The American Revolution
There were many events in the United States that impacted developments in the rest of the world. One of those events is the American Revolution.
Britain began colonizing the east coast of North America during the 17th century. By mid 18th century, British colonists in America felt threatened by France’s colonial settlements on the continent. France and Britain were long-time rivals, and they carried this rivalry with them into fights in America. The French enlisted the Algonquin and Iroquois tribes to fight alongside them against the encroaching colonists, but in 1763, England prevailed over the French in a war that was known in the colonies as the French and Indian War but known in Europe as the Seven Years’ War. The British victory changed the boundaries of the two empires’ American possessions, pushing French territory to the north while England territories expanded westward into the Ohio River Valley.
While the colonists were thrilled with the results of the war, the British felt the colonists had not adequately shared the burden. The colonists resented this, claiming that it was their efforts that made colonial expansion possible in the first place. During the same time, Britain’s George Grenville and Charles Townshend passed very unpopular laws on behalf of the British Crown. These laws, the Revenue Act, the Stamp Act, and the Tea Act were intended to raise additional funds for the British Government. These laws created great unrest among the colonists, who not only felt the taxes were economically unfair but also politically unjust, they had not been represented in the Parliament when the laws had been passed. Thus arose the revolutionary cry, “No taxation without representation“.
After the colonists dumped tea in Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act, relations between the crown and colonies deteriorated rapidly. On April 19, 1775, British troops battled with rebellious colonists in Lexington and Concord, and by the end of that bloody day, nearly 400 Britons and Americans were dead.
The War of Independence had begun.
So, there it is, little bit of history for this week. Please feel free to share this post and let me know what you think.
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