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Setting the stage: The two armies

• Conflict begins in Massachusetts
• Paul Revere’s ride and the Battles of Lexington and Concord
• The Siege of Boston and the Battle of Bunker Hill
• Washington takes command
• The battle for New York
• A British general surrenders, and the French prepare for war
• After a hungry winter at Valley Forge
• Setbacks in the North
• Final campaigns in the South and the surrender of Cornwallis
• Early engagements and privateers
• French intervention and the decisive action at Virginia Capes
• The end of the war and the terms of the Peace of Paris (1783)
• How did the American colonies win the war?

What was the American Revolution?

How did the american revolution begin, what were the major causes of the american revolution, which countries fought on the side of the colonies during the american revolution, how was the american revolution a civil war.

American Revolution

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• Table Of Contents

The American Revolution —also called the U.S. War of Independence—was the insurrection fought between 1775 and 1783 through which 13 of Great Britain ’s North American colonies threw off British rule to establish the sovereign United States of America, founded with the Declaration of Independence in 1776. British attempts to assert greater control over colonial affairs after a long period of salutary neglect , including the imposition of unpopular taxes, had contributed to growing estrangement between the crown and a large and influential segment of colonists who ultimately saw armed rebellion as their only recourse.

On the ground, fighting in the American Revolution began with the skirmishes between British regulars and American provincials on April 19, 1775 , first at Lexington , where a British force of 700 faced 77 local minutemen , and then at Concord , where an American counterforce of 320 to 400 sent the British scurrying. The British had come to Concord to seize the military stores of the colonists, who had been forewarned of the raid through efficient lines of communication—including the ride of Paul Revere , which is celebrated with poetic license in Longfellow ’s “Paul Revere’s Ride” (1861).  

The American Revolution was principally caused by colonial opposition to British attempts to impose greater control over the colonies and to make them repay the crown for its defense of them during the French and Indian War (1754–63). Britain did this primarily by imposing a series of deeply unpopular laws and taxes, including the Sugar Act (1764), the Stamp Act (1765), and the so-called Intolerable Acts (1774).

Until early in 1778, the American Revolution was a civil war within the British Empire , but it became an international war as France (in 1778) and Spain (in 1779) joined the colonies against Britain. The Netherlands , which was engaged in its own war with Britain, provided financial support for the Americans as well as official recognition of their independence. The French navy in particular played a key role in bringing about the British surrender at Yorktown , which effectively ended the war.

In the early stages of the rebellion by the American colonists, most of them still saw themselves as English subjects who were being denied their rights as such. “Taxation without representation is tyranny,” James Otis reportedly said in protest of the lack of colonial representation in Parliament . What made the American Revolution look most like a civil war , though, was the reality that about one-third of the colonists, known as loyalists (or Tories), continued to support and fought on the side of the crown.

The American Revolution was an insurrection carried out by 13 of Great Britain ’s North American colonies that began in 1775 and ended with a peace treaty in 1783. The colonies won political independence and went on to form the United States of America . The war followed more than a decade of growing estrangement between the British crown and a large and influential segment of its North American colonies that was caused by British attempts to assert greater control over colonial affairs after having long adhered to a policy of salutary neglect .

Until early in 1778 the conflict was a civil war within the British Empire , but afterward it became an international war as France (in 1778) and Spain (in 1779) joined the colonies against Britain . Meanwhile, the Netherlands , which provided both official recognition of the United States and financial support for it, was engaged in its own war against Britain ( see Anglo-Dutch Wars ). From the beginning, sea power was vital in determining the course of the war, lending to British strategy a flexibility that helped compensate for the comparatively small numbers of troops sent to America and ultimately enabling the French to help bring about the final British surrender at Yorktown in 1781.

The American colonies fought the war on land with essentially two types of organization: the Continental (national) Army and the state militias . The total number of the former provided by quotas from the states throughout the conflict was 231,771 soldiers, and the militias totaled 164,087. At any given time, however, the American forces seldom numbered over 20,000; in 1781 there were only about 29,000 insurgents under arms throughout the country. The war was therefore one fought by small field armies. Militias, poorly disciplined and with elected officers, were summoned for periods usually not exceeding three months. The terms of Continental Army service were only gradually increased from one to three years, and not even bounties and the offer of land kept the army up to strength. Reasons for the difficulty in maintaining an adequate Continental force included the colonists’ traditional antipathy toward regular armies, the objections of farmers to being away from their fields, the competition of the states with the Continental Congress to keep men in the militia , and the wretched and uncertain pay in a period of inflation .

