The Road to Independence

The American revolutionary wars were sparked by the taxations by the British following the

previous war with French and India. The wars were propelled towards ensuring independence.

The different colonies had different challenges in dealing with the British colonies including

attacks and defeats. A collective power and French allies made it possible for the Americans to

defeat the British and gain independence. At independence, there war debates as to whether a

stronger federal government was best or not, but this seamed to revolve around common and

diverse ideas on issues including slavery. The federal government remains the centre of

operation from independence to date (Carolyn 2014).

The new colonial system came after the French and Indian war. Britain was keen on having a

new imperial system, but this was a puzzle since the situation in America favored change. After

the elimination of the French menace, there was a need for freedom the parliament contended

with the colonist self government as they demanded more. One of the key steps was the

organization for the interior by the British (Richard 2010). The policies placed in Canada and

Ontario led to an alienation of French and Indian inhabitants. The growing population exerted

pressure on the limited resources prompting an expansion of boundaries into Mississippi river to

the west. The British government then sorted to opening the land on a gradual basis to avoid a

provocation of seers of Indian wars. The western territories were reserved by the royal

proclamation for use by the Native Americans.

The new financial policy then led to the need for money to run the new empire. The replacement

of the Molasses act of 1733 prohibited duty and tax on import of molasses from non England

areas (Richard 2010). The sugar act of 1764 forbade the importation of ram from non–English
regions. Duties were levied on wine, coffee as well as other luxury items. The aim of lowering

duties on molasses was to reduce the incidences of smuggling from Dutch and France.

Smugglers were ceased by the British warships. The duty imposed as per the sugar act led to

consternation between merchants in New England. Merchants and legislatures protested the law

hence the use of the slogan, “taxation without representation. “Later in the year1764, the

currency act was enacted by parliament, which became a burden to the colonial economy. In the

year 1765, the Quartering act was passed. This required that royal troops had to be provided with

barracks and other provisions (Richard 2010).

Stamp act required that all newspapers, pamphlets, licenses, lease or legal documents be

stamped. This was in order to secure the colonies. This was to cover anybody who did any

business. A resistance to the stamp act led to the formation of non-importation association. This

led to the fall of trade with the mother country in summer 1765 (Richard 2010). The protest took

violent means and the secret organization behind it was the “sons of liberty.” Patrick Henry, a

delegate, passed resolutions to denounce taxation without representation. A stamp act congress

was held in New York in October 1765 to ensure a relive from both the king and the parliament.

Te congress concluded that only the representative legislature could impose the taxes.

The taxation without representation

The colonial contentions were not ok with the British parliament while the British government

felt the impact of the boycott by the Americans and supported the repeal movement which

parliament yielded in 1766 and the stamp act was repealed as the sugar act was reviewed

(Richard 2010). Charles town shed a chancellor f the exchequer drafted a fecal program. He

ended up tightening custom administrations by raising revenue to support the colonial governors.
The duties were less violent as compared to the stamp act 1770; the Boston massacre was as a

result of an attempt to repeal the Townshend act. Samuel Adams, a public servant introduced the

Boston town meeting in 1772 that was opposed to the payment of judges by the costume

revenues. He however never had the strength to cause any major changes. The Boston tea party

of 1773 saw the British furnish Adams issues (Carolyn 2014).

The coercive or the intolerable act saw the port of Boston closed until payments were done. The

boundaries of the Quebec province were extended by an act almost at the same time. This

prompted a sitting in 1774 September by the colonial representatives in Philadelphia to discuss

the unhappy conditions faced by the colonies (Carolyn 2014). Americans were opposed to the

British non consideration of American rights, but appointed officers, the religion and Quakers

opposed violence George III stated in 1774 that, "The die is now cast, the Colonies must either

submit or triumph." Following the coercive acts. Revolution begun with General Thomas Gage,

woo was to enforce the coercive act. In 1775 April, Lexington village was invaded by his troops

a war was wedged against the rebels in 1776 (The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia).

This was preceded by common since and independence. June 7th 1776 saw an introduction of

united colonies as free and independent in a resolution by Richard Henry LEE. In July 1776 on

the fourth day, there was reclamation of independence. A series of victory and defeats followed

as network city remained under control of the British during the battle for the long island in

1776. Washington attacked Princeton where the British were in January 3rd 1777 that revived the

American spirit. American forces led by general Gates defeated the British in October 1777 in

New York (Richard 2010).

France and America then formed the Franco American alliance by the signing do the treaty of

amity and commerce in 1778 February 6th. However, in 1778 June, the British attacked French

and in 1780 the British begun a war against the Dutch (Richard 2010). The British then moved

southward and defeated America in the Charleston peninsular. Later in 1781, America defeated

the British. The treaty of Paris signed in 1783 April saw an acknowledgement of the

independence through the signed treaty between the Great Britain and its former colonies. The

13 colonies became states. Debates were sparked as to whether a stronger central government

would be appropriate (Richard 2010).

Following the British war with India and the French, there were series of revolutionary

movements geared towards independence. These were fueled by unfair taxations by the British.

Allies such as the French helped America in defeating British soldiers. Britain wedged a war

with France and the Dutch. However, America gained independence and had the task of

determining the structure of the government. It was then concluded that a stronger federal

government was necessary.

References

Archer, Richard. As if an Enemy’s Country: The British Occupation of Boston and the Origins

of the Revolution. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Cogliano, Francis D. “Was the

American Revolution Inevitable?” BBC History,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/american_revolution_01.shtml, (accessed

March 17, 2017).

Gard, Carolyn. The French and Indian War: A Primary Source History of the Fight for Territory

in North American. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2004.

The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia; and “America During the Age of Revolution,

1764-1789,”