P:B4
9/30/15
Causesoftherevolution
BetweenthesettlementatJamestownin1607andtheTreatyofParisin1763,themost
importantchangethatoccurredinthecolonieswastheextensionofBritishidealsfarbeyondthe
practiceinEnglanditself.Changesinreligion,economics,politics,andsocialstructuresillustrate
thisAmericanizationofthetransplantedBritishcolonists.By1763,althoughsomecoloniesstill
maintainedestablishedchurches,somecolonieshadaccomplishedreligioustolerationanda
separationofchurchandstate.Inasimilareconomicrevolution,thecoloniesoutgrewtheir
mercantilerelationshipwithBritain,anddevelopedanexpandingcapitalistsystemontheir
own.IncontrasttothewelldefinedandhereditaryclassesofEngland,thecoloniesdevelopeda
morefluidclassstructure,whichenabledindustriousindividualstoriseonthesocialladder.
BuildingontheEnglishfoundationsofpoliticalliberty,thecolonistsextendedtheconceptsof
libertyandselfgovernmentfarbeyondthoseenvisionedinEngland.
Changesinreligion,economics,politics,andsocialstructuresillustratethis
AmericanizationofthetransplantedBritishcolonists.Americanizationisbecomingapersonwho
sharesAmericanvalues,beliefsandcustomsandisassimilatedintoAmericansociety.Theybuilt
anewsocietytheytobreaktheholdEnglandhadonthem.Thesettlershadtoendamonarchy
andstarttheirownformofgovernment.Manycolonieshadaccomplishedavirtualrevolutionfor
religioustolerationandseparationofchurchandstate.Thecolonieshadastreamlineclass
structure,whichgaveindividualsthechancetorise.
Inasimilareconomicrevolution,thecoloniesoutgrewtheirmercantilerelationshipwith
Britain,anddevelopedanexpandingcapitalistsystemontheirown.Theybelievedthatnomatter
whoyouwere,ifyouhadagoodbusinessyoucouldmakemoneywithouthavingtotakeitfrom
someoneelse.Thisiscalledcapitalism.Itdidnotworkbecausethecoloniesfiguredoutwaysto
maketheirownmaterialsinsteadofusingEnglishones.
BetweenthesettlementatJamestownin1607andtheTreatyofParisin1763,themost
importantchangethatoccurredinthecolonieswastheextensionofBritishidealsfarbeyondthe
practiceinEnglanditselfduetothenewlandamultipleculturestryingtoclaimthatland.
By1763,althoughsomecoloniesstillmaintainedestablishedchurches,somecolonies
hadaccomplishedreligioustolerationandaseparationofchurchandstate.Toventurefurther
intothewestandclaim/gainmoreland,andcreateownreligiousbeliefsandchurches.
IncontrasttothewelldefinedandhereditaryclassesofEngland,thecoloniesdeveloped
amorefluidclassstructure,whichenabledindustriousindividualstoriseonthesocialladder.
ThosewhowereabletoinvestintotheindustryoftheAmericanColoniesbecamewealthy.In
Englandsocialclasseswerepredeterminedbasedonhereditarybirthclasses.Thosewhowere
bornrichtendedtostayrichwhenlaterinlife.Thisappealaddedtothewanttoimmigrateto
America.ThosewhowereindenturedservantsinBritain,camewantedtomovetoamerica
becausetheyknewtheycouldhaveagoodfuturepossiblyexpandingtheireconomicstanding.
Thisseparationhelpedthechangefrombritishcontroltotheindependencemovement.