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What United and Divided American Colonists

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What United and Divided American Colonists
Vanessa Pettengill
February 20, 2015
Prof Yang
US History Chap. 5 Text

Ch5.1 – “I am not a Virginian, but an American,” declared Patrick Henry in 1775. Discuss what united the colonists and what divided them by mid-1770s.
What united the colonists in the 1770’s I think began with the fact that they were all getting started here in the “New World”. They had a chance to make something of themselves and start a new life, breaking away from the restraints of British government. Some of the colonists united based on the fact that they wanted their liberities, and did not want to have to live under the rules and regulations of the British, where on the other side of that coin, there were the colonists would didn’t want to separate from the ruling of the Brit’s. They feared the unknown and also had many economic insecurities when evaluating which side of the Atlantic they wanted to remain loyal to. Finally people that may have lived in a different class, perhaps their family did not have money, or own land, now had a voice that mattered here in North America. As the colonists began their divide from their dependence, they started their own governments and committees, and people who had never been a part of politics got to now participate in beginning the steps to the upcoming Revolution. These colonists began to rely less on the British American cultures and rules, and began to devolp their own ideas to what they believed what freedom, and basic rights to live. Why should they have to follow the rules of rulers that didn’t live on their own soil? Why must they pay taxes to a monarchy that didn’t allow them the liberties of every man? These were the thoughts that were provoked by the new policiatal power rulers that were coming together to form our new country. Many colonists were very apprehensive to embrace the detachment from Great Britain. They didn’t want the drama and fighting within the colonies. They envisioned conflict and fighting and increased

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