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The History of American Revolution - Timeline, Facts & Causes

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How Did The War Between Britain and America Benefit Others

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22 March 1765 – 14 January 1784

Thirteen Colonies (United States)

Dutch Republic, France, Loyalist, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, American colonies

The Boston Tea Party (1773), The Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775), The Declaration of Independence (1776), The Battle of Saratoga (1777), The Siege of Yorktown (1781)

George Washington: As the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, George Washington emerged as a central figure in the revolution. His strategic brilliance, perseverance, and moral character helped inspire and lead the troops through challenging times, ultimately leading to victory. Thomas Jefferson: Known for his eloquence and intellect, Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. His ideas and ideals, including the belief in natural rights and self-governance, greatly influenced the revolutionary cause. Benjamin Franklin: A polymath and influential statesman, Benjamin Franklin played a vital role in rallying support for the revolution. He traveled to Europe as a diplomat, securing crucial aid from France and other countries, and his scientific discoveries further enhanced his reputation. John Adams: A passionate advocate for independence, John Adams was instrumental in driving the revolutionary movement forward. He served as a diplomat, including as a representative to France and as the second President of the United States, and his contributions to shaping the nation were significant. Abigail Adams: Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, was an influential figure in her own right. Her letters to her husband and other prominent figures provided valuable insights and perspectives on the revolution, and she became an early advocate for women's rights and equality.

In the 18th century, the thirteen American colonies were under British rule. Over time, tensions began to rise as the colonists developed a distinct identity and desired greater autonomy. Several key factors contributed to the buildup of resentment and ultimately led to the revolution. One crucial prerequisite was the concept of colonial self-government. The colonists enjoyed a degree of self-rule, which allowed them to develop their own institutions and local governments. However, as British policies, such as the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, imposed new taxes and regulations on the colonies, the sense of self-government and individual liberties were threatened. Another significant factor was the Enlightenment era, which spread ideas of natural rights, individual freedoms, and representative government. Influential thinkers like John Locke and Thomas Paine advocated for the rights of the people and challenged the legitimacy of monarchy. The causes of the American Revolution were diverse and multifaceted. The colonists' grievances included taxation without representation, restrictions on trade, and the presence of British troops in the colonies. The Boston Massacre in 1770 and the Boston Tea Party in 1773 further heightened tensions and solidified the resolve for independence. Ultimately, the outbreak of armed conflict in 1775 at Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, served as a powerful statement of the colonists' grievances and their determination to establish a free and sovereign nation. The historical context of the American Revolution reflects the culmination of colonial aspirations for self-government, Enlightenment ideas of individual rights, and a series of grievances against British rule.

Establishment of the United States as a sovereign nation; the creation of a new form of government based on democratic principles; adoption of the United States Constitution; redefinition of citizenship; abolition of feudalism; expansion of territorial boundaries, etc.

One of the major effects of the American Revolution was the establishment of a new form of government based on the principles of democracy and individual rights. The United States Constitution, born out of the revolution, served as a model for constitutional governments around the world. The idea of a government by the people and for the people spread, inspiring future revolutions and movements for independence. The revolution also challenged the existing colonial powers, particularly the British Empire, and set in motion a wave of decolonization throughout the world. The success of the American colonies in breaking free from British rule demonstrated that colonies could successfully achieve independence, fueling nationalist movements in other parts of the world and ultimately leading to the dissolution of empires. The American Revolution also had significant economic effects. It established the United States as a new economic power and opened up opportunities for trade and commerce. The revolution encouraged the development of industry and innovation, setting the stage for the industrial revolution that would follow. Furthermore, the American Revolution had a profound impact on the institution of slavery. While the revolution did not immediately abolish slavery, it planted the seeds of abolitionism and sparked debates on the issue of human rights and equality. Lastly, the American Revolution inspired and influenced subsequent revolutions and movements for independence, such as the French Revolution, which drew inspiration from the ideals of liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty championed by the American colonists.

