
[[Image:map of territorial growth 1775.jpg|thumb|300px|Before the Revolution: The 13 colonies are in red, the pink area was claimed by Great Britain after the French and Indian War, and the orange region was claimed by Spain. Note that this map does not show the bulk of British North America of that time.]] The American Revolution refers to the series of events, ideas, and changes that resulted in the political separation of thirteen colonies in North America from the British Empire and the creation of the United States. The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) was one part of the revolution, but the revolution began before the first shot was fired at Battle of Lexington and Concord and continued after the British surrender at Battle of Yorktown (1781). "The Revolution was effected before the War commenced," wrote John Adams. "The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people." The exact nature and extent of the American Revolution is a matter of interpretation. It is generally agreed that the revolution originated around the time of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), and ended with the election of George Washington as the first President of the United States in 1789. Beyond that, interpretations vary. At one end of the spectrum is the view that the American Revolution was not revolutionary at all, that it did not radically transform colonial society, but simply replaced a distant government with a local one. The opposite view is that the American Revolution was a unique and radical event, producing significant changes that had a profound impact on world history. Most current interpretations fall somewhere in between these two positions. ==Origins== ''Main article: Colonial America'' In the early 1760s, Kingdom of Great Britain possessed a British North America on the North American continent. In addition to the thirteen British colonies, victory in the Seven Years' War had given Great Britain claim over New France (Canada), Spain Florida, and the Native American lands east of the Mississippi River. A war against France's former Indian allies—Pontiac's Rebellion—had, if not conquered, at least pacified the western frontier. Most white colonists in America considered themselves loyal subjects of the British Crown, with the same rights and obligations as people in Britain. ===Government=== ''Main article: Colonial government in America'' ===Philosophy and radical thought=== The Enlightenment elevated natural philosophy and began to replace arguments born of tradition and authority with those based on observation and independent reasoning. The implications of the earlier scientific revolution began to have a greater effect on everyday life and in the conscious thought of men everywhere. Increased publication and communications between like-minded people opened new areas to question and consideration. The early works of thinkers like John Locke became the analysis of men like Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu. The Deism views of several of the Founding Fathers of the United States and their views on the proper form of government have roots in this European Enlightenment and were a source for ideas regarding separation of church and state and other liberties. ===Religious trends=== The First Great Awakening was the American extension to the earlier religious revivals in Europe. It called into question the wisdom of an established church. The revival placed emphasis on individual conscience and experience as the source of value in religious experience. It started or increased the presence of Baptist views throughout the colonies. It was also the first event that swept through all the British colonies, from New England to the Carolinas, as a common experience. ==Road to rebellion== After the French and Indian War and Pontiac's Rebellion, newly crowned George III of the United Kingdom sought to overhaul his expansive North American possessions. In order to make the Empire more stable and profitable, new economic and land distribution policies were implemented. Colonial resentment of these new policies grew steadily throughout the decade, and had a significant impact on the emergence of the American Revolution. ===Economic disputes, 1760-70 === The British national debt had risen to alarming levels during the war years and so in 1760 the Crown began a series of economic initiatives designed to extract more revenue from the colonies. These policies were justifiable, the reasoning went, because the colonists were enjoying the benefits of the peace that had been won. In theory, Great Britain already mercantilism of the colonies through the Navigation Acts, but widespread evasion of these laws had long been tolerated. Now, through the use of open-ended search warrants (Writs of Assistance), strict enforcement became the practice. In 1761, Massachusetts lawyer James Otis argued that the writs violated the Constitution of the United Kingdom of the colonists. He lost the case, but John Adams later wrote, "American independence was then and there born." In 1764, British Prime Minister George Grenville's Sugar Act and Currency Act created economic hardship in the colonies. Protests led to the boycott of British goods, and to the emergence of the popular slogan "no taxation without representation," in which colonists argued that only their colonial assemblies, and not Parliament of the United Kingdom, could levy taxes on them. Committee of correspondence were formed in the colonies to coordinate resistance. In previous years, the colonies had shown little inclination towards collective action. Grenville's policies were bringing them together. A milestone in the nascent Revolution occurred in 1765, when Grenville passed the Stamp Act 1765 as a way to finance the quartering of troops in North America. The Stamp Act required all legal documents, permits, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards in the colonies to carry a stamp duty. Colonial protest was widespread. Secret societies known as the Sons of Liberty were formed in every colony, and used propaganda, intimidation, and mob violence to prevent the enforcement