Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

How did 'modern democracy' develop in America? What did the British do to anger the Americans after 1763 to make them want to go to war?

Powerful Essays
1272 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How did 'modern democracy' develop in America? What did the British do to anger the Americans after 1763 to make them want to go to war?
The English colonies on the eastern coast of American can be divided into three groups, the North, the Middle Colonies and the South. They all have very different attitudes but they all came here to America to escape from the oppression back in Europe and to develop a new, democratic country. To establish democracy, they all have to face the same enemy, the British.

Modern democracy involves the right to vote, check and balance, and an elected representative. The main reasons for development of modern democracy in America were religion, wealth, political freedom, pragmatism and secularism.

Religion and political freedom are strongly related to each other because Christianity provided an essential moral foundation for liberal democratic government. The Pilgrims who reached New England in 1620 escaped from religious persecution by the English church and government and the corruptions of Holland. Soon they decided to set up their own government base on Christian ideas, particular the idea of equality. It was one of the early steps towards modern democracy in America. The Pilgrims drew up an important agreement called the Mayflower Compact. The agreement stated that the government would make "just laws and equal" with the consent of the colonists. In practice this meant that adult male Pilgrims met from time to time to elect a governor and a small group to assist him. The Puritans also hated the hierarchy system in the English church. But comparing to the Pilgrims, the Puritans were more ambitious. They thought it was destiny and God's will that brought them to America. Religion and the idea of "city upon the hill" caused them to form a democratic government. "City upon a hill" was proposed by John Winthrop. He meant that the new colony would be an example for the rest of the world of how God meant men and women to live. The Puritans should build their city well and it would become a model which England might follow.

Wealth also hindered the movement of democracy. First of all, the colonists in the south went to American hoping to find wealth and success which they found by growing tobacco and slave trade. Once they got wealth, they wanted to protect their property and to gain further profit. The only way to do this is to have a government system where it will concern about people's self interest. As a result, a democratic government is developed where most issues were approved or discussed by the people before it was passed.

Pragmatism means human taking practical actions to problems. America is a new, strange land to the colonists. The colonists had to be very flexible to cope with the wilderness. Secularism means the exclusion of religious and supernatural beliefs. These two ideas combined to develop another characteristic of modern democracy that is religious freedom. It was first suggested by William Penn, a Quaker. They believed all men are equal no matter what race or what religion they believed in. The Quakers thought religion does not dictate political decisions, though the moral views originating in Christianity remain. Rather then concentrating on the religious aspect, they concentrate on improving their lives in this new country. The Shakers held a similar idea with the Quakers. They believed in "Hands to work, heart to God." This developed the idea of you can believe in any religion or none at all, with little legal or social sanction, that is the freedom of religion.

The main cause of the American War of Independence is how the British treated Americans after the Seven Years War. The Seven Years War (1756-1763) had the French on one side and Prussia backed by British gold on the other. The Seven Years War was mainly the result of trading rights. The British colonials (Americans) were pinned up against the Atlantic seaboard, with only the Hudson Bay Company in the north challenging the French trading. The colonists were running out of land. British found the need to expand. But doing so, they would enter the Ohio Valley, controlled by France. In the end, France was defeated. Although Britain won the war, they found themselves in an unfavourable situation. The war was longer than the British had expected and was expensive. Even worse, the colonists were moving west. In order to maintain their new land in America British must send troops to protect it, this was another huge spending. Since Britain had defended the thirteen colonies, they thought that the colonists should pay for the troops by various taxes.

Starting from 1763, Britain tried to apply its own policy onto the American colonists. The American colonists were unpleased because the reason why there were here in America was to escape from English rule but now the British government was making decisions, disregarding the assemblies that they established earlier. A few events highlighted the colonists' resentments and anger toward Britain. In 1764, the Revenue Act was introduced. It stated that colonists have to pay duty for molasses which is used to make rum. It was the first time that the colonists felt the unjust of British rule. The next year, British introduced another tax through Stamp Act. This Act made colonists to buy stamps for newspaper and many other essential items. They even have to buy license for playing cards and dice. The colonists became outrageous, they believed only their assemblies can tax on them, not the London Parliament which is few thousands miles away and they had not much power in it. The anger towards British rule was intense by Britain demolishing all duties in the Townshend Act apart from tea. The colonists regarded this as a bribe to make them end the boycott with British government so that the British can tax them. As a result, a first actual rebellion was broke out and it was known as the Boston Tea Party. Few colonists disguised themselves as Indians and threw cargos of tea into the harbour. This rebellion alerted the British. The British decided to make a harsher plan towards America. The Intolerable Acts were made in 1774 to gain total control over American colonists. The British block ports and only allow American assemblies to meet once a year. This is the ultimate reason for making the American wanted to go to war with Britain. The Acts caused the colonists to stop all trade with Britain and raise their own troops.

