The American Revolution- Its Significance

 INTRODUCTION

This glorious... spirit animates three minions in America... their right as men, as free men, You cannot conquer America''. The America Revolution was on when William Pitt, one of the famous English statesman and orators warned the British parliament.

Causes of the American Revolution
The American colonists by and large were an independent and hardy people who loved freedom. The New England's had never forgiven the Mother Country for the treatment of the early puritans and were vigorous in opposing the claims of the Mother Country.
The old Colonial system displeased them. Laws were passed which forbade the colonists to manufacture those goods that competed with the British industrial products. This was achieved by means of the Navigation Acts. According to them goods could be bought and sold by the colonists only if they were shipped through British ports and in British ships. Certain colonial commodities could be sold in England alone. The truth of the matter was that they were not regarded as fellow citizens but as producers and consumer. 

The removal of the French menace after the Seven Years' War (1756-63) freed the colonists of the necessity of British bondage. Due de Choiseul, chief minster of defeated  France and prophesied that it would not be long before the colonies would revolt and had advised his countrymen to prepare for the day of revenge. The use of the phrase ''our subjects in the colonies'' by writers and politicians in England was highly resented by the Americans. The seven years war had boosted the morals of the colonists, given them greater confidence. The French had been defeated they did not any larger feel so dependent on the British.

The Government proclaimed the land between the Mississippi and the Alleghanies as Indian Reserve by the Proclamation Act of 1763. This forbade the colonists to settle in lands won from the French. This raised the anger of the colonists who had fought the war to get this land for their Westward Expansion.

In 1763-64 the Navigation Acts were revised and Sugar Act 1764 was passed to impose a duty on produce taken to America from the French West Indies where sugar was cheaper. The British wanted them to buy sugar in the British West Indies. It was more expensive.

The expense of the Seven Years' war had added £ 75,000,000 to the National Debt. England considered it her right that the colonists should help to pay off this debt since the war had been fought on their behalf. ''Great Britain'', said Greenville, ''protects America , America is bound to yield obedience. 

In 1765 Greenville passed the Stamp  Act which imposed certain duties on documents and newspapers. There were fiery protests and they refused to be  taxed without representation. William Pitt said 'I rejoice that America has resisted.'' Pill even went further and said ''It is my opinion that this kingdom has no right to lay a tax upon the colonies''. Edmund  Burke realised the perils of clumsy action and asserted that the empire could not be held together by force. Patrick Henry, the famous Virginia orator expressed his opposition to the Stamp Act in the following  words ''Cesser  had his Brutus; Charles I his Cromwell and George III may profit by their example''. James Otis declared, ''Taxation without representation is Tyranny''. Benjamin Franklin, maintained that the colonists would never submit to the Stamp Act, unless compelled by force of arms.

The Stamp Act was repealed but it was followed by other unpopular duties. In 1767, Charles Townshend Chancellor of the Exchequer imposed import duties on glass, red and white lead, painters colours, paper and tea. The colonists boycotted those goods and expressed their objection by riots and revolutionary speeches. Lord Chatham resigned to express his disapproval of what had been done in his name and Townshend died. The import duties were repealed by Grafton but that on Tea was retained in order to reassert England 's rights. In 1770 troops had opened fire on the rioters and four persons were killed. It came to be styled as the Boston massacre and increased ill feeling on either side.

This was followed by the Boston Tea Party 1773 when a group of Americas, disguised as Red Indians boarded the Company's ships and threw tea valued at £ 18, 000 into the sea. The British Government retaliated by Boston Harbour resulting in unemployment and financial loss. Transportation Act which provided for the trial of accused officers in England and the Quartering Act- by which billets had to be found for the extra troops.

Indeed England did not realise the great changes that had come over the colonists.

The colonists had a very poor opinion of the fighting abilities of the British troops in colonial warfare. They perceived that they had many advantages over the English and that they had a good chance of winning the war against them. 

Another contributing factor was the stubbornness of king George III. He was at the height of his power and the quarrel between England and the colonists could easily have been patched up but the king would not listen to reason and reconciliation.

In September 1774 a Congress met at Philadelphia composed of representatives from all except George. The colonists asserted their rights.

War began before things were made clear. In 1775 a skirmish took place at Lexington 'the first shot was fired that shook the world'. The congress met for the second time in 1775 and organised a colonial army with George Washington as the Commander-in-chief. The colonists sent the Olive Branch Petition for peace but it was rejected by the king.

In 1776, the war shifted to the Middle colonise and in the same year the 'Declaration of Independence was passed at Philadelphia ( 4 July 1776). The colonists were fighting an unequal war and Thomas Paine inspired the revolutionaries  with such words. ''These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.''

Franklin asserted ''We must all hang together  or assuredly we shall all hang separately.''

In spite of their being ill trained and ill equipped and in the face of reverses, the colonists did not give up and went on struggling under their able leader George Washington. Dame Luck favoured the colonists and the English surrendered to the Americans at Saratoga in 1777. It was at this time that the French. Spanish and Dutch came to the help of the Americans. As a consequence England's command of the sea was weakened and her hopes were dashed to the ground. She could not maintain her hold over the colonies in such circumstances. In 1781 Cornwallis surrendered to Washington and in 1783 the Treaty of Versailles was signed which ended the war and acknowledge the independence of the American.

Significance of the American Revolution

The American Revolution was one of the outstanding events of the world history. The concept of the 'right of revolution ', the right of a people to overthrow an oppressive government, was reinformed by the American example. It was a Revolution of universal significance as a step from autocracy to democracy.

The political experiments made by the Americans profoundly influenced the subsequent development of many other countries. Among these experiment may be mentioned  the abolition of hereditary kingship, and hereditary feudal aristocracy, the adoption of a written constitution, and the establishment of a system of 'Separation of Powers' and 'checks and balance'. 

The    American Revolution helped to inspire the French Revolution. The torch of liberty that had been lighted soon set ablaze France.

The truth of Turgot's dictum that 'colonies are like fruit which drop off from the stem when they ripen' was demonstrated by the out the importance of the principle 'No taxation without representation'.

Above all the American War paved the way for the abolition of slavery.