of the Stamp Act. The furor culminated with the Stamp Act Congress, which sent a formal protest to Parliament in October of 1765. Parliament responded by repealing the Stamp Act, but pointedly Declaratory Act over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever.” [[Image:Boston Massacre.jpg|300px|right|thumb|This exaggerated depiction of the "Boston Massacre" by Paul Revere was designed to inflame opposition to the military occupation of Boston.]] The sequel was not long in coming. In 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, placing taxes on a number of common goods imported into the colonies, including glass, paint, lead, paper, and tea. Colonial leaders organized boycotts of these British imports. The ''Liberty'', a ship belonging to colonial merchant John Hancock, was suspected of smuggling and seized by customs officials in Boston, Massachusetts on June 10, 1768. Angry protests on the street led customs officials to report to London that Boston was in a state of insurrection. British troops began to arrive in Boston in October of 1768. Tensions continued to mount, culminating in the "Boston Massacre" on March 5, 1770, when British soldiers fired into an angry mob, killing five. Revolutionary agitators like Samuel Adams used the event to stir up popular resistance, but after the trial of the soldiers, who were defended by John Adams, tensions diminished. The Townshend Acts were repealed in 1770, and it was still theoretically possible that further bloodshed in the colonies might be avoided. However, the British government had left one tax from the Townshend Acts in place as a symbolic gesture of their right to tax the colonies—the tax on tea. For the revolutionaries, who stood firm on the principle that only their colonial representatives could levy taxes on them, it was still one tax too many. ===Western land dispute=== The British Royal Proclamation of 1763 sought to limit the conflicts between Native Americans and the English settlers by restricting settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. However, groups of settlers led for example by Daniel Boone continued to move into the region beyond the Proclamation Line and clashed violently with the Shawnees and other peoples inhabiting the area. Furthermore, the Quebec Act of 1774 extended Quebec's boundaries to the Ohio River, reestablished Civil Code of Quebec#Under the British Empire, and instituted toleration for Roman Catholics in that territory. Proposals to post British regulars to man forts in the west further disquieted Americans eager to settle in the West. ===Crises, 1772-75=== *Gaspée Affair *Tea Act of 1773. *Boston Tea Party - December 16, 1773 *"Intolerable Acts" of 1774. *The First Continental Congress convened on September 5, 1774 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and endorsed the Suffolk Resolves, which declared the Intolerable Acts to be unconstitutional, called for the people to form militias, and for Massachusetts to form a revolutionary government. Joseph Galloway's Plan of Union is defeated. *Battle of Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775 *Second Continental Congress convenes on May 10, 1775. :*Olive Branch Petition -- July 5, 1775, one final attempt by the Continental Congress to appeal to King George to redress their grievances and avoid more bloodshed. The King refuses even to receive the petition. ===Choosing sides=== [[Image:joinordie.png|thumb|250px|This political cartoon (attributed to Benjamin Franklin) originally appeared during the French and Indian War, but was recycled to encourage the American colonies to unite against British rule.]] The American revolutionaries, known as Patriot (American Revolution)s (or Whigs or rebels), included many shades of opinion. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and George Washington represented a socially conservative faction that would later take shape as the Federalist party and are traditionally characterized as preoccupied with preserving the wealth and power of the "better sorts" of colonial society. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine are usually portrayed as representing the less economically affluent side of society, and political equation. A great many American colonists remained loyal to the British Crown; these were known as Loyalist (American Revolution)s (or Tories, or King's men). Loyalists were often of the same well-to-do social circle that produced the right wing of the Patriots (take for example Thomas Hutchinson); however, the Scottish highlanders of the Mohawk Valley and the frontiersmen of Georgia included a large number of poorer King's men. After the war, United Empire Loyalists became a central component of the populations of the Abaco islands (in the Bahamas), the Canada provinces of New Brunswick and Ontario, and Freetown, Sierra Leone. ==War for independence, 1775-83== ''Main article: American Revolutionary War'' Thomas Paine produced a pamphlet entitled ''Common Sense'' arguing that the only solution to the problems with Britain would be republicanism and independence. *United States Declaration of Independence *Articles of Confederation ==America after the war== *Shays' Rebellion - 1786 *Northwest Indian War (1785-1795) *The United States Constitutional Convention of 1787 The American Revolution did not produce the kind of epoch-breaking rupture with past customs and institutions as the French Revolution, and even Thomas Paine -- one of the most radical figures in the American Revolution -- was later challenged in France by Robespierre for being too moderate. However, the American Revolution did entrench several noteworthy innovations: the separation of church and state, which ended the special privileges of the Anglican Church in the South and the Congregationalist Church in New England; a discourse of liberty and equality which would prove highly appealing in Europe; the idea that government should be by consent of the governed (including the right of rebellion against tyranny); the delegation of power through written constitutions; and the notion that colonial peoples of the Americas could become self-governing nations