Americans felt that Britain was taking their democracy away by simply ruling them in British way. Under British rule, Americans did not have the right to vote or to elect government. They did not have religion freedom and must follow the English church. They could not have their own trade. The colonists' feelings could be expressed through the Philosophes' arguments. As the famous philosophe, Voltaire said, "I disagree with everything you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it!", he believed that the Church stood in the way of truth by telling people what to believe instead of allowing them to think for themselves. The American extended this idea even further and thought that Britain was in the way of their democracy and that the welfare of the colony and the Empire were not always synonymous. The philosophes also emphasised on human rights and this related to how the American thought when a government does not consent the governed, it should be change.

The colonists fled from the oppression back in Europe and wanted to start a new life. Their religion, ambition and attidtues finally led them to the road to modern democracy. But Britain disregarded their rights and democracy and this is the immediate cause of the American War of Independence.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    During the early colonization of the East coast of North America, many groups of people of Europe came to the New World such as the Puritans and Quakers. Both the Puritans, led by John Winthrop, and the Quakers, led by William Penn, were escaping persecution from England but each they had their own views and goals in religion, politics, and ethnic relations. Being on the native land of the local Indians, both Penn and Winthrop had to face issues and negotiations with the Indians. Penn and Winthrop had their own separate approaches to politics but they both sought a more just system than the one in England. After being persecuted, both Penn and Winthrop wanted their people to be free worship, but Penn and Winthrop each had their own approach to the institution and toleration of religion.…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    When the pilgrims came to New England they set out for their own religious freedom, even though they didn’t always believe other religions had the right to do so as well. In England the puritans, both separatists and non-separatists, were harshly treated by the theocratic government (government controlled by religious aspects). The puritans were locked up or even killed for disobeying the church and government. In the 1620s, puritans in England heard about the Plymouth colony of separatists and wanted something similar. The Massachusetts Bay Company was an organized group of adventurers and puritans that were set for going to New England greatly for economic interests. The company received a charter from the king that allowed them to leave England to set up a colony in the new world. At the time the king didn’t know they were puritans or he may have not allowed the charter to be issued. The puritans in the company sought this venture to be a chance to create a perfect Christian society of their own. In 1630, 1,000 people (including families) sailed over headed by John Winthrop, an influential leader of the expedition. Winthrop was later to be an elected leader year after year in the colony. In the port of Boston was where the central colony started. The colony was greatly influenced by…

    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Colonies Dbq

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Puritans fleeing religious persecution in England settled New England. They were a highly religious people. Document A, John Winthrop's " City on a hill" speech, shows how they lived according to God's will and were very community oriented. Their towns were very planned out with a town/ church meetinghouse in the centre, and land plots for everyone in the community. This is shown in Document D, Articles of Agreement in Springfield Massachusetts 1636. Family was also very important. Since they were very religious and family is highly regarded in the Bible, marriage was advocated and adultery was a huge crime. Adulterers were made to wear the letter A on their clothing. Since they were a very close-knit people, they travelled as big families and sometimes as communities. This mass travel is depicted in document B that is a ship's list of emigrants bound for New England. Puritans also placed a high value on education. Education was thought to oppose Satan. The government in Puritan towns in New England was more a theocracy than a democracy. Religious uniformity was very important as they were intolerant of any other religion, and only church members were part of the government at first. Citizens were required to attend Church services as part of the law. Most of the people in New England had been merchants or small farmers in England. In New England however, the rocky soil made it hard for a lot of farming, so the…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Colonial Differences

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Most could probably see that is was painfully obvious as to who the religious fanatics were. New England's colonists seemed to have a more religious tone, than did that of the Middle or Southern regions. The Puritans, who had apparently come to America to escape ridicule and religious persecution, were taking up on that very idea, punishing all those whom did not share in their ideas. They were stiff, strict people and did not allow for much, but the main idea is that they were driven by a higher power, God. This made the Puritans successful Massachusetts's colonists in that they were strong-willed and willing to make their government work. The type of government chosen by the Puritans worked well, a theocratic environment. A theocracy is defined as government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided. According the John Winthrop, who was to be their governor for some number of years, it seemed that their grand purpose in America was to build A City upon a hill, in which the eyes of all people were upon them. In other words, they thought their purpose in the New World was to construct the model city. Connecticut, one of the other New England colonies was basically like Massachusetts. Their only quarrel with the Bay colony was that it was not strict enough.…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout all of history and even today, religion has played a major role in the lives of many people and society in general. A time in history where this is prevalent is in the 17th and 18th centuries; the colonization and the building the original 13 colonies. In fact, religion played such an important role in the colonies that religion was sometimes the stem of inner conflict in the colonies. However, on the same hand, religion also had a way of being common ground among the colonists. Religion united the colonists when all were free to worship what faith they wanted and how they wanted to worship and a direct result of this religious freedom was emerging political ideas;however, when religious intolerance, or concern for only one particular…

