Explain The Goals For Waging The Revolutionary War Dbq

Ms. Mulhern
APUSH Pd. 2
14 Nov. 2016
DBQ: Revolutionary War Since the French and Indian war, it was clear that the citizens of the New World were split between staying with the British empire, or leaving for potential freedoms, rights, and other possibilities that were not present under the British monarchy. The split in the people foreshadowed the waging of the Revolutionary War, and the eventual emergence of a new political system. Although, the steps to waging the revolution were in no way easy for the people, but the oppression from the British monarchy was enough to drive them to war. Thus, the colonists’ goals in waging the revolution were to gain independence from Britain and obtain new rights for the people that were only philosophy
before, and eventually these goals led to the emergence of a new political system because they were imbedded in both the federal and state models from 1776 to present. When the war started in April 1775 at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the American Patriots fought against the British and the Loyalists. The patriots had the goal of independence in mind, and they did not want to be ruled by a monarchy in the New World. During this time a freelancer stated, “… because the corrupt influence of the crown, by having all the places in its disposal, hath so effectually swallowed up the power, and eaten out the virtue of the house of commons…” (Document 1). In short, the freelancer meant that the king has ended the republican part in the constitution. The quote indirectly mentions the unfair acts being passed, such as the Tea Tax, Sugar Act, Currency Act, and Stamp Act. The king passed these acts to pay off the war debts of the French and Indian War without the consent of the people, “Taxation without representation.” Thus, one of the goals of the revolution was to expel monarchy from society. Although the author is unknown, he most likely was a patriot. His main goal was to get undecided people and more patriots to join the revolution to disband the monarchy, and stop the oppression and unfair acts.
This was just one out of the many goals for waging the Revolutionary War, but another important goal was to declare the colonies independent and free to do what they want. In 1776, Thomas Jefferson was the youngest to be apart of the Continental Congress. As a representative from Virginia, he was tasked with goal of choosing the right “words” for the Declaration of Independence. The declaration declared United States colonies independent, and in the original rough draft he wrote, “…declare these colonies to be free and independent states, and that as free and independent states they shall hereafter have power… to all other acts and things which independent states may of right do” (Document 2). Within the original draft, it was clear that the people’s main goal was to achieve independence from Britain. Also, they wanted the right to levy their own fair taxes, create peace, and establish commerce at their own will. These goals were the main reasons for waging the Revolutionary War because they were mentioned numerous times throughout the rallies. Thomas Jefferson, at this time, was a clear patriot fighting for freedom with
independence driving his decisions. His purpose in writing the draft was to have a declaration of freedom and independence for Congress, and although he was only writing for Congress, eventually it was all around the nation. When the declaration was ratified on July 4th, 1776, it was in defiance of the king. The king had immediately banned the circulation of the declaration in Great Britain, but the damage was already done in the colonies. As most of the country was extremely happy, and they destroyed anything to do with the king. A painting, The Tory’s Day of Judgment (Document 3), illustrated the colonists preparing to punish an unknown person. Based off of historical context, the viewer can assume that the colonists were punishing a loyalist by tar and feathering. After the Declaration of Independence was spread throughout the nation, a strong sense of nationalism was present throughout the patriots and the nation. Again, the patriots did not want to be ruled by the British empire, so the goal of removing British influence from the colonies was seen in this day. Overall, the main goal in waging the revolution was to split from Britain and gain independence and rights for the people, but other groups had more goals in mind. During the independence movement, more goals were trying to be achieved by different groups. Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, was one of the first women to fight for women’s rights. Throughout history, she guided John Adams through difficult decisions, constantly there to help him. Although, she was a firm believer in more right’s for women, and hoped for this goal during the revolution. Upon receiving news on the Declaration of Independence, she wrote to the Congress, “… I desire you would rememberer the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors” (Document 4). Adams’ point of view was obviously a patriot at the time, but she cared deeply about women rights. She wrote the letter to Adams and Congress with the intent of achieving more rights for women during this time, but it proved harder than thought. After sending the letter, John Adams rejected the proposal because of other problems, but John Adams hoped others might fight for these rights in the future. Abigail was not deterred by the rejection, instead she fought harder later in her life for the goal of women’s rights. This was another example of a goal hoped to be created by the waging of