French And Indian War In The Colonies example essay topic

The American Revolution was caused by many different reasons. The main reasons where Mercantilism trade with in the American Colonies, The First Great Awakening, The Great War of Empires, The Proclamation Line of 1763, The Acts passed by British Parliament, The population demographics of the eighteenth-century, The Common sense and the Declaration of Independence. The first reason was the Mercantilism system set up by England to control trade with the American Colonies. Mercantilism started during medieval times in Europe local governments levied tolls tariffs on goods entering and leaving their territory. Local guilds formed by merchants and artisans fixed wages, prices, and other working conditions. Subsequently, these functions were transferred to the government, which sought to use its powers to promote economic growth and enrich the nation.

Thus was born mercantilism, which added to existing economic nationalism to the already existing antagonism engendered by religious differences and rivalry among the kings of the various nations. Mercantilism lasted from the creation of strong central governments in the 15th century until the 19th century, however, mercantilist policies continue to be followed today. Some believe that the American Revolution was an outgrowth of conflict between the colonies and England brought about by England's mercantilist policies. Mercantilism was at its height in the 17th and 18th centuries. Although the economic policies adopted in the nations of Europe were not identical, they shared sufficient common characteristics to consider each country's economic system as being of the same type. The objective of Page 2 these policies was to maximize the nation's wealth.

Wealth was defined in terms of gold Which is the nation's ability to produce. Gold could be acquired either through a trade surplus or the obtaining of gold bearing territory. Mercantilism involved the using the power of the state throughout the economy to enrich the state. Therefore, a mercantilist economy is a managed economy. England, France, and Spain all restricted their colonies' foreign trade. Subsidies and other assistance was employed to encourage the colonies to produce raw materials; while their right to produce manufactured goods that would compete with those produced by the mother country was restricted.

The reason for doing this was to make the nation self-sufficient while enjoying the benefits of specialization. Most colonial manufacturing took place in the Middle Colonies. Colonies, by providing raw materials not found in the mother country and increasing the size of the domestic market made both substantial self-sufficiency and specialization possible. Self-sufficiency reduced imports; thus making possible or making larger a trade surplus, which would add to the nation's gold stock. Specialization increased the nation's productivity.

Navigation laws were common in mercantilist nations. These limited to native citizens of mother country and its colony ships the right to bring goods into imports or take goods from exports. This was expected to increase the size of the nation's merchant marine and earn additional specie through the selling of shipping services. Mercantilist regulation in the thirteen colonies began in the 1620's, when steps were taken to prevent the importation into Britain of tobacco from Spanish and Dutch colonies. In the 1650's and 1660's the British Parliament passes a set of Navigation Acts. Foreign built or owned ships were forbidden to trade with the colonies, and ships that did engage in this trade must have Page 3 crews, 3/4 ths of whose members were British from Great Britain or British North America.

Various colonial exports were enumerated; that is, these goods had to be shipped to Britain, from which, if they were destined for other nations, they would be re-exported. This profited shippers and merchants in Great Britain. Colonial imports had to shipped through Great Britain. This made it easier for the British to collect import duties. The second reason was of The First Great Awakening By the early 1700's America was growing, prospering economically, and doubling its population with every generation. Many immigrants were achieving prosperity within a generation and a growing middle class was emerging.

But with the onset of wealth, there was a decline in church growth and attendance. The Puritan faith was receding and the spiritual vitality of ordinary Americans was declining. From this environment, the Great Awakening of the 1730's and 1740's erupted. Before this spiritual reawakening ended.

The Great Awakening that revived the churches in America in the 1730's and 40's extended from the Northeast through the Middle Colonies and into the South. It brought changes not only to Christianity in America, but also affected communications, politics, and social barriers within American society. The Great War of Empires or The French and Indian War in the colonies lasted from 1756 to 1763, forming a chapter in the imperial struggle between Britain and France called the Second Hundred Years' War. In the early 1750's, France's expansion into the Ohio River valley repeatedly brought it into conflict with the claims of the British colonies, especially Virginia.

During 1754 and 1755, the French defeated in quick succession the young George Washington, Gen. Edward Braddock, and Braddock's Page 4 successor, Governor William Shirley of Massachusetts. In 1755, Governor Shirley, Fearing that the French settlers in Nova Scotia would side with France in any military confrontation, expelled hundreds of them to other British colonies; many of the exiles suffered cruelly. Throughout this period, the British military effort was hampered by lack of interest at home, rivalries among the American colonies, and France's greater success in winning the support of the Indians. In 1756 the British formally declared war marking the official beginning of the Seven Years' War, but their new commander in America, Lord Loudoun, faced the same problems as his predecessors and met with little success against the French and their Indian allies.

