Introduction
In America 1763 marked the end of a seven-year war which was known as the India and French war and also marked the beginning of the strained as well as acrimonious relations between the Americans and the British Empire or rather an administration. By 1775 what would be the war for the independence of America marked its first shots. Patriots in Lexington, as well as Concord, had gathered arms and explosives, and they had trained to fight it out with the British if it could be necessary. This was before the clash at Lexington as well as Concord (Hoffman, 1984).
1763 to 1777 generally mark the years that are connected with the declaration of independence. When the time for the revolutionary war between 1776 – 1777 arrived, Americans fought hard for their country. It was a turning point for Americans especially by the heavy taxes of which they were to pay the colonial administration. For sure in British America things were not easy, and the brave Americans had to find a way out of being independent. The seven years war brought many changes. Among the Americans, a patriot of those days is George Washington who rose to become American’s first president. He once served as major of Virginia militia and became commander-chief of the American army (Mill, 1897).
The revolutionary war, which started in 1775, ended eight and a half years later. The Declaration of Independence was first adopted in 1776, and the British North American colonies, which had joined together in the American Revolution became the United States. These are Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts (Hickey, 1994).
Increase of taxes
The Treaty of Paris ended the French as well as the Indian wars that ended in 1763. The early troubles of that time in the British America colony made it possible for the patriots to start organizing themselves and prepare themselves for a revolution. This was because Great Britain decided to change some of its policies at that time and undertook policies that intended to give it more political control. This was achieved through an increase in its taxes. The taxes were mainly on sugar as well as molasses (Roberts, 2002).
On 19th, April 1775, shorts had been exchanged between colonists and British soldiers, people had been killed and revolution had begun. On June 15th, 1775, George Washington was appointed by the congress as commander in chief of the continental armed forces.
The war continued. In March 1776, the British gave Boston, but the future did not augur well for the poorly trained and ill-equipped volunteer soldiers of the continental army that is why Congress decided to declare the independence of the thirteen colonies.
The American Revolution greatly influenced liberal thinkers throughout Europe. Someone like Benjamin Franklin strived hard to get foreign aid of arms and supplies, which they needed during the war very much, although it was almost coming to stagnation. This happened in 1777. As such Benjamin Franklin laid a very strong foundation for America especially its relationship with other countries. He also did quite a lot for America that is not on records (Lovett, 2004).
By the time the British Empire had colonized America, especially near the time of revolution, King George III was the ruler of the colonial government. The reason why he decided to pass laws of heavy taxation on his colonies was that as a colonial government it tried to meat the massive debt of defending them.
The American patriots were not inferior in any way and could not feel it, this is why their military nature was so overwhelming. The natives had to secure themselves in their social political and economic areas. The colonized Americans needed this great success so much and they went ahead to fight for it (Roe, 2000).
From the look of things, it might appear that if King George III had not imposed heavy taxes on Americans in the name of the massive debt they had uncured in defending them, then the revolution could not come so unexpectedly. The Americans felt oppressed and tortured. They felt bitter over the have colonial government and they could no longer endure the great pain. As such, they stood up, organized themselves and they started fighting for independence (Roe, 2000).
How the Americans organized themselves shows a lot about what they can manage to do in face of problems. The oppressors did not know or had no idea of the strength of the Americans. They caused oppression and inflicted pain to the Americans without knowing that they would one day be toppled. The point of interest is where the Americans dared their oppressors and went ahead to prepare for independence.
It is worse if not worst to be a dependent. To be independent is a treasured and much-valued thing. The Americans wanted the best and not the worst. They strategized, planned, and focused until they won. This revolution of 1763 – 1777 was before the declaration of independence. The British with their British imperial system had to pack and go after the defeat but were still determined of colonizing again, Americans on their part were committed to their glorious cause and it was forward ever and backward never (Aaron, 1999).
Looking at the history clearly, the proclamation of 1763 which was signed by King George the third prohibited any English Settlement in the west of the Appalachian mountains, that those who had settled there were required to move east to ease tensions among the natives; but he was still blinded by the desire to rule (Roe, 2000).
The Sugar Act
In 1764 the Sugar Act was passed by the English parliament and heavy taxation on the natives continued. This is also forbidden the importation of foreign rum as well as French wines. It was at this point that the natives felt their tribulations even more.
On March 5, 1770, there was Boston Massacre where the mob harassed the British soldiers who then fired back, killed three instantly wounding two others, and injuring six. It is here when this case was referred to as the Boston Massacre (Mill, 1897).
The September 5 to October 26, 1774, the first continental congress met in Philadelphia with a total of fifty-six delegates where every colony was represented except Georgia. Those who attended were Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, George Washington as well as John Hancock (Aaron, 1999).
