Independence of the United States of America: causes and consequences

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The independence of the United States of America it took place on July 4, 1776 when colonial relations with England were broken. The variations that the American colonial map suffered as a result of the wars sustained by the Crowns of Spain and France with that of England are considered by historians such as José Antonio Armillas Vicente (University of Zaragoza) as a cause / effect relationship to the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and the Emancipation of the Thirteen British Colonies in North America (1756-1763).

As we can see, the periodization of the process of Independence of the Colonies of the United States of America is framed within what the classical historiography qualifies as '' Atlantic revolutions '', it seems that the consequences were not as devastating as the Revolution French. In this section of a TEACHER we are going to focus on the Causes and consequences of the Independence of the United States of America, but not without first making a brief summary of the previous situation.

Index

1. Background to the independence of the United States of America
2. Causes of the Independence of the United States
3. Consequences of the Independence of the United States of America
4. General conclusions

During the XVII century, the great part of colonists that arrived at the north of the American continent were English. At the end of the same century, the French, Dutch, Scottish, Irish and Swiss, among others, joined the colonial career, thus establishing themselves Thirteen colonies stretching from the east coast, passing west, from the Florida peninsula to Nova Scotia.

The Thirteen Colonies soon became targets for obtaining profit and exploitation of mineral and natural resources scarce in Europe. Thanks to the availability of these resources, the Thirteen Colonies experienced a enrichment process at the same time that he saw how its population increased considerably. This population could enjoy certain rights and freedoms although always under the mandate of England.

However, the abusive administration characteristic of colonialism Fruit of the economic losses in the battles in which England was immersed, caused that the colonists were called to the revolution.

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As we have seen, the North American English Colonies had little more in common than their British dependence and the traditions of the english parliamentarism. This, together with the abusive administrative measures of which we have spoken, formed the main causes of the independence of the United States of America.

Continuing with what was stated in the introduction, the Seven Years War It is considered by modern historiography as one of the triggers for the causes of the independence of the United States of America.

The Seven Years' War

What did the Seven Years War? It was a conflict starring France and England that lasted from 1756 Y 1763 in which the United States was territorially affected. The reasons for the conflict are to be found in the economic and colonial rivalries in the territories of North America and India. England emerged victorious from the conflict but not economically, where it suffered serious consequences.

From the English Parliament, the metropolis punished the colonists with an increase in commercial rates and with the attempt to expand the rights of the British Crown in America. The protests on the part of the colonists did not take in arising. Some of the leaders of the North American independence movement emerge at this time, as is the case of the president George Washington.

Causes of American independence movements

Next, we will synthesize a list with the causes of the Seven Years' War and that served as a trigger for the proclamation of the Independence of the United States of America.

• The Sugar Law: the metropolis created in the 1764 the tax on sugar by which the price of the imported product was doubled.
• The Law of the Seal: on 1765 Said law was approved with which all products sold in the colony had to have an English seal.
• The declaratory law: on 1766 it was approved that the English Parliament could impose any law and that the colonists would comply with it.
• The Townshend Laws: a large protest was organized with the approval of said law in 1767 by which the tax on a series of imported products was increased. England's response was an increase in the presence of British troops in the Thirteen Colonies. The colonists rebuked the English troops giving rise to the event known as the '' Boston Massacre ''. This episode ended the death of 5 American protesters. As a result of the tension produced between colonists and metropolis, London responded by repealing the Townshend laws.
• The riot of tea: on 1773 England allowed the company British East India the direct sale of tea to the American colonies. In response, several disguised settlers boarded 3 boats and dumped cargoes of tea into the water.

As we see, the causes of the independence of the United States of America are of different nature, but in common we find the unfair treatment of the metropolis towards the colonies. From the riot of tea there was no going back, the colonists changed the strategy of the resistance for that of the revolution.

On 1774 officially started the start of the American revolution with the celebration of the Continental Congress that would culminate with the creation of the United States in 1776.

The independence of the United States of America was a fact that had an important international impact. His influence was noticeable in Europe, partly inspiring the protagonists of the French Revolution but also in South American colonies and his process of emancipation from the Crown of Spain, where a similar situation was started.

As we can imagine, there are many consequences of the independence of the United States of America that we are going to summarize in economic, political and social:

• Economic consequences: The economic emancipation of an oppressor nation supposed a mercantile freedom that allowed them join the territorial and economic conquests and become the economic power that is in the present. As a result, the industry developed enormously, giving way to oil companies such as the Standard Oil or other automobile companies. The banks also benefited, forming one of the more powerful banking and commercial systems, highlighting that of Wall street.
• Political consequences: the influence of illustration ideas on the Constitution represented a radical change at the socio-political level, initiating the transformation of the Old Regime made a political form democratic. Due to the economic repercussions that are mentioned, a expansionist policy
• Social consequences: Among the most important social consequences we can highlight on the one hand the abolition of slavery but on the other hand we find him rise in racist sentiments and the creation of organizations such as Ku-Klux-Kan. Also, as a consequence of the boom in the industry, at the social level the working class who became the symbol of capitalist oppression.

By way of synthesis, we will end this lesson with an rsummary of causes and consequences highlights of the independence of the United States of America:

• Causes: England had been weakened after the confrontation with France in the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763). The measures imposed after the economic losses suffered by the war were very harsh for the colonies: remember the sugar law, the declaratory law and the Townshend laws. All of this led to a series of protests resulting in the so-called tea riot and the Boston massacre.
• Consequences: influence in the European revolutions and in the independence of the rest of the colonial territories of America; creation of a democratic Constitution; economic boom and territorial expansion; formation of a society divided into social classes typical of industrial societies; abolition of slavery and rise of racism.

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