    • 137 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The puritan faith ruled most of New England, as the separatist pilgrims and the Massachusetts Bay puritans were the main groups the started the New England colonies, after immigrating to the New World after escaping persecution in england. The puritans had a strict faith and only certain people who were “free and elect” could be apart of the church. Although puritanism wasn’t the main religion of the New England colonies, it had a major influence on it from church to state, and the puritans were not tolerant of many other religions. The fire and brimstone teachings, and the rules of the puritan New England differed from the loose anglican southern colonies. Most of the southern colonist were anglican, church of England, but they were not as strict or serious in their faith as their northern counterparts. Most of the south was more concerned in the tobacco and plantations and many southern colonist did not proudly or strongly all themselves anglican. The strength of religion can be justified, since most of the New England colonist immigrated to America to escape religious persecution from england, and most of the southern colonist came to America for money and land. The religious practices of the New England and Southern colonies varied extremely and shaped the colonies to be what they…

    • 1060 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    During Colonial America, features of democratic and undemocratic was a work in progress for democracy.…

    • 249 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Democratic ideals were developed in our country long before individuals clearly understood what they signified. Colonists through out the 13 colonies are the makers of the America we live in today. They began to practice democratic ideals not present in their colony, such as: freedom of religion, voting, and equality. The sense of freedom these colonies had led them to corporate these democratic ideals into their lives. Their way of thinking was not perfect, but it was the beginning, or foundation, of the rights and laws we live by today.…

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The thirteen colonies in America began early on to develop democratic features. Today we have many rights we are entitled to follow. We have the freedom to do many things such as religion, speech and many more! Back in colonial times we were just working on these features. In colonial American, colonies had democratic and undemocratic features that made democracy a work in progress.…

    • 266 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The population in the American Colonies had a tenfold increase between 1701 and 1775. More than one million people had come across the ocean to join the other colonists. Newcomers did not just come from Great Britain. They came from western and central Europe as well. Some came seeking economic opportunities in farming new land or becoming a merchant in a colonial town. Others came to escape wars and religious persecution. With all these newcomers, they brought their culture to the colonies. Some of these cultures were completely new to the colonists. These new cultures and religions and ways of life made the colonists begin to question their own culture that they had become so accustomed to. Without this push towards new ways the colonists may not have realized that they might be able to make their own political decisions.…

    • 551 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Documents such as the Maryland’s Act of Toleration, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut and The Lady’s Laws are prove of the spirit of democracy coming to light. Oddly, pubs and taverns are an example of the origin of democracy. Since rich and poor people would be there daily, ideas would be shared and everyone was “forced” to listen to one another.…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The thirteen colonies in America began early on to develop democratic features. The democracy in colonial America was a work in progress with democratic and undemocratic features. There were undemocratic features in the way people were living. These laws were made to make this world stay at peace together.…

    • 335 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    England controlling the colonies but not honestly showing interest the people of the colonies is a reason for the Americans to want to be their own people. However because of this, Americans are finding their own identity, what it is to have an American identity, why they felt as though they no longer wanted to be a part of the British rule, and after they’ve left the empire ruling, who the American Identity was describing.…

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Puritan intolerance of dissent led to the founding of a number of new colonies like Providence after Roger Williams was banished from Boston after questioning authorities and then teaching contradictory beliefs from what the then Puritan gov’t taught. Williams believed that the conscience and the consciousness of humans cannot be dictated by any civil or religious leaders/authorities…

    • 57 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the early 1500’s certain Christians from different European nations went against the Roman authority of the pope. Religious wars/conflicts, competition, and the Protestant Reformation all contributed to a religious motive for exploration and colonization into North America. Many British immigrants came to the new world not only looking for wealth, but for a religious freedom and structured society. This pull factor created a foundation for religion in the new colonies many people fled the home country to avoid religious persecution and inferiority. Furthermore, Puritans, who colonized the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629, sought to create an empire of religious tolerance. Under John Winthrop, the religious group taught the new colony that the people should provide a whole world a model of Christian society ought to be, as in “A City upon a Hill”. The groups of people who wanted to separate from the church of England or go against the Roman catholic Pope went to the New World solely for religious freedoms, creating a religious superiority put into their new location. Immigration into America was by far dominated by groups of people avoiding the oppression and persecution faced by royal and religious leaders in their homeland; religious refuge provided…

    • 679 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays