John Locke – The American Revolution John Locke was an English philosopher whose work played a crucial role in the American Revolution. In ‘Of the Ends of Political Society and Government,' Locke argues that when an individual enters civil society, he should make rules and decisions as per the wishes of the majority. He proposes that in the ideal society, the government should grant people freedom, independence, and protection, provided that they do not harm the right of others or their own.
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According to Thomas Gordon’s and John Trenchard’s “Cautions Against the Natural Encroachments of Power", human beings tend to act in their selfish interests since people are naturally driven to acquire more riches, power, and respect. Therefore, according to the authors, for society to function optimally, it is essential to establish a system of government that controls human behavior through laws (Locke and Cox 34). Under this system, people would be at liberty to do as they wish as long as they abide by the law, and as a result, human wickedness and impunity would be reduced. In essence, the works of these philosophers helped to shape America’s constitution and perspectives on freedom and liberty when it became independent. British Mercantilist Policies The British imposed a mercantilist policy on its colonies whose aim was to use the resources of its colonies to increase Britain’s wealth. Through this policy, Britain generated significant revenue by exporting raw materials from its colonies and transporting African slaves to America for cheap labor in the farms and homes. The mercantilist policies also prohibited its American colonies from trading with European countries, and they were forced to rely on Britain for manufactured goods and services. Americans became convinced that Great Britain's policies towards its colonies were designed to strip them of their powers and enslave them. The oppressive mercantilist policy led to the rebellion of the American colonies and contributed significantly to the Revolutionary War. Through the Revolution, the United States was able to free itself from colonial rule. How the Seven Years’ War Contributed to the American Revolution
The Seven Years’ War was the first global war; it occurred between 1756 and 1763. The war was a battle by American colonists to subdue hostile Indian tribes and take control of the Ohio River Valley. The British won the war and acquired a significant portion of North America. The British Army had spent heavily during the war and decided to recover from the losses and debts it incurred by imposing heavy taxes on its American colonies. The colonies revolted against this because they felt that they too had suffered economically during the seven years of the war. The British’s unfair and oppressive treatment of its American colonies led to the Revolutionary war in 1775. This revolt subdued Great Britain's control of America, and in 1776, the 13 British colonies declared their independence. The newly independent America sought to establish itself as a model of liberty, justice, and freedom for the rest of the world. The 1760s and 1770s Events Leading to the American Revolution In the decade leading to the American Revolution, the British Parliament continually passed laws that undermined the growth of its colonies. Great Britain had incurred massive debts during the seven-year war and to recover from its effects, it taxed its colonies heavily. The colonies were displeased with the fact that their resources were offshored to help in the development of another country and they were also taxed heavily to help it recover from the effects of the seven-year war. In the decade between 1760 and 1770; six main acts were passed. The Sugar Act was imposed on sugar imported by the colonies and was established to hinder trade between the colonies and European countries. The Currency Act was imposed to ensure that British traders were not paid with a currency that had a lower value. The Stamp Act required that colonies only used paper that embossed with the colonists’ official revenue stamp. The Tea Act was passed to allow Britain to import tea to America free of taxes, thus
enabling them to sell the tea at a more discounted price than its competitors. The Tea Act led to the Tea Party of 1773 where colonists threw tea worth millions of dollars overboard in protest over the oppressive act. In response to the Boston Tea Party, Great Britain created the Coercive Acts whose purpose was to punish Boston for the protest. The Townshend Acts comprised a series of taxes whose aim was to tax a variety of consumer goods that were imported from Britain to generate more tax revenue. Conclusion Upon independence, the thirteen colonies that were previously governed by Great Britain united to become what is presently referred to as the United States of America. The clamor for freedom began as a result of the restrictive and unfair policies the British government imposed on its colonies. Following its independence from British rule, George Washington became the president of the U.S.
Works Cited Locke, John, and Richard H Cox. Second Treatise Of Government. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2014. Print. Trenchard, John, and Thomas Gordon. Cato's Letters. Indianapolis (Ind.): Liberty Fund, 1995. Print.