By contrast, the British army was a reliable steady force of professionals. Since it numbered only about 42,000, heavy recruiting programs were introduced. Many of the enlisted men were farm boys, as were most of the Americans, while others came from cities where they had been unable to find work. Still others joined the army to escape fines or imprisonment. The great majority became efficient soldiers as a result of sound training and ferocious discipline . The officers were drawn largely from the gentry and the aristocracy and obtained their commissions and promotions by purchase. Though they received no formal training, they were not so dependent on a book knowledge of military tactics as were many of the Americans. British generals, however, tended toward a lack of imagination and initiative , while those who demonstrated such qualities often were rash.

Because troops were few and conscription unknown, the British government, following a traditional policy, purchased about 30,000 troops from various German princes. The Lensgreve (landgrave) of Hesse furnished approximately three-fifths of that total. Few acts by the crown roused so much antagonism in America as that use of foreign mercenaries .

To American revolutionaries, patriotism meant fair dealing with one another

Curator, Division of Political History, Smithsonian Institution

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Barbara Clark Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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When modern Americans call themselves patriots, they are evoking a sentiment that is 250 years old.

In September 1774, nearly two years before the Declaration of Independence, delegates from 12 of the 13 Colonies gathered in the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. They quickly hammered out a political, economic and cultural program to unify the so-called “Patriot” movement against British rule.

As a Smithsonian curator who studies American identity , I explore the often forgotten ways that the First Continental Congress mobilized an unprecedented number of Colonists behind shared commitments. Most important, perhaps, they established critical terms by which contemporaries measured patriotism – and identified nonpatriots – through the early years of revolution.

The delegates met to address an immediate crisis. Great Britain’s Parliament had recently imposed a series of measures explicitly meant to punish the Colonies for the Boston Tea Party’s destruction of tea in Boston Harbor.

The so-called Intolerable Acts forcibly closed the port of Boston , radically curtailed the representative branches of the Massachusetts government and provided for quartering of troops in any of the Colonies without consent from their legislatures.

Taken together, these measures “ threaten Destruction to the Lives, Liberty, and Property, of his Majesty’s Subjects in North America ,” wrote the delegates to the Congress. They rapidly proposed “the most speedy, effectual, and peaceable Measure” they could imagine to counter the British punishments – a “Non-importation, Non-consumption, and Non-exportation Agreement,” called the “ Continental Association .”

They built the association on earlier efforts to limit trade with Britain, adopted by various Colonies or seaport towns. Now the Congress went further, promulgating a sweeping trade boycott for all 13 Colonies to join at once and urging every supporter of Colonial rights from New Hampshire to Georgia to accept its restrictions.

New economic connections

The Continental Association called for American merchants to end all importation of British manufactured goods and for American consumers to refuse to purchase such items, starting on Dec. 1, 1774.

There would be no more fine silks, Irish linens or Indian cottons; no fashionable accoutrements, such as decorative ribbons and lace, parasols or fans. Americans would not purchase European paints, hardware or furnishings; no West Indies molasses or coffee; nor, of course, East India tea. Importing such goods had left the Colonies in debt .

The agreement also banned occasions associated with luxury consumption, such as theatergoing, assemblies and balls, horse races and other expensive entertainments. It even changed funeral rituals by banning imported mourning clothes and the costly silk gloves that the bereaved commonly presented to mourners at these ceremonies.

Equally important, the Continental Association encouraged household production within the Colonies to supplant goods previously bought from Britain. It discouraged consumption of lamb, as a measure to increase stocks of wool for Colonial cloth-making. It relied on urban mechanics and farm households – women as well as men – to increase their manufacturing to replace other English goods now forbidden.

The idea was to create new networks of trade within the Colonies, replacing Colonists’ dependence on Britain with mutual interdependence. Prosperous consumers would now patronize their producing neighbors – putting money into those neighbors’ pockets – by purchasing homespun cloth, herbal teas and other items that were American-made. Finally, the Continental Association forbade dealers from raising prices on English goods as they became scarce.

The Continental Association made the terms of so-called “Patriot” behavior clear: A supporter of American rights would give up British imports, promote American-made goods and forgo undue profits in business.

Those who violated the terms of the pact would be labeled “foes to the rights of British America.”

Mobilization

Even as the Congress adjourned, supporters of the proposed program took action. Voters in towns, counties and seaports began electing committees to enforce the Continental Association.

