THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (Summary)
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The war for independence from Britain began as a small brief fight between two armed groups, British troops and armed colonists on April 19, 1775. The British had come from Boston, to seize weapons and ammunition that insurgent colonists had stored in nearby towns. At Lexington, they met a group of Minutemen, who got that name because they were said to be ready to fight in a minute. The Minutemen were supposed only in a quiet protest, and their leader told them not to shoot unless fired came to them first. The British ordered the Minutemen to disperse, and they obey. But while they were retreating from the position, someone fired a shot. The British troops attacked the Minutemen. Fighting spread at other places along the road as the British soldiers made their way back to Boston. More than 250 "redcoats" were killed or wounded and the Americans lost 93 men. Fights continued around Boston as colonial representatives rush to Philadelphia to discuss the situation. The large majority voted to go to war against Britain. They agreed to become colonial militias into a continental army, and they appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief. Then, the Second Continental Congress adopted a peace resolution advising King George III to stop further aggression. The king refused it and on August 23 declared that the American colonies were in rebellion. After that, revolutionary propaganda grew in the coming months. Thomas Paine helped to spread anywhere the reasons for splitting up in a pamphlet called Common Sense, which, he criticized the argument of a hereditary monarchy. Paine introduced two alternatives: to continue under a tyrannical king or liberty and happiness as a self-sufficient, independent republic. The Second Continental Congress empowered a committee, leaded by Thomas Jefferson to prepare a draft expressing the colonies' complain against the Crown and explaining their decision to slip up. This Declaration of Independence was formally adopted on July 4, 1776, and since then, this date has been celebrated as America's Independence Day. The Declaration of Independence signified the birth of a new nation and also was the point of reference for the philosophy of freedom that would spread as a dynamic force all around the world. It took from French and British new political ideas, especially those of John Locke in his Second Treatise on Government, reinforcing the belief that political rights are elemental human rights and are also universal. But, declaring independence itself did not give Americans liberty. British forces were established in New York and other places. They beat the Americans at Brandywine, Pennsylvania, and occupied Philadelphia, making the Continental Congress to run away. Later American army was victorious at Saratoga, New York, and at Trenton and Princeton in New Jersey. However, George Washington kept making great effort in order to get the men and materials he urgently required. But, the decisive help came in 1778 from France which recognized the new nation and signed a bilateral defense treaty. However, the support obtained from the French government was based on geopolitical and strategic reasons, not ideological ones. France objective was to weaken the power of Britain, its long-time opponent. The struggle that began at Lexington and Concord continued for almost a decade throughout a large portion of North America. Battles were fought from Montreal, Canada to Savannah, Georgia. In spite of the huge British army was surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the war continued with not decisive results for two more years. Finally, a peace treaty was signed in Paris on April 15, 1783. As this article stated previously, the Revolution had a huge impact far beyond North American borders. It called the attention of Europe's political thinkers like Thaddeus Kosciusko, Friedrich von Steuben, and the Marquis de Lafayette. Without any hesitation, the Revolution strengthened the concept of natural rights across the Western world. The Treaty of Paris recognized the independence, freedom, and sovereignty of the 13 former American colonies, now states. The task of uniting them together into a new nation was still a work to get through.
The war for independence from Britain began as a small brief fight between two armed groups, British troops and armed colonists on April 19, 1775. The British had come from Boston, to seize weapons and ammunition that insurgent colonists had stored in nearby towns. At Lexington, they met a group of Minutemen, who got that name because they were said to be ready to fight in a minute. The Minutemen were supposed only in a quiet protest, and their leader told them not to shoot unless fired came to them first. The British ordered the Minutemen to disperse, and they obey. But while they were retreating from the position, someone fired a shot. The British troops attacked the Minutemen. Fighting spread at other places along the road as the British soldiers made their way back to Boston. More than 250 "redcoats" were killed or wounded and the Americans lost 93 men. Fights continued around Boston as colonial representatives rush to Philadelphia to discuss the situation. The large majority voted to go to war against Britain. They agreed to become colonial militias into a continental army, and they appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief. Then, the Second Continental Congress adopted a peace resolution advising King George III to stop further aggression. The king refused it and on August 23 declared that the American colonies were in rebellion. After that, revolutionary propaganda grew in the coming months. Thomas Paine helped to spread anywhere the reasons for splitting up in a pamphlet called Common Sense, which, he criticized the argument of a hereditary monarchy. Paine introduced two alternatives: to continue under a tyrannical king or liberty and happiness as a self-sufficient, independent republic. The Second Continental Congress empowered a committee, leaded by Thomas Jefferson to prepare a draft expressing the colonies' complain against the Crown and explaining their decision to slip up. This Declaration of Independence was formally adopted on July 4, 1776, and since then, this date has been celebrated as America's Independence Day. The Declaration of Independence signified the birth of a new nation and also was the point of reference for the philosophy of freedom that would spread as a dynamic force all around the world. It took from French and British new political ideas, especially those of John Locke in his Second Treatise on Government, reinforcing the belief that political rights are elemental human rights and are also universal. But, declaring independence itself did not give Americans liberty. British forces were established in New York and other places. They beat the Americans at Brandywine, Pennsylvania, and occupied Philadelphia, making the Continental Congress to run away. Later American army was victorious at Saratoga, New York, and at Trenton and Princeton in New Jersey. However, George Washington kept making great effort in order to get the men and materials he urgently required. But, the decisive help came in 1778 from France which recognized the new nation and signed a bilateral defense treaty. However, the support obtained from the French government was based on geopolitical and strategic reasons, not ideological ones. France objective was to weaken the power of Britain, its long-time opponent. The struggle that began at Lexington and Concord continued for almost a decade throughout a large portion of North America. Battles were fought from Montreal, Canada to Savannah, Georgia. In spite of the huge British army was surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the war continued with not decisive results for two more years. Finally, a peace treaty was signed in Paris on April 15, 1783. As this article stated previously, the Revolution had a huge impact far beyond North American borders. It called the attention of Europe's political thinkers like Thaddeus Kosciusko, Friedrich von Steuben, and the Marquis de Lafayette. Without any hesitation, the Revolution strengthened the concept of natural rights across the Western world. The Treaty of Paris recognized the independence, freedom, and sovereignty of the 13 former American colonies, now states. The task of uniting them together into a new nation was still a work to get through.
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Personal Opinion
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The article makes a great semblance about what was the one of the most remarkable events ever happened in the world history. Surely, it constitute a truly example of determination and iron will of the North American people. Reading this article one can realize that the event has many similarities with the Venezuelan history. In my case, it makes me to reenforce my patriotic feeling toward my country and its own right for being an self-determinated nation as Simon Bolivar many times said. Our Founder Fathers: Miranda, Bolivar, Rodriguez, Paez should be remembered as the creators of the bases of the Republic. The United States became in a powerful country, so Venezuelans have to work in order to reach their greatest goal which is to be the nation dreamed by Bolivar. May God grant us to fulfill the Latin American Integration. Luckily the process is on and will go on.
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Ubaldo Gandica
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