Introduction
The conflict between the British Empire and their North American colonies or the American Revolution began in 1775. Numerous causes played a vital role in the colonists’ willingness to fight for independence by risking warfare with the world’s superpower. The reasons include America’s strive for independence, the location’s opportunities, economic issues in the British Empire, and increasing control over the colonies. In the current essay, two main themes will be addressed: the above-mentioned reasons for the conflict between Britain and their U. S. colonies and the Christian nature of the Revolution. To be more precise, the proper response to the American Revolution from the Christian worldview will be discussed.
The Major Causes of Conflict between Britain and their U. S. Colonies
There is not just a single reason for the American Revolution. It includes some different economic, historical, political, and social causes. First of all, the American mindset played a crucial role at the beginning of the conflict. Americans believed that they should be treated the same way as Englishmen (Kelly, 2020). Moreover, the age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason also pushed the colonists to raise questions about the British Empire’s politics, religious life, and other vital aspects of life. These ideas provoked Revolution and supported America’s independent mindset.
Secondly, the location of U. S. colonies contributed to their strive for independence. Considerable distance between North America and The British Empire played a significant role in the Colonists’ desire to be independent and their future success. It is clear that all aspects of daily life, such as transportation, information exchange, and other supplies, were influenced by the remote location of North America (“Factors Contributing to the American Victory,” n. d.). Thirdly, the British Empire was experiencing economic difficulties due to the high costs of the French and Indian War (Kelly, 2020). The country’s budget suffered severe damage and had to be restored. For this reason, Britain introduced new taxes and trade regulations for the colonies. Such an unfair state of affairs sparked protests and outrage in the U. S. colonies and brought Britain’s inevitable conflict even closer. Fourthly, a few years before the Revolution, Britain increased its existed control over the territories, and it resulted in rampant corruption that helped to overcome new rules established by Britain. It prompted the colonists to fight for order in their country.
The American Revolution from the Christian Worldview
The Christian worldview does not imply they only correct attitude towards the Revolution. It highly depends on the angle that a Christian looks at the events. For instance, Christian patriots made a significant contribution to the American Revolution by supporting the Independence movement. At the same time, Christian Tories were against the break of the colonial regime with Britain. Furthermore, some Christian people remained neutral and instead saw it as their duty to avoid any war (Davis, 1996). To my way of thinking, Christian values and beliefs mean the rejection of action in any form. Instead of conflict, these religious rules would stand for peace negotiations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the American Revolution results from a series of different economic, political, historical, and social events. The reasons involve America’s freedom mindset, the financial crisis in the British Empire, the North American locations’ opportunities, and inadequate control over the colonies. Speaking of the religious aspect of the Revolution, it should be stated that Christianity took an essential role in the events, as Christian patriots actively supported the Independence movement.
References
Davis, D. H. (1996). How Christian was the American Revolution? Christian History, 15:2, 35-37. Web.
Factors Contributing to the American Victory. (n. d.). USHistory.org. 2020, Web.
Kelly, M. (2020). The root causes of the American Revolution. ThoughtCo. Web.