ipl-logo

The American Revolution: A Radical Movement

967 Words4 Pages

The American Revolution is an integral event in modern history. It set the wheels in motion for practically every political and social order we take for granted today. The American Revolution was fundamentally a radical movement because of its democratic ideals, its separation of church and state, and its unifying of the rich and poor through the ideals of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Prior to the revolution, American society reflected its mother country. Gordon Wood writes: “we have often overlooked how dominantly British and traditional the colonists’ culture still was." In his “Testimony Against the Stamp Act”, when asked about American’s greatest source of pride prior to the Revolution, Benjamin Franklin replied, “To indulge …show more content…

addressed this aspect of Colonial society: “And yet there are scarce two of these who do not think the least familiarity with the persons below them a condescension, and, if they were to go up one step further, a …show more content…

Left with the task of forging the first democratic nation in many centuries, the founding fathers delicately pieced together a government inspired by the ideals of the Revolution. On this pubescent time period, Merill Jensen writes: “an attempt was made to write democratic ideals and theories of government into the laws and constitutions of the American states.” The founders made the radical choice to separate church and state. In a draft of his bill establishing religious freedom, Jefferson wrote: “WE the General Assembly of Virginia do enact that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship.” The result of the Revolution was a united push for radical political and social changes that changed history. In his essay, The War for Independence was not a Social Revolution, “Zinn concludes that the American Revolution was really a successful effort to preserve America’s status quo.” Zinn believed that the “contest itself was generally a struggle for office and power between members of an upper class.” These views complement those of Andrew Hacker who concludes, “It was over colonial manufacturing, wild lands and furs, sugar, wine, tea, and currency, all of which mean, simply, the survival or collapse of English mercantile capitalism within the imperial-colonial framework of the mercantilist

Show More
Related

Summary Of Gordon S. Wood's The American Revolution: A History

137 Words | 1 Pages

Gordon S. Wood, “the preeminent historian of the Revolution”, is a well known American historian who has received several awards such as the Pulitzer and Bancroft Prize for his historical books. In his book, The American Revolution: A History, he breaks down the key events based on his experiences and knowledge on the Revolutionary period. Wood was born in Concord, Massachusetts on November 27,1933. Wood teaches at many liberal renowned universities such as Brown, Cambridge, Northwestern , and Harvard. Now being eighty one years old, he recently retired from Brown University and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Read More

DBQ: How The American Revolution Changed American Society

511 Words | 3 Pages

American Revolution DBQ The American Revolution changed American society politically, socially, and economically, as the American colonists overcame their differences and broke away from British rule. During the American revolution, Americans began to develop different political views than that of their European counterparts. Following the Revolution, the Americans created a new type of national government, a republic.

Read More

Edmund Morgan Birth Of The Republic Analysis

362 Words | 2 Pages

(Foreword to the Fourth Edition, Joseph J. Ellis, xi). Morgan explains the colonists as a “quarrelsome, litigious, and divisive lot” (Morgan, 5). He also describes

Read More

DBQ Essay: How Revolutionary Was The American Revolution

503 Words | 3 Pages

In that case, the American Revolution was very revolutionary because there were political, social, and economic changes. Wealthy people lost their money, there was a new government, it made citizens question slavery, and certainly more freedom for the Americans. The American Revolution resulted in the establishment of an independent nation; British colonists became American citizens. That was a vast change in U.S history.

Read More

Revolutionary War Dbq Analysis

685 Words | 3 Pages

The Quartering Act disrespected the privacy of Americans (Document 5). Moreover, this act allowed British soldiers to barge in on the colonists’ home life, forcing them to provide food, utensils, bedding, firewood, and other objects for the soldiers. In addition to this, the Quartering Act showed that the British were disinterested in how Americans lived their lives in their homes and purposefully sabotaged the colonists’ leadership in their homes, showing that the British controlled the colonists’ homes. The Stamp Act also demonstrated that the British were apathetic towards the colonists’ opinions (Document 6). The Stamp Act taxed newspapers and pamphlets, which outraged the colonists.

Read More

American Revolution Dbq Essay

1112 Words | 5 Pages

They knew what they wanted and got it by making their own goods instead of relying on British or imported goods. This strike against British, in turn, caused people who disagreed with the colonists to feel embarrassed or ashamed. “‘In every colony, from Georgia to New Hampshire inclusively, the stamp distributors and inspectors have been compelled by the unconquerable rage of the people to renounce their offices. Such and so universal has been the resentment of the people, that every man who has dared to speak in the favor of the stamps, or to soften the detestation in which they are held … has been seen to sink into universal contempt and ignominy.’” This quote by John Adams in December of 1765 spoke the truth about the political consequences of the Stamp Ac.

