Aikyatha Exclusive

1. American Revolution
• Topics to be covered :
•Background of USA
•Causes of American Revolution
–Long Term Causes
–Short Term Causes
•American Political Opposition
•Drafting of American Constitution
•Paris Pact
•Causes of Failure of English
•Nature and Impact of the Revolution

2. American Revolution
 Struggle of Independence by 13 colonies of Britain in
America based on “Freedom and Equality”
 Emergence of certain events between 1775-1783 gave birth
to a new Nation
 Background to American Revolution
 British King James-I allowed two companies to build colonies in
USA and start business
 James Town Colony – First English Colony in USA
 By end of 1775,13 British Colonies had been established
 90% of the Population Consisted of British and remaining 10%
consisted of Dutch, French, Portugese etc
 Immediate cause of the Revolution lay in the imposition of
undue taxes upon the Colonists by the British parliament
 But there were certain deep seated anti-British sentiments due
to policy of Mercantilism followed by British

3. Reasons for People to Settle in America
• Economic
• Virgin Lands
• Abundance of raw Materials
• Prosperity
• Resource – Population Imbalance in England
• Political
• Autocratic rule of Germans
• Genocide wars in Europe
• Hope for Political Autonomy in new Land
• Religious
• To get rid of the Authority of the Church

4. Causes of American Revolution
• The American Freedom Movement was primarily conflict of
Economic Interests between Great Britain and her Colonies. But it
was also a revolt against the Political and Intellectual Setup in
England.
• Long Term Causes of the Revolt
– Clash in Ideas and Principles
• Sovereignty of British Parliament
• Divine Rights of the King to Rule
• John Locke – Philosopher of American Revolution
– Natural Rights (All men are born Free and Equal)
– Social Contract Theory
» The Government needs the Consent of the Governed
to Govern
» Right of the people to overthrow their leaders, should
these leaders take away inalienable rights
• Thomas Paine- “Common Sense”. Called upon the people to
fight for independence. Against Constitutional monarchy
propagated by John Locke.

5. Long Term Causes Continued…
• Negligible Interference by the British Government
– From beginning, British did not Interfere in America
– Navigation Acts, though passed were not enforced strictly
– Naturally, When British tried to Control its Colonies strictly after Seven Years
war with French, it was strongly resisted by the Colonists
• Defective Administrative System
– 3 Organs of Administration in America : Governor, Executive Council of
Governor and Legislative Assembly elected by the Colonists
– Governor and Executive Council- Responsible to the Emperor
– Right of Legislation vested with the legislative Assembly
– The Colonists demanded Control over the Executive Council
• Impact of Seven Years War(1756-63)
– War between English and French in India, America and Central European
Countries
– At the end of the war, English occupied Canada and America was relieved of
French danger
– Realisation of the Colonists that the British connection was no longer relevant
– American Soldiers who fought in the war gained experience of warfare

6. Continued…
• No affection for England in Colonies
– Heterogeneous Group consisting of Nationals of other European
Countries
– Economic Interests
– Victims of Religious Persecution
– Deported Criminals
– Difference in religious Ideology : Puritans Vs Anglicans
• Economic Exploitation of the Colonies
– Navigation Acts
• Goods manufactured in America had to be transported only
through British Ships
– Trading Regulations
• Certain Commodities produced in the Colonies had to be exported
to British only. Often, these are bought at much cheaper prices
• Export of American Goods to England and Import of English Goods
into America had to be done by British Traders Only
– Industrial Regulations
• Some of the Industries were not allowed to be set up in America
• The Colonists had to be dependent on the Import of such goods
from Britain

7. Immediate Causes (1764-1773)
• Greenville’s Policy
– Strong Enforcement of Navigation Acts
– Permanent Massive British Army to be stationed in America and
to be maintained by Increased Taxation on the Colonists
– Passage of 4 regulations : Sugar Act, Quartering Act, Currency
Act and Stamp Act
– Need :
• Prevent disbanding of British Army after the Seven Years
War with French
• Commission on the Appointment of British Officers
• Concerns of the Colonists
– French Threat Dispelled
– Ready to contribute to Self- Defence, but questioned the
presence of British Army
• Opposition by the Colonies
– Patrick Henry (Virginia) and James Otis (Massacheuts) led protest Movements
– Secret Society – “Sons of Liberty” attacked the stamp vending machines
– “Stamp Act Congress” – NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

8. Continued…
• Townshend Acts (1767-1773)– Customs duties levied
on 5 goods (Tea, Paper etc)
• Opposition of the Colonists
– Boycott of English Goods
– Boston Massacre (1770)
– Gaspee Affair
• British warship enforcing unpopular Trade
regulations was burnt down by American Patriots
led by John Brown
• Repealed in 1770

9. Continued…
• Lord North’s Tea Policy
– Boston Tea party led by Samuel Adams
• Reaction of the British to Boston Tea Party
– Passage of Series of Intolerable Acts
• Boston Port was put on Embargo until the Damages are
recovered
• Local Self- Government in Massacheuts was Abolished
• Cases of Murder in America were transferred to Courts in
England
• Quartering Act 1774 – Allowed the Royal Governors to house
British Troops in the homes of the Colonists without the
permission of the Owner

10. American Opposition
• Protested against Sovereignty of British parliament
• Coined “No Taxation without Representation”
• 1772 – Samuel Adams- Committees of Correspondence at the
Provincial Level
• 1774 – First InterContinental Conference of Congress
– Objective was not Complete Independence but autonomy in Internal Affairs
– Declaration Charter sent to England
– Formation of Intercontinental Organization to take forward the boycott of the
English Goods
– Another Conference to be Convened in the Future
• 14 April 1775 – Beginning of war of Independence (Battle of
Concord)
• May 10 1775 – Second InterContinental Conference Convened
• George Washington – Appointed as Commander-in-Chief of
America
• 4 July 1776 – Philadelphia Conference – Declaration of American
Independence
• Finally the war ended with Paris Pact (3 Sep 1783)

11. Causes of Failure of British
• Solid Organization Skills of American Patriots
• British Underestimated the Strength of Americans
• Britain was fighting war on alien territory and did not
have the support of the Local Population
• Unpopularity of the King – Many Honest and
Experienced British Officers did not Participate
• British Policies lacked in Consistency. No well thought
out plan
• Open support of the France and Spain to Colonists

12. Nature and Effect of American Revolution
• Great blow to absolute Monarchy and Divine Rights of the King
• Spread of Social Contract Theory and Natural Law of John Locke
Inspired Freedom Struggles in other Countries
• Anti-Colonial Revolutionaries – South America
• Paved way for French Revolution
• Economic Hardships faced by France as a result of
Cooperating with America provided a fertile Ground for
French Revolution
• Concept of French Revolution – Liberty, Equality and
Fraternity inferred from American Freedom Struggle
• Certain new things Evolved
• Public right to Vote
• Republicanism
• Convention of written Constitution
• Practice of Secularism
• Inflicted defeat on Imperialism and projected the Concept of
Nationalism before the human society

13. Questions
• Discontent alone cannot lead to Revolution. Intellectual
Movement is necessary to delineate the path to
address. Discuss the Intellectual movement behind the
American Revolution.
• It was Conflict of Economic Interests between Britain
and its Colonies, which was primarily responsible for
the America Revolution? Critically Analyse