Free Revolutionary War Essay Example

The American Revolutionary War is one of the remarkable events in the history of America as it marked the beginning of the independence of America from the British rule. The conflict began as an insurrection of Britain’s colonies in North America in the year 1775 and finally ended with the independence of the United States in the year 1783 . The Americans call the uprising a rebellion as they fought the war entirely in and for America. While the primary motto of the war was not to gain independence, the firing that took place at Lexington and Concord in the spring of 1775 forced the Americans to fight for independence. The Revolutionary War split the transatlantic British nation. The paper explains the various reasons, course of events and the consequences of the Revolutionary War, also focusing on the impact of the war on the society.
Although the British colonized North America, they have the American colonists a sense of identity, a reliable trading partner and an army to protect them. When the British required the American colonists to pay the taxes, the outraged Americans refused to do so as they did not have a representation in the Parliament of Britain . When King George III became the king of England, his old-fashioned rule and inflexibility allowed the American colonists to question the traditional order of the society. Instead of obeying the King, the Americans began to champion individual rights. Since the Americans lived far from the home country and the voyage took almost two months, the American colonists demanded governance with limited or no interference from the King or the British Parliament. The events that took place prior to the war, such as the Boston Tea Party, laws by the Parliament about its explicit power to make laws for the colonies and the Boston Port Bill allowed the American colonists to question the wisdom of loyalty to Britain.
As tensions grew in the British colonies of North America, the representatives from the thirteen colonies assembled at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to discuss their next move. The representatives decided to send the Olive Branch Petition to the King as their last attempt to explain the King about their complaints. The Declaration of American Independence written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by the delegates directed the anger of the American colonists to the Parliament and officially began the war against Britain . The North American colonists were already aware prior to the as their forces were not as powerful as the British forces. The first victory of America at Lexington shocked the British as the ill-trained American farmers were in no way competitive to the British forces. This was partially true because the American forces were less-trained than the British army.
The Revolutionary war felt like a world war as much as a struggle for America due to the involvement of several nations. With the involvement of the French in the Revolutionary War during 1778, it spread to all Anglo-French areas, Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean. In 1779, the entry of Spanish into the war broadened the geographical range of the war and increased the danger of the enemies on the British Isles. For the European enemies of the British, the Revolutionary War became a deal rather than a struggle for America. The French took the war as an opportunity to minimize the power of the British, which boosted tremendously during the Seven Years War that took place between 1756 and 1763 . They considered the war as a means to restore the prestige and territory of the French.
The victory of Americans at the Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The support of France post this victory allowed the Americans to win a decisive battle at Yorktown in Virginia, which led the British forces to surrender. Finally, the Treaty of Paris of 1783 officially ended the Revolutionary War. The United States had to go several changes post the Revolutionary War, which includes the enactment of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the nature of American citizenship and the government of the United States . The Revolutionary War was unique because men and women from all walks of life, such as farmers, laborers, Africans, Indians, soldiers, sailors, recent immigrants and many others took part in the war. The American colonists understood the importance of the war and made their choices depending upon their religious teachings, political connections, economic needs, local contexts and personal ambitions .
The Revolutionary War brought a new set of realities for the Americans. Families dealt with the injuries and deaths of their beloved, struggling economy, loss of labor to the militaries, shortage of food and supplies and many others. Violent threats and economic coercion were common throughout the war. The war, which lasted for over six years resulted in a great number of casualties and deaths. Religious leaders faced huge challenges in balancing the ethical and communal concerns . The Revolutionary War had several other ambiguous results, such as the continual of inequality that existed in the colonial life. However, the war provided opportunities for various slaves to claim their freedom. Most of the Africans fled to join the British forces to emancipate their slavery. On the other hand, the Native Americans who supported the British during the war often faced punishments and abuses with their lands and sovereignty under assault.
The Revolutionary War created social and political connections within the country as well as between the United States and other nations. However, the United States failed to gain its status and rights in the international rights in a reasonable proportion. It ended slavery in many colonies and people utilized the right to self-rule. The war brought a new identity to the Americans across the world. The White colonists began to see themselves as a part of the American Republic. The war invited a vast range of social transformations and safeguarded the interests and prosperity of the American civilians. The Revolutionary War enabled the Americans not only to write a new future, but to share the vision of such future. On the other hand, although Britain lost the American colonies, it kept its nascent industrial capacity, colonies in the West Indies and imperial presence in South Asia .

References

Frank, Andrew. American Revolution: People and Perspectives. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2008.
Wallenfeldt, Jeff. The American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812: People, Politics, and Power. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009.