To ensure community solidarity, some localities chose political nobodies to serve alongside established leaders. Ordinary men and even women who, as widows, were sometimes heads of households began signing on to written copies of the agreement.

From Dec. 1, 1774, the new rules of trade created a public panorama of economic and political actions in marketplaces, on seaport wharves and in meetings held in courthouses, meeting houses and taverns. Committeemen inspected merchant warehouses for banned goods and questioned suspected violators of the pact. They published the names of the unrepentant in the public newspapers – often labeled as a sign for “friends of their country” to end all dealings with those violators, now identified as “enemies” to American liberty.

Over the following months, newspapers printed reports of committee decisions, as well as rumors, accusations, apologies and accounts of crowds that confronted recalcitrant dealers or unreformed drinkers of tea.

Colonial readers learned such things as these: A public meeting in Gloucester County, Pennsylvania, called for enforcing the association as if it were “enacted into law.” A merchant named John Armstrong in Isle of Wight, Virginia, regretted violating the association and now promised to reform. Blacksmiths in Worcester, Massachusetts, pledged not to perform work for non-associators. Women in Hartford, Connecticut, gathered to spin thread for weavers to turn into cloth for the poor. A tea dealer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, apologized for hawking tea and even publicly burned his tea supply. An alderman of Philadelphia had been buried in the plainest of funerals – conducted in strict accord with requirements of the Continental Association.

Since editors routinely reprinted news from other papers, readers could observe their fellow patriots at work even in Colonies far away. Readers in, say, the Carolinas could feel a solidarity with like-minded Colonists in New Hampshire or New York.

‘One people’

The cumulative effect of this broad public mobilization appears, I believe, in the very first sentence of the Declaration of Independence. In July 1776, the Second Continental Congress described inhabitants of the 13 Colonies as “ one people ,” fully capable of asserting independence from “another” people – those Britons across the Atlantic.

In my view, the experience of the Continental Association of 1774 played a critical role in forming the 13 Colonies into such a “one.” Surely, it helped to convince Americans of different regions, interests, backgrounds and beliefs that they could act as patriots, by pursuing a common interest beyond their differences. They had already associated together, as the First Continental Congress phrased it, “ under the Ties of Virtue, Honour, and Love of our Country .” Perhaps there is something there worth commemorating today.

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Until the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763, few colonists in British North America objected to their place in the British Empire. Colonists in British America reaped many benefits from the British imperial system and bore few costs for those benefits. Indeed, until the early 1760s, the British mostly left their American colonies alone. The Seven Years' War (known in the United States as the French and Indian War) changed everything. Although Britain eventually achieved victory over France and its allies, victory had come at great cost. A staggering war debt influenced many British policies over the next decade. Attempts to raise money by reforming colonial administration, enforcing tax laws, and placing troops in America led directly to conflict with colonists. By the mid-1770s, relations between Americans and the British administration had become strained and acrimonious.

The first shots of what would become the war for American independence were fired in April 1775. For some months before that clash at Lexington and Concord, patriots had been gathering arms and powder and had been training to fight the British if that became necessary. General Thomas Gage, commander of British forces around Boston, had been cautious; he did not wish to provoke the Americans. In April, however, Gage received orders to arrest several patriot leaders, rumored to be around Lexington. Gage sent his troops out on the night of April 18, hoping to catch the colonists by surprise and thus to avoid bloodshed. When the British arrived in Lexington, however, colonial militia awaited them. A fire fight soon ensued. Even so, it was not obvious that this clash would lead to war. American opinion was split. Some wanted to declare independence immediately; others hoped for a quick reconciliation. The majority of Americans remained undecided but watching and waiting.

In June 1775, the Continental Congress created, on paper, a Continental Army and appointed George Washington as Commander. Washington's first task, when he arrived in Boston to take charge of the ragtag militia assembled there, was to create an army in fact. It was a daunting task with no end of problems: recruitment, retention, training and discipline, supply, and payment for soldiers' services were among those problems. Nevertheless, Washington realized that keeping an army in the field was his single most important objective.

During the first two years of the Revolutionary War, most of the fighting between the patriots and British took place in the north. At first, the British generally had their way because of their far superior sea power. Despite Washington's daring victories at Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey, in late 1776 and early 1777, the British still retained the initiative. Indeed, had British efforts been better coordinated, they probably could have put down the rebellion in 1777. But such was not to be. Patriot forces, commanded by General Horatio Gates, achieved a significant victory at Saratoga, New York, in October 1777. Within months, this victory induced France to sign treaties of alliance and commerce with the United States. In retrospect, French involvement was the turning point of the war, although that was not obvious at the time.