in their own rights. ==Revolution beyond America== The American Revolution was the first wave of the Atlantic Revolutions that would also take hold in the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the Bolívar's War. Aftershocks would also be felt in Ireland in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, in Polish-Lithuanian_Commonwealth, and in the Netherlands. The Revolution had a strong immediate impact in Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and France. Many British and Irish Whigs had been openly indulgent to the Patriots in America, and the Revolution was the first lesson in politics for many European radicals who would later take on active roles during the era of the French Revolution. ==Legacy and interpretations== *American exceptionalism, Exceptionalism ==See also== *British colonization of the Americas *Founding Fathers of the United States *Industrial Revolution *List of important people in the era of the American Revolution *Timeline of United States revolutionary history (1760-1789) ==Further reading== Origins: :*Bailyn, Bernard. ''The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution.'' Harvard University Press, 1967. ISBN 0674443012. :*Hawke, David. ''The Colonial Experience''. Bobbs-Merrill, 1966. ISBN 0023518308. :*Miller, John C. ''Origins of the American Revolution''. Little, Brown, 1943; reprinted Stanford University Press, 1959. ISBN 0804705933; 1991 paperback edition: ISBN 0804705941. :*Nash, Gary B. ''The Urban Crucible: The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution''. Harvard University Press, 1986. ISBN 0674930592. == External links == *[http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/ PBS Television Series] *[http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web03/atlases/american%20revolution/american%20revolution%20index.htm Battlefield atlas of the American Revolution] bn:আমেরিকান বিপ্লব ga:Cogadh Réabhlóideach Mheiriceá American Revolution Rebellions in the United States The Enlightenment Revolutions
Notice: when linking articles to the American Revolution, be aware of the distinction between the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War]]. ==Proposed outline of article== *Background ** Trends in liberal thought ** historic trends to revolution ** colonial history ** British history ** Religious history *Immediate causes ** European dynastic wars ** mercantilism and trade policy ** American expansion *The actual revolution ** The political revolution ** American separatists ** The revolution in Britain *The Revolutionary War (and see main article) *Building the United States ** Under the Confederation ** Continental Congress ** Consitutional Convention User:LouI 00:14 9 Jun 2003 (UTC) == Origins Section == This is a kind of status update. I've already altered the outline proposed above, but I have completed what I think of as broad origins and created a stub-like paragraph for the immediate causes. We could use an article specific to the American Enlightnment, as well as improvement and expansion in the Great Awakening and the Enlightnent articles. My main efforts are still concentrated on biograpohies and the Revolutionary War, so feel free to expand this article. Thanks for your patience, User:LouI 20:50, 22 Feb 2004 (UTC) An anonymous user inserted a reference to the Renaissance into this section. Rmherman reverted it, and I agree with his action. But, one element in the addition was a reference to Gottfried Leibniz. Leibniz may deserve a reference here. His ''Essays on Understanding'' was in Jefferson's library, and was undoubtedly read by others of the founders. I just wanted to record this note for future updating. User:LouI 16:33, 19 May 2004 (UTC) I compare the origins of the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War to the Cold War; Every series of events that lead to every war should be considered as cold wars. - User:John-1107--Ed Telerionus 20:51, 28 Apr 2005 (UTC) ===Deletions from Origins=== Here's the text I removed from this section, with explanations: ''European Dynastic Wars, as experienced in the French and Indian Wars, raised several important ideas among the North American colonist.'' :Simplified this to discussion of the impact of F&I War. ''One of these was the importance of self-reliance for their own defense, and a recognition that the European military establishments were less effective when applied on a continental scale. The Albany Congress taught them the value of cooperation between otherwise divergent colonies. Armies and techniques that might protect Great Britain, France, or the Netherlands could not be extended over thinly populated North America.'' :I think the above sentences are, in order: arguable, false, and too vague to be useful. :-) ''Another result was a rising sense of frustration, when victories earned in part by their blood and wealth were negotiated away for a gain in Asia or the Caribbean.'' :Vague generalization. ''At the same time, political changes in Britain, itself, brought to the fore, leaders inclined to be more forceful and active in the governance of Britain's colonies. The Seven Years' War had resulted in a huge expansion of the British Empire thoughout the world, encouraging imperial thinking and ambition. The accession of George III of the United Kingdom introduced a politically active monarch into British politics for the first time in fifty years, and encouraged the rise of a new Tory party, which would govern under Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford during the period of the American Revolutionary War. The authoritarian assertiveness of the Tories tended to be magnified in the perceptions of the colonists into intended tyranny. Whig, who were inclined ideologically to be sympathetic to American aspirations to liberty and self-governance and relieved of the responsibility of governance, became important allies of the American cause in Parliament.'' :Restating this later in the article, within a timeline, rather than in a summary up front. ''Economic Changes gave further impetus ...'' :Ditto. --User:Kevin Myers 02:26, 18 Nov 2004 (UTC) ==Direction of this article== ...to