The American Revolution (The Revolutionary War)

A Fight for Independence

America: The land of the free, and the home of the brave. We all know that if we look at America in the prime of its greatness, it was just this, the land of the free. It was free from oppression, from stubborn, and greedy laws, and acts that held us back. However, this independence did not happen overnight. It happened over the course of hundreds of years. America was, and still is, a nation of those who fought for what they believed in, and it all began in the prime of its independence. Between the years 1754, which gave us the French and Indian War, and 1774, when the first Continental Congress Meeting was held, America slowly but surely took its rightful place as the just leaders of the lands from sea to shining sea. It's independence did not come easily, and many men died for its fortification, but all for a worthy cause. Once we took the seat we so aptly deserved we forged a nation that would be looked at as the land of opportunity, and the sole nation in the world which was truly blessed by God. In this paper, I will endeavor to answer how the formation of our great nation came about, what steps we took to achieve independence, and most of all what caused of the Revolutionary War.

There really is no set beginning to this magnificent story of independence and liberation; however, the start to the true action and the first steps in the direction of who we truly were as a nation, began with The French and Indian, which began in 1754, or more specifically with the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763. The French and Indian war was one of the biggest eye openers for the Americans. Although it seemed the British took our side with the struggle against French and Indian population attacking, the resulting debts and fees from the war were all placed upon the colonies. The war was so incredibly expensive that the United Kingdom and Prime Minister William Pitt were at the point of declaring bankruptcy; however, the Empire had a better idea. British authorities used the colonists for their own personal gain, by applying fees, taxes, and stubborn acts all to benefit the United Kingdom. This definitely raised the first of many red flags against the United Kingdom. So the British stood tall after the war, expecting from its victory territory over the land, as well as it's debts to be paid off from no less than the ones who sided with them in the war. All of this benefited the British and harmed those in the colonies. This started what was to be the next 20 years of rebellion against the Empire, and America's gradual realization of their true destiny, independence.

From this destitute stage of debt and potential bankruptcy emerged the dreaded "Acts" which were heavily enforced and filled to the brim with unfair treatment from the British and a desire for personal gain from the colonists. The first of many was the Sugar Act of 1764. This Act was a tax on everything from sugar, of course, to coffee. It was enforced however, on just about every American necessity. This act was so heavily enforced that they placed armed soldiers on the streets. The next act that was placed upon the colonists was the Stamp Act of 1765. This act enforced taxes on just about every transaction that happened through paper, any printed document, or any legal document. It went as far as placing taxes on playing cards.

The Americans soon began to see just what was happening in their own nation. They were supposed to be a nation free from oppression or in the very least have a say in what was going on. This was the largest problem. Here were the colonist being taxed and having these laws thrown upon them, and yet they had no say in where this money went, how much was taken, or what was being taxed. All they could do was either sit back and accept it, or revolt, and it was on the absolutely contrary for the people of America to sit back and take it.

The Americans wasted no time and in 1765 leaders from Massachusetts formulated a plan: The Stamp Act Congress. From this congress the famous words "no taxation without representation" came forth. To an even farther degree, the Americans revolted by sending street mobs to tear down British offices in Massachusetts and New York. They also took to smuggling and importing their goods under the noses of the British, by undermining the taxes and causing the British to lose revenue. On March 5th, 1770 the escalation of the revolution was at a breaking point. The tension was extraordinarily high and something was about to give. A simple street fight with snowballs and horseplay erupted and shots began to fly. The Boston Massacre, quickly labeled by our own Sam Adams, was since remembered as the day when the tension broke. The war was officially starting, and the adversary was the British.

The revolt against the Empire was growing stronger every day. Late in the year of 1770, what would soon be known as the "Committee of Correspondence" would be created. This committee was designed to fortify the colonies against the British. As individuals, the American people could do nothing, and they began to realize this more and more as the years progressed. However, as a nation, as states united, and as one group standing tall together against their rivals, they could be a serious threat to the Empire. This committee liberated our land and united our voices to speak out against the British. Soon newspapers, books, letters, and even local businesses and groups gave voice to the Revolution.

Even with all of the revolting going on, the British persistently continued to regulate laws and enforce acts on the nation. The next act enforced on Americans was the Tea Act of 1773. However, at this point in colonial America, we had no intent to sit idly by. The next step in our resistance was a deliberate spit in the face to the British and their regulations, and one of the most known instances of the American revolution; The Boston Tea Party. Led by Sam Adams himself, over seven thousand people stormed the harbors of Boston dressed as Indians and dumped over 342 chests of tea overboard. To the Americans, this wasn't just saying no to tea from the British, this was much more than that. It was truly a statement to the Empire saying; "We don't need you, we don't need your tea, and we definitely don't need your taxes." This was America's true colors being shown by saying that it's time for us to be an Independent nation of liberty and freedom.

From this point on, nothing was the same. The British retaliated hard with more acts including the Intolerable Acts, restricting local meetings, and even closing down the Boston Harbor altogether. It was all crashing down, and the war was about to begin. But with the same, "we're not going to take it" attitude that the American people always had, they would not let any of this oppress them. They continued with their meetings and to a higher caliber than before. They began to draft, in writing, what it was specifically that they wanted out of their own personal nation. They were not only planning for their new nation, but also for the war that would get them there. People who were called Minute Men were standing by at all times ready at a minutes notice in case they were needed to fight for their country and needed they were. On April 18th, 1775 over 1,000 soldiers led by Paul Revere and William Dawes marched to Concord where "the shot heard round the world" started what would forever change our nation. It would light the flame that was the inevitable Revolutionary War.

America is now known as the greatest nation in the world and home to thousands of cultures, races, and religions. It is truly the land of the free and the home of the brave. However, it definitely didn't get to this stage without a fight. Our founding fathers longed for a nation that was more than what they had; a nation that would stand up against opposing threats and tyrannical dictators who thwarted their freedom. This freedom that we so desperately desired was not just America's way of running from their responsibilities. It was a choice, a desire, a strive for a better place where God could lead, and we would follow in his path for us. The Revolutionary War was America's chance to attain that right, and God blessed our nation for putting Him first in that. The gradual build to the revolution was something that really cemented in Americans what it was they wanted out of their nation. It built a strong and unified society that would be the shining light in the world. America is that nation, and the steps we have taken to make it that are what makes us who we are. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." − Psalm 33:12