What Were The Causes Of The American Revolution

At the onset of the American Revolution, the sociology and agenda of the patriotic elite seemed to mirror that of the people. Many influential figures in the colonies, as well as most of the common people, had had enough of what they viewed as British tyrannical rule encroaching on their lifestyles. Visionaries such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson dreamed of a self-governed country founded on a basis of equality and liberty. Of course, these fundamental rights weren't intended for everyone, as women and African Americans would still be discriminated against within the new society.

By 1776, defection from England had been on the horizon for years. The wealthy and poor alike felt that the British had no business ruling over a society that was so far away and different from their own. The British had levied several acts of taxation since the formation of the colonies without causing too much of a stir, but the recent taxes on sugar, stamps, and especially tea were viewed as particularly egregious. The patriotic elite further influenced the frenzy for revolution, notably Thomas Paine's novel “Common Sense” and the famous “no taxation without representation” slogan trumpeted by Patrick Henry and other impassioned rebels.
By the time the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, the Revolution had greatly affected everyone involved.
The wealthy and influential revolutionaries benefited the most, as many of them gained positions of power in the young nation, even though a number of them never had to put their lives on the line in a battle, unlike the people they now governed. Additionally, although the Revolution was fought to achieve freedom, and according to The Declaration of Independence “all men are created equal,” the country still favored its elite, and many inhabitants of the country such as women faced diminished rights, or in the case of slaves, no rights at
all.

When the Articles of Confederation proved inadequate in America's early years, a Constitution was deemed necessary by many to the survival of the nation. James Madison and Alexander Hamilton both played crucial roles in the conception of the Constitution, and worked to shape the country in their image. Hamilton envisioned a nation dominated by urban society and fueled by commerce, with a strong central government having significant authority over all forms of taxation and currency. Madison echoed many of these thoughts and penned a document for the people, but mostly a select group of people – namely rich property owners. Madison and Hamilton believed Constitutional rights were more deserved by the wealthy, not the common people who made up the majority of society.

The system of checks and balances of the government was an important feature of the Constitution, increasing nationwide authority and preventing any one branch of government becoming too powerful. This idea was presented by James Madison in his Virginia Plan at the Constitutional Convention. Madison and Hamilton's primary motivation behind the plan was to propose an acceptable political system that enhanced the strength of federal government, while diminishing the power of individual states.

A strong executive branch was a controversial topic, as it drew comparisons to British monarchial rule from people such as Patrick Henry, seemingly betraying what they had fought for in the Revolution. However, Madison and Hamilton saw that the nation had crumbled under the Articles of Confederation and its powerless executive branch, and the delegates agreed that a strong executive was the best way to establish order across the country.

Slavery was one of the most hotly debated issues at the convention, as it would be for the next century. One of the main issues was the slave trade. Many northern delegates saw the trade as evil and wanted to abolish it, but the wealthy Southern entrepreneurs and planters refused to simply give up such a profitable business. The slave trade was extended another 20 years until 1808. In addition, the federal government was prohibited from taxing the export of slaves, and established a maximum tariff of only $100 per imported slave. The slave trade was just one of many slavery-related issues the southern delegates would not budge on.

Another concession granted to the South was Article IV of the Constitution, which guaranteed the return of runaway slaves to southern planters. This is a power they did not previously have under the Articles of Confederation. Article IV further contributed to the belief that the Constitution was a pro-slavery document.

Perhaps the most notable issue was how slaves would be counted towards population. Benjamin Franklin's committee had decided that each state would receive a representative in the Lower House for every 30,000 citizens. Worried that northern states would dominate the House, the southern delegates demanded that slaves count toward a states' population concerning representation in the Lower House, and the three-fifths rule was established, declaring that every five slaves would count as three citizens.

Southern delegates came away with all of the aforementioned clauses by remaining adamant about preserving the institution of slavery, which was so central to their society. The authors of the Constitution clearly were humiliated by the concessions, going so far as refusing to include the word “slave” on the document. Slaves were referred to as “such persons,” “persons held to service or labour,” and so on – obviously belying of the harshness of their lives. Although many Northerners were disappointed by the clauses, they agreed to the demands, as establishing a strong national government was too important at the present moment to risk dividing the nation over slavery – that battle would have to wait for another day.