Public opinion on the American Revolution varied greatly during the time period and continues to be interpreted differently today. In the 18th century, support for the revolution was not unanimous. Some colonists were loyal to the British Crown and opposed the revolutionary movement, while others actively supported the cause of independence. Public opinion shifted over time as events unfolded and more people became aware of the grievances and aspirations of the revolutionaries. Many colonists, especially those who felt oppressed by British policies, embraced the ideals of liberty, self-determination, and representation. They saw the revolution as a necessary step towards achieving these principles and securing their rights as free individuals. Others were motivated by economic factors, such as trade restrictions and taxation without representation, which fueled their support for independence. However, there were also segments of the population that remained loyal to Britain. Some believed in the benefits of British rule, such as protection and stability, while others feared the potential chaos and uncertainty that could result from a revolution. In modern times, public opinion on the American Revolution tends to be positive, with many viewing it as a pivotal moment in history that laid the foundation for democratic governance and individual freedoms. The ideals and principles that emerged from the revolution continue to shape American identity and influence public discourse on issues of liberty, equality, and self-governance.

1. The American Revolution lasted for eight years, from 1775 to 1783, making it one of the longest and most significant conflicts in American history. 2. The American Revolution had a profound impact on the world stage. It inspired other countries and movements seeking independence and democracy, such as the French Revolution that followed in 1789. 3. While often overlooked, women made significant contributions to the American Revolution. They served as spies, messengers, nurses, and even soldiers. Some notable examples include Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man to join the Continental Army, and Abigail Adams, who advocated for women's rights.

The topic of the American Revolution holds immense importance for academic exploration and essay writing due to its profound impact on the world and the enduring legacy it left behind. Firstly, the American Revolution marked a pivotal moment in history where thirteen colonies fought for their independence from British rule, leading to the formation of the United States of America. It represents a significant event in the development of democracy and self-governance, serving as an inspiration for subsequent revolutions worldwide. Studying the American Revolution allows us to understand the principles and ideals that shaped the nation's foundation, such as liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. It sheds light on the struggles and sacrifices made by individuals who fought for their rights and paved the way for the establishment of a democratic government. Furthermore, exploring this topic provides insights into the complexities of colonial society, the causes of the revolution, the role of key figures, and the social, economic, and political consequences of the conflict.

1. Bailyn, B. (1992). The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Belknap Press. 2. Ellis, J. J. (2013). American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic. Vintage. 3. Ferling, J. E. (2015). Whirlwind: The American Revolution and the War That Won It. Bloomsbury Publishing. 4. Fischer, D. H. (2006). Washington's Crossing. Oxford University Press. 5. Maier, P. (1997). American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. Vintage. 6. Middlekauff, R. (2005). The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. Oxford University Press. 7. Middlekauff, R. (2007). The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. Oxford University Press. 8. Nash, G. B. (2006). The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create America. Penguin Books. 9. Tuchman, B. W. (1989). The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution. Random House. 10. Wood, G. S. (1992). The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage.

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Revolutionary War

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 11, 2023 | Original: October 29, 2009

The Revolutionary War (1775-83), also known as the American Revolution, arose from growing tensions between residents of Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies and the colonial government, which represented the British crown.

Skirmishes between British troops and colonial militiamen in Lexington and Concord in April 1775 kicked off the armed conflict, and by the following summer, the rebels were waging a full-scale war for their independence.

France entered the American Revolution on the side of the colonists in 1778, turning what had essentially been a civil war into an international conflict. After French assistance helped the Continental Army force the British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the Americans had effectively won their independence, though fighting did not formally end until 1783.

Causes of the Revolutionary War

For more than a decade before the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, tensions had been building between colonists and the British authorities.

The French and Indian War , or Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), brought new territories under the power of the crown, but the expensive conflict lead to new and unpopular taxes. Attempts by the British government to raise revenue by taxing the colonies (notably the Stamp Act of 1765, the Townshend Acts of 1767 and the Tea Act of 1773) met with heated protest among many colonists, who resented their lack of representation in Parliament and demanded the same rights as other British subjects. 

Colonial resistance led to violence in 1770, when British soldiers opened fire on a mob of colonists, killing five men in what was known as the Boston Massacre . After December 1773, when a band of Bostonians altered their appearance to hide their identity boarded British ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party , an outraged Parliament passed a series of measures (known as the Intolerable, or Coercive Acts ) designed to reassert imperial authority in Massachusetts .

Did you know? Now most famous as a traitor to the American cause, General Benedict Arnold began the Revolutionary War as one of its earliest heroes, helping lead rebel forces in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775.

