Theme 2: The Growth of Nationalism

The Age of Revolution

REVOLUTIONS IN AMERICA Causes of the American War of

AND FRANCE
The late 18th century was a period of
revolutions in America and France. The
American Revolution (1775-83) was
momentous historical milestone which
inspired the people of other countries to
overthrow their colonial masters and paved
the path to democracy and
self-government.
The French Revolution (1789-99) was another
pathbreaking historical landmark. It was
political, social and economic in nature and
ended the rule of hereditary kings. It also
strengthened and
empowered the middle
class, gave hope to the poor and downtrodden
people of society and introduced democratic
ideas and ideals in France.
THE AMERICAN WAR OF
INDEPENDENCE
The American War of
Independence or the
American Revolution was the first organized
political revolution in the history of the world
inwhich people asserted their right to rule
themselves. It led to:
) the birth of the United States of America
as a nation
Independence
The discovery of the American continent.
the New World-was followed by
a
e
of permanent
establishment
settlements in the 16th century. By the middle
European
of the 18th century, thirteen British colonies
had been established along the east coast ot
North America.
Rigid Control over Economic Policies
These colonies were under the controlof
the British government which gave
them
considerable liberty to manage local affairs
but kept a tight control on economic
The Government of England believed
policies
that
colonies existed for the benefit of the
mother
cOuntry. This was greatly resented by the
colonists who were
independent-minded
Britishers, who had left their homes in

(i) the end of autocratic Fule and

ii) the establishment of a democratic form A painting
depicting the landing of the early British
of government famously known as the Pilgrim Fathers, on the east settlers,
America coast of
England and settled in the New World in Social and Cultural Differences
search of freedom and a better life
Socially and culturally, the American colonists
By the mid-1Sth century, these thirteen were different from the British. The colonists
colonies had developed nto prosperous
were simple and liberal, unlike the British
agricultural settlements, mainly in the south, puritans who were rigid and conservative
with smallbut iourishing industries in the Over the years, the colonists had developed a
north and a thriving overseas trade.
distinct identity of their own-an American
identity that aspired for freedom to grow and
Unjust and Exploitative develop as a separate independent nation.
Administration
No Representation in the British
Each colony had its own Assembly elected by
the people ofthe colony butthe Governorof the Parliament
Parliament
colony was appointed by As the mother country, Britain expected
the British government. THE COLONIES IN AMERICA
The Governor was
not answerable to the RUPERT'S LAND
LLAWrence
Assembly. He governed Hudson's Bay Company
the colony in the interest
of Great Britain, the
mother country, and not
PROVINCEOF
QUEBEC(1774)
NOVA
SCOTIA

the colonists. This caused Lakes NEW

HAMPSHIRE
great resentment among
the American settlers who MASSACHUSETTS
worked very hard but NEWYORK Boston
RHODE 1SLAND
could not enjoy the fruits CONNECTICUT
of their labour.
LOUSIANA
PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia
Spanishtemtony NEWJERSEY
-DELAWARE
Heavy Taxation Olio MARYLAND
and Restrictions VIRGINIA

on Business and
Commerce
INDIAN
RESERVE
ewejoo NORTH
CAROLINA ATLANTIC
SOUTH
The British government CAROLINA OCEAN
collected heavy taxes
from them and GEORGIA
imposed WEST FLORIDA The thirteen colonies
many restrictions on their -

Boundaries of the
business and commerce. thirteen colonies, 1756

These restrictions greatly British North

America by 1775
Gulf of EAST FLORIDA
hampered the economic Mexico (returned to Indian Reserve

development of these Spain) in 1783 Boundary of the

United States, 1783
colonies. Proclamation line
of 1763
 obedience. Matters came to a head when the
colonists demanded the right to have a say in
matters affecting them. The colonists argued
that the British Parliament had no right to tax
the colonists since they had no representatives
without
in the Parliament. No taxation
clarion call (a
representation became the
clear message) of the colonists.
Boston lea Party incider

Influence of European Philosophers A painting

showing the

revolutionaries
were greaty of War
The American
ideas of European The Beginning
intluenced by the and
Locke,
Voltaire of the colonies met
philosophers like
fight
for The representatives
Rousseau who inspired
them to
Philadelphia in 1774 and appealed to tho
British ruler, King
George lll, to withdraw
liberty. acts. The king regarde
Freedom unjust and oppressive
Demand for Total of rebellion and declared wa
in the this as an act
demand for
representation The British troops were sen
The demand on the colonists.
to the rebellion in Massachusett
gave way
to suppress the
Parliament
British British rule.
freedom from the their own army. Fightino
for total
right to The colonists raised
began to assert their in
The colonies
the right
that broke out in Lexington Apri
and Concord
argued
and
SOvereign authority 1775. The colonists
chose George Washington
to govern should be
based on the consent
and commander-in-chief of their troops.
of the governed. The unjust, oppressive
as

exploitative British government had

forfeited
In 1776, the representatives
met again in
Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of
and
its right to govern the American colonists
must, therefore, be overthrown. Independence, which clearly stated tha
the American colonists had the rightt
The Boston Tea Party free themselves from the oppressive and
The conflict eventually led to an open revolt exploitative British government and form
of the colonies. The revolt, known as the
their own government.
American War of Independence, was sparked
off by an incident known as the Boston Tea The Declaration of Independence contained
Party. revolutionary ideas and proclaimed that
all men are equal and are endowed
born
In 1773, a group of colonists, disguised as
with certain fundamental rights such as the
native Americans, raided British ships in
rights to life and liberty and the pursuito
Boston harbour and threw 340 crates of
tea into the sea. This incident happiness.
was a protest
against the new taxes, including a tax on tea,
the colonies. The Boston Tea Birth of the United States of
imposed on

Party was seen as an act of open defiance of America

the colonists against British authority.
The war ended in 1781 with the defeat of
th
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