Bernard Bailyn's Interpretation of the American Revolution Essays

The American Revolution paved the way for democratic rule in nations and ignited the spreading thereof throughout the whole world. Yet events that led up the start of the revolution have been mixed in their significance by historians. Both historians, Carl Degler and T.H. Breen agree that the British mercantile system had benefited the colonists, allowing them to have comfortable lifestyles. Madaras L, SoRelle J (2011)

Bailyn, Bernard. The Ideological Origins of the American Revolutions. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1992.

The eighteenth century had faced many problems with colonist around the world from New York to Boston, the soldiers coming to Boston and how people reflected their anger off the soldiers. Though Great Britain had many different colonies from all around the world, it was expensive to control all the colonies, though in the middle of the Seven Years’ War which occurred during 1756-1763. The French and Indian war, had been fought against the French over competing against colonist interest. Great Britain thought that the colonist in North America should to pay for the War, so in June 1767 parliament had passed the Townshend acts to raise the funds needed. The legislation who levied taxes on tea, paper, paint and glass, laid bed very unpopular in American colonies who considered themselves as Britons, the colonist disagreed the notion of the taxation without representation. Some colonist thought they should start to boycott the good in

Mid-eighteenth century colonial America was a hot bed for social and political change. The Enlightenment and The Great Awakening changed colonial thought on how legislation should be passed and the legitimacy of The Crown’s authority. Coming out of The Seven Years War, the British Parliament issued The Proclamation of 1763, which limited colonial expansion into the newly conquered western frontier. The Proclamation left many colonists believing that The Crown valued trade with the Indians more than the prosperity of the colonists themselves. But, it was not until the “new” parliamentary taxes, The Stamp Act and later The Townshend Revenue Act that sparked great public fear that Parliament was encroaching on their natural born liberties.

The Townshend Acts allowed the British to rightfully tax the colonists without their approval. According to Thomas and Mary, “Townshend's duties made certain products that had to be imported from England, such as window glass, paper, lead, and artists' colors, more expensive for buyers. He also proposed a small three-pence tax

The colonists did not want to be directly taxed so they boycotted and petitioned the tax. An example of this boycott is evident in a colonial newspaper that’s heading had skull and crossbones where the stamp should be placed (Doc 7). Other examples of the new taxes that were imposed on the colonies are: The Sugar Act, Townshend Duties, and the Tea Act. The British also began heavily enforcing the Navigation Laws which basically prevented the colonies from trading with anyone but themselves. The British justified these taxes and policies with the fact that the colonies were costing them money to maintain, therefore they should be taxed to pay for these costs (Doc 6).

As the kids settled in on a cold winter's night, the youngest of the children asked their grandfather to tell one of his stories from the famous stories of the revolutionary war. All the children likes his stories; we could see what it was like all back when it was happening. he told us everything about the war, the things leading up to it, how it felt fighting during it, and what fell after the war. tonight he decided to tell us about one of the acts that lead up to the war. tonight addition: The Stamp Act of 1765.

To the people of England, this act was one of the significant act as the Parliament had been collecting tax money from the colonists for everything. Moreover, the colonists are required to put tax stamps on many documents such as newspapers and letters. But the colonists did not want this act to happen as they had to pay more tax which must be in the British currency. “The act was passed by parliament on March 22, 1765 and it became effective on November 1, 1765” (Tindall and Shi, 193). This act came to practice to assists the troops of England and for keeping American frontier safe. This act was not a practical act because the colonist had curiosity in parliament only to eradicate stamp act.

The King created several unfair laws that the colonists did not agree with such as the Stamp Act and Quartering Act. According to the Stamp Act of 1765, “An act for granting and applying certain stamp duties…” The Stamp Act forced the colonists to have a stamp on every paper that was published or printed. Objects such as pamphlets, newspapers and letters all had to have stamps. The Quartering Act was one of the laws King George created, which required colonists to house and provide food for the British soldiers. According to the Quartering Act of 1765 and 1774, “[Colonists were] required to provide food, beer, wine, bedding, utensils, candles and firewood [to the British soldiers].”

In 1767 saw a series of other measures containing contradictory factors. Charles Townshend, the British finance minister, has been trying to build a new fiscal program after repeatedly protesting heavy taxation in the country. With the intention of tax cuts for the British by imposing a more radical tax on the US trade, Charles Townshend tightened tariffs and imposed import duties on the colonies when importing items. British as paper, glass, lead and tea. The Townshend Act was made with the argument that taxes on imported goods of the colonies were legal, but domestic taxes (such as stamp duty) were not legal.

Britain imposed many laws on the colonists after the Seven Years War. Most of these laws were taxes to help Britain pay for the war effort. Some objected that everyone had to pay taxes in order to help recover Britain’s debt, but the people in the colonies had to pay more and different taxes, than their counterparts. One of the acts called the Sugar Act imposed taxes on sugar, wine and other foreign products. There was also the Stamp Act which required a stamp on legal papers, newspapers, and pamphlets. The tax that created the most problems was the Townshend Act, which put a tax on imported goods. Many of the taxes were repealed, but they were then replaced by new taxes. The Parliament also tried to hide

There were numerous acts that forced the colonists to pay taxes to Great Britain. The colonial legislatures said that the colonies were different from Great Britain. These legislatures could make taxes, call for troops, and they were able to pass laws too. The colonists viewed these taxes as unfair and unjustified (‘The History Channel’). With each newly imposed act the colonists became more enraged. These Acts include: The Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, and the Sugar Act.

They decided to pass several acts were the colonists were forced to pay taxes on revenue. One of the acts was the Sugar Act which placed a tax on all imported sugar into the colonies. Another act was the Stamp Act, which required the colonist to pay taxes on printed paper. The Townshend Acts were a series of acts passed which forced taxes on all lead, tea, glass, paints, and paper. Lastly, the tea act was passed and the colonists had to pay taxes on all imported

As I keep my sanity in this journal, my actions are different now due to this new imprisonment of this so called “ Stamp Act”. Here is the story of what has led up to the Revolutionary War.

On march 24 1765 parliament passed the quartering act. The quartering act is a given name meaning minimum of 2. This act was so the british can search any household in the colonies. After the french and indian war the government decided to create an army to keep the colonists safe they provided the army with headquarters and buggies for long marches.