the war, but the African-American community hoped for a more specific goal to be achieved. Before the Revolutionary War, Africans were held as slaves for a variety of different work. They were oppressed, had little to no rights, and most lived in horrible conditions. When they came to the Americas, they were stripped from their homes and sent on the Middle Voyage which was a long and grueling trip from Africa to the Americas. Life was no better when on land as they were treated like sub-humans. The slave’s main goal in waging the revolution was to get the freedom and rights that everyone else had. A freed slave named Cato wrote, “We esteem… to add one more step to the universal civilization by remvoing as much as possible [from] the sorrows of those who have lived in ‘undeserved’ bondage…” (Document 5). Cato, the author, most likely supported the patriotic movement, but cared more deeply about the lives of slaves. His purpose in writing the piece was to write to the masses, he hoped to create a movement of freedom and rights for slaves that have been long oppressed. For the better and the worse, slaves did not get the rights they hoped for. But in the North, more freedom was an occurring movement, compared to the South where it expanded. Thus, the Revolutionary war was waged because of the goals created by the people which included independence, new rights, and a hope for a new government. Eventually, these goals shaped the emergence of a new political system. After the country declared independence from Britain, much of the power still was in the hands of the states, and the British were fighting their hardest to keep control over their colonies. General Howe of the British army fought for control over New York, and General Cornwallis was battling against Washington’s army in New Jersey. General Howe was progressively winning many victories as he headed south, but Pennsylvania did something unusual. In 1776, before Howe reached Pennsylvania, the colony wrote the Constitution of Pennsylvania. The goals of the revolution were imbedded within this constitution. It stated, “That all men are born equally free and independent…, That all men have a natural and unalienable right to worship Almighty God…, All power derived from the people…, and that the government be instituted for protection and security of the people” (Document 6). The author was probably a group of patriots who were tasked with creating a first governing body for the people. Although, the first constitution was not ratified until 1787, the Constitution of Pennsylvania of 1776 includes many of the goals in waging war. Within the Constitution of Pennsylvania, it included the right to freedom and independence, right to worship god, and the government will help the people. Most of these rights within the document were the same goals that caused the Revolutionary war. Thus, it proves how the revolutionary goals shaped the emergent political system. Although, most importantly was incorporation of “all power derived from the people.” This new incorporation that came out of the goals of the war was the most important aspect of the constitution. It set up the political system of a democracy in the upcoming years. Within the Declaration for Massachusetts of 1780 (Document 7), again it stated the article of “power residing in the people.,” which later became a system of democracy. The article exemplifies how the goals of the revolution shaped their emergent political system. Therefore, the goals the colonists had in waging the Revolutionary War set up the new political system. The goals for waging the Revolutionary war, and the political system as a result were primarily due to political and social reasons. Although, the theme of work, exchange, and technology was just as important in the waging of the Revolutionary war, and emergence of the new political system. Before the Revolutionary war, the British empire had a tight control over the economic situation in the colonies. Mercantilism drove the trade between the Americas and Britain. Britain was extremely dominant in the trade because Britain passed laws where England was only able to make manufactured goods. Also, the colonies were only allowed to trade with Britain and no one else. Then, England sold the manufactured goods at high costs, but bought the raw goods from the Americans for low prices. This angered the colonists because it took all their money. Not to mention the import and export taxes created by Britain. Also, taxes and acts became more common, such as Tea Tax, Sugar Act, Currency Act, and Stamp Act. Everything combined made it extremely hard for any American to prosper which in turn angered the colonists. They wanted less restrictions on production of goods, market economy, and trade. Thus, the colonist hoped that with the waging of the war, it might end the economic dominance by Britain. America wanted complete control over the production of goods and services, labor, and everything to do with the economy. Therefore, this goal started to guide the political system because it started to coexist with capitalism and a market economy after the war. Thus, the theme of work, exchange, and technology was not the primary focus of the war, but certainly created underlying goals that set up the emergent political system. In conclusion, the colonists had many goals in waging war with Britain. These goals included freedom and independence, and more rights for the people. Also, certain minority groups hoped their goals in waging revolution might happen too, but this did not happen. Overall, the goals of the revolution created the emergence of a new political system that guided the country for a very long time.