From The American Revolutionary War To The Treaty of Paris (1775-1783)
Introduction
The American Revolutionary War was an event that took place during the years 1775 to 1783, that is, during the American Revolution. In essence, the Americans colonized by the British revolted against them due to the imposition of strict rules and fees
which provoked renewed and growing political and social upheaval, including sabotaging British assets, and due to the feeling of desire for independence that grew every day. Important battles, social, political, diplomatic and intellectual transformations took place. People were gaining consciousness about freedom until they reached the desired independence.
American Revolutionary War: A Fight for Independence (1775-1783)
In the course of settling British colonies, Britain was not normally involved in the affairs of the colonies. In the course of time, through the Salutary Neglect, Britain sought to relax the application of strict rules with respect to the 13 colonies (a group of British colonies), particularly with regard to trade laws, which were intended to make the colonies subordinate to their colonizing country.. As such, the colonies began to follow their own determinations, including not following the norms of mercantilism, beginning to negotiate with countries other than Great Britain, in addition to starting the creation of their own way of representative government, instead of colonizers to govern them. The salutary Neglect would eventually be the beginning of the withdrawal of the colonies as to Britain. In the second half of the 18th century, England radically changed the policy in force with regard to the Thirteen Colonies (which would later form the United States of America). Since there was an interest and a claim for the expansion of the industry during the Industrial Revolution, England saw the colonies as sources of income in relation to raw materials and new consumer markets, integrating them into the scheme of economic expansion and increasing colonial control through the imposition of more taxes and the placement of English troops that the colonists had to sustain on colonized soil. Until 1763, the Salutary Neglect was employed. From that date onwards, Britain began to impose stricter rules and more direct management with respect to the colonies, which would lead to the American Revolutionary War. England was also involved in a sequence of international clashes such as the Seven Years' War, which took place between 1756 and 1763 between England and France. This war would end up being expensive for the British pockets, causing the taxes to rise, but ending with the signing of the Treaty of Paris of 1763 that ended the war, with a victory for the British, who would have more land and, consequently, more money. Mercantilist or prohibitive laws were imposed. Estas leis incluíam: a Lei do Açúcar (1764) former Molasses Act of 1733: the law's term would expire in 1763, but in 1764 it was renewed as the Sugar Law, limiting the taxes levied on the Molasses Act to half, but imposing additional taxes on sugar, with the aim of putting an end to smuggling, thereby safeguarding the English farmers who were in the British West Indies and so that the government could get more money on sugar, a fundamental item for that time, causing even more unrest among the colonized American people. The Molasses Act consisted of imposing heavy taxes on the marketing of sugar from the French West Indies to the American colonies, forcing them to buy the most expensive sugar from the British West Indies; the Currency Act (1764), the law prevented the issuance or production of money by the American colony; the Hosting Law (1764), that forced the American colony to house and feed English soldiers; the Stamp Act (1765): all colony documents acquired an English crown stamp; os Atos Townshend (1767), that consisted of 2 taxes for the charging of taxes on products such as glass, paper and tea, in addition to the elaboration of taxation at the customs of the colonies, which generated a wave of protests and were revoked in 1770 (year that the Boston Massacre would also take place), maintaining only the tea tax, which would lead to the approval of the Tea Act, which gave the East India Company control over all the tea sold to the colonies, that is, it could only be bought by the colonized people tea sold by the East India Company, that is, from English merchants. This would culminate in the Boston Tea Party of 1773. This would be a protest by the British colonized in America against the British government, launching shipments of tea from three British East India Company ships to the waters of Boston port). As a form of revenge, parliamentary forces authorized a series of punitive measures, with the name of intolerable acts, among them: The Massachusetts Government Act; The Quartering Act; The Quebec Act. With these acts, the British government planned to block the port of Boston and the state of Massachusetts was subjected to a form of military government. The response to these acts and to all this change was of displeasure on the part of the colonized, being one of the reasons that triggered and motivated the American Revolution. To demonstrate dissatisfaction, there was a meeting at the First Continental Congress of Philadelphia in 1774. There, a document was drafted that demanded an end to the taxes established by the British authorities in a peaceful manner without counting on separatist pretensions. Without achieving the expected result, a military battle would be planned to end the ambitions of the English colonialists in 1775 at the Battle of Bunker Hill. That same year, during the Second Continental Congress of Philadelphia, a large number of supporters and representatives from all colonies defended the definitive separation by organizing a direct confrontation. It was here that the United States Declaration of Independence was made, which was published in 1776 and which I will talk about in the next point.
