The best passenger planes


sas-mt.com keyword stats



Most current MSN search phrases:

Boing 777-400 model
aircraft www.boing aircraft seat layout

The American Revolution

The American Revolution was a civil wardie-hards, such as Samuel Johnson, demanded
between Loyalists to the British crown (akablood ("I am willing to love all Mankind,
Tories, about one fifth of the population),except  an  American").
supported by British expeditionary forces,
and Patriots (or Whigs) in the 13 coloniesThe denizens of the colonies tried, till the
that  constituted  British  North  America.last moment, to avert a constitutional (and,
consequently, military) crisis. They
About 20-25% of the populace in the coloniessuggested a model of two semi-autonomous
- c. 600,000 - were blacks. About one thirdnations (the United Kingdom and the
of the white denizens were non-British. Localcolonies), united by the figurehead of the
patriotism ran high. All adult, white,King. But it was too little and way too late.
property-owning, men (about two thirds of theViolent clashes between the citizenry and
male numbers) were eligible to vote inBritish units started as early as October
elections to the lower house of the1765 with the First Nonimportation Movement,
legislative assembly of the colony theydirected against the Stamp Act. They
resided in. Each colony also had itscontinued with the Boston Massacre (five
governor.dead) in 1770; the attack on the British
customs ship, the Gaspée, in Rhode Island,
Some colonies (e.g., Rhode Island andin  1772;  and  the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
Connecticut) were, in effect, incorporated
under royal charter as semi-commercialIn April 1775, General Gage, governor and
ventures. Others belonged to the descendantsmilitary commander of Massachusetts, suffered
of their founders (proprietary colonies sucha humiliating defeat in a skirmish in Concord
as Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware).and Lexington. The Patriots were alerted to
Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia,his movements by Paul Revere who rode all
New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Newnight to inform them that the "regulars (not
Hampshire were royal provinces, under directthe British, as the legend has it) are
British  rule.coming."  He  was  one  of  many such scouts.
Some of the colonists - for instance, the NewThe Loyalists fielded 50-55,000 armed men and
Englanders - were among the wealthiest andthe Patriots countered by organizing
best educated people in the world, better off"militias" - irregular units of ill-trained
than the British themselves. But, per capita,and undisciplined volunteers. The Continental
they paid only 3% of the taxes levied on aArmy was established only in June 1775, under
typical Briton. The colonies supplied thethe command of George Washington, a veteran
West Indies with most of their foodstuffs andof the French and Indian War. At their peak,
consumed British finished products - but theythe rebels mastered less than 100,000 men in
were not economically crucial to the Britisharms - only 25-30,000 of which were on active
Empire.duty  at  any  given  time.
In the years leading to the War ofThe Continental Army was, in the words of
Independence (1765-1776), the BritishGeneral Philip Schuyler of New York "weak in
actually repealed all the taxes on productsnumbers, dispirited, naked, destitute of
imported into the colonies - with the singleprovisions, without camp equipage, with
exception of tea (and even this tax waslittle ammunition, and not a single piece of
drastically reduced). The colonists' slogancannon." Late pay caused frequent mutinies
"no taxation without representation" was,and desertions. In 1783, Washington had to
therefore, more about local representationpersonally intervene to prevent a military
than about foreign taxation. And even thiscoup. Only repeated promises of cash bonuses
bit ringed hollow. The Encyclopediaand land grants kept this mob of youngsters,
Britannica: "The assemblies had the right toforeigners, and indentured servants
tax; to appropriate money for public worksintermittently  cohesive.
and public officials, and to regulate
internal trade, religion, and socialStill, they outnumbered the British and the
behavior". The role of British government was"Hessians" - the 30,000 German mercenaries
confined  to  foreign  affairs  and  trade.who participated in the 8 years of fighting.
In all of North America, the British had
But both parties to the conflict breached60,000 soldiers as late as 1779. They had to
this modus vivendi. During the Seven Yearsface a growing presence of hostile French,
(French and Indian) War (1754-1763), theSpanish, and Dutch armies, supplies, and
colonies refused to relinquish control overnavies. The Native-Americans (Indians)
their militias to the British command andsupported mostly the British, especially west
smuggled French goods into British Northof the Appalachians. This provoked numerous
America (France being Britain's enemy). Themassacres  by  the  Patriots.
British, on the other hand, began interfering
in the colonies' internal affairs, notablyThe War spread to other parts of the world:
(but not only) by imposing taxes and customsthe Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, India, the
duties in order to ameliorate Britain'sNetherlands, the Mediterranean. The US Navy
growing national debt and by rendering taxeven invaded the British port of Whitehaven
officials financially independent of thein  1778.
local  colonial  assemblies.
The conflict affected the civilian population
Add to this a severe recession in theas well with both sides committing war crimes
colonies brought on by unbridled spendingand atrocities aplenty. With many men gone,
financed with unsustainable personalwomen took over traditionally male roles and
indebtedness and, not surprisingly, acts ofvocations, such as farming. Hyperinflation -
resistance to British taxation - such as thebrought on by $500 million in newly minted
Boston Tea Party - were organized mainly byand printed money - led to mob scenes as
smugglers, artisans, and shopkeepers. Secretstorekeepers were attacked and warehouses
groupings, such as the Sons of Libertylooted.
resorted to violence and intimidation to
achieve their (mostly economic but disguisedThe blacks largely sided with the British -
as "patriotic") goals. Even women gotbut many joined the Patriots and, thus, won
involved in a "buy American" campaign oftheir freedom after the war. Virginia
boycotting  British  goods.planters alone manumitted 10,000 slaves. By
1800, slavery was abolished in all the states
Many British merchants, bankers, politicians,north  of  Delaware.
intellectuals, and journalists supported the
colonies against the crown - each group forAll told, less than 7000 Patriots died in
its own reasons. The merchants and bankers,battle (and 8500 wounded). About 1200 Germans
for instance, were terrified of a mootedperished, too. No one knows how many British
unilateral debt moratorium to be declared bytroops, Indians, and other combatants paid
the colonies if and when militarily attacked.with their lives in this protracted conflict.
Others found it distasteful to kill and maimAbout 100,000 Loyalists emigrated to Canada
white British subjects (as the insurgentsand thousands others (mainly of African
were). Yet others resisted imperialism, theancestry) went to Sierra Leone and the
monarchy, taxes, or all three. Even withinBahamas. They were all fully compensated for
the British Army there was strong dissent andthe property they left behind in what came to
the campaign against the rebellious coloniesbe known as the United States of America
was carried out half-heartedly and(USA).
lackadaisically. On the other hand, British



1 A B C D 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111