decide the future of this article. Personally, I think we should scrap the 70% of it that deals with eighteenth century America as a whole. But we should also do some thinking about what it is we actually want to talk about here. What ''was'' the Revolution, as distinguished from the Revolutionary War? Was the Revolution something that happened before the War and made the War inevitable? Or are we talking the social and political transformations wrought through the Revolutionary upheaval, including the impacts on religion, demographics, Native/White relations, slavery, the colonies' economy; but perhaps most of all colonial independence and the politically radical decade from 1776 to 1787. Personally the second view makes more sense to me, and I'd hesitate for that reason to put these things into an "Aftermath" section. On the other hand, sections on pre-Revolution America should really go mostly to an article on the (social) history of the Thirteen Colonies. User:QuartierLatin1968 00:47, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC) :These are good observations. I think the previous version of the article consisted of too many generalities -- an overview or interpretation of the Revolution (vaguely defined), rather than a history of it. I think there's a better approach. To state the obvious, revolution is about change, so an article about any revolution should fall into three broad sections: (1) the way things were before the revolution, (2) what happened during the revolution, and (3) how the world was different after the revolution. Easier said than done, of course. I don't think the article should just be a countdown to the war (which I don't believe was inevitable). I think we need more material about "What happened" (other than the war) and "how the world was different" -- the social and political transformations -- but without resorting to generalities. --User:Kevin Myers 02:08, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC) == Loyalists == I believe it is inaccurate to say that: "Loyalties It should be noted, however, that a large proportion of the population did stay loyal to Britain, or at least remained neutral during the war. Loyalists, known as Tories, included members of the aristocracy who had a lot to lose, as well as recent immigrants who identified more with their birthplace than their new home. Both during and following the war, Tories were forced to flee to Canada or Britain. Many Native Americans also opposed the revolution, believing that they were likely to suffer more at the hands of independent Americans than the British. An estimated 10-15% of colonists were Loyalists, and about one-third of them left the United States. Some 70,000 Loyalists fled, along with 2,000 Native Americans. 50,000 of these Loyalists went to Canada, where they helped form the colonies of New Brunswick and Ontario. Some black Loyalists went to Sierra Leone." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:American_Revolutionary_War) AS it is seemingly unsupported and in that: regarding the American Revolutionary War of Indepdence (please not this as my response to the issues earlier stated) that "One-third loyal, one-third patriot, one-third undecided." (John Adams (“2. Loyalists a. 100,000 left the colonies4. Declaring Independence (WAYCROSS COLLEGE DR. COREY LESSEIG http://www.waycross.edu/faculty/coless/Am1lec.htm) (which I recall was corroborated by Dr. Herbert Apteker in lectures attended by user:Andrew Zito) and in that: “Loyalists, that sizeable pro-British element, perhaps a majority when open war began, who had stood by established law and imperial unity against revolutionary upheaval” (http://www.canadianheritage.org/books/canada4.htm) “New York City, which was at that time more pro-British than England itself.“ (The Tribes and the States W. J. Sidis chapter 23, http://www.sidis.net/TSChap23.htm) The question the colonial elite must have repeatedly asked each other is if the growing class hatred developing in the colonies could be focused against the pro-British elite, and be deflected from themselves, the national elite? (Lecture Notes 3 - The American Revolution African American History - Spring 1999 Department of History, St. John's University by Omar, Ali http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Workshop/4275/StJohnsLec3.html ). "about 40% of the population was pro-British. (The Presbyterian Rebellion ( by Harry Seabrook (harry@littlegeneva.com" http://www.littlegeneva.com/docs/presbyterian.htm ) :The lectures and notes that Zito cites are intersting but not entirely accurate. First, we must know that no one knows the TRUE numbers of rebels, tories, and indifferent population. That said, New York City was originally a hotbed of the revolution. From 1765-1775 as many incidents happened ther as the more widely known ones in Boston. By the end of 1775 the royal governor had to leave, and withdraw a small garrison with him. The notes cited claim that there were a great many loyalists in New York. By the summer of 76, there were. Open fighting in New England caused numbers of Tories to leave home. When the British left Boston in March, Tory refugee centers became NYC and Nove Scotia. Everyone expected the British Army to come to New York. ::To net this discussion, I haven't seen anything to cause me to want the article changed. However, eventually the loyalist-rebel or Tory-Whig notes should go to the revolution article, not the war. User:LouI 16:06, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) == Choosing Sides == It might be relevant to change the titles in this section from conservative and democratic to conservative and liberal, and perhaps clarify a bit as how those have changed over the years. The political issues of the time and wheather or not they can be converted to our time is debatable. The article points out the slave irony but leaves it at that. To quote salvidor dali "a man can go from liberal to conservative in 20 years without changing a single thought" and thats especially true in america, i don't want to change this because im a pretty bad writer and don't have time to research, but maybe someone does.
