Radical Ideas Of The American Revolution - 946 Words

Leading up to the American Revolution, were a chain of events that created a spark in the colonists to obtain independence from Great Britain. The American Revolution could not be tied to one single event but instead by the feelings and determination brought on by this chain of disgraceful actions. Gordon S. Wood explains what he believes caused the rebellion of the American colonists from Great Britain and how those causes help explain the outcomes of the revolution in his essay, â€Å"Radical Possibilities of the American Revolution.† Wood argues that the colonists were motivated to rebel against the British monarchy due to their need to preserve their liberties and through this revolution a radical change in government and American life occurred. In the late 1760s and early 1770s the American colonists were living a fulfilling and satisfactory life through the means of labor. Labor, which was considered a â€Å"painful necessity† of life to those in poverty (such as servants or slaves) throughout the other parts of western society, brought about a â€Å"hard-earned prosperity† to the American colonists (Wood, 116). This showed a surplus of middle-class families who were able to live a comfortable life through hard work. Wood argues that due to these beliefs, Americans felt anxious at the prospect of being oppressed by the British and suffering a loss of their liberties. The colonists worked very hard for their prosperity so it was natural â€Å"that throughout America, we find theseShow MoreRelatedEssay on A Radical Revolution1343 Words   |  6 Pageswrites Rosemarie Zagarri, â€Å"is the story of how American women and men sought to define – and ultimately to limit and restrict – the expansive ideals they had so successfully deployed against Britain.† In this excerpt from Revolutionary Backlash, Zagarri depicts the extreme radicalism of the American Revolution, while also suggesting that there were some con straints to its extremism. Unlike the normal way of life in European government and society, Americans desired a nation in which the inherent rightsRead MoreRadicalism and Revolutions Essay1112 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout history, revolutions have started because of new ideas that change thinking and disrupt what has come to be considered normal. During 1700s, the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions were no exception. 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The revolutions of eachRead MoreCauses of The American Revolution Essay983 Words   |  4 Pages The period before the American Revolution was characterized by a series of social as well as political shifts that occurred in American society as new republican principles took hold in the gentry of the colonies. That time era distinguished the sharp political debates between radicals and moderates over the role that democracy should play in a government. This broad new American shift to republicanism and a newfound support of democracy was a catastrophe to the traditional social hierarchy, whichRead MoreRadicalism of the American Revolution990 Words   |  4 Pagesbook Radicalism of the American Revolution, written by Gordon S. Wood, the author states, The Revolution was the most radical and far reaching event in American history.† What about the American Revolution made it so â€Å"radical?† Wood believes it to be so radical because it not only brought change politically from British monarch to American rule which is what we are used to, but it also brought about changes in the basic structure of American society. Within the revolution there was more than justRead MoreThe Beginning of Radicalism in Politics1684 Words   |  7 Pages1797 when he declared a radical reform of the electoral system. This led people to use the term to show support for the movement of parliamentary reform. Radicalism was initially confined to the middle and upper classes in the 18th century but the lower classes advanced radicalism in the early 1800’s. Radicalism began for many reasons. The Scottish people began to see radical change through the Scottish enlightenment, the American Revolution and the French Revolution. Ideas of a Scottish enlightenmentRead MoreThe American Revolution Was Not A Revolution Since Little New Country1428 Words   |  6 PagesMany historians argue that the American Revolution was not a revolution since little change happened within its social aspect, and therefore, not radical enough to be considered a revolution; others say that the American Revolution was a unique transformation in which the country’s economy and political changes contributed greatly to the birth of a new country. To completely agree or deny either of these points would be ignoring the plausible and different perspectives, along with the supportingRead MoreThe American Revolution1259 Words   |  6 Pages The American Revolution, one of the chief events in U.S. history, was an event that had its origins planted long before the fighting began. With the time period of the Enlightenment overlapping that of the revolution, ideals of society and humanity flooded colonial society. Although some m ay argue that the acts of the British were for the colonists’ well-being, I will explain why they were in fact hindrances. Colonists decided to overhaul the system of monarchy because they felt that it did notRead MoreA Radical Outcome of the American Revolution1286 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Revolution was fought primarily by the common soldier. These common solders were either from the lower or middle class. There are a few reasons as to why such a man would want to join the continental army. One could say he only had his own interests in mind and did it for what monetary gain he could achieve. However what if that was not the main reason many of these soldiers joined the continentals? Instead the major reason they joined and stayed with the continentals was because theyRead MoreWas the American Revolution Conservative?1246 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Was the American Revolution Conservative? (Order A2098864) During the 1950s the mainstream historical thinking concentrated on the idea that the American Revolution was a conservative movement which did not cause great political or social upheavals. Many looked at the later French Revolution as an example of a more radicalized and revolutionary movement and determined that the American Revolution was tame by comparison. And while it is true that many of the legal and political arguments made