The American Revolution

American Revolution

In the mid- to the late eighteenth century, there was growing discontent among the thirteen colonies in the Americas. The seeds of protest were laid, as the colonies questioned the wisdom of remaining under British rule. The fledgling country soon came together in a rebellion, one that would culminate in the American Revolutionary War and the creation of a new country.

The American Revolutionary movement, however, was far from a spontaneous uprising that culminated in the 1776 revolution. Rather, the revolution was paved by a variety of events and conditions. This paper looks at three of the biggest contributory factors, namely, the Seven-Year's War, the thriving economy of colonies, and the injustices of British rule, as manifested in policies such as the tax on tea and the Stamp Act. While historians often focus only on the immediate precursors of the American Revolution, this paper argues that conditions such as the Seven-Year's War and the economic growth in the colonies provided a strong foundation, while the Stamp Act were the kindling that ignited revolutionary fervor.

Seven Years War

The first half of the 18th century was witness to an accelerated British expansion of their North American territories. In response to the British expansion, the French government sent warnings and demanding that England recognize the French land boundaries. However, the British were undaunted and the expansion continued. A conference in Paris failed to settle the differences, and the strained relations eventually set the stage for the Seven Years War.

This War contributed to the American Revolution for several reasons. First, per the terms of the 1763 Treaty of Paris, France was forced to surrender all of her American possessions to the British and the Spanish (Anderson 453). The British victory also spelled the end of French political and cultural influence in North America.

The Seven Years' War also had devastating effects for the Native American nations. While the Seven Years' War is often portrayed as a battle between England and France, its outcome was also largely dependent on the actions and cooperation of the various Indian nations. Had the American Indian nations remained strong, the colonists would have faced strong opposition to claiming the Americas as their country.

Unjust laws

The Seven Years War left the British military debt-ridden. The British military therefore decided to help cover its deficit by raising the taxes of the American colonists. Already embroiled in Pontiac's War, the colonists seethed in resentment over being made to shoulder the repayment of war debts (Henretta and Nobles 29-30). In its drive to strengthen its hold over North America, England inadvertently worsened already strained relations with the American colonies and planted the seeds of the Revolutionary War.

The British Parliament came out with further unjust laws, designed to recoup war losses, that further fanned the flames of revolution. In 1765, parliament passed the Stamp Act, requiring all legal documents and permits, newspapers, and even playing card produced in the Americas carry a tax stamp. The law caused widespread resentment, and was never fully enforced.

Economic growth

The period of 1690 to 1760 saw massive changes in the social, political and economic landscape of early America. The colonies were self-sufficient and had distinct cultures. However, they were also linked by commerce and navigation. By the early 18th century, New England colonies like Boston and Salem were established shipbuilding communities as well as important ports for ships from around the world (Nath 22). Colonies in Virginia and Maryland, on the other hand, would grow agricultural economies and export tobacco internationally.

These economic changes would spur several changes as well.. The prosperous economies attracted impoverished immigrants from Old World countries like Italy, Germany and Ireland. The immigration gave rise to ethnic-based conflicts. However, this immigration also spurred in the growth of the nation's population, with people who were eager to start their lives away from the influence of Europe.