In response, a group of colonial delegates (including George Washington of Virginia , John and Samuel Adams of Massachusetts, Patrick Henry of Virginia and John Jay of New York ) met in Philadelphia in September 1774 to give voice to their grievances against the British crown. This First Continental Congress did not go so far as to demand independence from Britain, but it denounced taxation without representation, as well as the maintenance of the British army in the colonies without their consent. It issued a declaration of the rights due every citizen, including life, liberty, property, assembly and trial by jury. The Continental Congress voted to meet again in May 1775 to consider further action, but by that time violence had already broken out. 

On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord, Massachusetts in order to seize an arms cache. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and colonial militiamen began mobilizing to intercept the Redcoats. On April 19, local militiamen clashed with British soldiers in the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, marking the “shot heard round the world” that signified the start of the Revolutionary War. 

HISTORY Vault: The Revolution

From the roots of the rebellion to the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, explore this pivotal era in American history through sweeping cinematic recreations.

Declaring Independence (1775-76)

When the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, delegates—including new additions Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson —voted to form a Continental Army, with Washington as its commander in chief. On June 17, in the Revolution’s first major battle, colonial forces inflicted heavy casualties on the British regiment of General William Howe at Breed’s Hill in Boston. The engagement, known as the Battle of Bunker Hill , ended in British victory, but lent encouragement to the revolutionary cause. 

Throughout that fall and winter, Washington’s forces struggled to keep the British contained in Boston, but artillery captured at Fort Ticonderoga in New York helped shift the balance of that struggle in late winter. The British evacuated the city in March 1776, with Howe and his men retreating to Canada to prepare a major invasion of New York.

By June 1776, with the Revolutionary War in full swing, a growing majority of the colonists had come to favor independence from Britain. On July 4 , the Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence , drafted by a five-man committee including Franklin and John Adams but written mainly by Jefferson. That same month, determined to crush the rebellion, the British government sent a large fleet, along with more than 34,000 troops to New York. In August, Howe’s Redcoats routed the Continental Army on Long Island; Washington was forced to evacuate his troops from New York City by September. Pushed across the Delaware River , Washington fought back with a surprise attack in Trenton, New Jersey , on Christmas night and won another victory at Princeton to revive the rebels’ flagging hopes before making winter quarters at Morristown.

Saratoga: Revolutionary War Turning Point (1777-78)

British strategy in 1777 involved two main prongs of attack aimed at separating New England (where the rebellion enjoyed the most popular support) from the other colonies. To that end, General John Burgoyne’s army marched south from Canada toward a planned meeting with Howe’s forces on the Hudson River . Burgoyne’s men dealt a devastating loss to the Americans in July by retaking Fort Ticonderoga, while Howe decided to move his troops southward from New York to confront Washington’s army near the Chesapeake Bay. The British defeated the Americans at Brandywine Creek, Pennsylvania , on September 11 and entered Philadelphia on September 25. Washington rebounded to strike Germantown in early October before withdrawing to winter quarters near Valley Forge .

Howe’s move had left Burgoyne’s army exposed near Saratoga, New York, and the British suffered the consequences of this on September 19, when an American force under General Horatio Gates defeated them at Freeman’s Farm in the first Battle of Saratoga . After suffering another defeat on October 7 at Bemis Heights (the Second Battle of Saratoga), Burgoyne surrendered his remaining forces on October 17. The American victory Saratoga would prove to be a turning point of the American Revolution, as it prompted France (which had been secretly aiding the rebels since 1776) to enter the war openly on the American side, though it would not formally declare war on Great Britain until June 1778. The American Revolution, which had begun as a civil conflict between Britain and its colonies, had become a world war.

Stalemate in the North, Battle in the South (1778-81)

During the long, hard winter at Valley Forge, Washington’s troops benefited from the training and discipline of the Prussian military officer Baron Friedrich von Steuben (sent by the French) and the leadership of the French aristocrat Marquis de Lafayette . On June 28, 1778, as British forces under Sir Henry Clinton (who had replaced Howe as supreme commander) attempted to withdraw from Philadelphia to New York, Washington’s army attacked them near Monmouth, New Jersey. The battle effectively ended in a draw, as the Americans held their ground, but Clinton was able to get his army and supplies safely to New York. On July 8, a French fleet commanded by the Comte d’Estaing arrived off the Atlantic coast, ready to do battle with the British. A joint attack on the British at Newport, Rhode Island , in late July failed, and for the most part the war settled into a stalemate phase in the North.

