The loss of the American colonies was sealed with the end of the American War of Independence. When the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, England acknowledged the existence of the United States of America and their separation from Britain. The colonies were lost. Not only the then recently acquired new territories in the south but also the rich eastern colonies, the cradle of English colonization in North America.
Only twenty years earlier, the situation in the American colonies was in no way rebellious or revolutionary. On the contrary, the white population of the American colonies was the most lightly taxed and least oppressed people in the eighteenth-century Western world. Great Britain and its Empire were known throughout the world for being an example of stability, prosperity and liberty . So why did the situation change so severely and how did revolution emerge in North America? In other words: how did England lose its colonies? Many explanations can be found in literature dealing with the British Empire or the American War of Independence, but this essay, rather than looking for psychological or sociological explanations, will focus on the major political events which lit the fuse for revolution.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- The Seven Years' War
- The Stamp Act
- The Townshend Crisis
- The Tea Act
- The Coercive Acts
- The dawn of conflict
- The American War of Independence
- The consequences of the loss of the North American colonies
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to analyze the major political events that contributed to the loss of the American colonies by England. It explores the historical context and events leading up to the American War of Independence, focusing on the political decisions and actions taken by the British government.
- The Seven Years' War and its impact on British-American relations
- The increasing financial burden of the British Empire and the need for revenue from the colonies
- The British government's attempts to impose taxation on the colonies and the growing resentment among colonists
- The role of political events and decisions in escalating tensions and leading to revolution
- The consequences of the loss of the American colonies for the British Empire
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- The Seven Years' War: This chapter examines the global conflict and Britain's victory, highlighting the acquisition of new territories in North America and the financial burden it imposed. The chapter also explores the challenges of governing the newly acquired territories and the outbreak of Pontiac's Conspiracy.
- The Stamp Act: This chapter discusses the British government's attempt to raise revenue through the Stamp Act and the colonial reaction. The essay analyzes the arguments for and against the Stamp Act, focusing on the concept of representation and taxation.
- The Townshend Crisis: This chapter focuses on the introduction of new duties on external trade by the British government, known as the Townshend duties. It explores the colonists' response to these measures and the escalation of tensions between Britain and the colonies.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This essay centers on the political events that led to the loss of the American colonies by England. Key themes include British imperial expansion, taxation and representation, the Seven Years' War, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Crisis, the American War of Independence, and the consequences of the loss of the colonies for the British Empire.
- Quote paper
- Eva-Maria Griese (Author), 2007, How England lost the american colonies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/83302
