Joshua Bradley 1 Causes of Revolution

ROAD TO REVOLUTION: CAUSES OF REVOLUTION(rough draft)

BY JOSHUA BRADLEY

P.2 MR. C. Self A.P. U.S. History

Joshua Bradley 2 Causes of Revolution

The beginning of the American Revolution is usually attributed to the French-Indian war because the debt incurred in the war led to the hated taxation without representation1, or it is attributed to the period of salutary neglect, but a war this important requires a much more detailed look into the culture of America and the creation of the mass American mind set. In this respect the question can be define as what events in history helped shape the American intellect? And influenced their mass belief in political theory? The first incident that can be said to define American culture is the war of Jenkins Ear; this war set the precedent that if the British go to war in the colonies the colonist need only expect to be required to fight in the war and not pay taxes for it as second class citizens. This war also created bad blood between the British (including colonist) against French and Spanish, leading to a serious of wars against the Spanish and eventually the French-Indian war. However during this period of resentment several events happened that sculpted American culture further. One of the more important events was the great awakening; this was the united religious movement2 to Protestantism turning the American thought process into what is speculated to be a revolutionary one, and creating a distinct disdain between the French Catholics and the protestant colonists making a bad situation worse. Although war played a distinct part in Americas development the Lead hills reading society and the rambler promote a change in political theory, namely the political views of John Locke one notable member of the society

1 2

American History, s.v. "Petition of Rights (1628)," accessed November 4, 2011. http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/. American History, s.v. "Great Awakening," accessed November 4, 2011. http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/.