American Essay – What Started American Revolution?

This American essay will show that the reasons for the American Revolution were rooted in economics. The people of the thirteen colonies that made up the then United States resented the British Government’s levies of tax without representation. The Revenue Act of 1774 was primarily the reason for the rift between the colonies and the Crown. It was the phrase 'taxation without representation' that brought the colonists together to rise against the mother country. Often this revulsion against the tax policies of England was violent.

From then on things approached a point of no return for the colonies. In December 1773, the Boston Tea Party was staged as a reaction to the hated Tea Act that was passed earlier in the year. Later in 1774, the First Continental Congress met and formed an 'Association', which ended up assuming leadership and encouraged new local groups to end royal authority. Because of the power of these Associations, many people joined the movement. This is when the mobilization of troops also began to take place. The leadership of the Association was able to stir up public opinion into revolutionary fervor.

However, not many people were in favor of violence. This was more evident in areas where the population was of mixed ethnic origins. The same was true in areas that were untouched by the revolutionary movement. And even among those who were convinced that a change in government was necessary, violence was not the preferred option. Quakers and members of some religious groups and merchants of the middle colonies were not in favor of conflict. They instead preferred dialogue and compromise.

The patriots on the other hand preferred a violent revolution. People from poorer backgrounds also preferred this modus operandi. Lawyers and other professionals were also for a violent revolution. The primary reason for this was the knowledge that King George was in no mood to make concessions. By the fall of 1774 the mechanism of revolution was in...