Economy In The Colonies example essay topic

America before the Revolutionary War was a time that it gained a sense of identity and pride. It was ready to explode and gain its place with the rest of the world. America was forming its own culture in the areas of social aspects, economy, as well as politics. There were several contributors for this sense of American nationalism. America was get larger. America's population had been growing and it needed more land.

Settlers were already going past the Appalachian Mountains at this time and they were getting close to the Mississippi River. People were immigrating to America and bringing their distinct cultures with them. These cultures made a mixing bowl of different cultures that became American. This was apparent in such aspects as language. English is what was originally brought over by the original colonists, but now there were people coming from Ireland, Scotland, and other European countries.

This distinct language integrated English along with words from these other cultures. Another aspect that was becoming distinct was the American economy. America was rich in natural resources and trade with England was readily available. The colonies had two types of economies growing. In the south, agriculture dominated, while in the north, fishing and shipbuilding were the primary industries. The southern colonies grew tobacco, rice and indigo which weren't grown in England.

They also depended on slaves and indentured servants to get their work done. The social status and mobility were affected by the economy in the colonies. Although the large majority of colonists came from England, they wanted to stay away from the social hierarchy that was part of English society. In the colonies, there was no need for nobility and they didn't want it. There was a bigger gap in the social scale with the rich merchants being on top and slaves being on the bottom. A distinct trait of the colonies was the growth of the middle class.

This has been a characteristic of America for many years. Factors such as the Great Awakening and social mobility have contributed this. The Great Awakening put more emphasis on the individual to succeed and less on the community. There was also a greater chance to move up and down on the social ladder because of the opportunities that America had. It was also because there was no nobility or aristocracy like there was in England. The government in the colonies was set up by England and pretty much run by them.

They set up a government where they gave a certain area to a governor. This governor was responsible for the affairs of the area. The colonial government was basically a puppet for Parliament. The colonists were unhappy with this situation. They thought they could govern themselves and didn't know why a government that was overseas was controlling them. They also didn't like the fact that they weren't represent in Parliament because if they tried to be represented, their vote wouldn't matter because it would be so small.

Some problems arose for the English government because of all the wars they were getting involved in. The French-Indian War is an example of the problems afterwards. Because they got involved in the war, the English had to tax the colonies. They thought that because they had fought the war for the colonies that they would agree and have no problems with it.

It was much smaller than the tax in England, but the English found out something about Americans, they hate to pay taxes. The result of the war was that the colonies realized how badly they were being treated by England. It didn't make things easier when they imposed the Stamp and Sugar Acts. This just made the colonists more upset and they boycotted material or went to extremes such as the Boston Tea Party.

All this led to the path of revolution. Along with all this, the colonies were becoming distinct in many other ways. Religion was fundamental to the daily lives of the colonists. Even now, things in Europe that are acceptable are taboo in the United States. There were also many denominations popping up. The Anglican Church dominated, but there were also Catholics, Quakers, and Methodists.

Other areas include education, science, and art. America had some famous people during this time doing great things. Benjamin Franklin was setting up colleges where learning to become a priest was the only education available, but rather a higher education. Science and art started in Europe, but was brought over to the colonies where leading men would excel in these areas as well. All these aspects contributed to the Americanization of the colonies. They were forming distinct characteristics that set them apart not just from England, but the rest of the world.

And also not just at that time, but is still present today. These traits were based on the melting pot that America became at this time and the wealth and prosperity that the colonies were enjoying before the Revolutionary War.