The Enlightenment And Turmoil In Boston

Introduction

The American Revolution was a rebellion fought by the 13 colonies against the British, for the freedom of the colonies. There were many causes, such as interference from the government, the enlightenment and turmoil in Boston, but by far the biggest cause was governmental interference. While the colonies generally had control over the way they were governed, over the years the British government introduced more and more policy that affected the Americans in ways that they felt violated their rights, and led them to revolt against their oppressors.

Turmoil in Boston

Boston was a center for conflict and turmoil during the periods leading up to the American Revolution. The Boston massacre, the Boston tea party, the Sons of Liberty and the Coercive act are all events that lead to the American Revolution. As is later discussed in this essay, the government was interfering in the daily life of the colonies, and Boston was the center of the revolution. The ‘Sons of Liberty’ were rebels who would attack tax collectors, as well as boycotting British

The thinking behind the Enlightenment was what was needed to incite rebellion. Without it, the revolution might never have been. Under the Enlightenment people wanted to rule themselves, rather than be ruled a monarch, and this thinking had a direct link not only with the American Revolution but the French Revolution as well. Because of this we can see that without the Enlightenment, which lead to egalitarian thinking and made people radical and gave them a desire to change the whole system, the revolution might not have been. This is why the Enlightenment is the second most important reason for the revolution, as without it the patriots would not be thinking such radical thoughts, though they still needed a spark, like the turmoil in Boston or the Governmental