AMERICAN REVOLTION

American revolution and its significance

The United States of America was born from the New World and started with 13 colonies. The people who inhabited these colonies came from different parts of Europe. In the 18^th century the colonies were controlled by the mother country England. 

CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The political causes, which led the colonist to revolt against England, were high level of self-governing and education. The colonies were self-reliant and they desired to manage their own political affairs without the interference of the mother country.

The economic causes which led the colonies to revolt was the heavy system of taxation introduced by the Navigation Act, Stamp Act, Sugar Act, Quartering Act and Townsend / Glass Act. The colonist demanded the policy of ‘No Taxation Without Representation’.

The intellectuals who provided the philosophy (ideas) for the American Revolution were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton. Thomas Paine through the book ‘Common Sense’ made an appeal to the American people to fight for total independence.

Another reason why the colonists revolted against the mother country was England’s victory over France in the seven years war (1756-1763). The fear of France was not longer there and military protection was not required.

The immediate cause of the revolution was the ‘Boston Tea Party’ (1773) where the colonists dressed as Red Indians (Mohawks) and threw the cases of tea into the sea. This was done to oppose the Townsend Act, which imposed duty on Glass and Tea. Immediately Port Boston was closed for further shipping. All tea was destroyed.

From 1774 onwards, the colonists conducted meetings like First Continental Congress and Second Continental Congress. At these meetings a decision was taken to fight the revolutionary war with the mother country England in 1776. For the next 7 years the colonists and the mother country were at war and finally war came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1785 between British representatives and America. This treaty recognized the birth of a new nation United States of America (USA) in 1783 with George Washington as its first president.

The importance of the American Revolution in modern history is mainly because today America is a superpower and this country is barely hundred years old.

  CONSEQUENCES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

1.        Birth of a new nation: The 13 original British colonies became an independent nation called the United States of America (USA) by the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The constitution was drafted by important leaders like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

2.        Inspiration to the French revolution: The American Revolution gave ideas to the French people who were suffering under the Bourbon King Luis XVI of France. French volunteers, who participated in the revolutionary war of the colonies against England such as Lafayette, played an important role in the French revolution. Six years after the treaty of Paris, the French revolution broke out. The slogan of the French revolution was Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

3.        Change in British Colonial Policy: The American Revolution made Britain change her attitude towards colonies in Asia and Africa. England learnt the lesson that ‘Colonies are like ripe fruits, when ready they will fall off’. Later England gave freedom to her white colonies of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand and by 1947 colored colonies like South Africa and India got their independence.

4.        Victory of Democracy and Liberty: The birth of America was a victory for democracy i.e. Government of the people, by the people and for the people. The declaration of American independence is a document of great constitutional importance. The principles of this declaration set an example for other revolutions of the world. The constitution had liberty of the people as the main achievement.

5.        Constitution of America: the American constitution defines the rights and liberties of the American people. It also suggests methods to achieve this aim. This constitution set up a federal form of government where powers were divided between Central and State Government. The Indian Constitution has copied the federal principle from the American constitution.