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The American Revolution : A Modern And Democratic Revolution

Decent Essays

Module 5 Written Assignment

1. The American Revolution was a modern and democratic revolution headed by the upper middle class and had three key phases, a moderate beginning, radical middle, and a conservative end.

The American Revolution was precipitated by the irritation of the wealthy due to tax acts imposed by Britain on the colonies. The rich did not like the taxes because of the negative effect the tax acts had on personal financial interests, but the Colonial masses were convinced by men like John Dickinson and Patrick Henry; Dickinson wrote extensively on how the British collection of taxes on the Colonies was illegal and Henry believed taxation shouldn’t be allowed unless the Colonies were properly represented. The writings of John Locke were also influential in creating interest for breaking away from Great Britain.

Eventually measures like the 1773 Tea Act, which gave the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales, and the closing of the Caribbean trade made rebellion inevitable. The radical phase of the revolution was underway and led by men like Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine; all were ideologues who wanted independence and the creation a republic that stressed equality. However, the ideals of equality that dominated the radical phase of the revolution from 1776-1783 would not last.

The patriotic elite benefitted from the revolution in a few different ways. Independence from Great Britain lifted the constraints of taxes, but the elite also

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