The Americans suffered a number of setbacks from 1779 to 1781, including the defection of General Benedict Arnold to the British and the first serious mutinies within the Continental Army. In the South, the British occupied Georgia by early 1779 and captured Charleston, South Carolina in May 1780. British forces under Lord Charles Cornwallis then began an offensive in the region, crushing Gates’ American troops at Camden in mid-August, though the Americans scored a victory over Loyalist forces at King’s Mountain in early October. Nathanael Green replaced Gates as the American commander in the South that December. Under Green’s command, General Daniel Morgan scored a victory against a British force led by Colonel Banastre Tarleton at Cowpens, South Carolina, on January 17, 1781.

Revolutionary War Draws to a Close (1781-83)

By the fall of 1781, Greene’s American forces had managed to force Cornwallis and his men to withdraw to Virginia’s Yorktown peninsula, near where the York River empties into Chesapeake Bay. Supported by a French army commanded by General Jean Baptiste de Rochambeau, Washington moved against Yorktown with a total of around 14,000 soldiers, while a fleet of 36 French warships offshore prevented British reinforcement or evacuation. Trapped and overpowered, Cornwallis was forced to surrender his entire army on October 19. Claiming illness, the British general sent his deputy, Charles O’Hara, to surrender; after O’Hara approached Rochambeau to surrender his sword (the Frenchman deferred to Washington), Washington gave the nod to his own deputy, Benjamin Lincoln, who accepted it.

Though the movement for American independence effectively triumphed at the Battle of Yorktown , contemporary observers did not see that as the decisive victory yet. British forces remained stationed around Charleston, and the powerful main army still resided in New York. Though neither side would take decisive action over the better part of the next two years, the British removal of their troops from Charleston and Savannah in late 1782 finally pointed to the end of the conflict. British and American negotiators in Paris signed preliminary peace terms in Paris late that November, and on September 3, 1783, Great Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States in the Treaty of Paris . At the same time, Britain signed separate peace treaties with France and Spain (which had entered the conflict in 1779), bringing the American Revolution to a close after eight long years.

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Essays on the American Revolution

Edited by stephen g. kurtz , james h. hutson.

336 pp., 6.125 x 9.25

• Paperback ISBN: 978-0-8078-6835-5 Published: November 2011
• E-book EPUB ISBN: 978-0-8078-3994-2 Published: June 2013
• E-book PDF ISBN: 979-8-8908-7266-1 Published: June 2013

Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press

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In this Book

• Stephen G. Kurtz
• Published by: The University of North Carolina Press
• Series: Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia

Table of Contents

• Title page, Copyright
• pp. vii-viii
• Introduction
• 1. The Central Themes of the American Revolution: An Interpretation
• BERNARD BAILYN
• 2. An Uneasy Connection: An Analysis of the Preconditions of the American Revolution
• JACK P. GREENE
• 3. Violence and the American Revolution
• RICHARD MAXWELL BROWN
• 4. The American Revolution: The Military Conflict Considered as a Revolutionary War
• pp. 121-156
• 5. The Structure of Politics in the Continental Congress
• H. JAMES HENDERSON
• pp. 157-196
• 6. The Role of Religion in the Revolution: Liberty of Conscience and Cultural Cohesion in the New Nation
• WILLIAM G. McLOUGHLIN
• pp. 197-255
• 7. Feudalism, Communalism, and the Yeoman Freeholder: The American Revolution Considered as a Social Accident
• ROWLAND BERTHOFF AND JOHN M. MURRIN
• pp. 256-288
• 8. Conflict and Consensus in the American Revolution
• EDMUND S. MORGAN
• pp. 289-310
• pp. 311-318
• Notes on the Contributors
• pp. 319-320

