Colonists Sense Of A Collective British Identity During The Years Before 1764

Colonial America experienced significant changes during the late seventeenth and early eighteen centuries. The most important changes included the development of cities to became the main ports, and Southern part of America was transformed to be a major contributor to colonial America’s economy. These changes resulted in the rise in population with thousands of immigrants coming in large numbers due to the growth and improvement of the agricultural estate. Following this period of economic boom, colonial America experienced two major revivals that had long-term effects on the nation with regards to religion, government, and human nature.

The idea of independence and freedom from Britain was a large concept during the time of the Revolution. The taxes that the British were imposing on colonists often led to uprising that amalgamated the colonists together. The idea of the Homespun virtue was a symbolism for American economic independence from the British imported good it also reflected the self- sacrifice colonist made from the luxury good of Britain. This idea united the Northern and Southern colonists to fight British imported goods. The schism during the time of the Revolution came from the wealthy plantation owners fearing that the their land will be taken away and divided amongst the poor after the revolution.

What events taking place between 1763 and 1776 strengthened and deepened colonists' sense of common cause? How did they draw together to resist imperial authority? Between 1763 and 1776, many events strengthened the colonists’ common cause for protesting Britain and eventually declaring their independence. This includes the many Acts passed by Britain, the formation of different rebellious groups such as the Sons of Liberty and Stamp Act Congress, and the rise of the first political gatherings in which all the 13 colonies participated in without Britain.

The colonists still had a sense of solidarity with the British people when they sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George. However, colonial identity experienced a significant evolution away from British mentality, beginning with colonial resentment towards the Proclamation of 1763, progressing through the reaction to the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and manifesting through the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Therefore, colonists became an American people, developing a new colonial identity. When the Second Continental Congress attempted to make amends with King George III with the Olive Branch Petition, the colonies and Britain were practically already at war.

Impowering the Nation The Great Awakening and the Enlightenment (Deism) were both important in shaping the religious, political, and social lives of Americans. However, the revivals of the Great Awakening were able to reach more of the population and therefore gave voices to those previously uncounted. The Great Awakening was a time of excitement that included all facets of society within the colonies. The message crossed barriers and spoke directly to the individuals, it awakened emotions and gave life to those that participated.

1. What effect did the Great Awakening have on the colonies? First, the Great Awakening affected the colonies by changing many people's attitudes towards religion. Before this revival, religious piety and fervor had been waning in the colonies. ...

The relationship between Britain and its American colonies was civil at first but began to strain in the mid-1700’s. In the beginning, Britain ruled colonies with little involvement because they were busy dealing with the French and Indian War among other things. As a result of this, the colonies were typically left in charge of themselves with little interference from British authorities. After years of being left alone, the colonists had developed a feeling of freedom and independence. When the war ended there was a significant change in the relations between England and the colonies.

Before the American Revolution, the colonists still considered themselves to be English and followed British rule. However, the American revolution allowed them to separate themselves from British rule and form their own separate power. This separate power unified the colonists who now shared the same political, religious, cultural, racial, historical, linguistic, and ideological views which were different from their views under British rule. They were beginning to pave the way to becoming "Americans" rather than English.

The five imperial wars greatly impacted everyone who participated. Moreover, the French and Indian War caused the thirteen colonies to become closer politically and culturally. In fact, it brought English colonists together as Americans for the first time and allowed them to realize the true intentions of the British Empire. English American settlement was a melting pot of “self-reliant individual landholders, fiercely independent in pursuit of their own interest” (American Yawp, chp.4). They had previously developed their own political institutions, each colony creating their own assembly in which carried out the same duties that Britain exercised such as taxation, managing revenue, and granting salaries to royal officials.

The enlightenment was an important aspect in achieving every angle of the colonial America, such as the politics, religion and the social economic of the USA .During and after the Revolution most of these core aspects of enlightenment were the basic foundation in achieving independence and the American constitution altogether. Fundamental aspects like natural rights, freedom of expression and the public view of the governmental organs came as a result of enlightenment. Locke, a renowned philosopher and other philosophers established the foundation for the colonial and the modern America. (Israel, 2011).

There are many factors that lead to a dual identity between the North American colonist and the British. One of the first factors during the 18th century was the colonial economy was growing rapidly. This was largely due to the immense immigration. The Dutch, German and Irish began to weave among the population. During this time, the colonial population was growing just as fast as the economy.

Possibly the group of people most significantly impacted by the American Revolution was to the slave population of North America. Before the American Revolution, not much thought was given to the contradiction of fighting Britain for freedom and owning a man as property. After the American Revolution, the northern colonies started to see the irony in the two policies and made it legal to manumit their slaves(Shultz, 2010). These freed slaves congregated in the Chesapeake region to form colonies as free people. This made it easier for slaves from the south to escape and blend into the Chesapeake colonies of

Enlightenment had a big influence on America. The American Enlightenment started in the eighteenth century. It influenced the ideas that have shaped the Constitution of the United States (Dixon 257). The idea of liberty caused the Americans to rebel against the British. Every human being has a right to liberty so they should be able to decide whether they should

The people of America (colonists) were tired of being controlled by England. They wanted to be free and independent. They believed that they were able to control themselves and be their own country. They wanted England to let go of their control and to view them as independent and their own country.

The Enlightenment gave people power to make the changes they wanted for independence and politics using intellect and reason, their natural right. The norm of a society that is modelled today became reason over