1.1. Declaration of Independence (1776)
Shortly after the start of the American Revolutionary War, representatives of all thirteen colonies met at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a result of this congress, the conclusion was withdrawn by the colonized that it was no longer viable to be subjected to English subordination, since they did not agree with their actions, from the moment they considered them disrespectful. A document was written by Thomas Jefferson explaining why it was voted to declare independence, emphasizing individual rights and the right of revolution (conceptions highly supported by the Americans and which had an international projection, especially inspiring and influencing the French Revolution), also communicating that the thirteen American colonies would no longer constitute British rule.
On January 10, 1776, the political pamphlet Common Sense by Thomas Paine would be published, mentioning the fundamentals in favor of American emancipation or independence, thus boosting it. It thus contributed with a notable role in the dissemination of the independence concept and was considered one of the most important pamphlets in American history.Later, on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence would be approved, published and distributed in many ways.
1.2. Battle of Yorktown (1781)
The end of the American Revolutionary War was approaching. The Battle of Yorktown, was the last of the War of the American Revolution that culminated in the surrender and withdrawal of British troops in 1781. American forces, together with the French, cornered English troops, who were bombed and surrounded within about 20 days. Although casual conflicts followed, the victory at Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution, thus ending the conflict in a favorable way to the Americans. The British army's surrender prompted the British government to reflect on settling a peace treaty. Then, the content of the peace agreement was defined and accepted in the Paris Treaty of 1783.
1.3. The Aftermath: Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Paris Treaty of 1783 formally ended the American Revolutionary War. In the Treaty of Paris, the British formally recognized and agreed the American independence of the 13 colonies that would become free, sovereign and independent, with the privileges of a nation for itself, giving it the territory that corresponded to them, establishing territorial limits. The objective was also that the United States and England, through this treaty, became a trading partner through economic affectivity. Congress would also recommend the return of the property to the loyalists.
1.4. Impacts and Consequences of the American Revolution (or Liberation)
If we take into account the arguments put forward by Robert Nisbet in The Social Impact of the Revolution (1976), in essence, a revolution towards definitive, decisive and inconvertible changes in social entities, groups and customs, in addition to the liberation war in England, which we are most used to remember. From a point of view, the American revolution, considered as just a group of Englishmen fighting against another group of Englishmen on distant and different coasts for traditionally British political rights. According to this argument, it was a war of restitution and liberation, not a revolution, having only one consequence: nothing more than a group of political statesmen in place of another. On the other hand, it is conjectured that a revolution in its power and maximum exponent had taken place. From my point of view, this is the most appropriate perspective, since a change in the social sphere was beginning, although not fully respecting them as will be mentioned later. To support this thinking, according to John Adams in Letter to Hezekiah Niles on the American Revolution (1818):
"The Revolution was in the minds hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations. This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments and affectations of the people was the real American Revolution."
If we want to refer to an authentic revolution, we must look not only at ideological traits, but also at the social sphere. Both revolution and war are intertwined, both destroying traditional authorities, classes and types of wealth. Usually military power is immediately thought of when we mention wars, however the spirit of the people is one of the main topics for success on the battlefield, that is, propaganda or campaign in general, especially morality, is very important..
Regarding freedom and slavery, it can be argued that the war with England only consolidated the will and determination on the part of many to maintain the institution of slavery. Bearing in mind the strong wave of abolitionism of the time, the conscience or mentality of those who led the Revolution the minds of the men who led the Revolution were sensitive, understanding and human. The disparity between the ideals of equality and freedom and the presence of thousands of black slaves would turn out to be ironic. The awareness of this discrepancy would mark the beginning of a long and historic liberation of the black community in the United States, which is still unfolding today. Still, at that time the institution of slavery would not be abolished for many years to come.. According to Bernard Ballyn in The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution (1967):
"As long as the institution of slavery lasted, the burden of proof would lie with its advocates to show why the statement that 'all men are created equal' did not mean precisely what it said: all men, 'white or black.'"
In practice, "all men are created equal" would be just on paper, since the slave status would be legalized and legitimized, as the lowest and deepest part of the social structure, constituted almost entirely by blacks of African descent. The United States of America would become, at least hypothetically a democratic country, where in theory, all men would have the right to vote. From slavery to women's rights, from religious life to the right to vote, American positions and behavior would be altered.
Conclusion
The American Revolution would eventually bring about a new understanding. Groups that were directly and immediately excluded from a certain form of equality, such as slaves and women, would begin to be inspired by revolutionary force. It was beginning to be seen that the struggle for freedom would be a global struggle and other democracies would be inspired by this model of government. It was the beginning of many and lengthy changes. The United States of America converted to democracy, where theoretically all men would have the right to vote. From slavery to women's rights, from religious life to voting, American positioning and behavior would change.
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