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On the 4th of July every year, all Americans celebrate the revolutionary efforts of their forefathers that gained them Independence from the Britishers. They celebrate how the colonial leaders came together to form a continental army that resisted the British army and secured freedom. Historians still believe that this revolution was a mistake and they regard it as a mere war conflict that had no cause.
These historians also believe that Britishers were fair in almost everything and Americans revolted without any great cause. However many historians are also of the view that the revolution was necessary to gain freedom from the oppressive British rule. In these essays, we will discuss if the American Revolution was justified or not.
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Was The American Revolution Justified Essay 700 Word Long Essay
We all know about the American revolutionary war that brought an end to the British rule in the thirteen colonies comprising American colonists. Many historians believe that this rebellion against the crown was completely justified as the Americans were facing some great social, political, economic, and political hardships. These historians also argue that the poor Americans were even deprived of human rights and there was no one willing to listen to their demands.
On the other hand, many historians also have the opinion that the American revolt against their own government was nothing more than an armed rebellion that lacked a proper cause. These historians also believed that the British government was not oppressive against the Americas and always fulfilled its end of the social contract. In this essay, we will present arguments to prove why the American Revolution was NOT justified.
6 Reasons Why The American Revolution Was Not Justified
The Seven Years War
Britain fought the French and Indian war only to protect the American colonists against the invaders. The great Britain army fought for 7 long years against the French to fulfill their end of the social contract which was to protect its citizens. Because of this French and Indian War, the British became burdened with a very heavy war debt. To pay off this debt the British imposed taxes on the colonists in form of the sugar act and the famous stamp act.
It was perfectly wise to impose these taxes because all that war debt was accumulated because the British fought to protect the American colonists. When the British asked for these taxes the American colonists started conspiring against the Crown and started civil disobedience, boycott movements against the Britishers. The Americans even made an ally out of France (a centuries-old enemy of the British) and asked them to help in their revolution against the Britishers. Not only that, the American Colonists even went to the extent to ask for Independence with any proper cause.
The Boston Tea Party (1773)
Following the rebellious acts like civil disobedience and boycotting British products, the Americans started to engage in more serious acts of rebellion. Some members of an American radical group named Sons Of Liberty went to the Boston Harbor and dumped Tea that was worth millions of dollars. This was done as a reaction to the British Tea Act.
Rebel Americans were doing all this only because the British imposed some taxes on them. These taxes were imposed to pay off the debt of war that the British fought to protect the Americans. Not all of the American leaders who later fought for Independence were in favor of this armed rebellion.
George Washington wrote “The Cause of Boston” and he disapproved of the conduct in destroying the Tea. He even wrote that the Bostonians “were MAD” but later the same leader fought against the Britishers.
Benjamin Franklin who is one of the founding fathers of America was of the view that the British East India Company should be given the payment for the destroyed tea. He even offered to pay for the destroyed tea himself because he thought that the Americans did something completely wrong and unlawful. Later the same Benjamin Franklin signed the Independence agreement and sided with France to fight against the British soldiers.
The Coercive Acts (1774)
The Coercive Acts of 1774 also known as the intolerable acts were introduced by the British parliament as a result of the Boston Tea Party. This act was passed to make sure the payment of ward debt and to reimburse the money of destroyed tea to the British East India Company. To assert the British dominance army was deployed in the region to make sure that everyone is paying the tax. However, the Americans decided to go for armed rebellion against the British empire with the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord.
Colonists Fail To Maintain The Social Contract
On every occasion, the British kept their part of the Social Contract by ensuring safety and protection of rights to the American colonists. On the other hand, the colonists only rebelled at every opportunity they were offered. They accused the British of the Boston Massacre which was a mere disagreement between a shopkeeper and army men. The Sons Of Liberty just created a negative hype against the Britishers that had no cause. The continental congress only pursued personal benefits by declaring independence against the Britishers. They even sided with the enemy of the British crown when the time was right.
Fair Taxation Not Harsh Taxation
As already mentioned King George III only imposed taxes on the Americans because of the war debt on the Britishers. The British colonies refused to pay the fair tax amount and instead opted for boycotts of taxed products and civil disobedience. Americans also took arms against the British troops and went to the extent of declaration of independence. Leaders like Samuel Adams and John Locke further promoted this ideology and paved the way for a bloody war between the two.
Americans Had Political Representation
American colonists claimed that they had no representation in the British Parliament. This was only partially correct because the British always listened to their political demands through the Colonial Ambassadors. We all know that Great Britain was a monarchy at that time with the parliamentary system that was only run by British lords. Men like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were able to approach the British rulers and convey the demands of Colonists to the Britishers.
In the case of the Stamp Act, the British political leaders listened to the suggestions of colonial ambassador Benjamin Franklin. The British called off this act as it was causing rebellious situations in thirteen American colonies. This shows that the British listened to the advice of American political leaders.
In Conclusion, the American so-called revolution is not clearly justified at all. The demands of the colonists were outlandish and British did almost everything to treat the colonists with fairness and equality. In short British kept their social contract by protecting the rights and lives of the American colonists but the Colonists sided with the French when they were given the opportunity.
the American Revolution is not so clearly justified, as the demands of the colonists were outlandish and the British government treated the colonies with fairness in their governing.
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FAQs
What were the acts that led to American Revolution?
The British Acts that led to the American revolution include the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, The Intolerable Acts, The Townshend Acts, The Currency Act, and the Declaratory Act.
What is the connection between the American Revolution and the French revolution?
Historians believed that the American Revolution paved the way for the French Revolution. French citizens also adopted the enlightenment philosophy and fought for social, economic, and political rights.
Reference
- https://www.history.com/news/american-revolution-causes
- https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Revolution
- https://www.britannica.com/event/Intolerable-Acts
- https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/boston-massacre
- https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/french-and-indian-war