The American Revolution - Essay Example

4 October Was the American Revolution really a "revolution" or was it merely a War for Independence? Historians have been approaching the American Revolution from different perspectives for over two centuries. All perspectives that have conventionally surfaced can be classified into four major schools of thoughts. Each of the four arguments suggests how the American Revolution should be viewed and what its significance was. This paper evaluates those four schools of thoughts and then draws the conclusion regarding whether American Revolution was a real revolution or was just a war of independence. Early historians can be considered as amongst the most rational analysts of the American Revolution owing to the face that they were there when the revolution took place. Many of the early historians have written biased accounts in support of their individualistic views. Tony Thomas Hutchinson viewed the American Revolution negatively. David Ramsay complimented Hutchinson by justifying the patriot cause. The biography of George Washington was originally written by Mason Locke Weems who maintained a subjective approach in evaluating the facts and presented Washington as a folk hero. Although they had lived through the revolution, yet many of the early historians did not have objective grounds for their claims. A new generation of historians surfaced with the start of the 19th century. Today, whatever we know about the American Revolution is primarily an outcome of their compilation of the war events. Historians of the 19th century mutually held a consensus that the American Revolution was morally justified. They were of the view that American victory opened the gate to freedom. The determinists of the early 20th century presented the second school of thought regarding the American Revolution. They thought that the revolution revolved around the conflict of class. The economic motivations were hard to be justified with the widespread rhetoric about equality and republicanism. The determinists analyzed the revolution as more than just an endeavor to gain independence. They thought of it as a means to strengthen a ruling elite American class. The determinists base their assertions on the fact that a vast majority of the people who had signed the Declaration of Independence were rich and took the revolution as a means to strengthen their power. The third school of thought regarding the American Revolution surfaced after the Second World War. Neo-Whigs were the owners of this school of thought. They considered the American Revolution neither radical nor unique. They thought that this conservative reaction was meant to safeguard the property and rights of Americans from the Parliament. In the beginning, the republicans had a real ideology but as the revolution progressed towards its end, the patriots started to preserve their rights. In light of this ideology, the American Revolution looks just like something that encouraged different groups to protect their individualistic interests rather than something radical or innovative in nature. The contemporary school of thought that is the most popular among educationalists and analysts is the one that places more emphasis upon the ideological nature and radicalism of the American Revolution. Modern historians believe that it was fundamentally the ideology that had motivated the revolutionaries and the standards of that age presented the revolution as a radical thing to go for. As a result of the revolution, American social life underwent an altogether change. Things changed for the better in terms of increased autonomy for the individuals, increased equality, and increased opportunities of enhancing economy for the ordinary people. By separating themselves from the hold of the Great Britain, Americans not only made an overt expression of the rights they think they should preserve but also commenced a liberty experiment. This can be estimated from their Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Kindig). The founding fathers established such a system of government which would restrain the forces that wished to ruin the liberty and life of the Americans. The founding fathers intended to establish a good government which would benefit the generations to come. Now than more than 200 years have passed since then, only few of the foundations have sustained the course of time. Nevertheless, the multigenerational view of the founding fathers gas been significantly ruined by the cultural wars. Following the American War of Independence, the early Americans actually formed a new government which suggests that the founders of the American Revolution were in true terms, the revolutionaries. However, as the revolution actually took place, its philosophical and political aspects became more prominent and its image of the event of terror and blood underwent a complete change. Britain had been treating America as an independent country for a lot of years before the time of commencement of the American Revolution. Britain seeked help from her colonies when she felt the need of funds to get rid of the debt incurred due to the war. The Stamp Tax was a charge applied on every piece of paper used in the legal system and in the media. Every newspaper, every bill or court paper, had to be stamped, and this was charged for, as were dice and playing cards. The aim was to start small and allow the charge to grow as the colonies grew, and was initially set at two thirds of the British stamp tax. (Wilde). The colonists perceived themselves as self-sufficient, self-sustaining, and self-ruling states that were not in the need of any external help. Owing to their resistance to any sort of interference, Britain’s demand was visualized by them as unconstitutional, unlawful and unnecessary imposition of taxation. There were courts, laws, governors and constitutions for all colonies. The revolution occurred as a consequence of Britain’s violation of the colonial rights, which was the reason why it commenced in Britain instead of in any of the thirteen colonies. Instead of searching paths to lawfully raise the revenue, the parliament and George III overlooked the old order of charters. The founders of revolution also did not leave any chances of settlement with Britain before taking the ultimate decision to commence the fight. Their efforts were primarily directed at restoring the government in America instead of changing it. The Biblical foundations also encouraged the early Americans to think that it is not possible for man to establish an ideal government on earth because of the immense tendency of man to commit sin. Nevertheless, they held the belief that it is possible for man to make the system better with effort and God’s help. Therefore, the American Revolution was commenced with a view to establishing justice, making the union perfect, promoting general welfare, establishing common defense in the country and securing the prosperity. A true social revolution is one that totally ruins the older foundations of the institution and shifts the hold from a ruling class of people to new groups in the society. Although the American Revolution was not as enormous a social revolution as were the ones that had taken place in France, Russia and China in 1789, 1917 and 1949 respectively, yet the consequences of the American Revolution were momentous. It was only as a result of the American Revolution that the United States of America came into being. “It transformed a monarchical society, in which the colonists were subjects of the Crown, into a republic, in which they were citizens and participants in the political process. The Revolution also gave a new political significance to the middling elements of society” (Digital History). Analysis of the underlying realities and the intentions of the founding fathers of the American Revolution suggests that the revolution was not just a war of independence, but a complete revolution. The founding fathers were moved by their emotions and religious affiliations. They did not have a reason to let Britain benefit from their economy when they had already become self-sufficient in all ways and were being treated like an independent country for many years. They knew that in the course of getting the independence, they might lose their own lives but they would have done a lot to safeguard the future of their generations. The urge to fight for their rights came from within then and motivated them to undergo a complete revolution to change the circumstances for the better. Since revolution is defined as something that brings a change in the national and political scenario, the American Revolution can be considered as a revolution since it resulted in enhanced individual autonomy, spread of equality and improved economic status of the ordinary people of America. Another very strong reason to believe that American Revolution is a revolution and not just a war of independence is that since the time it happened, it is known by the name of American Revolution and not the American War of Independence! Events get named with mutual consensus of a vast majority of people who are able to satisfy the concerns of the critics. If American Revolution is known by this name, it means it was really a revolution! Works Cited: Digital History. “The American Revolution.” 2011. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. . Kindig, Thomas. “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.” 2011. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. . Wilde, Robert. “Why Britain attempted to Tax American Colonists.” 2011. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. . Read More