The Independence War
During the sixteenth century, the British parliament imposed a number of taxes and duties on their colonies in order to recover its economy after seven years’ war. For example, the stamp act, the Townshend acts and the tea acts created resentment in the colonies. In response to British taxes on tea, Boston radicals disguised as Native Americans threw 350 chests of tea into Boston harbor on December 16, 1773. In some degree, the Boston tea party was an important symbolic act of resistance to British economic control of the colonies.
The British were extremely quick to react in punishing the colonies. The coercive acts all took effect by May of 1774. Thus, fifty-six delegates from every colony except Georgia attended the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774. The results of this meeting were that disobey the coercive act, boycott British trade the third was that colonies should begin to organize militias and store weapons to defend themselves. In addition, they also compromised to sent a petition to George 3 in order to find out if there was any chance for negotiations with British. However, the British monarch even did not reply the petition which triggered the anger of colonial people.
Obviously, tensions between British and the America intensified in the 1770s after the Boston tea party. In 1776, due to appearance of the book named Common Sense, people’s recognition of the monarchy had made a huge change. The impact of the Thomas Paine’s Common Sense on colonial thoughts was immense. It seemed that the colonial people were ready to separate from the old world and look forward to creating a new fantastic world.
Therefore, the purpose of the second Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia in May of 1775, was clear: to get the American colonies ready for war. It authorized the printing of paper money to buy supplies, establish a committee to supervise the foreign relationship and create a continental army and navy which was led by George Washington.
Then, on June 7, 1776, a representative of Georgia made a motion at the meeting of the second continental congress in Philadelphia which proposed that American colonies should make a confederate form of government. So, here came the declaration of independence, Thomas Jefferson was appointed to draft this
declaration and assisted by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Jefferson’ argument maintained that men had certainly” unalienable rights” that include” Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” This document was formally adopted by the Congress on July 4, 1776.The Declaration justified the independence of the United States by listing colonial grievances against King George III, and by asserting certain natural and legal rights, including a right of revolution.
All in all, the independence war in America do reflect some historic facts. And this war should be branded on our memory since it represent the rise of a superpower country which will play a dominant role in the future world.。