FREE ESSAY ON REVOLUTIONARY WAR

REVOLUTIONARY WAR

The American Revolutionary War was the largest turning point in the history of the United
States. Without winning the war, the United States would have never existed as an
independent nation. The American Colonists dealt with so much pain and nonsense from King
George in Great Britain. By 1774, the American colonists were fed up with the King and
all of his unconstitutional actions. Many events contributed to the departure or
separation from Britain, but after the Boston Tea Party, the major and most influential
reason of separation from Great Britain began with the Intolerable Acts, also known as
the Coercive Acts. This Act not only violated the rights of the American people, but they
limited all daily living in the colonies. When this violation occurred, the American
Colonists knew their final destination was to separate from Great Britain.
The Intolerable Acts were passed in 1774 to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea
Party. There were three major acts involved that angered the colonists. These three parts
violated the rights of the American colonists and people and set the stage for
separation. 
The first part of the Intolerable Acts was the Boston Port Bill. Going in to effect on
June 1, 1774, it closed the Boston Harbor until the people of Boston paid for the tea
that they threw into the harbor. The Administration of Justice Act became effective May
20th and it did not allow British soldiers to be tried in the colonies for any crimes
they might commit. This meant the soldiers could do anything they wanted since they would
probably not be punished for their crimes (Meltzer 32). Not only was this unfair to the
residents of the colonies because many crimes could be committed without just action to
punish the soldiers, it was unfair for the American colonists. They would not be allowed
to take action against these soldiers to protect the American Colonies. A large part of
the Intolerable Acts was the Massachusetts Government Act, which also took effect on May
20, 1774. It restricted town meetings to one a year unless the governor approved any
more. Also, according to the History Channel, the Massachusetts Assembly could no longer
pick judges or assemblymen. The governor was to do everything and he was even appointed
by the Parliament. 
The last two Acts were the Quebec and Quartering Acts. These Acts appealed to the freedom
of the Colonists. Their freedom was limited and ignored. They had no say and had to get
out of the relationship with Great Britain. The Quebec Act extended the Canadian borders
and cut out some lands in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Virginia. The Quartering Act
allowed British troops to reside in an American family's house and use their supplies.
Many believe and mistake this Act as happening constantly. Force quartering of troops
rarely occurred, but when enforced it was harsh. A typical family's right of privacy was
invaded and taken over. 
The insane laws that Great Britain had enforced made the people in Massachusetts and all
the colonists very angry. The Colonists realized that there was nothing more that they
can do to save themselves from the tight bonds and choking strings of Great Britain and
King George. Though these last punishments that the American Colonists encountered hurt
them a great deal, they also helped them. They made the colonists realize the true
situation and actually brought them together and united them to set up a plan of
separation. 
The colonists had their first continental congress in 1774. They condemned the
Intolerable Acts and passed a resolution demanding the lift of British laws. They
denounced Britain's practice of keeping troops in their colonies in peacetime and sent a
loyal address to the king asking for his help to fight in their struggle. Of course, as
always, the King never answered and ignored the petition. That was the last attempt the
American colonies took in rekindling the relationship with their mother country. From
then on, the American colonies would fight for their independence.
The events leading up to the Revolutionary War were all very significant in the efforts
of independence. The final event that really embarked the American Colonies on the 'Road
to Freedom' was the Intolerable Acts. Never again would the simple life of an American be
simple. Everything would change when fighting for independence, but the American colonies
were ready to take on these challenges. A long, difficult war would follow the
announcement of separation from Great Britain. The turn out and winner of the war all
depended on how much the situation and freedom meant to each participating in the war.
Thankfully the American Colonists strived for their goals and made our country what it is
today. 
Bibliography
Works Cited
History Channel. The Revolutionary War in America. [online] Available
http://www.historychannel.com. May 2.
Meltzer, Milton. American Revolution: A History in Their Own Words. Harper Collins Books,
1993.