Introduction
The American Revolution started in the early eighteenth century, particularly as a fight for the American people’s rights but eventually ended up as a battle for Independence from their colonial masters, Great Britain. All the American colonies united together to defend their land as well as their freedom from their colonial masters, who were highly oppressive.
Grievances
The Indies (American colonies) were complaining about hard times, were taxed heavily, and their families were chargeable (Benjamin, 1758, pg 454). Jefferson (1730, pg. 654) claimed that taxes were imposed without the prior consent of the inhabitants of the colonies and deprivation of fair justice in trials. The British offended the sacred right of life as well as liberty through slavery and execrable commerce. Americans were also protesting against the British for using their powers in granting the chief magistrate permission to foreign mercenaries to invade their territory and damage them.
The American property was all possessed, confiscated and forfeiture by the British (Jefferson, 1730, pg.655), and the locals had lost their trust with the British power which had induced sorrow, starvation and turned them into beggars (Paine, 1776, pg. 635).
Paine noted that reconciliation was now out of hand, and their connections with the British had been deserted by nature. He asserted that it was almost impossible for reconciliation to take root where wounds of hatred had deeply pierced. Great Britain alienated the Americans from other European countries with whom they had no conflicts, and would be viable associates in commerce. According to Paine (1776, pg. 364), the crying voice of nature was calling for separation “Tis time to part.”
The white men were sometimes abusive to the extend of calling the natives “Indian dogs” if they ventured into Whiteman’s house and asked for a drink while having no money. The natives’ ideas were to demolish and get rid of this great empire, starting from the remotest province. Natives in the remote provinces were denied the right to enjoy similar common rights with the rest of the country, commercial privileges in addition to being governed by laws that were severer than the rest of the country. People in the colonies were enslaved in tyranny of churches as well as monarchies, and Benjamin, (1758, pg. 450) believed that with proper undertaking of education, the colonies would arise to their freedom and Independence.
The English parliament was the one responsible for making all laws to govern the colonies. The colonies themselves had no freedom to govern their affairs independently. The colonies choice for Benjamin to be a representative in the Second Continental Congress ignited their quest for Independence, especially when the Declaration for Independence was drafted in 1775. (Benjamin, 1758, pg 451). They felt that it was the right time to renounce the “unfeeling brethren” the British (Jefferson, 1730, pg. 656)
The ideological climate in the American colonies
The ideological ambiance among the American colonies was to free themselves from their administrator’s great empire, which was characterized by vices such as rudeness, extortion in terms of taxes, and an empire of impolite people. Their master (Great Britain), coupled with their own parliament, were grievously oppressing the people in the American land (Paine, 1776, pg 631). The Americans were determined to use the sword to declare war against the violators of natural rights entitled to all humankind. Even though there were assertations that America had flourished while under her master the Great Britain, many natives discarded the assertations as fallacious. Many maintained that America would have flourished more if no European power interjected her (Paine, 1776, pg.632).
The Americans were realizing that the Great Britain had its private selfish motives and interest behind offering the Americans protection. In fact the masters protected their own interests in the American land from enemies. The Americans were awakening from their blindly submission to the masters leadership marred in prejudice. American colonies wanted to protect their trade from invaders as well as securing friendship and peace attachments with the rest of Europe through commerce. Paine (1776, pg 634) challenged any single advantage the American colonies derived from their connection with the Great Britain. The injuries and disadvantages they sustained from their relationship with the British were many, and time had come for the alliance to be renounced.
The colonial empire was perceived to be in contrast with the Native American’s natural and honorable undertakings. The masters never valued the natives’ industrious and laborious way of life, and in contrast, they regarded it as useless and frivolous.
According to Jefferson (1730, pg.651), the drafting of the Declaration for Independence and the preparation of the confederation of the colonies plan were the main catalysts for staging revolution against the oppressive tyranny of the British. Jefferson maintained that people had the right to alter or abolish a government which is proving to be destructive and violating people’s rights to life, liberty, happiness, among other rights. The suffering exposed to the colonies constrained them to oust their master’s governance.
The American representative who had assembled in a general congress declared that their states had renounced their relations with Great Britain and that they had dissolved all connections with the parliament of Great Britain. Finally they asserted and declared freedom and Independence of their states. They declared that they now had the power to wage war and do anything as independent states (Jefferson, 1730, pg. 656-657).
Conclusion
The quest for freedom of the Americans was the major grievance they had against the Great Britain. The declaration of Independence ignited the American revolutionary wars against their colonial masters, which culminated to full Independence of the American states.
Works cited
Benjamin, F. The Way to Wealth, pp. 449 – 451; Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America, pp. 468 – 472. Own publication and print, 1758.
Jefferson, T. From The Autobiography, pp. 649 – 657. Philadelphia, 1730.
Paine, T. Common Sense, pp. 630 – 637. Philadelphia: W. and T. Bradford, 1776.