Read More

How Revolutionary Was The American Revolution Dbq Analysis

1063 Words | 5 Pages

During the 1700s America and it’s 13 colonies made a bold decision to revolt from Great Britain and become their own independent nation. This started a revolution that would forever change the way Americans would live. The War of Independence or better known as the American Revolution, consisted of the 13 colonies of America trying to gain independence from Great Britain and on July 4th 1776, America finally decided to declare their independence. Many say the revolution paved the way for many other great changes to take place, while others believed not a lot was impacted due to the revolution. This raises the question, “How Revolutionary was the American Revolution?”

Read More

How Revolutionary Was The American Revolution Dbq

1135 Words | 5 Pages

The American Revolution is arguably the turning point of American history as it resulted in somewhat of a significant, positive change in politics, economics, and society as a whole. However, from 1775 to 1800, the effects of the revolution on the American society were subtle as most principles glorified by revolutionists contradicted the examples set forth by colonial reality. Perhaps most alike to revolutionary beliefs was the American economy and how it participated in free trade or encouraged the independence of hard labor. Politically, the states did apply Enlightenment and republican ideas as promised, but more often than not, the benefits of such ideas were limited to rich, land-owning, protestant, white men. This glorification of

Read More

American Revolution Dbq Essay

699 Words | 3 Pages

The American Revolution was without a doubt one of the most crucial events to have ever existed in humankind that would later go on to help shape and form today’s society. Beginning 1775, the 13 English colonies rebelled against British rule because they regarded it as unfair and oppressive. Alongside the help of Spain and France, the 13 colonies were able to defeat the British and then gain independence through the Treaty of Paris in 1783. After considering the definition of a revolution - an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed - and the American society before and after the American Revolution, it is obvious that those who don’t consider the American

Read More

Paul Revere's Rebellion To Revolution

246 Words | 1 Pages

The American Revolution brought about triumph of the United States, but the success of the country wasn't always so sure and the need for liberty didn’t seem easily as attainable as the people at the time thought it would be. The only thing that was standing in the way of the colonist was the most powerful army in the world; but the feeling to be free, to be independent, and to be its own powerful country was what fueled these men. In 1775 battles between colonists and representatives of the British power intensified and in order to calm things down of what the King thought was a meaningless rebellion, he sent Red Coats from the British Army. In spite of their efforts, days and months went. The Red Coats and the King saw the colonists strength, their courage and their determination.

Read More

Was The American Revolution Truly Revolutionary?

325 Words | 2 Pages

The term “Revolutionary” is an instantaneous change or shift that promotes equal rights, liberty, and freedom. So, while some may argue that the revolution was a turning point for America, The American revolution in this case is not revolutionary since slavery was still present, minority groups did not gain rights, and British ideals and tactics were still being used in the new government. One of the crucial pieces of evidence that this “revolution” could not be considered revolutionary is because of the slavery still taking place even after the war ended. Throughout the revolt against British rule in the 16th century, the American people fought under the banner of truth, justice, and liberty for all people, However, the only people that indeed

Read More

American Revolution Dbq Essay

853 Words | 4 Pages

DBQ Essay The American Revolution was a rebellion from citizens in Britain that was inspired from many events, including the creation of the United States of America. A revolution is a forcible overthrow of a government to acquire a new system. The American Revolution was sparked from a variety of occurrences ranging from speeches to letters to documents, therefore causing the revolution to become the most significant yet. There were many influential people/concepts that added ignition to the revolution, including Abigail Adams, Leon F. Litwack, and the article from Northwest Ordinance.

Read More

The American Revolution: Radical Or Radical?

108 Words | 1 Pages

The American Revolution ignited democratic rule in nations and spread through the whole world. The American Revolution was definitely different from other revolutions in many ways. It was radical in that the causes of it were for new ideas like their ideas on equality, that all men are created equal, and are given the right to live and pursuit of happiness. Although the American Revolution was radical than any other revolution that had occurred previously. it was more conservative than it was radical.

Read More

Was The American Revolution A Radical Essay

1142 Words | 5 Pages

From the very beginning America’s foundation was establishment on a desire for change, and transformation; This later led the young nation to a radical revolution. Thus, the colonist in American were from the very beginning more radical in their mindset of how to approach life’s choices. The notion of revolution was radical because it challenged the colonist’s loyalty to their king. The revolution was a direct act of treason against England.

Read More

The American Revolution: The Rise Of National American Identity

826 Words | 4 Pages

The rise of a national American identity held a key role in many events between the years of 1754 and 1800. This new rise of a “national American identity” was a result of the early revolts, such as those that took place in response to “taxation without representation” and in support of the early fight for rights and representation in the government. These revolts led to eventual war to support this identity, ultimately resulting in American independance. The primary long-term cause for the rise of this new American identity was the American Revolution itself. Meanwhile, the most withstanding effect of the American Revolution was the success in the founding of a strong and powerful independent country.

Read More

More about The American Revolution: A Radical Movement

Open Document