The Revolutionary Era

Not soon after the arrival to the New World, Britain, one of the largest economies at the time was suffering from depression. In response to the economic slump, they turned to the Colonies to pay taxes on all goods that were being imported. King George III passed the sugar act in attempt to raise money. Colonists very angered by this created a small army of their own called the minutemen. They were to be ready at the drop of a hat. First came boycotts, but from the frustration, the American Revolution started, which quickly turned into the War for Independence. Now the war for independence was much more them a fight of anger, it was a fight for freedom from the British. People such as Thomas Paine wrote pamphlets to gather the attention of all the colonists to fight against this so called government. American aristocrats  such as Thomas Jefferson gathered at the Continental Congress to write the Declaration of Independence in hope of cutting ties with Great Britain. Even though women’s opinions were not very accepted in government one man John Adams would receive letters from his wife Abigail with her opinions on the new government being created, and to the best of his abilities he would try to change them. Abigail Adams was truly one of the first women’s rights activists in The United States of America.

            Now going into detail about the War for Independence that lasted over a year. The American Patriots were extremely angered with the other colonists that called themselves Loyalists who preferred to remain loyal to King George. The war starts at The Battle of Bunker Hill, which then turned to Saratoga. The French officer Marquis de Lafayette convinced 6,000 men of the French Army to fight alongside the patriots in the war for their independence. But the French were not the only ones to help get the American Army in order.  Baron von Steuben a Prussian officer helped drill the Patriots into a well organized military. The war had affected every aspect of life in the colonies. The civilians were probably most affected. With the war going on, the inflation in the economy made it extremely for the colonists to purchase everyday staples. The Native American tribes were even dragged into this war and sided with the Patriots; which helped lead the Americans into victory.

            While the War still brewing, the colonies created a confederation that was put together to create the 1^st United States Government. The Continental Congress created the Articles of Confederation, which put in order how the government would be ran. There was a legislative branch, in charge of making laws, a executive branch that put the laws into action, and a judicial branch that consisted of judges deciding if the laws had been broken. Even though the confederation had many weaknesses, they were determined to create a constitution that would make better for the people. The representatives of each colony served in a unicameral or bicameral legislature. They were created of either one house of representatives or two houses.  Nationalists such as Ben Franklin and James Madison were extremely fearful that the government was way too weak that there was no counterbalance in what they saw as the unpredictable behavior of the states. Upon meeting up, the nationalists decide that it is time to discuss the economic issues caused by the Articles of Confederation. In between this meeting, the struggle of the taxes and debts were really taking their tolls on the colonists causing the start of Shay’s Rebellion. Once this was over, it convinced many people to take action. This was to” decide forever the fate of republican government”