Out Of Our Past Carl Degler Analysis

“Was the American Revolution Largely a Product of Market-Driven Forces?” The English suffered from frequent and constant European wars, constant religious strife. Some of the people in England were suffering from harsh economic changes, and lack of land due to wool trading. The English saw America as land which was scarce in their homeland and as an economic reprieve. Colonies were built, mercantilism was established. – Page 11. A British Empire was being built. However, England was in enormous debt due to the many years of fighting wars and in desperate need of revenue. England was cash poor and decided it needed to capitalize off and increase its administrative capacities in America. Tax Acts were imposed and some repealed. However, some colony leaders had
Carl Degler does not dispute that the American Revolution was a Product of Market-Driven Forces as he writes, “Within a century after the revolution, France, Spain, and Portugal lost portions or all of their New World empires through colonial rebellion.” – Page 213. Although, rebellion started with boycotting imports, this was not the sole reason of the American Revolution. Carl Degler’s articles gives other avenues to consider. He explains the causes and consequences that lead up to the American Revolution. The shattering victory of the Anglo-American forces over the French suddenly revealed how wide the gulf between colonist and England had become. As stated by the previous author, England lost a lot of money in the war; they needed revenue. Carl Degler wrote, “The new imperial polices of the British government caught the Americans off guard. It was not injustice or the economic incidence of the taxes which prompted the colonial protests; it was rather the novelty of the British demands.” – Page