Additional Information

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The history of the American Revolution, colonial American and British influence is often debated and interpreted by many historians in they own points of view, these historians like Walter Nugent, Gordon S.Wood and Niall Ferguson hold American and British History in very high regard within their history book varying from one side to another. Niall’s book the ‘Empire’ wrote not from a typical American perspective but that of the British and it considers half a millennium of some of the most momentous events throughout American and world history. Wood’s book ‘The American Revolution’ lays out all of the events and explains the ideology brought about the desire for independence and his document splits in two chapters in details talks about crisis that happened after the revolution. Walter Nugent’s ‘Habits of an Empire’ describes how in his view described how the newly formed America, had acquire large amount of territory, Example In Paris in 1783, with the signing of the Declaration of independence expanded America’s border to the Mississippi. In Wood’s ‘The American Revolution’ the assigned text was the two of the seven subsections that detail the events that caused the formation of the American Resistance. Wood tries to illustrate the difficulty of the dealings that came with economic and social situations created by the distant king who sat on a throne all the way in england. One of the things that he points out perhaps most important issue, Great Britain’s money had just spent a rather substantial amount of money invested in the Seven Years War against the French, an armed conflict involving all major European superpowers. The war ended in 1763, England was left a mountainous debt of ??137 million to which nowadays is more preferable then its today’s debt, a figure equivalent to 17 times that of the yearly peacetime budget. After the war the populations throughout the colonies were booming, Benjamin Franklin predicted ”the center of the British Empire would shift to America’ and grew to the point that people began settling in previously unexplored lands such as the areas near and beyond the Appalachians. Increased taxation occurred after the latter part of the French Indian War, The King and Parliament decided the colonies should pay for part of with a series of tax acts to increase revenue such as sugar act of 1764, Townshend acts of 1767 and stamp act of 1765. Needless to say the new acts were not received as warmly the parliament intended, although neither of those bills lasted longer than two years, they had in effect unintentionally sparked a future wild fire. Gordon’s paper looks through the American perspective but rather ignorant ramblings about they were fighting tyranny of the evil British not with unclear eyes rather he explains it through data such logistics, population shift of the colonies and the state of the British economy after fighting a war. Overall I felt that his paper although lacking more information of the British perspective, was mostly informative given information of why the British did the things they did. If he and Niall performed a collaboration work it might create unbiased and neutral tone book focusing on historical points information rather than causes like who shot who first for and they terrorized them. Niall Ferguson’s ‘Empire’ writes the through the perspective of the English empire. Ferguson’s document starts off and only reviews of chapter two dubbed White plague. The British Empire’s origins, he described the British as the ‘white plague’ of colonization. This massive migration of British and Europeans chiefly seeking economic freedom rather than the religious freedom is what made and allowed the British Empire to continue existing. The chapter called plantation, does not speak about the crops, nor is he referring to slaves or workers that work them but rather focused on the potential agriculture in the American colonies, those who owned it and how much of it and the troubles of colonist given by the Native American population who were referred to as ‘weeds’.pg48 ‘Empire’. In the Chapter White and Black, He does not start right off the bat with perspective of indentured servants nor slavery of the African people but rather talks about the rapid emigration of British, Europeans and indentured servants from their native homelands to the colonies. Only on page 62 that he begins to bring up the mass exportation of African slaves to the Caribbean’s isles due to the high mortality rates of working the sugar and tobacco plantations, in later pages he talks about the horrendous treatment and conditions on the slave ships like the Argyle; where slaves packed together in small spaces, were in state of poor hygiene and inadequately fed. He talks briefly towards the end of this section about the rogue slaves or rather the ‘Maroon’s’ guerilla warfare against the British in the Caribbean Sea. In the civil war section, He tells us about ‘shot heard round the world’ between the colonial militia of concord against the Lexington redcoats, which to this day continues dumbfound all expert historians as informational black hole. He then continues on about how the war was started by further acts of aggression like Townshend acts, Boston tea party, and need of money after seven years war but does not mention things Boston massacre. He also drones on about a history of the American Revolution without any information about the actual battles and skips to the formation of congress and the creation of the declaration of independence. Toward the end he points out the hypocrisy of the declaration of independence in regard to owning slaves. While Niall writes through the perspective of British Empire and uses factual information to a lesser degree than Wood, I cannot help but feel a degree of animosity in his writings. Though Informational from the British point of view like Gordon, Niall does not include a American perspective. In the Trans-Appalachia chapter of Walter Nugent’s ‘Habit of an Empire’, he discusses what the newly formed American’s did after attaining its independence. He notes the hypocrisy in America behavior, a land devoted to the ideal of liberty and democracy even before independence, have an imperial like behavior in acquiring land. He explains how these new addition lands inspired the people of the newly formed America, with this ‘we can conquer everything’ attitude. The Empire by which today’s grew from thirteen Atlantic coast colonies, the settling of unexplored Western territories like Trans-Appalachia, meant opportunities for many people. Like The Quebec Act of 1774 enacted by British as part of the intolerable acts, their territory expanded to take part of the Indian Reserve that was agreed upon by both Indians and colonist, including much of what are now southern Ontario, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and etc. Kings, colonists, soldiers, hell even peasants knew that beyond Rrans-Appalachia were more vast lands, plains, and potential farmland but they also know there’ll be more Native American tribes than one can care for nor deal with. Nugent goes more in-depth in land acquisition of post-colonial and post-revolutionary, but later goes onto historical points like the peace negations that transgressed during the war or points like the end of Seven year’s war. Out of all documents so far this paper takes the neutral stance in the telling of American history. Overall the document is clear, precise, give clear information like information about relative historical points and statistics about acres of land acquired both pre & post-revolutionary war. In conclusion these three authors/historians both interpret and write American’s history similarly but differ from each sometimes not including the other’s side’s story. Gordon Wood writer of the ‘The American Revolution’ he outlined the events that had brought about America’s independence and helped the reader to grasp the difficulty that into creating it by describing the key events and making use of statistical information. Gordon uses information correctly but only goes briefly in the historical affairs of British Empire. Niall Ferguson’s ‘The Empire’, chapter dubbed the ‘White Plague’ explores the extent of the British influence on the world but mostly the North America, while the colonies were used as a means to gain land to settle and used it as a mean to produce sugar, tobacco plantations and used slaves as a cheap source of labor. He then goes on to talk about the American Revolution later but only for a few pages, he however does not take into the account the perspectives of the colonists. Walter Nugent’s ‘Habits of the Empire’ first chapter ‘Trans-Appalachia’ explains in detail how the colonists acquire land before, during and after the Revolution. He goes into little detail of land acquisition like Louisiana Purchase, Quebec Act and Proclamation Line of 1763. Walter Nugent takes a neutral side of the writings covering both side, American and British. I say that overall that these papers have been very informative in giving a perspective of the hardships that both the Americans had endured as well describing the upsides that the British had reaped from exploiting the colonies. My pride in America’s founding ideals have not diminished in the slightest after reading this papers but these documents have told me that I cannot trust not learn history just by hearing rumors nor trust the documents of just one man.

