Give Me Freedom, or Give me Representation

Although there are multiple varying causes for a revolution, usually a major social or economical issue is rooted at its core. For the American Revolution, such causes are not evident. In Gordon S. Wood’s essay Radical Possibilities of the American Revolution, he claims, “ [There was] no mass poverty, no seething social discontent, no grinding oppression. For most white Americans there was greater prosperity than anywhere else in the world.” Of course not all of the colonies were prosperous, but through hard work and determination most of the colonies thrived, without the help of Britain. After the French and Indian War, the colonies didn’t need Britain to protect them, and therefore (for the most part), Britain wasn’t involved in the development of the colonies. Yet, the colonies were still part of Britain, and wanted representation, but they didn’t get it. Thus, they were left to develop the colonies on their own, and in turn created a new way of governing and living. When England did try to interfere, colonists became either angered or suspicious. In England’s first involvement with colonies after the war, they imposed numerous taxes such as the Mutiny Act of 1765, the Sugar Act of 1764, the Currency Act of 1764, and most importantly the Stamp Act of 1765. After working vigorously to keep afloat, the colonies were angered and also fearful that they were trying to be degraded, and made inferior to Britain. There reasoning for this was simple, the taxation had no representation. In addition to being fearful about taxation by the British, when the British showed compassion or passed a “helpful” law, the colonists were skeptical. For example, the Quebec Act, extended the boundaries of Quebec to include the French communities between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and also granted political rights to Roman Catholics. While, the Quebec Act showed religious tolerance, many colonists believed it was a plot (by the British) to subject Americans to the authority of the pope.

The main reason why colonists protested most of the laws set upon them by the British was because they had an initial taste of freedom and self-government. Once their eyes were opened to the possibilities of fidelity, they were inevitably going to doubt everything that others forced them to do; they were no longer naïve or ignorant. Albeit, numerous colonists wanted to be part of Britain (hence the petitioning for representation) they also wanted to be American, and free, and unfortunately they couldn’t have both. Patrick Henry’s famous line, “give me liberty or give me death,” sums up the American sentiment toward the British in the period leading up to the war. They were desperate, and tired of being ignored by the British, and perhaps coming to the realization that the freedom in America was priceless, and being part of a grandiose country like Britain paled in comparison. Americans hungered for freedom once they got a taste of it, and subconsciously they knew that reverting back living by the word of Britain was impossible.