English Department, University of Algiers 2

Dr Azzouz
Study of Civilization Texts – 2022/ 23
Groups: 5-8-14

The Road to independence

The 13 British colonies that eventually became the United States in some ways were more different
than they were alike. They were founded for a diverse range of reasons, from the pursuit of fortunes
to the desire to create havens from persecution and model societies, and had differing systems of
governance

Until the 1760s most Americans seemed quite content to be ruled by Britain. An important reason
for this was the presence of the French in North America. So long as France held Canada and
Louisiana, the colonists felt that they needed the British navy and soldiers to protect them.

The American Revolution—also called the U.S. War of Independence—was the war fought between
1775 and 1783 where 13 of Great Britain's North American colonies fought against British rule to
establish the sovereign United States of America, founded with the Declaration of Independence in
1776

Why is the American Revolution so important?

The American War of Independence can be regarded as the first successful democratic movement in
modern history. The ideas of freedom, liberty, and democracy that emerged from the American
Revolution inspired other revolutions and movements around the world.

Origins and Causes of the Colonies’ Revolution

British colonial policies and taxes: ‘taxation without representation’

The Navigation Acts were a series of English laws that regulated English ships and between other
countries and with its own colonies

Britain was imposing unjust laws and taxes without the consent of the colonies. Numerous taxes,
such as the Sugar Act (1764), Stamp Act (1765) and the Townshend Acts (1767), had been enforced
on the colonists by Britain and were intended to raise money for the British crown

The Boston Tea Party pushed Britain’s Parliament to assert its authority—and it passed the
Intolerable Acts in 1774. These punitive measures included closing Boston’s harbour until restitution
was made for the tea.

Colonial resistance and protests

Protests broke out in some colonies. King George III sent British troops to the colony of
Massachusetts to quell protests and disobedience there. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired into
a crowd in Boston and killed several Americans, an event known as the Boston Massacre

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The Boston Tea Party is also an important protest event leading up to the war. The incident was in
reaction to the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea
from China in American colonies without paying taxes. In this incident, 342 chests of tea belonging to
the British East India Company were thrown from ships into Boston Harbor by Americans disguised
as Indians.

The role of Enlightenment ideas and thinkers

Enlightenment ideas, which emphasized the importance of reason, science, and progress, played a
significant role in shaping the ideological basis of the American Revolution. The colonists were
inspired by Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, who argued that individuals have the right to
overthrow a government that does not protect their natural rights.

Republicanism: The concept of republicanism was based on the belief that the government should
derive its authority from the people and serve the common good. The colonists believed that the
British government was corrupt and had lost sight of the needs and interests of the people

Natural Rights: The belief that all humans have natural rights such as life, liberty, and property,
which are inherent and cannot be taken away by any government or authority. The American
colonists believed that the British government was violating their natural rights by imposing unjust
taxes, denying them representation in the Parliament, and taking away their freedoms.

Key thinkers: Thomas Paine (Common Sense 1776- text analysed in class)

John Locke (he is often credited as a founder of modern "liberal" thought. He pioneered the ideas of
liberty, religious toleration, and the right to revolution that proved essential to both the American
Revolution)

The War: key events

The colonists united and formed a Continental Congress in 1774. The First Continental Congress, a
group of delegates who spoke for the colonial states, adopted a declaration of personal rights. The
Congress included George Washington and John and Samuel Adams

The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of revolutionary leaders who united the 13
Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, established the United States, and
crafted a framework of government for the new nation

The Second Continental Congress met in 1775 and formed the Army. It appointed George
Washington commander in chief of the newly formed army. New members of the Congress included
Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.

On July 2, 1776, the Congress, with New York abstaining, unanimously resolved “these United
Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.” Two days later it approved the
Declaration of Independence.

The conflict happened internally within the British Empire until early 1778 when France joined the
war in support of the colonists. Spain joined on the side of the colonies in 1779. The Netherlands
provided both official recognition of the United States and financial support.

The war ended in 1783, and the United States of America was officially recognized as an
independent country.

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Consequences: Short and Long-term effects of the Revolutionary War

Politics

The Articles of Confederation served as the United States' first constitution and first experience of
self-governance until the US Constitution was adopted, which is still in place now (next lesson: the
Articles of Confederation created a weak government and the experience was not a success; hence;
a new constitution would be adopted by the US which a different model of government)

The creation of a new governance model based on democracy instead of monarchy

Economy

Debts were an obvious direct consequence of the war

The US economy was no longer limited by navigation acts

No longer limited to fulfilling Britain’s interests with the end of mercantilism

The Revolution opened new markets and new trade relationships

Native Americans, too, participated in and were affected by the Revolution

the Americans’ victory and Native Americans’ support for the British created pretence for justifying
the rapid and often brutal expansion into the western territories.

Indians: opening up westward expansion and Indian removal and displacement in the decades to
come

Slaves: participated in war, some on the American side and others on the British side

Some colonists promised freedom to their slaves for fighting alongside them but went against their
promise when the war ended

Slaves and free blacks impacted (and were impacted by) the Revolution

slaves deserted their masters during the war. In 1783, thousands of slaves fled with the British army
after the US win

The Revolution’s rhetoric of equality created a “revolutionary generation” of slaves and free blacks
that would eventually encourage the antislavery movement