Characteristics of the American Revolution

The American Revolution; also commonly referred to as the “War of Independence”, or rather the ”American Revolutionary War”, is termed as an insurrection; thus by the American patriots present in the 13 American colonies against British rule in colonial America. Concerning this, the Revolutionary War took place between 1775 and 1783 after more than a decade of growing tensions/estrangement, resentment, and increased conflicts between the British Crown and the 13 colonies[1]. Generally, the ”War of Independence” was as a result tensions due to British government’s efforts to expand its authority; thus in the American colonies as well as the implementation of ”taxes without representation” of the colonies which resulted in the 13 colonies wining their political independence and the US becoming a sovereign state[2].

Following the dramatic social and ideological changes set into motion in the American life, as well as the fact that the war destroyed all the instructional foundations; thus of the old order consequently transferring power from the British ruling elites to new social groups, the American Revolution was ultimately revolutionary.    

To what Extent was the US Revolution Revolutionary?

The term ”revolutionary” generally means involving or rather causing a complete/dramatic change, moreover, it also refers to something that has a major/sudden impact not only on the society but also on different aspects of human endeavors. In relation to this, America’s Founding Fathers as well as historians have over the decades expressed little doubts with regard to the revolutionary character of the war thereby, strongly supporting Thomas Paine’s assertion; as published in his pamphlet Common Sense, that the War of Independence marked the ”the birthday of a new world” and as a result, Americans citizens utimately had the ”to begin the world over again.” [3]. This explicit assertion of the American Revolution being revolutionary is highly supported by the fact that it led to,

Political Change

The American Revolution to a great extent was not simply a matter of what can be termed as local concern, rather it emerged as a world-historical event as 1776 marked the beginning of ”a new order of ages”. One of the factors that made the American Revolution revolutionary is the fact that the war did not simply involve regime change, rather it led to the creation of an entirely new nation as well as the adoption of democracy. The seven year war between the British and the 13 American colonies came to a halt in 1776 after the voting and consequent adoption of the ”declaration of Independence” by the Continental Congress which had drafted by a committee comprising of five individuals among them Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. As a result, America became a sovereign or rather independent nation in 1776[4].

Other major/transformational political events that emerged from the American Revolution included the 1781 adoption of Articles of Confederation as well as the drafting and adoption of a new constitution; later in 1787[5]. Following this, the new US constitution led to the establishment of a somewhat relative strong federal government that constituted of the executive, judicial, as well as the bicameral Congress which acted as a representative of the 13 American states; thus in the senate and the America citizens in the House of Representatives. Later in 1789, American citizens held their first presidential election where George Washington became the first president of the new nation[6]. Therefore, the American Revolution led to revolutionary political changes.

New Ideologies

Following the American Revolution, America experienced a number of ideological changes as well as the adoption of new ideologies. Some of the ideologies that developed during this period included Liberalism and Republicanism both of which celebrated the ideas of freedom[7]. Generally, Liberalism is a political doctrine as well as a moral philosophy that is primarily based on the ideas of equality and liberty, consequently, it promotes the protection and enhancement of individual’s freedom. On the other hand, Republicanism refers to a political ideology based primarily on the principles of citizenship in state that is to a great extent organized as a republic under which its citizens hold popular sovereignty[8]. The American Revolution also gave birth to ideas of equality for all under the ideology of Egalitarianism; a school of thought that greatly emphasizes on equality of all individual by maintaining that all human beings are equal; thus in fundamental worth.  The American Revolution also gave birth to ideas regarding voting right for all American citizens, while also raising questions with regard to the institution of Slavery and roles of women.

Social Change   

Conclusively the American Revolution was to a great extent revolutionary as it led to drastic social changes. In relation to this, one of the biggest social changes that occurred following the America Revolution is the fact that many slaves that participated in the war particularly those that fought on the behalf of the British Crown were freed resulting in a drastic decrease in the slave population in America. Concerning this, many more slaves acquired their freedom after escaping from the Southern States which upheld slavery[9].

            Although slavery was considered as a somewhat key institution in colonial America; hence, highly embraced, the American Revolutionary War led to the revolution against the institution. Concerning this, the widespread American Revolutionary War’s rhetoric of liberty, freedom and equality created a revolutionary generation that was greatly or rather strongly hinged; thus of these radical idea. Following this, most American citizens began questioning/pointing out the contradiction that existed in their advocacy for their freedom while still owing slaves, to a great extent these ideas led to the development of abolitionist movements and the consequent outlawing of slavery; thus, in America’s Northern states.[10] However, the Southern State maintained this peculiar institution which ultimate to increased tensions leading up to another revolution, the American Civil War[11].   

Bibliography

Carr, J. The American Revolution; Navigators social studies series. Benchmark Education Company, 2011. Pp. 32.

Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: Seagull Fourth Edition. Vol. 1. WW Norton & Company, 2013. Pp.1080

Library of Congress. Creating a Constitution. (n.d.). Retrieved from; https://www.loc.gov/collections/continental-congress-and-constitutional-convention-from-1774-to-1789/articles-and-essays/to-form-a-more-perfect-union/creating-a-constitution/

Standish, Kristoffer R., “We are the friends of reform; but that is not reform”: The Conflicting Ideologies of Abolitionism and the Labor Movement in the Antebellum United States. (2006). Retrieved from; https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1167&context=his  

[1] Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: Seagull Fourth Edition. Vol. 1. WW Norton & Company, 2013. Pp. 184

[2] Carr, J. The American Revolution; Navigators social studies series. Benchmark Education Company, 2011. Pp. 4

[3] Standish, Kristoffer R., “We are the friends of reform; but that is not reform”: The Conflicting Ideologies of Abolitionism and the Labor Movement in the Antebellum United States. (2006). Pp. 1.Retrieved from; https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1167&context=his  

[4] Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: Seagull Fourth Edition. Vol. 1. WW Norton & Company, 2013. Pp. 202

[5] Library of Congress. Creating a Constitution. (n.d.). Retrieved from; https://www.loc.gov/collections/continental-congress-and-constitutional-convention-from-1774-to-1789/articles-and-essays/to-form-a-more-perfect-union/creating-a-constitution/

[6] Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: Seagull Fourth Edition. Vol. 1. WW Norton & Company, 2013. Pp. 295

[7] Ibd. 153

[8] Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: Seagull Fourth Edition. Vol. 1. WW Norton & Company, 2013. Pp. 153

[9] Ibid. 243

[10] Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: Seagull Fourth Edition. Vol. 1. WW Norton & Company, 2013. Pp. 309

[11] Ibid. 309