The American Revolutionary War forever changed the idea of a government “of the
people, by the people, and for the people” and took the first steps in bringing an end to the
world’s last great true empire. The reasons the Americans decided to break free from Great
Britain are numerous, but the British Empire’s sense of superiority was the most important
reason. Also important was the failure of the British Parliament to address the needs and growing
discontent of Americans weary of “taxation without representation.” Colonists also began to
oppose rule from Britain because of ideas developing in new intellectual schools of thought like
the Enlightenment.
King George III’s arrogance was well founded in the 1760s, but led to poor decision
making. Early in his reign, the British had resoundingly defeated France in the Seven Years’ War
to become the dominant power both in North America and on the Asian subcontinent. This
dominance clearly created a false sense of security and as the British Empire continued to grow,
its central authority, or ability to control its ever-expanding colonies, weakened significantly.
Great Britain’s failure to recognize its weaknesses and its foolish decision to respond to every
colonial expression of discontent with a tightening of the noose effectively sealed it into an everescalating spiral of conflict. The conflict could have been avoided and King George III could
have secured the colonies’ loyalty to the empire for generations if he would have simply signed
off on a relatively modest series of reforms.
The British Parliament failed to address the needs and growing discontent of Americans
weary of “taxation without representation.” Great Britain’s indifference to colonial life, its
failure to recognize the fact that Americans (or any group of people willing to face the challenges
of the New World) were very “independent” by nature, and its choice to view Americans as
second-class citizens directly led to a series of major political missteps beginning in the mid1760s. The Quartering Act forced the colonies to provide housing for British troops stationed in
North America. The Americans resented and refused to enforce the act almost from day one for a
number of reasons
First and foremost was the cost. Creating barracks and putting up the troops was an
expensive measure that the colonies were loathe to undertake. Second, the Quartering Act
was indicative of a policy Americans did not support; having a large standing army in the
colonies. The colonists preferred having strong militia to deal with problems and not have
a large army present. (“The Quartering Act,” n.d., para. 3)
The Stamp Act imposed a tax on every document or newspaper printed or used in the colonies
(“Stamp Act Imposed,” n.d.). The tax was approved with no debate. Both acts alone would not
have led to war, but the two together, along with many other slights including the “Boston
Massacre,” helped radicals like Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and other New England patriots
incite anti-British sentiment that would eventually lead to war.
The American Revolution was a culmination of many of the ideas of the Enlightenment,
a movement which began in Europe and raised ideas such as the “natural rights” of individuals
and the responsibility of the government to protect these rights (“American Revolution,” n.d.).
Many of the revolutionary leaders had studied major writings of the Enlightenment including
those of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Baron de Montesquieu.
From these writings, the founders gleaned the concepts of the social contract, limited
government, the consent of the governed, and separation of powers. The Declaration of
Independence was a direct product of Enlightenment thinking and Common Sense, one of the
most influential pamphlets in American history by Thomas Paine (1776) (a key Enlightenment
figure), galvanized the American public to support the Revolution and condemn the monarchy in
Great Britain.
Great Britain, due to arrogance, failed to see the writing on the wall. King George III
could have prevented the American Revolution (for at least a few more decades) from catching
fire with a few simple gestures between 1760 and 1775. His failure to compromise was a key
factor in the Americans’ final victory and served as a warning for monarchies around the world
and a rallying point for future democracies.
References
American Revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2011, from
http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/Causes+of+the+american+revolution
Paine, T. (1776). Common sense. Philadelphia: R. Bell.
Stamp Act imposed. (n.d.). History Central. Retrieved April 4, 2011, from
http://www.historycentral.com/revolt/stamptax.html
The Quartering Act: 1765. (n.d.). History Central. Retrieved April 4, 2011, from
http://www.historycentral.com/revolt/Quatering.html