This category covers the political and historical aspects of the American Revolution; for articles on the military aspects, see :Category:American Revolutionary War. For the previous period in US history, see :Category:U.S. colonial history. United States history History of Great Britain Revolutions Rebellions in the United States
#REDIRECT American Revolution
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American_Revolution
American_Revolution
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American Revolution
[[Image:map of territorial growth 1775.jpg|thumb|300px|Before the Revolution: The 13 colonies are in red, the pink area was claimed by Great Britain after the French and Indian War, and the orange region was claimed by Spain. Note that this map does not show the bulk of British North America of that time.]] The American Revolution refers to the series of events, ideas, and changes that resulted in the political separation of thirteen colonies in North America from the British Empire and the creation of the United States. The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) was one part of the revolution, but the revolution began before the first shot was fired at Battle of Lexington and Concord and continued after the British surrender at Battle of Yorktown (1781). "The Revolution was effected before the War commenced," wrote John Adams. "The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people." The exact nature and extent of the American Revolution is a matter of interpretation. It is generally agreed that the revolution originated around the time of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), and ended with the election of George Washington as the first President of the United States in 1789. Beyond that, interpretations vary. At one end of the spectrum is the view that the American Revolution was not revolutionary at all, that it did not radically transform colonial society, but simply replaced a distant government with a local one. The opposite view is that the American Revolution was a unique and radical event, producing significant changes that had a profound impact on world history. Most current interpretations fall somewhere in between these two positions. ==Origins== ''Main article: Colonial America'' In the early 1760s, Kingdom of Great Britain possessed a British North America on the North American continent. In addition to the thirteen British colonies, victory in the Seven Years' War had given Great Britain claim over New France (Canada), Spain Florida, and the Native American lands east of the Mississippi River. A war against France's former Indian allies—Pontiac's Rebellion—had, if not conquered, at least pacified the western frontier. Most white colonists in America considered themselves loyal subjects of the British Crown, with the same rights and obligations as people in Britain. ===Government=== ''Main article: Colonial government in America'' ===Philosophy and radical thought=== The Enlightenment elevated natural philosophy and began to replace arguments born of tradition and authority with those based on observation and independent reasoning. The implications of the earlier scientific revolution began to have a greater effect on everyday life and in the conscious thought of men everywhere. Increased publication and communications between like-minded people opened new areas to question and consideration. The early works of thinkers like John Locke became the analysis of men like Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu. The Deism views of several of the Founding Fathers of the United States and their views on the proper form of government have roots in this European Enlightenment and were a source for ideas regarding separation of church and state and other liberties. ===Religious trends=== The First Great Awakening was the American extension to the earlier religious revivals in Europe. It called into question the wisdom of an established church. The revival placed emphasis on individual conscience and experience as the source of value in religious experience. It started or increased the presence of Baptist views throughout the colonies. It was also the first event that swept through all the British colonies, from New England to the Carolinas, as a common experience. ==Road to rebellion== After the French and Indian War and Pontiac's Rebellion, newly crowned George III of the United Kingdom sought to overhaul his expansive North American possessions. In order to make the Empire more stable and profitable, new economic and land distribution policies were implemented. Colonial resentment of these new policies grew steadily throughout the decade, and had a significant impact on the emergence of the American Revolution. ===Economic disputes, 1760-70 === The British national debt had risen to alarming levels during the war years and so in 1760 the Crown began a series of economic initiatives designed to extract more revenue from the colonies. These policies were justifiable, the reasoning went, because the colonists were enjoying the benefits of the peace that had been won. In theory, Great Britain already mercantilism of the colonies through the Navigation Acts, but widespread evasion of these laws had long been tolerated. Now, through the use of open-ended search warrants (Writs of Assistance), strict enforcement became the practice. In 1761, Massachusetts lawyer James Otis argued that the writs violated the Constitution of the United Kingdom of the colonists. He lost the case, but John Adams later wrote, "American independence was then and there born." In 1764, British Prime Minister George Grenville's Sugar Act and Currency Act created economic hardship in the colonies. Protests led to the boycott of British goods, and to the emergence of the popular slogan "no taxation without representation," in which colonists argued that only their colonial assemblies, and not Parliament of the United Kingdom, could levy taxes on them. Committee of correspondence were formed in the colonies to coordinate resistance. In previous years, the colonies had shown little inclination towards collective action. Grenville's policies were bringing them together. A milestone in the nascent Revolution occurred in 1765, when Grenville passed the Stamp Act 1765 as a way to finance the quartering of troops in North America. The Stamp Act required all legal