Before I really knew anything about the American Revolution, I believed that there was only one overarching reason that sparked the American Revolution; colonists just decided one day to become independent. As I have learned more about the Revolution, I discovered I was completely wrong. There are, in fact, two main viewpoints that commenced the Revolution: British loyalists and conservatives against the radicals. The loyalist and more conservative side was supportive of any of the rules, laws, taxes, or anything of that sort that British Parliament or monarchy put in place. In contrast, the radical’s craved for independence from the British government since they deemed their laws as useless and confining. These two opposing viewpoints are the main cause of the American Revolution because of their different desires. Events within the time period between 1763 and 1775 illustrate this perfectly.
The constitution was signed and sent out to the states in 1787, but was not ratified until 1788. During this time in the states the constitution caused a great deal of controversy. While some, the Federalists, believed that a constitution is exactly what was needed, others, the Anti-Federalists, felt that a constitution severely needed a bill of rights. There are many reasons a bill of rights was included in the constitution. Although it was not in the first copy, it was promised to be in the next one if nine states would ratify it. The Anti-Federalists also believed that a constitution without a bill of rights would give excessive power to the federal government over individual states and the people. Also there was fear that a constitution
Historically, it is believed that the causes of large scale events and wars are often rooted in the outcomes of previous conflicts. The American Revolution, one of the largest most historically significant events of all time, was caused by a multitude of events. Specifically, many of the causes were in fact the results of past conflicts and ongoing tension, such as the French and Indian War and British taxation acts. Contrary to popular belief, the impact of American Revolution was not solely confined to the colonies and the British crown. Aside from leading to American independence, the American Revolution was a part of a larger global conflict, involving issues between Great Britain, France, and other foreign nations. Overall, the outcome
To replace the problematic Articles of Confederation, Washington, Hamilton, Jay, Franklin, and others organized the 1787 Philadelphia Convention and started to compose a new law of the country, the United States Constitution. However, it wasn’t easy to make every state come into an agreement on things written in the Constitution, since all the state wanted to make sure they were equally and fairly treated. As a result, several major compromises in the ratified version of the Constitution, including the Great Compromise, Three-Fifths Compromise, Slave Trade Compromise and the compromise on the Bill of Rights.
The Age of Reason is a name used to describe the age that influenced the American Statesmen of the Revolution. Taxes forced upon the colonists by Britain after the French and Indian War enraged the colonists, leading to the Revolution that would change the world forever. Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and Thomas Paine’s The Crisis Number 1 were two very important works of literature during the Revolutionary period. Both works used persuasion effectively. Jefferson wrote to King George III declaring independence; Paine’s purpose was to unite America to fight against Britain. However, The Declaration was most effective because we still use The Declaration of Independence today. The United States would not be the democracy it is today without Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of
The early modern world period was from the 15th century to the 18th century. The majority of the population lived in rural cities. Life expectancy was not very long, and the lifespan was twenty-five years old. Diseases, famine, lack of medication, and improper sanitation contributed to the low life expectancy. Diet of the wealthy class consisted of bread, meat, and wine however the lower class’s diet consisted of fruits and vegetable. During this time period was the Age of Exploration, so new foods such as corn and potato were introduced from the new world which helped the lower class incorporate more nutrients into their diet. The society was divided into two classes, the nobility/gentry and the peasants/serfs. Both social classes were one of the important factors while developing hierarchy and order in the different countries. Western countries such as France influenced by religion and England dealt military, politics, and/or social issues. China’s government was also
Who should be protected by the bill of Rights? The Bill of Rights is to protect U.S. citizens from the misuse of power that may be committed by the government in different areas. It clearly restrict the three branches of government laid out in the Constitution. In The Bill of Rights, Reprinted from New York University Law Review, Hugo Black states that “The bill of rights protects people by clearly stating what government can’t do by describing ‘the procedures that government must follow when bringing its powers to bear against any person with a view to depriving him of his life, liberty, or property (Black 1960).’” The first 10 amendment either says what the government cannot do or limits its powers by providing undeniable procedures that it must
The American government that we know today, had many troubles when it first came together when the Constitution was first ratified in 1788. There had been many failed attempts at creating a new and successful government, such as the Articles of Confederation the first plan for the new American government. This proved to be very unsuccessful because the states held all federal power, while the national government had very little. In order to please both the Federalists and the Anti-Federalist, each party agreed to the Constitution with the addition of the Bill of Rights. Documents like the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the above documents are heavily influenced by the writings of John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu,
The Constitution of the United States was written in 1787, but there was a grapple for its ratification that went on until about two decades after the ratification. Members of Congress believed that the first government of the United States or the Articles of Confederation, needed to be adjusted while others did not want anything to change. After the Revolutionary War, the people did not want a strong central government, because it reminded them too much of what they were trying to escape from. Under the Articles, each state had their own laws, and the need for a new Constitution was desired by many. The Constitution of 1787 created huge debates, arguments and splits in the nation that lasted for several year after its ratification between people who
From the seventeenth to the eighteenth century, the British Empire was the biggest power in the world. Some said that the sun never set on the British Empire because of its greatness, and Britain wanted to continue growing. To do this they tried to regulate trade to favor them. This principle of creating a favorable export and import balance is mercantilism. Mercantilism shaped the life of eighteenth century Colonial America by regulating their trade, by economically weakening them and putting them in debt, and by socially creating the tensions that led to the Revolutionary War.
The Anti-Federalists were correct that a Bill of Rights was necessary to guard citizens from tyranny. To begin with, the Constitution is the framework for the organization of the U.S government and for the relationship the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the nation. When the
In 1603, the English were still a small rising nation, poorer than most, and less powerful than Spain and France. Although the British colonies settled in the Americas late, they quickly became a dominant force in the new world. After they acquired their first permanent settlement in Jamestown, VA in 1607, the British became attracted to greater power and more land, which was the first building block of perhaps the most powerful European nation of the time period. Due to their growth in the Americas, the British were able to be compared to the Spanish colonies of the time period, which boosted the English’s confidence. Along with their growth in confidence, came a new way of thinking. Many British men thought that they
The American Constitution was adopted in 1789 and this replace the Confederation permanently. This was a more expansive system of governance. This created the checks and balances amongst the three branches of government. This helped with the relationship of the Federal Government and the states. The Bill of Rights was then established the first ten amendments of the Constitution. This gave forth the foundation for civil liberties we enjoy as American
Beginning in the 18th century, colonial frustrations with the British monarchy intensified. For many decades, the colonists had been left to govern themselves in a process referred to as salutary neglect; however, after Britain went to war against France in 1754 colonial management of affairs would be stripped away. This would be the first spark of many that would inspire the American Revolution. Though the United States would experience significant changes in their government, economic system and social conditions, influences from their mother country would always be apparent.
The American Revolution (1700-1790) was a historical event in time, where the Thirteen Colonies that became the United States of America, gained independence from the British Empire. Many historians would agree that the Revolution was caused by events and the growing differences between the colonists and England. The cause of the American Revolution could be summarized in the saying ‘liberty vs. tyranny’. The American Revolution was a struggle by liberty-loving Americans to free themselves from a dictatorial British rule. In this period, the Colonies protested against the British Empire and entered into the American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence. Political, economic, military, and social factors were taken into account during the revolution. These aspects of the war all played a significant role in the outcome of the American Revolution.