Freeborn Englishmen Dbq

The American Revolution would lead one of the greatest countries in the world. A superpower, at the forefront of innovation. It would become an example, a beacon, for freedom, and liberty everywhere. But how much of this was really due to the American Revolution? The American Revolution was truly revolutionary in many ways, including the new ideas of Political Equality of the Classes, Inalienable Rights, and Consent of the Governed.

A revolution is a dramatic and sudden change in an organization in the social order that is replaced by a new, more favorable system. When Historian Eric Foner called the Reconstruction period “America’s Second Revolution”, his characterization was correct. Reconstruction can be viewed as a revolution because the previous social order, slavery, was replaced suddenly by a more favorable one, freedom for African-Americans. There was a long period of politicization for incorporating free African-Americans into white society. Reconstruction also revolutionized the preconceived notion that the states had autonomous power.

The American Revolution was the beginning of a new country, and in result, a new people. The society of America was drastically effected, and it became very different from the other european countries. The new thinking of the citizens, and the political leaders resulted in a change in the social, political, and economic make up of American society.

The American Revolution was tremendously revolutionary in the sense that it completely changed the culture and way of thinking of the American people. The changes occurred in the way of thinking, religion, feelings about slavery, and the country itself. Although the American Revolution technically ended in 1783, there was a social and political revolution occurring for a long period afterward. After the Revolution, Americans shifted from a British colonist way of thought to a purely American one. This change shaped America and made it what it is today.

The American Revolution occurred in the 18th century in which the colonies wanted to overthrow the British government and eventually create an independent society. Independence and freedom was a major objective for the colonists to complete, which they hoped to accomplish by any means necessary. Due to how the Revolution impacted the rest of the world as well, historians argue whether the revolution was conservative or radical. After viewing the details/evidence, it is clear that the American Revolution was a radical change due to many events such as the abolishment of slavery, the rights gained for women, and the introduction to an independent republican government.

Though the Revolution was not short, spanning from 1775-1783 (Danzer et. al 95), or easy for either side, the colonists eventually won. The country began to prospire, becoming an advocate in egalitarianism, the belief in equality (Danzer et. al 122). The colonists had begun their fight for equality and freedom during The Boston Tea Party and now they had it, being free, equal men(not women),as long as they were caucasian.The Tea Party was able to inspire this growth in America which might not have occurred

After 100 years of a lack of taxes or control in the colonies, the colonists though that they were moving into Locke’s state of nature. According to Locke, men desired a government to stop the independence in a state of nature. Thus, Locke believed, “Men would agree in a social compact to end the complete independence that existed in the state of nature and to form a society under supervision of government.”(Morgan,73) As Locke believed that men would strive to form a government, the colonists would desire a government. However, government existed in the colonies. As assemblies had been formed and voted on by the people, the colonists were not in a state of nature. Thus, the colonists had a supervising force. As these assemblies were under Parliament, Parliament supervised society. As colonists argued over taxation without representation, many colonists forgot to remember that as Locke believed everyone should have, they had representation. According to Morgan, “ The English and their colonists almost alone among the peoples of the world actually did enjoy the rights Locke believed all peoples were entitled to.”(74) As the colonists had a supervising force formed by themselves, the colonists were not in a state of nature, but rather in Locke’s supervised state. Since the colonists believed that the state of nature was imminent if they wanted to form a new government, the colonists believed in

Thomas Jefferson, writer of the constitution stated “that when any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government”(Jefferson). The American Revolution did cause change especially in the way government is run in America. Although America struggled at the start, historians argue that it didn’t change the lives of people living in America.The American Revolution did change lives in a different way because, more colonists’ had opportunities, Native Americans’ lives were different, and African American lives changed because of the constitution.

In addition, Britain's political move of giving land back to the French also led to discontent as Americans saw their efforts in the King George’s War wasted. Lastly, the Proclamation of 1763 added to the conflict as the America's westward movement was hindered. Colonists saw the move as a violation of their “property rights” (Doc. G) and the discontent colonists added

In the early years of the colonies the concept of liberty would increase over time. According to Rights of Colonial Citizens video, “Colonists in America saw the same rights that citizens in England did.” The colonists thought the had the same rights, even though they still came to America. The colonists, in the end did get the same rights as the English and gained more rights, such as being able to petition the king and a right to trial by jury. In Rights Of Colonial Citizens video stated, “The most important was the right to have a voice in government...The English people had long struggled to gain the right to participate in government…

Before the American revolution, women, African slaves, and Native Americans all had little rights and after the war, either continued with these rights or lost even more. Women before the war were treated like property and were not allowed to own land or inherit her family’s wealth. African slaves were treated like this as well, although they were also bound in slavery for life, as were any children they had. For Native Americans, they continued to lose their land and fight against the colonists to keep it. White males on the other hand, experienced many advantages over these minorities, since they believed them to be inferior. In the newly independent colonies, white males experienced both continuity and change with their rights and most were positive, giving them more freedoms and rights. However, women, African slaves, and Native Americans experienced continuity and change in a more negative way, their small amount of rights being kept the same or lessened and given no social mobility or influence over the new, independent country.

The American Revolution; the event that shaped the whole society and government we know and live in today. Before the Revolution began, life in Colonial America was controlled by the British. The colonies did not have a say in how things were run or in any of the laws. This included taxes put on items such as paper and alcohol. The American Colonists did not agree with the way they were being treated. Tighter control from the British sparked a need for independence within the Colonies.

Peace negotiations began and on September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, and the colonies were recognized as a free and independent nation, no longer under British control. The Revolutionary War had brought independence to the Colonists, but it also drastically changed their way of life in several other aspects as well. The will to fight for the things they believed in would be an attitude of the colonists for years to come.

The American Revolution seems to stumble some people on if it was radical or not; unjust laws were passed, destruction was made and riots broke out such as the Boston Massacre and the events leading up to the war. Even though it caused some deaths and downfalls, it did have some pros, such as social change, political change, and immediate economic change, nothing was long lasting though. The American Revolution, also called the War for Independence, it took place between 1775 and 1783, it was a fight between thirteen colonies and England. The American Revolution molded today’s society or even the culture. A revolution is a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system. The American Revolution was only somewhat revolutionary. This can be shown by looking at the social, political and economic effects through primary and secondary source document analysis.

The American Revolution (1775-1783) was a time of great change in America. American men were fighting for their right to be free from an oppressive ruler 3000 miles away. They wanted to have their say about what went on in their own country. America won the Revolution and its freedom, but while this was going on something else was happening. Internally changes were coming about too during all this fighting. The Revolution was the catalyst for women to make progress towards freedom. Women were making economic and political gains to further women's rights.