The attendance of George Washington in the first continental congress showed that he was committed in the course of fighting for the liberation of America, he was ready to die for America. This man later became the first. The American president had a lot to give to America than America could give to him.
Another prominent person who did a lot during the revolution to 1763 – 1777 was Samuel Adams who in 1768 wrote a circular letter, which opposed taxation. He called on the Native Americans to rise against the British government. The letter was sent throughout the colonies and it instructed the natives on the method the Massachusetts general court used to oppose the Townshend acts by then. This was in February. In April the same year, the British Empire tried to restrict his movements, because they felt scared of him. He had become a threat. This was the same person who also represented one of the thirteen colonies in the first continental congress. But he is said to have been a potential admirer of George Washington. The idea that George Washington had influence made it easy for people to give him the first presidency of the United States of America (Roe, 2000).
The continental army
Americans were agitated when they were fighting for their independence; they had no option but to follow their hearts; for that glorious cause of being independent of their oppressors, the British. They held meetings of all kinds. Some of them held peaceful demonstrations, which turned violent due to the colonial government’s fear of being noticed how it was ruling the natives. It was not ready to face the reality at that time but the Americans rose and stood up for what they believed to be true.
The continental army found time to practice a lot and always develop a sense of belonging. They were warriors who could not be stopped in their fight for the right cause. They believed in fighting to the last bit of exhaustion and they fought without getting tired. These soldiers were carefully accepted although they were mainly volunteers, with their commander in chief always in charge, they fought hard to liberate their native landform the hands of the colonizers (Roberts, 2002).
These American warriors of those days the priority in their minds was to liberate America. In as much as what the native Americas were doing they all had one common thing in mind -the idea of liberating their country. They still traded extensively with Indians, Spaniards, French, and many others. But those who had volunteered themselves to fight or rather in the continental army went ahead with their work.
Apart from the sugar act that was passed between 1763 – 1777, there was the Currency Act, Stamp Act, Quartering Act, Declaratory Act; Town shed Revenue Acts, Tea Act, Coercive Act (which were called Intolerable Acts by Americans), and Administration of Justice Act. All these Acts of the British government were meant to perpetuate their rule (Aaron, 1999).
During the time (1773) when the Tea Act was passed the American merchants started underselling, as such they held a mass meeting for the tea agents to resign. But everything was done the colonial way and those agents could not resign. So in October of the same year, the natives held another mass meeting opposing the tea agents but the colonial government proved still more oppressive to the natives.
Far sure the kind of freedom that Americans enjoy today did not come on the silver platter. Today America is a superpower and it all shows what being a superpower means. It deserves the might. Its freedom was achieved through wars. People died, many were innocent, yet they were jailed, many mothers and children of that time were humiliated, and nothing was easy. George Washington courageously led the army and they conquered many colonies. Conquering the first thirteen colonies was no easy task for the natives, yet they conquered and achieved a lot (Lovett, 2004).
The natives violently and sometimes peacefully opposed the colonial government. And they continued fighting the war of liberating their land. They fought and they ensured that the war was not in vain. They shed their blood for the betterment of themselves and their future generations. They deserve the achievement.
Conclusion
The worst act by the British government should have been the Quartering Act which was passed by the English Parliament requiring all the natives to provide housing for British troops. This was in June 1774. This must have been the reason why the natives organized themselves and held their first continental congress. They had to make their lives better.
The Americans had every right the fight for their rights and freedom from oppression. They are a good and leading example for the rest of the world. America nowadays is called the land of the free; for sure it is. Others call it the land of opportunities, and for sure it is. For others, it is the second heaven. It deserves to be called even better. The revolution in question facilitated many things for America including the writing of the Declaration of Independence, which is today very important (Gould, 1996).
References
Aaron, J.H (1999): Setting, National Priorities America Beyond 1700; Brookings Institution, Washington, DC.
Hickey, D. V.V. (1994); United States-British Security Ties; From the past to present; Praeger Publishers. London.
Hoffmann, P.E. (1984) America in Eighteenth Century; Academy of political science, New York.
Gould, J. S (1996) The Mismeasure of Man; Norton. New York.
Lovett, A.W; (2004) US politicos History: Theory and the Wards; M.E Sharpe New York, London, England.
Mills, S, J: (1897) Principles of Political Economy, with some of their Applications to social philosophy. Vol.2 Application and Company, New York.
Roberts, L. M; (2002): Society and Politics: The American way. Norton. New York.
Roe, C. N. (2000): The Democracy: History of US: Oxford University Press, New York.