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Was the American Revolution Really Revolutionary? Argumentative Essay

Introduction, works cited.

The role of the American Revolution in history seems to be great indeed: in spite of the fact that some historians define it as a successful American attempt to reject the ideas set by the British government, this event has much more significant aspects and impacts on human lives.

By its nature, a revolution is an effort to change something in order to improve the conditions under which people have to live; it is a change from one constitution to another; it is a beginning of the way that should considerably improve everything. In fact, such definitions are close to those offered by Gordon Wood and Howard Zinn.

These writers made effective attempts to define the nature of the American Revolution as well as to help the reader build a personal opinion.

The nature of the American Revolution is considered to be better understandable relying on the ideas offered by Wood because one of the main purposes which should be achieved are connected with an idea of radical ideological change so strongly supported by Wood:

The Americans did not want to follow the rules dictated by the British people but to create their own constitution and live in accordance with their own demands; and Zinn’s approach based on the material needs is poorer as the results of the American Revolution did not prevent the development of poverty but spread it on the American citizens only regarding British interruptions.

To understand whether the American Revolution was really revolutionary, it is necessary to comprehend the essence of each word in this phrase. The idea of revolution is certainly based on some changes to be achieved. The main goal of the Americans was to gain independence from the British Empire and to become a powerful country in the world.

The results of this revolution were all about American independence and the improvements of living conditions for American people, in other words, it was obligatory to decrease the poverty rates. However, the methods and purposes set during the revolution deserve more attention to be paid. There was a necessity to compare the American and British styles of life (Wood).

Americans were eager to defend their rights as well as to prove their liberty out of the British Empire. What they achieved was the possibilities to develop manufacturing, to establish their own government, to expand any kind of religion, and to vote relying on their own interests.

Wood and Zinn evaluate these achievements from different perspectives: Wood’s ideas seem to be more radical, and Zinn’s ideas are regarded as conservative ones to protect wealth of the country.

