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American Revolution Dbq Analysis

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The original thirteen colonies declared independence on the fourth of July 1776; however, the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the start of the American Revolution. In the Treaty of Paris of 1783, signed by Britain and the United States, Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States and granted a colossal amount of land to the states. The American Revolution, depicted as a sudden shift in social institutions, actually resulted from a gradual change. The weakening loyalty to the crown and escalating responses to taxation served as examples of the spread of the independence movement. Intensifying responses to acts exhibited the stored up aggravation towards acts imposed by the British Parliament. The Stamp …show more content…

John Dickinson preached that colonies must unify to oppose the wretched taxes, imposed with the purpose of raising money (Document 3). Dickinson regarded informing Parliament of the grievances as beneficial to welfare of the whole, including the mother country, Great Britain. Dickinson lived in Pennsylvania where Quakers influenced the idea that no violence should take place, upon which he showed no motive to declare independence. The Olive Branch Petition stated that colonies have an obligation to the King and their fellow subjects to stop further bloodshed of war and battles (Document 5). The petition proclaimed the colonial desire to stay loyal to the crown, but ironically, at the same time, the colonists built the Continental Army in preparation for war. It showed that the writers of the petition harbored little faith that Britain would redress the colonists’ grievances or make any action of reconciliation. The support for the crown lessened the longer Britain refused to address the issues colonies encountered with taxation and …show more content…

The woodcut of the Boston Massacre by Paul Revere depicted the British firing at defenseless, unarmed colonists (Document 2). Revere utilized the propaganda to unify the public against Great Britain around the distress from taxes by exaggerating the British soldiers’ violence. The dog on the colonists’ side represented loyalty and fidelity to America and its cause. Thomas Paine asserted that it is common sense for the colonists to declare independence or else their grievances will never be resolved (Document 6). Although Paine immigrated to the United States from Britain, just a mere two years later, the revolutionary spirit moved him, influencing him to write Common Sense that will encourage many. As this pamphlet spread, the revolutionary spirit rose and more colonists displayed the will to prepare for war and volunteered to fight against a professional army. The spread of the independence movement began with publicizing unity to promulgating independence from

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