The tide turned in 1757 because William Pitt, the new British leader, saw the colonial conflicts as the key to building a vast British Empire. Borrowing heavily to finance the war, he paid Prussia to fight in Europe and reimbursed the colonies for raising troops in North America. In July 1758, the British won their first great victory at Louisbourg, near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. A month later, they took Fort Frontenac at the western end of the river.

Then they closed in on Quebec, where Gen. James Wolfe won a spectacular victory on the Plains of Abraham, September 1759 though both he and the French commander, the Marquis de Montcalm, were fatally wounded. With the fall of Montreal in September 1760, the French lost their last foothold in Canada. Soon, Spain joined France against England, and for the rest of the war Britain concentrated on seizing French and Spanish territories in other parts of the world. At the peace conference in 1763, the British received Canada from France and Florida from Spain but permitted France to keep its West Indian sugar islands and gave Louisiana to Spain. The treaty strengthened the American colonies significantly by Page 5 removing their European rivals to the north and south and opening the Mississippi Valley to westward expansion. The Proclamation Line of 1763, which is issued by the King of England, forbids any English settlers in the area west of the Appalachians.

One of the main causes was the French defeat following the Seven Years War in Europe and the British Conquest of North America. The French, in September 1760. Burned their standards, boarded ships and went home. These French troops left behind French speaking farmers and businessmen that needed to be dealt with. Also, what borders would the former French colony be allowed to keep? Therefore, the solution to this issue was to define the colony's boundaries and to define how this new British colony was going to be governed.

Another issue the Amerindians were concerned about was the westward expansion of American settlement onto, what the Amerindians claimed, to be their lands. Also, the Amerindian allies of the British during the war believed that their people would be receiving better trade deals. The Sugar Act caused alarm in the American colonies, partly because of the expected economic disadvantages, but also because of a number of other reasons, one of the most important being the severe implementation by the navy. The Sugar Act also became an issue in the struggle between various factions in the different states, but in general opposition was strong. One of the steps taken, for example, was to threat with a boycott of English products. The Stamp Act in January 1765.

It called for a tax on all kinds of paper in use, like various kinds of official documents used in court, harbors, land transactions, etc. The Act prescribed these documents had to be printed on paper carrying Page 6 Officials stamp. The British parliament responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing Four laws. The colonies called these laws the Intolerable Acts.

The British closed the Boston Harbor pending the people of Boston paying for the lost tea, and paying the required tax. They also eliminated the Massachusetts elected government council. They replaced it with council members appointed by the King. The Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence. In January of 1776 an Englishman named Thomas Paine published a small book called Common Sense. The book said all kings in general, especially George of England, were bad.

The book also stated that America must be free to make its own way. This book became a best seller. It made Americans believe that America should be a free and independent nation. In the spring of 1776 the Second Continental Congress met in a red brick building called the Pennsylvania State House.

It was later called Independence Hall. Many leaders wanted America to become a separate and equal nation. Some wanted America to have some self-rule while still being a colony of England. Others were not sure what they wanted. On June 7 the issue came to a head. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia stood and put a resolution before the convention.

Lee said they should break completely from England. Many delegates were shocked. They decided to vote of this issue on July 1. A committee to write a Declaration of Independence from England was set up. The committee was made up of John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert Livingston. Ben Franklin was sick that day and stayed home.

The other four men went to visit Franklin at his house. They decided that only one man should write the declaration. The others then would look at it after it was written. Thomas Jefferson was given the job Page 7 because he was a good writer and he was from the South. The Virginia resolution to break with England was brought before Congress. The men argued over the words Jefferson had written.

By July 4 the delegates were tired and many were afraid there would be a fight. A vote was taken. Some of Jefferson's words were changed before the voting. A statement against slavery was taken out. The Declaration of Independence showed England and other countries that Americans were determined to become a free nation. If the colonists lost the war, all the men who signed the declaration would hang.

The document was signed in July 1776 in Philadelphia. It took one year for it to be written. About one-third of all Americans stayed loyal to the king and to England. They were called Tories or Loyalists.