The American Revolution --- Inevitable?

Question

“The American Revolution was inevitable.”

Assess the validity of this statement

Introduction and Thesis

The statement “The American Revolution was inevitable” is primarily invalid as the colonists were influenced by the beliefs of the Enlightenment Era and suffering from what they thought to be unjust mercantilist policies of British, and from the corruption of George III’s policies.

Body Paragraph 1 – Beliefs of the Enlightenment Era

- Influence from John Locke

o Treatise of Two Governments described that government was to follow “will of the governed”

o That when government failed to protect the “natural rights” of the governed that the it was the obligation for the governed to overthrow the government

§ Contributed to the “all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” – Thomas Jefferson explanation of Richard Henry Lee’s independence.

· Truly believed their independence justified.

§ Declaration of Independence to design to protect those liberties

- “Common Sense” and Republicanism

o Published by Thomas Paine, 1776

§ Written in “plain to earth” writing

§ Called for a new society called a republic

· Ruled by “consent of the governed”

o Roots of Enlightenment Era

§ New England democratic town meetings

§ Popularly elected committees of correspondence 1774 – 1775

o Absence of hereditary aristocracy and relative social mobility

§ 90% of farmers owned land while in England 90% did not.

o Emphasized that “for if they cannot conquer us, they cannot govern us”

§ That 3000, 4000 miles of land means British have no right to govern us.

- Bacon’s Rebellion

o Distrust in aristocrats and a strong central government

- “Radical Whigs”

o Named after Whigs wing in British government

o Influenced by Enlightened thinking

§ Feared threat to liberty from monarchs and ministers

§ Had grown accustomed to self-government under “salutary neglect”

Body Paragraph 2 – Colonists suffering from unjust taxes

- Navigation Laws

o Aimed at attempting to enforce mercantilism

o Previously salutary neglect

o Made all trade w/ Americas go through British first

§ British middlemen made profits while increased prices and colonists lost from this

§ Certain “enumerated” products to be sold exclusively to Britain.

§ Colonists forced to buy from British regularly.

o Inflicted currency shortages, so gold and silver supply of the colonies drained.

§ Large trade deficit.

- After the French and Indian War began the taxing.

o Sugar Act of 1764

§ First law Parliament passed for raising tax in colonies for crown

§ Increased tax on foreign sugar from West Indies

o Quartering Act of 1765 imposed certain colonies to provide shelter, food for British troops

o Stamp Act

§ Req. payment of tax for bills, playing cards, newspapers etc. on all legal documents.

- As a result Americans were enraged, believed they threatened the liberties of the colonists

- Stamp Tax was a direct tax

o Argued that it was an illegal tax

o “No taxation without representation” – James Otis

o Did not like Parliament’s defense of virtual representation which said that taxation was justified b/c the colonists were Englishmen, and Englishmen were in the Parliamen.

- Stamp Act Congress agreed for nonimportation agreements.

o Sons and Daughters of Liberty violently ransacked unpopular officials.

- As a result Stamp Act repealed but Declaratory Act maintains Parliament’s higher position over colonists, further enrages them.

- Townshend Acts which were more indirect, but they also angered the colonists.

- Eventually had the Boston Massacre

o Led to committees of correspondence

- Boston Tea Party led to the Intolerable Acts.

o Led to Continental Congress

o Well on their way to the revolution!

Body Paragraph 3 – Corruption on George III’s policies

- Weak control on states

o Spread by 3000, 4000 miles of sea

§ News required four or five months for an answer

o Only Georgia was directly founded by crown.

§ When Massachusetts Government Act passed as part of the “Intolerable Acts”, it only proved counterproductive

- Colonists united in anger

o Weak control through companies

§ British East India Company however burdened with 17 mil pounds of unsold tea

§ TF was corrupt and granted monopoly of American tea trade.

- HV Americans refused to buy tea, even at lower costs then smuggling

- “Give me liberty or give me death!” – Patrick Henry

- Stubborn actions

o Refused to listen to Edmund Burke conservative political theorist

§ Burke considered granting home rule to Americans

o Ignored “Olive Branch Petition”, continental congress’ pleas.

o Refused to give actual representation

§ Prime Minister Lord Grenville insisted on “virtual representation”