documents, permits, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards in the colonies to carry a stamp duty. Colonial protest was widespread. Secret societies known as the Sons of Liberty were formed in every colony, and used propaganda, intimidation, and mob violence to prevent the enforcement of the Stamp Act. The furor culminated with the Stamp Act Congress, which sent a formal protest to Parliament in October of 1765. Parliament responded by repealing the Stamp Act, but pointedly Declaratory Act over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever.” [[Image:Boston Massacre.jpg|300px|right|thumb|This exaggerated depiction of the "Boston Massacre" by Paul Revere was designed to inflame opposition to the military occupation of Boston.]] The sequel was not long in coming. In 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, placing taxes on a number of common goods imported into the colonies, including glass, paint, lead, paper, and tea. Colonial leaders organized boycotts of these British imports. The ''Liberty'', a ship belonging to colonial merchant John Hancock, was suspected of smuggling and seized by customs officials in Boston, Massachusetts on June 10, 1768. Angry protests on the street led customs officials to report to London that Boston was in a state of insurrection. British troops began to arrive in Boston in October of 1768. Tensions continued to mount, culminating in the "Boston Massacre" on March 5, 1770, when British soldiers fired into an angry mob, killing five. Revolutionary agitators like Samuel Adams used the event to stir up popular resistance, but after the trial of the soldiers, who were defended by John Adams, tensions diminished. The Townshend Acts were repealed in 1770, and it was still theoretically possible that further bloodshed in the colonies might be avoided. However, the British government had left one tax from the Townshend Acts in place as a symbolic gesture of their right to tax the colonies—the tax on tea. For the revolutionaries, who stood firm on the principle that only their colonial representatives could levy taxes on them, it was still one tax too many. ===Western land dispute=== The British Royal Proclamation of 1763 sought to limit the conflicts between Native Americans and the English settlers by restricting settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. However, groups of settlers led for example by Daniel Boone continued to move into the region beyond the Proclamation Line and clashed violently with the Shawnees and other peoples inhabiting the area. Furthermore, the Quebec Act of 1774 extended Quebec's boundaries to the Ohio River, reestablished Civil Code of Quebec#Under the British Empire, and instituted toleration for Roman Catholics in that territory. Proposals to post British regulars to man forts in the west further disquieted Americans eager to settle in the West. ===Crises, 1772-75=== *Gaspée Affair *Tea Act of 1773. *Boston Tea Party - December 16, 1773 *"Intolerable Acts" of 1774. *The First Continental Congress convened on September 5, 1774 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and endorsed the Suffolk Resolves, which declared the Intolerable Acts to be unconstitutional, called for the people to form militias, and for Massachusetts to form a revolutionary government. Joseph Galloway's Plan of Union is defeated. *Battle of Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775 *Second Continental Congress convenes on May 10, 1775. :*Olive Branch Petition -- July 5, 1775, one final attempt by the Continental Congress to appeal to King George to redress their grievances and avoid more bloodshed. The King refuses even to receive the petition. ===Choosing sides=== [[Image:joinordie.png|thumb|250px|This political cartoon (attributed to Benjamin Franklin) originally appeared during the French and Indian War, but was recycled to encourage the American colonies to unite against British rule.]] The American revolutionaries, known as Patriot (American Revolution)s (or Whigs or rebels), included many shades of opinion. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and George Washington represented a socially conservative faction that would later take shape as the Federalist party and are traditionally characterized as preoccupied with preserving the wealth and power of the "better sorts" of colonial society. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine are usually portrayed as representing the less economically affluent side of society, and political equation. A great many American colonists remained loyal to the British Crown; these were known as Loyalist (American Revolution)s (or Tories, or King's men). Loyalists were often of the same well-to-do social circle that produced the right wing of the Patriots (take for example Thomas Hutchinson); however, the Scottish highlanders of the Mohawk Valley and the frontiersmen of Georgia included a large number of poorer King's men. After the war, United Empire Loyalists became a central component of the populations of the Abaco islands (in the Bahamas), the Canada provinces of New Brunswick and Ontario, and Freetown, Sierra Leone. ==War for independence, 1775-83== ''Main article: American Revolutionary War'' Thomas Paine produced a pamphlet entitled ''Common Sense'' arguing that the only solution to the problems with Britain would be republicanism and independence. *United States Declaration of Independence *Articles of Confederation ==America after the war== *Shays' Rebellion - 1786 *Northwest Indian War (1785-1795) *The United States Constitutional Convention of 1787 The American Revolution did not produce the kind of epoch-breaking rupture with past customs and institutions as the French Revolution, and even Thomas Paine -- one of the most radical figures in the American Revolution -- was later challenged in France by Robespierre for being too moderate. However, the American Revolution did entrench several noteworthy innovations: the separation of church and state, which ended the special privileges of the Anglican Church in the South and the Congregationalist Church in New England; a discourse of liberty and equality which would prove highly appealing in Europe; the idea that government should be by consent of the governed (including the right of rebellion against tyranny); the delegation of power through written constitutions; and the notion that colonial peoples of the