American Revolution

The American Revolution was one of the most important events of the 18th century. It marked the first time that a former European colony in the New World successfully declared and achieved independence, and pursued a course of development separate from the Old World. The degree to which the American Revolution can truly be called “revolutionary” is debatable. However, the American Revolution challenged the existing structure of society and promoted a then-radical sense of equality, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and that governments are instituted among the citizens(democracy). For these reasons, the Revolutionary war is revolutionary because it set the bases of American ideology, which we live by today.

During colonial era, Americans were abused by King George III by enacting many taxes and laws that affected America. When the Declaration of Independence was written, they believed that “governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive… it is the Right of the People to abolish it. And to institute new Government” (Document 2). This means that the government’s whole purpose is the secure the people’s rights and that the governments gets its powers from the people. If the government “becomes destructive,” the people has the rights to remove or change their government. The idea that the people can remove a monarchy and replace it with a democratic government, was a revolutionary change.

Many believe that the american revolution war is not revolutionary. They argue that after the war, slaves and women did not get the rights they deserve and that the statement “all men are created equal”(Document 2), only affects white males. This statement is true, however it did provide a spark of people working towards equality. For instance a woman named Elizabeth Cady Stanton advocated during the Seneca Falls Convention that “all men and women are created equal”(Document 9). This marked the start of the women’s rights movement in the United States.

The American Revolution can be said to have different effects on different groups of people, and the degree to which the American Revolution can truly be described as “revolutionary” varies from person to person. The war allowed America to separate from the Old World and create a New World with the idea of freedom and democracy. The revolutionary war also sparked the movement towards equality which has never been done before. Without the war, society today would be very different because there won’t be the idea of democracy and liberty.