Between 1778 and 1781, British military operations focused on the south because the British assumed a large percentage of Southerners were loyalists who could help them subdue the patriots. The British were successful in most conventional battles fought in that region, especially in areas close to their points of supply on the Atlantic coast. Even so, American generals Nathanael Greene and Daniel Morgan turned to guerrilla and hit-and-run warfare that eventually stymied the British. By 1781, British General Lord Charles Cornwallis was ordered to march into Virginia to await resupply near Chesapeake Bay. The Americans and their French allies pounced on Cornwallis and forced his surrender.

Yorktown was a signal victory for the patriots, but two years of sporadic warfare, continued military preparations, and diplomatic negotiations still lay ahead. The Americans and British signed a preliminary peace treaty on November 30, 1782; they signed the final treaty, known as the Peace of Paris, on September 10, 1783. The treaty was generally quite favorable to the United States in terms of national boundaries and other concessions. Even so, British violations of the agreement would become an almost constant source of irritation between the two nations far into the future.

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• Essays on the American Revolution

In this Book

• Stephen G. Kurtz
• Published by: The University of North Carolina Press
• Series: Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia
• View Citation

Table of Contents

• Title page, Copyright
• pp. vii-viii
• Introduction
• 1. The Central Themes of the American Revolution: An Interpretation
• BERNARD BAILYN
• 2. An Uneasy Connection: An Analysis of the Preconditions of the American Revolution
• JACK P. GREENE
• 3. Violence and the American Revolution
• RICHARD MAXWELL BROWN
• 4. The American Revolution: The Military Conflict Considered as a Revolutionary War
• pp. 121-156
• 5. The Structure of Politics in the Continental Congress
• H. JAMES HENDERSON
• pp. 157-196
• 6. The Role of Religion in the Revolution: Liberty of Conscience and Cultural Cohesion in the New Nation
• WILLIAM G. McLOUGHLIN
• pp. 197-255
• 7. Feudalism, Communalism, and the Yeoman Freeholder: The American Revolution Considered as a Social Accident
• ROWLAND BERTHOFF AND JOHN M. MURRIN
• pp. 256-288
• 8. Conflict and Consensus in the American Revolution
• EDMUND S. MORGAN
• pp. 289-310
• pp. 311-318
• Notes on the Contributors
• pp. 319-320

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• Benjamin Franklin: In His Own Words This exhibition indicates the depth and breadth of Benjamin Franklin's public, professional, and scientific accomplishments through important documents, letters, books, broadsides, and cartoons. The sections of this exhibition that directly relate to the American Revolution are titled A Cause For Revolution, Break with Britain, Continental Congress, and Treaty of Paris.
• Creating the United States: Declaration of Independence This online exhibition offers insights into how the nation’s founding documents were forged and the role that imagination and vision played in the unprecedented creative act of forming a self–governing country. The exhibition includes a section on creating the Declaration of Independence.
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• John Bull & Uncle Sam: Four Centuries of British-American Relations Exhibition that examines U.S. and British relations from colonial times to the twentieth century, including manuscripts, maps, and prints from the American Revolution.
• Religion and the Founding of the American Republic Explores the role religion played in the founding of the American colonies, in the shaping of early American life and politics, and in forming the American Republic. Includes sections titled Religion and the American Revolution and Religion and the Congress of the Confederation, 1774-89.
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The American Revolution

Eliga h. gould  |  university of new hampshire.

