Leading Causes of the American Revolution essays

Leading Causes of the American Revolution essays The American Revolution was by far the most important war in the history of the United States. The war gave the original 13 colonies their freedom from Great Britain and started a new country, the United States of America. Three leading causes of the American Revolution are new Enlightenment ideas, many acts imposed on the colonists, and the formation of the First Continental Congress and the Declaration of Independence. During the 1700's, a new way of thinking came about and it is known as the Enlightenment Period. Enlightenment can be defined as "a philosophical movement in 18th century that fostered the belief that one could reform society by discovering rational laws that govern social behavior and were just as scientific as the laws of physics." A British man by the name of John Locke in 1690 argued that governments were created to protect life, liberty, and property and that people had a right to rebel when a monarch violated those natural rights. This did not correspond with the traditional absolute monarch named by divine authority. In 1762 another writer named Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote that legitimate monarchs depended on the consent of the people and that had to be respected. More of these enlightenment ideas spread through pamphlets, newspapers, books, and many public venues. The colonists living in the 13 colonies had to deal with British Parliament controlling their settlement without representation and many acts were passed along with the Writs of Assistance. The Writs of Assistance angered many colonists because it allowed for British soldiers to search any house at any time without evidence for smuggled items. James Otis, the Kings advocate general, resigned instead of implementing the new policy, and later argued against it in court. He claimed that it threatened the privacy rights of citizens and allowed unreasonable search. Despite losing the case, authorities withdrew the policy. Otis later coined...