A People's History Of The American Revolution Summary

“The Need for Virtue” from the book The American Revolution: A History by Gordon Wood, explains that the states, newly separated from England, cannot have a monarchical government because that is what they despised about their previous homeland. What holds this together is obedience to the king. What holds a republic together is the virtue of the people.

In regards to the American Revolution, the point that armed rebellion became inevitable arrived when after nearly five constant years of American colonist protesting. American 's had enough and needed to take a stand for the numerous inequalities they were forced to deal with. It was foreseeable that the American Revolution took place due to the unfair taxes that the British were giving Americans. Also, England was not allowing Americans their freedom, along with violence and the political dominance by the Parliament over the colonies by announcing the Stamp Act in 1765, which happened to nearly affect all Americans tremendously.

In 1773, Parliament aroused the Americans by passage of the Tea Act. This act, designed to help the East India Company by making it cheaper for them to sell tea in America, was interpreted by Americans as a subtle ploy to get them to consume taxed tea. In Boston, in December 1773, a group of men dumped the tea into the harbor.

It was the first revolution to majorly succeed and change how people saw their countries, it was the American Revolution. The American Revolution was the first successful revolution against a European empire that provided a model for many other colonial peoples who realized that they too could break away and become self-governing nations (New world Encyclopedia, 1).The American Revolution was vital to history because ideas seen by other countries started a chain reaction. Many ideas were taken into account when the Americans revolted against Europe and all of these played important factors throughout history. Ideas about liberty, equality, representation, and natural rights were first seen as properly put into action to change old systems in the American Revolution. As the American Revolution was the first to succeed and earn freedom, it greatly affected countries all around the world on how they made freedom and equality a part of their government

Between 1770 and 1776, resistance to imperial change turned into a full-on revolution. The American Revolution, also known as the Revolutionary War, was a time of revolting and political uprising, in which the 13 colonies separated from the British Empire, forming the independent nation known as the United States of America. Though the American Revolution began because the colonies wanted independence from Britain, many important historical events and revolts also lead to the tensions and resistance to what resulted in freedom and independence for the colonies from British rule. Events such as the Stamp and Sugar Acts, the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts, and the Continental Congress led to expanding tensions and soon to the outbreak of the American Revolution.

“The revolution was effected before the war commenced. The revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people.” - John Adams, 1818

When the American Revolution first broke out, many countries did not give the colonies more than a passing thought; most assumed that this rebellion would quickly be quelled by the world renowned British army and the colonies would once again be under their control. However, under the leadership of military officers and the guidance of laws and proclamations set forth by the Founding Fathers, America succeeded in their revolution against the control of Britain. Textbooks and teachers have praised America for years, stating that the revolution was a major turning point in world history, setting precedence for future revolutions, such as the French Revolution just a decade after the American Revolution ended. However, in later years, historians have begun to argue that the American Revolution was not the first of its kind, or unique in the way researchers previously stated. The Declaration of Independence, though groundbreaking in its own right, was influenced by documents and declarations in the English Civil War, such as the Petition of Rights and the English Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Independence, in turn, was a base for the authors and contributors of France’s Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen. Furthermore, for all the connections in the chain of antecedents for these documents and the documents themselves, such as philosophical and religious writings, they did not build off of each other in terms of giving rights to more and more people; women and other

The American Revolution was a modern and democratic revolution headed by the upper middle class and had three key phases, a moderate beginning, radical middle, and a conservative end.

The effects of the revolutionary war were felt far and wide by everyone involved; however, groups such as the colonist slaves, the Indians, and women felt these influences in particular. For the colonist, the revolution signified the introduction of the idea of “life, liberty, and property” (Schultz, 2009, p. 112) as a natural right for every person. Additionally, the conclusion of the war signaled the possibility of the new politics of republican democracy, instead of the Old-World gentry style of governing (Schultz, 2014). Also, instead of seeing each state as its own entity, they began recognizing that they all shared attributes that separated them from everyone else; in fact, this provided the colonist with a sense of unity that was necessary for the creation of the United States of America (Schultz, 2009). These effects on the colonist were for their benefit, but what about the slaves?

The American Revolution is typically looked at as a conservative movement, but it seems most of the actions taken were very radical. They were fighting to defend their rights, governed and natural. The American Revolution was as radical as any other revolution, in a special 18th century way, and this seems to hold true while looking at the new waves of thinking. It involves the Whigs and Tories, and while they are at opposite sides of the spectrum, they consecutively agreed to not address and higher-law principles so they would not have to rework their entire system.. The Revolution worked against this, and the parties chose to pretend it was not a serious movement and act, as they believed it would not take any effect. More people got involved and all aspects of life began to be questioned and revolutionized. The Revolution seems to be radical in a more definitive way as it caused segregation of beliefs, the Declaration of independence, and

war, it is a sign of radical action. Britains' army was four times as big

The Revolutionary Era was a time for liberal reformation, independence, and a new found united states. An uprising for freedom from Britain’s tyrannic king swept through the colonies and a fight for independence was making it’s way. However, the war with Britain would be no cake walk for the new found colonies and extra reinforcement was needed. African Americans played major roles during the Revolutionary Era by participating in battles such as Lexington, Bunker Hill, and Yorktown. Some were free African Americans who volunteered to serve in the war, but the majority were slaves not only fighting for the colonies independence, but freedom of their own. Fighting in the war gave slaves the hope of gaining their freedom. As time progressed, the colonies gained their independence from Britain but many African Americans remained enslaved and slavery became the next battle to seek freedom from. In the novel, Black Americans in the Revolutionary Era by Woody Holton, opponents of slavery, including slaves, try to use the rhetoric of the American Revolution to persuade white revolutionaries to oppose slavery. Many African Americans spoke out about slavery being wrong after their major contribution to the Revolutionary war. The documents portrayed in the novel give insights on African American life after the revolutionary war and the difficulty of accepting their freedom into society. If they could not physical fight for their freedom then they began to fight for their freedom

In Richard Wheeler’s book, Voices of 1776, Wheeler, an American author and former newspaper editor, uses the journal and diary entries of military personnel and civilians alike to describe the chaos of the Revolutionary War. Each entry details the daily onslaught of the war that founded America. By using these first hand accounts in chronological order, Wheeler has painted the patriotic image to create a well organized and firmly structured work of literature. This book is an excellent resource for students, educators, and reenactors, for Wheeler portrayed this war for independence with both sides input, and a neutral respect for both sides.

The people of the American revolutionary era had no choice but to rapidly modify their social agendas to keep up with the steady pace of governmental change. “Americans in the years following their revolution set about reforming their culture, in their strenuous efforts to bring their ideas and manners into accord with their new republican governments” (Wood 122). The area that was most distinctly affected by the revolution was the issue of slavery and the differentiations in beliefs among the various regions of the U.S.

During the beginning of Colonial America, there were many people who migrated from Europe to settle the new founded American Continent. They traveled from Europe to escape the laws, taxes, demands, and nobility brought upon them at the hands of King George III and Parliament. They wanted to be free from the tyranny of King George III. When the colonist arrived on the American Continent they felt freedoms that they had never before felt. After, feeling the freedom of being on this newly found continent King George once again started putting his demands on the Colonist. Eventually, the colonist saw their rights being taken away by the acts that were passed, the taxes that were implemented, and the Proclamation of 1763. The Tyranny of King