The American Revolution was a civil war in every sense of the word, a fratricidal conflict that divided men and women throughout the Empire, in Britain no less than the American colonies. For the metropolitan public, however, the American Revolution was a very different war from the one experienced by Britons in America. Despite the mounting burdens of taxation, military service, and economic loss, most Britons participated in the American Revolution at one remove. For this reason alone, newspapers were an important factor in the internal divisions that beset Britain during the 1770s and 1780s, conveying information, shaping opinion and—often—fomenting controversy. Government and Opposition Supporters and opponents of Frederick North's ministry were well aware of the importance of the press. In the late 1770s, there were nearly 35,000 newspapers in daily circulation in England, meaning that the reading public may have included as many as one in six adults. Throughout the war, partisans on both sides sought to turn this influence to their advantage, publishing petitions and addresses in the London and provincial press (notably during the summer and autumn of 1775), writing essays supporting or denouncing the government's management of the war, and attempting to control the way that newspapers reported events such as the County Association meetings of 1780. Often, the editors and proprietors of individual papers helped fan such differences of opinion. Under the editorship of Henry Bate Dudley, the  Morning Post  was a generally reliable pro-ministerial outlet; the  London Evening Post  and the  General Advertiser,  on the other hand, tended to side with the opposition. During the intense press coverage that greeted the court-martial of Admiral Keppel in 1779, all three papers sought to provide what William Parker of the  General Advertiser  called 'impartial and authentick intelligence' of the trial's proceedings, yet they also divided along predictable party lines in defending or attacking the famously (or notoriously) pro-American admiral. Parliamentary Reporting Despite such partisan divisions, the American Revolution witnessed a gradual decline in the acrimony that had long characterized relations between the government and the press. Following the House of Commons' failed prosecution of eight London printers in 1771, the government tacitly agreed to allow newspapers to publish parliamentary debates. Because visitors in both houses of Parliament were prohibited from taking notes until 1783, such reports were necessarily based on the recollections of newspapermen such as the  Morning Chronicle's  William "Memory" Woodfall rather than written transcriptions, and during especially sensitive debates, including those on America in 1774, the government insisted on clearing the galleries. Still, the newspaper publication of parliamentary debates became sufficiently routine for printers to contact politicians directly with requests for accurate information. On several occasions during the early 1780s, the  Morning Chronicle  published speeches and other information that Woodfall had received from the treasurer of the ordinance William Adam. In a letter to Secretary at War Charles Jenkinson requesting an official copy of the army estimates for 1780, Woodfall hoped that Jenkinson would agree that it was better to publish the correct account of a matter that 'by the mistake of a single figure might be grossly perverted'. Woodfall also noted that a rival, John Almon, had promised to publish an 'exact account' of the estimates in the  London Courant, presumably based on a communication that Almon had received from Jenkinson's office (Woodfall to Jenkinson, 9 Dec 1779, British Library Add MSS 38,212, f. 274). The War in America Unlike news of events in Parliament and Britain's provincial cities, newspaper reports from America inevitably depended on second (or, at times, third) hand accounts. In cases where more than one set of participants had access to metropolitan printers—the British merchants whom Admiral Rodney plundered after taking the Dutch Caribbean island of St Eustatius in 1781 are a good example—such reports could be critical of the government. Often, however, coverage of the war in America was one-sided in the government's favour. In the notorious case of Banastre Tarleton, whose brutal tactics in the Carolinas and Virginia earned him the enmity of Americans everywhere (including the future US president Andrew Jackson), the coverage was overwhelmingly favourable and consisted mainly of laudatory dispatches from Tarleton's military superiors, Sir Henry Clinton and Lord Cornwallis. When Tarleton returned to England in 1782, he received a hero's welcome. Anti-Americanism Similar biases were evident in the treatment that the British press accorded American patriots and the patriot cause. Although George Washington managed to transcend partisan differences, with even the pro-ministerial  Critical Review  admitting in 1779 to a 'high opinion' of the American general, the image of rank-and-file patriots was usually less generous. In reporting on the commencement of hostilities in 1775, many papers carried lurid accounts of rebel atrocities, leading to allegations that the British government was using the 'utmost industry. . .to inflame men's minds' against the Americans (anonymous letter to Robert Carter Nicholas, 22 Sept 1775, National Archives, CO 5/40/1, 22). With the outbreak of war with France and the North ministry's implicit recognition of American grievances in the Carlisle Peace Commission of 1778, the ministerial press moderated its tone, yet even the coming of peace did not dispel the impression of partiality. As Thomas Jefferson complained in a 1784 letter to the Netherlands  Leiden Gazette, many Europeans turned to British newspapers for information about America; all too often, what they found was neither fair nor accurate (Merrill D. Peterson, ed.,  Thomas Jefferson, Writings  [New York, 1984], 571-4). Gazettes to the World If Jefferson's words remind us of the partisanship of British newspapers, they also highlight the growing power and influence of the periodical press—an influence, moreover, that increasingly reached beyond Britain's borders. Even as Americans lamented the national biases of Britain's newspapers, much of the foreign news that appeared in American newspapers was based on stories that had first appeared in the British press. Significantly, British newspapers played a major role in the imperial humanitarianism that swept Britain in the Revolution's wake, keeping the plight of British India before an outraged public and building support on both sides of the Atlantic for the eventual abolition of the slave trade. Although not the only structure of power in late-Georgian Britain, the newspaper press was increasingly among the more important.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barker, Hannah.  Newspapers, Politics, and Public Opinion in Late Eighteenth-century England  (Oxford, 1998).