Americas could become self-governing nations in their own rights. ==Revolution beyond America== The American Revolution was the first wave of the Atlantic Revolutions that would also take hold in the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the Bolívar's War. Aftershocks would also be felt in Ireland in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, in Polish-Lithuanian_Commonwealth, and in the Netherlands. The Revolution had a strong immediate impact in Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and France. Many British and Irish Whigs had been openly indulgent to the Patriots in America, and the Revolution was the first lesson in politics for many European radicals who would later take on active roles during the era of the French Revolution. ==Legacy and interpretations== *American exceptionalism, Exceptionalism ==See also== *British colonization of the Americas *Founding Fathers of the United States *Industrial Revolution *List of important people in the era of the American Revolution *Timeline of United States revolutionary history (1760-1789) ==Further reading== Origins: :*Bailyn, Bernard. ''The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution.'' Harvard University Press, 1967. ISBN 0674443012. :*Hawke, David. ''The Colonial Experience''. Bobbs-Merrill, 1966. ISBN 0023518308. :*Miller, John C. ''Origins of the American Revolution''. Little, Brown, 1943; reprinted Stanford University Press, 1959. ISBN 0804705933; 1991 paperback edition: ISBN 0804705941. :*Nash, Gary B. ''The Urban Crucible: The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution''. Harvard University Press, 1986. ISBN 0674930592. == External links == *[http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/ PBS Television Series] *[http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web03/atlases/american%20revolution/american%20revolution%20index.htm Battlefield atlas of the American Revolution] bn:আমেরিকান বিপ্লব ga:Cogadh Réabhlóideach Mheiriceá American Revolution Rebellions in the United States The Enlightenment Revolutions
American Revolution
Notice: when linking articles to the American Revolution, be aware of the distinction between the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War]]. ==Proposed outline of article== *Background ** Trends in liberal thought ** historic trends to revolution ** colonial history ** British history ** Religious history *Immediate causes ** European dynastic wars ** mercantilism and trade policy ** American expansion *The actual revolution ** The political revolution ** American separatists ** The revolution in Britain *The Revolutionary War (and see main article) *Building the United States ** Under the Confederation ** Continental Congress ** Consitutional Convention User:LouI 00:14 9 Jun 2003 (UTC) == Origins Section == This is a kind of status update. I've already altered the outline proposed above, but I have completed what I think of as broad origins and created a stub-like paragraph for the immediate causes. We could use an article specific to the American Enlightnment, as well as improvement and expansion in the Great Awakening and the Enlightnent articles. My main efforts are still concentrated on biograpohies and the Revolutionary War, so feel free to expand this article. Thanks for your patience, User:LouI 20:50, 22 Feb 2004 (UTC) An anonymous user inserted a reference to the Renaissance into this section. Rmherman reverted it, and I agree with his action. But, one element in the addition was a reference to Gottfried Leibniz. Leibniz may deserve a reference here. His ''Essays on Understanding'' was in Jefferson's library, and was undoubtedly read by others of the founders. I just wanted to record this note for future updating. User:LouI 16:33, 19 May 2004 (UTC) I compare the origins of the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War to the Cold War; Every series of events that lead to every war should be considered as cold wars. - User:John-1107--Ed Telerionus 20:51, 28 Apr 2005 (UTC) ===Deletions from Origins=== Here's the text I removed from this section, with explanations: ''European Dynastic Wars, as experienced in the French and Indian Wars, raised several important ideas among the North American colonist.'' :Simplified this to discussion of the impact of F&I War. ''One of these was the importance of self-reliance for their own defense, and a recognition that the European military establishments were less effective when applied on a continental scale. The Albany Congress taught them the value of cooperation between otherwise divergent colonies. Armies and techniques that might protect Great Britain, France, or the Netherlands could not be extended over thinly populated North America.'' :I think the above sentences are, in order: arguable, false, and too vague to be useful. :-) ''Another result was a rising sense of frustration, when victories earned in part by their blood and wealth were negotiated away for a gain in Asia or the Caribbean.'' :Vague generalization. ''At the same time, political changes in Britain, itself, brought to the fore, leaders inclined to be more forceful and active in the governance of Britain's colonies. The Seven Years' War had resulted in a huge expansion of the British Empire thoughout the world, encouraging imperial thinking and ambition. The accession of George III of the United Kingdom introduced a politically active monarch into British politics for the first time in fifty years, and encouraged the rise of a new Tory party, which would govern under Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford during the period of the American Revolutionary War. The authoritarian assertiveness of the Tories tended to be magnified in the perceptions of the colonists into intended tyranny. Whig, who were inclined ideologically to be sympathetic to American aspirations to liberty and self-governance and relieved of the responsibility of governance, became important allies of the American cause in Parliament.'' :Restating this later in the article, within a timeline, rather than in a summary up front. ''Economic Changes gave further impetus ...'' :Ditto. --User:Kevin Myers 02:26, 18 Nov 2004 (UTC) ==Direction of this article== ...to decide the future of this article. Personally, I think we should scrap the 70% of it that deals with eighteenth century America as a whole. But we should also do some thinking