The Historical Context of the American Revolution
The Stamp Act
The American Revolution was not a sudden act of deviance on the part of the colonists. A chain of events gradually escalated the conflict and made the breakout from the British Empire possible. One of the first acts that significantly increased the ire of the colonists against the Crown was the Stamp Act (McPherson, 2022). It was, in essence, a tax imposed on various transactions within the colonies. It was done to replenish the royal coffers after the war with the French (McPherson, 2022). Though the act was rescinded after significant opposition, it showed the colonies they could push back against the royal will.
The Townshend Act
The second event was the Townshend Act, which taxed the goods imported from Britain, imposing additional costs on the colonists. In return, they boycotted the goods, and one of the most infamous blockades happened in Boston (McPherson, 2022). This culminated in the event known as the Boston Massacre, during which several colonists were shot dead when the British troops fired into the crowd (McPherson, 2022). These events sparked the fires of rebellion, offering useful propaganda tools to secessionists.
The Ideological Foundation for American Independence
The Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, and it was signed a month later. The purpose of the declaration was to dissolve the ties between the colonies and Mother England and explain to foreign nations why the event happened (McPherson, 2022). Finally, the document served to show all colonies that the intent was serious and that there was no turning back from this course. The three major highlights of the declaration included the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the establishment of the equality of men, and the defense of said liberties being the civic duty of everyone (McPherson, 2022). It was a genuinely revolutionary document for its time and was copied by many other liberation movements across the globe.
Reference
McPherson, E. (2022). The political history of the United States of America. BoD–Books on Demand.