Brewer, John.  Party Ideology and Popular Politics at the Accession of George III  (Cambridge, 1976).

Bickham, Troy O. "Sympathizing with Sedition? George Washington, the British Press, and British Attitudes during the American War of Independence,"  William and Mary Quarterly , 3rd ser., 59, 1 (2002): 101-122.

Conway, Stephen.  The British Isles and the War of American Independence  (Oxford, 2000).

Gould, Eliga H.  The Persistence of Empire: British Political Culture in the Age of the American Revolution (Chapel Hill, N.C., 2000).

Rodgers, Nicholas. "The Dynamic of News in Britain during the American War: The Case of Admiral Keppel,"  Parliamentary History , 25, 1 (2006): 49-67.

CITATION: Gould, Eliga H.: "The American Revolution."  17 th and 18 th Century Burney Newspapers Collection . Detroit: Gale, 2007.

Related archive

SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURY BURNEY NEWSPAPERS COLLECTION

A well-known collection at the British Library, the original Burney volumes are in fragile condition and are restricted from reading-room use except as microfilm. This digitization includes more than 1,000 documents, allowing researchers to see the development of the newspaper as we know it today.

Any views and opinions expressed in these essays are those of the author in question, and any views or opinions from the original source material are those of the publication in question. Gale, part of Cengage Group, provides facsimile reproductions of original sources and do not endorse or dispute the content contained in them. Author affiliation and information within them are correct as of the original publication date.

American Revolution - List of Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

The American Revolution, a pivotal period from 1765 to 1783, led to the thirteen American colonies’ independence from British rule. Essays could delve into the various factors that contributed to the revolution, the key battles, and notable figures who played significant roles. They might also explore the ideological underpinnings of the revolutionaries, the impact of Enlightenment thought, and the subsequent formulation of a new governmental system. Discussions might further extend to the revolution’s global repercussions, its effect on American society, and the enduring legacy of the values and institutions established during this period. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to American Revolution you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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How To Write an Essay About American Revolution

Understanding the american revolution.

Before writing an essay about the American Revolution, it is crucial to understand its historical context and significance. The American Revolution, occurring from 1765 to 1783, was a pivotal event in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America won independence from Great Britain and formed the United States. Start by outlining the key events that led to the revolution, including the French and Indian War, the Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party, and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Familiarize yourself with the major figures involved, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and King George III, and understand the ideological underpinnings of the revolution, including concepts of liberty, democracy, and taxation without representation. This foundational knowledge will provide a solid basis for your essay.

Developing a Focused Thesis Statement

A strong essay on the American Revolution should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about the revolution. For example, you might argue that the American Revolution was primarily a political and ideological revolution rather than just a military conflict, or analyze the impact of the revolution on the development of American political thought. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and ensure a structured and coherent analysis.

Gathering Historical Evidence

To support your thesis, gather historical evidence from credible sources. This might include primary sources like letters, speeches, and contemporary accounts, as well as secondary sources like scholarly articles and history books. Analyze this evidence critically, considering the reliability and perspective of each source. Use this evidence to build your argument and provide depth to your analysis of the American Revolution.

Analyzing Key Events and Figures

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing key events and figures of the American Revolution. Discuss how these events were pivotal in the progress of the revolution and examine the roles and contributions of significant figures. For example, explore how the Declaration of Independence encapsulated the revolutionary ideals or how diplomatic efforts with foreign nations were crucial to the colonial victory. This analysis will help readers understand the complexities and nuances of the revolution.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence presented. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the significance of the American Revolution in shaping American history and identity. You might also want to reflect on the broader implications of the revolution, such as its impact on global politics or its legacy in contemporary America.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and edit it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by historical evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers or instructors to further refine your essay. A well-crafted essay on the American Revolution will not only demonstrate your understanding of this pivotal event in history but also your ability to engage critically with historical narratives.

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The American Revolution and Its Effects Essay

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A British minister, Richard Price, once described the American Revolution as one of the greatest events in the global history since the birth of Jesus Christ. It is an acknowledgeable fact that the American Revolution was not a social revolution like the ones that were experienced in France, Russia or China, but it was a social revolution that was aimed at destroying the older or the ancient institutions and consequently, transferred power from the elites to the social class.

There developed some differences on thoughts, interest and life between Britain, which was the colonial head, and US, the colony. The local political structures and institutions were different from the English ways and this led to conflicts, particularly because the British preferred the policy of mercantilism.

