Verified Document

American Revolution: Consolidation Or Independence Essay

Despite these attempts at quelling the colonists, the town meetings and mass meetings continued to develop in opposition. It soon became even more clear that the colonies needed to include the poorer classes to join the Revolution if all planned to defeat the British oppression 68. Each colony was basically forced into getting these other groups to become one cohesive group with the American Revolutionaries. Patriotic sentiment was one useful method to effect this goal. Indeed, Patrick Henry with his verbal repertoire and Tom Paine with his skillful pamphleteering with Common Sense both used their skills to appeal to the masses, rich or poor 68. Eventually the development of the Continental Congress, an illegal act according to Great Britain, ordered that a committee prepare the Declaration of Independence which was written by Thomas Jefferson 71. After debate regarding certain statements in the declaration such as all men created equal which did not include women or blacks, the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on July 4, 1776. The declaration made all British law void and separated the colonies from Great Britain 71.

Howard Zinn clearly believed that the American Revolution was about consolidation and not independence is evident in the way he uses some points to that are clearly not tied to independence. Getting all the citizens to join in the cause and the ideas of overtaking property and beneficial trade are definitely on the side of consolidation. Making the revolution about such things as money and land is a clear indication supporting consolidation. The intention at the time by those seeking change seems to have been related to consolidation...

For example, the pamphleteering of Tom Paine and the verbal ability of Patrick Henry both seem to fall on the side of independence. While others such as the Sons of Liberty sought to consolidate their own powerful positions by consolidation through independence. It seems to be the case that regardless of your status at the time, only independence would allow the consolidation of power or privilege that some sought. The poorer groups could only accept independence as the route for change and of course was the reason the Revolutionary War would be successful. Without the poor who sought betterment the War would never have been won. So those who sought to include the poor in obtaining better treatment were more likely to be independence seekers.
Britain had sheer numbers on its side however, the fact that colonists had a fervor for independence and separation gave these outnumbered and poorly equipped citizen soldiers a drive to succeed in hopes of gaining some betterment for their families and their future. It was the goals in their hearts which gave them the drive to win, something the British soldier lacked. Without those driving goals, the British soldiers were in a foreign land, fighting for an ideal to which they were not linked and were in effect killing people who could trace their ancestry to Britain. The Revolutionary War was not won easily or handily, but it did provide a goal for every colonist who volunteered to do battle in the hopes of achieving either consolidation or freedom from Great Britain's heavy hand.

Works Cited

Zinn, Howard A Peoples History…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Zinn, Howard A Peoples History of the United States, 1980 HarperCollins. New York, New York
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

American Revolution Contribute to the
Words: 6922 Length: 20 Document Type: Research Paper

Whether it was the Spanish that fought to conquer lands in the south, or the Dutch that engaged in stiff competition with the British, or the French that were ultimately defeated in 1763, the American soil was one clearly marked by violent clashes between foreign powers. This is why it was considered that the cry for independence from the British was also a cry for a peaceful and secure

Atlantic Revolutions and How the Structure of
Words: 1385 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Atlantic Revolutions and How the Structure of the Atlantic World Created the Environment for These Revolutionary Movements to Form The objective of this study is to examine the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions, known as the Atlantic Revolutions and to answer as to how the structure of the Atlantic World created the environment for these revolutionary movements to form. The North American Revolution took place between 1775 and 1878. The French

The Ripple Effects of American
Words: 4742 Length: 14 Document Type: Research Proposal

In this encouragement, American would help to touch off something perhaps all the more miraculous given the proximity to its oppression to the European peasantry at large. First in the doctrines which would be formulated in the wake of French independence and secondly in the way that Napoleon Bonaparte would begin the spread of such doctrines to a continent driven by inequality, America's revolution could be said to have been the opening round in the deconstruction

The Consolidation of Power Ratification of the US Constitution
Words: 1570 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Confederation and Constitution The differences between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of 1787 were significant. The former entrusted power to the individual states while the latter relinquished the majority of power to the central/federal government. This was evident in the way in which representation was established and legislation enacted. For example, under the Articles, Congress was unicameral -- that is, one house. Under the Constitution, Congress was bicameral, consisting

How the Industrial Revolution Changed the World Economy
Words: 2713 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

Industrial Revolution Changed the World Economy? The Industrial Revolution that started in Great Britain in the latter part of eighteenth century is considered by some historians to be the most significant transformation in the economic environment of human civilization after the Agricultural Revolution. While there is no disagreement on the view that the 'revolution' had a great effect on the world economy and transformed the lives of a large number

Management Technologies in American Corporations an Exploration
Words: 8031 Length: 30 Document Type: Essay

Management Technologies in American Corporations An exploration of knowledge organizations and their management of information using both the Internet and digital means This paper will explore the pros and cons of both, and make recommendations for implementing them into companies, both large and small, and finally show real-world examples of these technologies in use in some of the most prominent American companies today. Today, we live in a very complex world. Technology

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now