about what it is we actually want to talk about here. What ''was'' the Revolution, as distinguished from the Revolutionary War? Was the Revolution something that happened before the War and made the War inevitable? Or are we talking the social and political transformations wrought through the Revolutionary upheaval, including the impacts on religion, demographics, Native/White relations, slavery, the colonies' economy; but perhaps most of all colonial independence and the politically radical decade from 1776 to 1787. Personally the second view makes more sense to me, and I'd hesitate for that reason to put these things into an "Aftermath" section. On the other hand, sections on pre-Revolution America should really go mostly to an article on the (social) history of the Thirteen Colonies. User:QuartierLatin1968 00:47, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC) :These are good observations. I think the previous version of the article consisted of too many generalities -- an overview or interpretation of the Revolution (vaguely defined), rather than a history of it. I think there's a better approach. To state the obvious, revolution is about change, so an article about any revolution should fall into three broad sections: (1) the way things were before the revolution, (2) what happened during the revolution, and (3) how the world was different after the revolution. Easier said than done, of course. I don't think the article should just be a countdown to the war (which I don't believe was inevitable). I think we need more material about "What happened" (other than the war) and "how the world was different" -- the social and political transformations -- but without resorting to generalities. --User:Kevin Myers 02:08, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC) == Loyalists == I believe it is inaccurate to say that: "Loyalties It should be noted, however, that a large proportion of the population did stay loyal to Britain, or at least remained neutral during the war. Loyalists, known as Tories, included members of the aristocracy who had a lot to lose, as well as recent immigrants who identified more with their birthplace than their new home. Both during and following the war, Tories were forced to flee to Canada or Britain. Many Native Americans also opposed the revolution, believing that they were likely to suffer more at the hands of independent Americans than the British. An estimated 10-15% of colonists were Loyalists, and about one-third of them left the United States. Some 70,000 Loyalists fled, along with 2,000 Native Americans. 50,000 of these Loyalists went to Canada, where they helped form the colonies of New Brunswick and Ontario. Some black Loyalists went to Sierra Leone." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:American_Revolutionary_War) AS it is seemingly unsupported and in that: regarding the American Revolutionary War of Indepdence (please not this as my response to the issues earlier stated) that "One-third loyal, one-third patriot, one-third undecided." (John Adams (“2. Loyalists a. 100,000 left the colonies4. Declaring Independence (WAYCROSS COLLEGE DR. COREY LESSEIG http://www.waycross.edu/faculty/coless/Am1lec.htm) (which I recall was corroborated by Dr. Herbert Apteker in lectures attended by user:Andrew Zito) and in that: “Loyalists, that sizeable pro-British element, perhaps a majority when open war began, who had stood by established law and imperial unity against revolutionary upheaval” (http://www.canadianheritage.org/books/canada4.htm) “New York City, which was at that time more pro-British than England itself.“ (The Tribes and the States W. J. Sidis chapter 23, http://www.sidis.net/TSChap23.htm) The question the colonial elite must have repeatedly asked each other is if the growing class hatred developing in the colonies could be focused against the pro-British elite, and be deflected from themselves, the national elite? (Lecture Notes 3 - The American Revolution African American History - Spring 1999 Department of History, St. John's University by Omar, Ali http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Workshop/4275/StJohnsLec3.html ). "about 40% of the population was pro-British. (The Presbyterian Rebellion ( by Harry Seabrook (harry@littlegeneva.com" http://www.littlegeneva.com/docs/presbyterian.htm ) :The lectures and notes that Zito cites are intersting but not entirely accurate. First, we must know that no one knows the TRUE numbers of rebels, tories, and indifferent population. That said, New York City was originally a hotbed of the revolution. From 1765-1775 as many incidents happened ther as the more widely known ones in Boston. By the end of 1775 the royal governor had to leave, and withdraw a small garrison with him. The notes cited claim that there were a great many loyalists in New York. By the summer of 76, there were. Open fighting in New England caused numbers of Tories to leave home. When the British left Boston in March, Tory refugee centers became NYC and Nove Scotia. Everyone expected the British Army to come to New York. ::To net this discussion, I haven't seen anything to cause me to want the article changed. However, eventually the loyalist-rebel or Tory-Whig notes should go to the revolution article, not the war. User:LouI 16:06, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) == Choosing Sides == It might be relevant to change the titles in this section from conservative and democratic to conservative and liberal, and perhaps clarify a bit as how those have changed over the years. The political issues of the time and wheather or not they can be converted to our time is debatable. The article points out the slave irony but leaves it at that. To quote salvidor dali "a man can go from liberal to conservative in 20 years without changing a single thought" and thats especially true in america, i don't want to change this because im a pretty bad writer and don't have time to research, but maybe someone does.
American Revolution
This category covers the political and historical aspects of the American Revolution; for articles on the military aspects, see :Category:American Revolutionary War. For the previous period in US history, see :Category:U.S. colonial history. United States history History of Great Britain Revolutions Rebellions in the United States
American revolution
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