The American Revolution took place in the 18 th century, and it involved the 13 colonies of North America ganging up to bring to an end the British colonial rule; they had grown tired of the British rule and had shown some sense of discontent and rebellion. The revolutions highly impacted on various aspects of the American society like political independence, land reforms, economic reforms and social equality.

It was the moment when all Americans irrespective of their class, religion or race came together to fight for their freedom. In examining the American Revolution and its effects, it is imperative to examine the degree of radicalism exhibited by the revolutionaries regarding their ideologies and philosophies, their actions and intentions. This will drive us into the conclusion as to whether the America revolution was revolutionary or not.

Revolution implies a radical change, and the big question is whether the American Revolution brought about change and whether or not the American Revolution should be treated as a revolution or civil war since it involved the change in power but retained the normal way of life.

In total opposition to the popular beliefs, the American Revolution did not result to change because the rights, system of government and class structure was maintained just as it was in the colonial times. In analyzing whether American Revolution was or was not revolutionary, it is imperative to understand the term revolution. According to historians, a war qualifies to be labeled as revolutionary if it includes social, intellectual, economic or religious dimensions, and if it can result in political change.

The American Revolution had all these dimensions, and hence it was a revolution, in fact, and forms. According to the Oxford dictionary, a revolution is defined as the overthrowing of government or any social order to usher in a new system that might have dramatic or far-reaching changes. A revolution is bound to have alterations in the entire society, political system or ideologies. The degree of defining how revolutionary a revolution is is based on the level of change it can bring.

The American Revolution had several effects on the entire American society and particularly on the social spectrum that had women, natives, loyalists and slaves. It was after the revolution that women were granted various rights like the right to own property and the right to divorce though it still excluded women from the political spectrum. The principles of equality and liberty that the revolutionaries fought for provided an opportunity for women to champion for their rights.

Consequently, the revolution radically transformed the American political system. Before the revolution, for example, the Monarch of Britain was the head of state and there existed no national political systems. The most contested radical taste of the revolution was the American constitution which encompassed all the values that were espoused by the revolutionaries, and it acted as instruments of social contract.

The America Revolution had a lot of consequences in the shaping of American politics. It created the present United States of America by transforming the monarchic society into a Republic where the citizens wholly participated in the political process, and it emancipated the position of middle men by making them part and parcel of the Republic by giving them equal rights as the elites.

The revolution brought the alteration of the social institutions and expectations. The voting rights ware extended to the larger population. For the first time, the public officers were elected and not appointed, and it was only those who claimed to promote the interest of the masses who were voted into offices. It was also after the revolution that assemblies of states erected a lot of galleries hence allowing for the public participation and to watch live legislative debates.

The American Revolution also radicalized some fundamental ideals like popular participation, government of the people, rule of law, liberty, justice and equality. All these ideals, though they were compromised, to some extent, they shaped the path of reforms. Religious intolerance, marginalization of women and slavery emerged as the main problems that threatened the social fabric of the society.

The revolution enabled the Americans to reconstruct their society in alignment with Republican principles. It inspired majority of the Americans to questions such practices as servitude and slavery.

This led to slow abolition of slavery or an emancipation of slaves. Regarding the lives of women, the revolution had dramatic effects. They, for the first time, had the audacity to protest against male power, and they started demanding power both within and outside their household and demanded for equal rights with men.

The greatest achievement of the revolution was the initiation of the modern model of a Republican written constitution that stipulated and enshrined the powers and the limits of the government and how to safeguard the rights of the people.

This made America the first country to consider the constitutions as the supreme and superior document that was separate from any statutory law. The constitution originated from the people which was initiated by a special convention and ratified through a popular vote. This new constitution was expected to embody the principles of a Republic, and it increased the composition of the state legislatures.

The American Revolution was not that revolutionary because it never involved any regime change but was concerned with the creation of a new nation as well as the adoption of democracy by USA. After the revolutionary war, the colonies that were governed by the English king changed.

The new autonomous states adopted democratic mode of government where the citizens participated directly in the democratic process or in the election of leaders. There has been a lot of debate as to how the American Revolution gave birth to democracy.

There are those who consider it as a struggle for autonomous governments while others perceived it as a class struggle, but they are unanimous on the fact that the revolution created a new state and that it was the constitution that transformed democracy from theory to be practical. The revolutionaries were motivated by the sole intention of reconstituting the American society by destroying the monarchical bonds of kinship, patriarchy and patronage.

