example in document G, many colonies came together and help put Boston in its time of need with supplies to help them survive during the time of the intolerable acts. They did not notice themselves as “English Descendents” but as “European Descendents.” This was key to them because its showed that they began to break away from England and see them selves as their own people. With every type of act imposed on the colonies by Britain they grew more unified until they felt it was time to actually fight for their revolution.