As it has been mentioned above, Wood’s approach is based on the radical ideas according to which a revolution presupposes an idea of an ideological shift under which human rights may be recovered and salvation of liberty will be achieved.

He tries to explain that changes which have been achieved influenced considerably the relations between Americans as well as between family members and even between the governmental representatives (Wood).

Zinn, in his turn, focuses on the material backgrounds which are inherent to people: as there is a considerable extent of rich and poor people, supporters of the revolution should get the right to have the same opportunities and develop their knowledge.

The main achievements of Americans were based on the creation of the Constitution under the conditions of which people should be divided again into the representative of the elite and those members of the middle class. The point is that Zinn is more attentive to the examples from the history to support his position. However, the simple facts used are not as possible as the sophisticated arguments offered by Wood.

The language of the American Revolution is based on rebellions, burdens, and attacks which made people be united for some period of time only in order to win the enemy (Zinn). This is why it was more important to concentrate on the moral or even ideological dimension that should lead to the required political separation (Wood).

So, the evaluation of the American Revolution and the attention to the approaches offered by Wood and Zinn help to comprehend a true essence of the event under analysis. Wood’s approach concerning the ideological shift of the conditions defines a revolutionary nature of the events which took place at the end of the 18 th century. Americans were in need of being separated from the tyranny of the British Empire.

Their main purpose was all about separation and independence, and the elimination of poverty among people should be considered as an additional outcome. Wood’s definition of the revolution seems to be correct; however, at the same time, it is wrong to say that Zinn’s attempt was not correct, it is better to admit that his idea was not as powerful and persuasive as the one of Wood is.

In general, the success of Wood’s argumentation of the American Revolution and its nature helps to understand that this event played a very important role in the American history. People should realize that during that period of time, Americans made one of the most powerful and influential attempts to prove their dignity, their rights, and possibilities.

It was possible to achieve the desirable success only by means of the ideological shift described by Wood, and Zinn’s ideas are focused on the consequences which may be observed after the revolution was over.

Still, the American Revolution changed American society considerably and make Americans more confident in personal powers and abilities to change ideologies and follow their own interests to become one of the largest and the richest countries in the whole world.

Wood, Gordon. The American Revolution: A History. New York: Modern Library, Random House Publishing Group, 2002. Print.

Zinn, Howard. “ Tyranny is Tyranny .” In A People’s History of the United States. History Is a Weapon . n.d. Web.

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IvyPanda . "Was the American Revolution Really Revolutionary?" February 5, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/was-the-american-revolution-really-revolutionary/.

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Pleasantview DAR announces essay winners

River City Middle School's Faith Harmon is the eighth grade winner of the Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's American History Essay Contest. From left: Andy Preiss, Mark Harmon, Faith Harmon, Staci Harmon, Nancy Hicks and Janey Ortega. Courtesy photo

Hailey Jenny-Jeanne Farr of River City Middle School is the seventh grade winner of the Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's American History Essay Contest. From left: Andy Preiss, Trina Caudle, Hailey Jenny-Jeanne Farr and Deb Tierney.

Milli’on Horfelt of Post Falls Middle School is the sixth grade winner of the Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's American History Essay Contest. From left: Sally Holtz, Milli’on Horfelt, Vicki Horfelt and Mark Mason.

The Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has announced the winners of the American History essay contest for 2024.

The Pleasantview American History essay contest was open to students in sixth through eighth grades in all accredited schools in the Post Falls area.

The topic of the American History contest this year was:

"On May 14, 1897, John Phillip Sousa played his new march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” This song would become the national march of the United States on Dec. 11, 1987. Imagine it is 1897 and you are a newspaper reporter for “The Philadelphia Times.” Your newspaper editor has asked you to write an article about the song being performed that day. Your article needs to tell us about Sousa’s life and the story behind the song. It is the first performance of the song, so make sure your article includes your thoughts about the music and how the audience reacts to what is seen and heard that day."

The entries were judged by grade level. The winners of the contest are:

• Sixth grade — Milli’on Horfelt, Post Falls Middle School

• Seventh grade — Hailey Jenny-Jeanne Farr, River City Middle School

• Eighth grade — Faith Harmon, River City Middle School

Winners earned certificates, bronze medals and monetary awards. Pleasantview Chapter winners will be submitted to the Idaho State Society for consideration in the state and national contests.

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