The ratification of the declaration of independence was clear evidence that the main aim of the Americans was not only to drive away the colonial power, but it demonstrated their intention to govern themselves. The long time that the revolution took, despite the challenges and the setbacks, was an indicator that the American people wanted to be free.

The main concept behind a revolution is the change; change of any kind and this was reflective of the American Revolution. The American Revolution gave birth to political parties that are traced back to the federalist versus the anti-federalist debate that followed the enactment of the constitution. This debate ignited the formation of political parties.

In conclusion, the American Revolution was revolutionary because it had a lot of impacts on the social and political environment in USA. The colonial monarch was overthrown, and it was replaced by a democratic, national, revolutionary Republican and a representative government that was symbolized by the constitution that had the principles of liberty and equality enshrined in it.

The revolution gave the Americans a complete sense of autonomy and emancipated the women. The revolution, yes, may have led to the perpetuation of conservative beliefs and policies like slavery but the gains made from the revolution are unmatched. It was not contemplated that America would delink itself from the Great Britain but with the revolution, it was achieved.

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Home / Essay Samples / History / History of The United States / American Revolution

American Revolution Essay Examples

The American Revolution, spanning from 1765 to 1783, was a watershed moment defined by the colonists’ resolute pursuit of freedom from British colonial rule. Fueled by grievances over taxation, representation, and fundamental rights, the revolutionaries embarked on a journey that would challenge the established order and birth a new nation.

Delve into the pivotal moments of history with our essay on the American Revolution. Immerse yourself in the tumultuous period that birthed a nation, shaped ideologies, and transformed the global landscape. Our meticulously crafted essay offers insights into the causes, events, and enduring impacts of this revolutionary movement that laid the foundation for modern democracy.

Examining the Justification of the American Revolution

The American Revolution, which took place from 1775 to 1783, was a significant event in the history of the United States. It marked the country's separation from Great Britain and the establishment of a new nation. However, the question of whether the American Revolution was...

American and French Revolution: a Comparative Analysis

The American and French Revolution were two major events that shaped the course of history. Both revolutions occurred in the late 18th century and aimed to overthrow oppressive monarchies. While there are similarities between the two revolutions, such as their desire for liberty and equality,...

The Boston Tea Party: How a Single Act Sparked a Revolution

The Boston Tea Party was a seminal event in American history, and is considered one of the key events leading up to the American Revolution. Boston Tea Party, as the key theme of the essay, started on December 16, 1773, when a group of American...

Causes of the American Revolution: Political, Economic, and Ideological

The American Revolution, an epochal event that forever altered the course of history, was underpinned by a complex web of causes that encompassed political, economic, and ideological factors. This essay embarks on a comprehensive exploration of these causes, aiming to provide a detailed analysis of...

How Revolutionary Was the American Revolution

In this work 'How Revolutionary Was the American Revolution Essay' we will research the topic of the American Revolution. The patriots of the colonies were fighting to promote change and free themselves from England's oppressive government. Enlightenment ideals and other social factors influenced the colonists...

Three Main Causes of the American Revolution

What are the main causes of the life-changing event called American Revolution? In causes of the American Revolution essay the answer is reveled.  Adequate involvement of the native americans in the legislation was a major component of the ideological questioning during the era of the...

Back to the History: What Caused the American and French Revolution

In modern society, all of us recognize that we are living in a better century. In the 21st century, we live in is the result and the creation of the efforts of the people of the previous century. Although we are still fighting each other,...

Spy Tactics of the American Revolution 

During the American Revolution both the British and the Americans used spy tactics to help boost their side. America had overall more people working on their side than the British and the success of the American spied was a major reason that the colonies won...

Women and the American Revolution

Throughout American history , women have been seen as “the weaker sex” which has lead to oppression and unfair treatment from men, and even after all this years this concept still affects women today all around the world. Prior to the American Revolution women were...

The Thorny Path to American Independence: French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the Treaty of Paris

The history of the United States started with the arrival of Native Americans around 15,000 BC. The Native Americans once were settled throughout North America before the Europeans arrived. The Native Americans tailored to their land and all of their surrounding factors. They all had...

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About American Revolution

22 March 1765 – 14 January 1784

Thirteen Colonies (United States)

Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Monmouth, Battles of Saratoga, Battle of Bemis Heights

John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Jane McCrea, George Washington

The American Revolution was an epic political and military struggle waged between 1765 and 1783 when 13 of Britain's North American colonies rejected its imperial rule. The protest began in opposition to taxes levied without colonial representation by the British monarchy and Parliament.

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