The Dilemma Of American National Identity

The “Crucible of War: The Seven Years’ War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1756” is written by Associate Professor of History Fred Anderson. Anderson believes that the Seven Years’ War (the French and Indian War) was the most important event in the 18th century history of North America. He says that as Americans our point of reference was the thirteen colonies rebelling. He said, “As citizens of a nation created by an act of collective secession from the British empire, we Americans have always tended to take as our point of reference the thirteen

For many years the colonists tried unsuccessfully to reach a peaceful and diplomatic solution. They wanted to work out their differences with the British ruling authority. The time finally came when the colonists realized independence was their only option. There were many obstacles and detours along the road to American independence, and along the way many supporters were hesitant to the idea of complete independence. In spite of Great Britain’s effort to maintain control of these colonies, a nation was formed.

Anglicization of the Britain’s American colonies was a big event for the course of not only American or British history, but world history. The colonists adopting many British ways and becoming very patriotic towards the “mother country” had a large effect on the events that unfolded in the late 18th century. While it is true that the American colonists were incredibly British during the beginning to the mid-18th century, the colonies had been around long enough to develop their own culture and way of doing things. The series of events and acts that were imposed on the colonists post French and Indian War got the ball rolling on what came to be known as the American Revolution. The colonists were so fed up with the way in which the British were tightening their hold on the colonies to the point where they were driven to rebellion. The combination of British and underlying American ideals in the pre-revolution era were a necessarily pre-requisite and important component of what would become the American Revolution.

The British ideals slowly began to drift away from the American colonist’s ideals after the French and Indian War. The British had only one focus at the time and that was making money. All that King George III wanted from the colonies was pure profit to Britain. The colonies wanted all the freedoms and rights as they had in Britain and it was

Relationships between the colonists and the British Empire dwindled more after the seven years war in ended in 1763. The taxes of certain cargo and acts developed more occurrent with both the British citizens in England and the colonists in America. The colonists grew towards the idea of independence during the time period of 1763 to 1783, due to the British taxes and tariffs placed upon the colonists and the political influence from both legislatures on the people.

The relations between England and the British North American colonies could always be considered precarious. Prior to 1750 British essentially followed a policy of benign neglect and political autonomy in the American colonies. (Davidson p.97) The colonies were for the most part content with benign neglect policy, relishing in a “greater equality and representative government”(Davidson p.95) within the colonies. Competition among European Imperial nations began to effect British policy toward North America colonies causing rapid shifts from 1750 to 1776. During this period, the British Empire made a series of policy decision that sealed the fate of the British North American

Americans have not only defined themselves by their religious, ethnic and racial identity, but also by their individual freedom and common values. America has become a nation where its people can fight for what they believe in. Our founding fathers have formed America to be “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. Being apart of the American culture and living on the land founded by our leaders specifies the meaning of the American Identity.

Is the American Identity still alive? Has it died? The issue concerning the American identity is has it died. Many claim that new cultures, new races, and new traditions have degraded the American identity. Although some people that the American identity has been lost because of new cultures and traditions, the American identity is still alive because those factors have not changed any original American traditions or the way they are celebrated.

After having years of benign British neglect, and after capably governing themselves, the people in the American colonies were not pleased when the British Parliament decided after the end of the successful end of the French Indian War in 1763 to become more engaged in the American colonists’ affairs. The British government wanted to protect the American colonies from future Indian and other attacks.

To understand the American War for Independence, we have to look at the time period of 1763, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, to 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We also have to realize that the Seven Years’ War had a profound effect upon the American Colonies and their political standings. It is because of this war that Britain was forced to change its colonial policies, which in turn led the Americans to become revolutionaries. The Seven Years’ War itself showed the American Colonialists that they could unite together against a common foe, it just so happened that Britain did not expect to be one of them. I hope to show how the Seven Years’ War was the triggering effect that started both Britain and

American identity has been created by many events throughout the course of history. This country was founded on the clashing and mixing of many different cultures and lifestyles. One of the most important periods of time for this country was during the period of conflict between Americans and Native Americans over land rights. Americans had an idea of manifest destiny and that this land was theirs for the taking. The Americans were going to walk through anyone who opposed them in this quest for land. The treatment of the Indians during this time period was harsh, cruel, and violent to say the least. It is in this treatment that Americans came to view the Indians as a ?racialized other? and

Changes in British policies toward the colonies between 1750 and 1776 played paramount in the evolution of relations between British North America and Mother England. Tension between England and the colonies mounted from the conclusion of the Seven Years’ War to the signing of the Declaration of Independence as a result of the several implemented changes imposed by Parliament for the purpose of increasing income and tightening the grip on America.

In this essay I explain the evolution of American attitudes and ideologies—apropos of Britain—from 1764 to 1776. I do so by, first, beginning with providing the context and explaining the state of the relationship between America and Britain throughout the course of the years 1764 to 1774, which in turn, consequently lead up to and instigated the creation of Thomas Jefferson’s 1774 piece entitled A Summary View of the Rights of British America. Next, second, I situate and analyze this very piece, that being: Thomas Jefferson’s A Summary View of the Rights of British America, which is was a tract written before the Declaration of Independence, in which Thomas Jefferson (under his own personal authority/discretion) lays out—for the delegates of the First Continental Congress—a set of grievances directly against the King of England and his corresponding Parliament, and moreover, ultimately radically forewarns and threatens specifically the King of England to fundamentally change, alter, and lessen Britain’s stronghold on America or else something will be done on behalf of America. Finally, third, I reach to and evaluate another subsequent document, that being: the Committee of Five/Continental Congress’ 1776 Declaration of Independence, which is a statement written by the so-called “Committee of Five” (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston) and the Continental Congress, which was to be adopted by the newly formed United States of

Charles Ives is the quintessential 20th century American composer. From his early organ music and music training to his later symphonic pieces and art songs, his music is drenched in early American nostalgia, quotes, and culture. Not only has Ives come to be known so well for his establishment of an American identity, but also his use of complex compositional techniques that fit so well in a post-Romantic era of music. Delving through the history of Ives requires a keen eye to see not only the use of complexity, but to understand the context his music was written in. Through analyzing one of his most notable orchestral works, Three Places in New England, one can see how Ives uses complex compositional devices to not only establish his own identity as a composer but provide an American context as well.

The Seven Years War was a series of conflict between several countries including the colonies, Britain, France, Spain, Austria, Russia, Sweden, and Persia (Brinkley, 2012). While the war officially began in 1756, many of the colonists predicted the French and Indian war in the early 1750’s. Although Great Britain was still in control of the colonies, they provided very little help and support. This eventually worsened matters, especially when many colonists were constantly fighting off Indian tribes who were in alliance with the French. In fact, nearly every Indian tribe had ties to the France, excluding the Iroquois tribe due to the fear imposed by the British (History, 2014). As previously stated, the Seven Years War officially began in