An Island Versus A Continent Please Respond To The Following

An Island Versus A Continent Please Respond To The Following

Read the material from Section 3 of this week’s Web textbook titled, “Becoming Independent: The Rebellion Against Britain” and the final version of the Declaration of Independence. Using the readings above, identify three motivating factors for colonists that helped to ignite the American Revolution. Provide specific evidence from the textbook readings for your response, with a minimum of 150 words. If you were involved in the American Revolution, which side would you choose? What grievances did the colonists list in the Declaration of Independence? Use evidence in your response making reference to the Week 4 course materials.

Paper For Above instruction

The American Revolution was fueled by multiple factors that unified colonists in their desire for independence from Britain. Three primary motivating factors highlighted in Section 3 of the textbook are economic restrictions, political representation, and military aggression. Firstly, economic restrictions such as the Quartering Acts and the Stamp Act imposed taxes on everyday goods, which colonists saw as unfair and infringements on their economic freedom. As noted in the textbook, “The Stamp Act of 1765 was met with widespread protest because it taxed colonies directly without colonial representation in Parliament,” illustrating economic grievances that galvanized resistance (Section 3). Secondly, political representation was a significant concern; colonists argued they lacked a voice in Parliament, summarized by the famous slogan “No taxation without representation.” The textbook emphasizes that “colonists believed they deserved a say in legislative decisions affecting them.” Thirdly, military aggression, particularly the deployment of British troops to enforce taxes and quell unrest, increased tensions. The textbook cites the Boston Massacre as an event that “publicized the brutality of British soldiers and fueled anti-British sentiments.” These factors, combined, created a fertile ground for rebellion. Regarding personal involvement, I would choose to support the colonists’ cause, as I resonate with their desire for autonomy and fair representation. The Declaration of Independence lists grievances such as the king’s refusal to approve laws, dissolving legislative bodies, maintaining standing armies in times of peace, and imposing taxes without consent—fundamental violations of rights that justified their pursuit of independence (Declaration of Independence). This revolutionary spirit underscored their quest for liberty from unjust rule, which remains a powerful legacy of American history.

References

• Becoming Independent: The Rebellion Against Britain. Section 3.
• Declaration of Independence. (1776). National Archives.
• Wood, G. S. (1992). The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage Books.
• U.S. History.org. (n.d.). Causes of the American Revolution. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
• Zinn, H. (2003). A People's History of the United States. Harper Perennial.
• Merriman, J. M. (2012). A History of the American People. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Foner, E. (2014). Give Me Liberty!: An American History. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Hofstadter, R. (1970). The American Political Tradition. Vintage.
• Gordon S. Wood. (1992). The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage Books.
• National Archives. (n.d.). Declaration of Independence. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration