| The American Revolution was a civil war | | | | rebellious colonies was carried out |
| between Loyalists to the British crown | | | | half-heartedly and lackadaisically. On |
| (aka Tories, about one fifth of the | | | | the other hand, British die-hards, such |
| population), supported by British | | | | as Samuel Johnson, demanded blood ("I am |
| expeditionary forces, and Patriots (or | | | | willing to love all Mankind, except an |
| Whigs) in the 13 colonies that | | | | American"). |
| constituted British North America. | | | | The denizens of the colonies tried, till |
| About 20-25% of the populace in the | | | | the last moment, to avert a |
| colonies - c. 600,000 - were blacks. | | | | constitutional (and, consequently, |
| About one third of the white denizens | | | | military) crisis. They suggested a model |
| were non-British. Local patriotism ran | | | | of two semi-autonomous nations (the |
| high. All adult, white, property-owning, | | | | United Kingdom and the colonies), united |
| men (about two thirds of the male | | | | by the figurehead of the King. But it |
| numbers) were eligible to vote in | | | | was too little and way too late. Violent |
| elections to the lower house of the | | | | clashes between the citizenry and |
| legislative assembly of the colony they | | | | British units started as early as |
| resided in. Each colony also had its | | | | October 1765 with the First |
| governor. | | | | Nonimportation Movement, directed |
| Some colonies (e.g., Rhode Island and | | | | against the Stamp Act. They continued |
| Connecticut) were, in effect, | | | | with the Boston Massacre (five dead) in |
| incorporated under royal charter as | | | | 1770; the attack on the British customs |
| semi-commercial ventures. Others | | | | ship, the Gaspée, in Rhode Island, in |
| belonged to the descendants of their | | | | 1772; and the Boston Tea Party in 1773. |
| founders (proprietary colonies such as | | | | In April 1775, General Gage, governor |
| Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware). | | | | and military commander of Massachusetts, |
| Georgia, North and South Carolina, | | | | suffered a humiliating defeat in a |
| Virginia, New Jersey, New York, | | | | skirmish in Concord and Lexington. The |
| Massachusetts, and New Hampshire were | | | | Patriots were alerted to his movements |
| royal provinces, under direct British | | | | by Paul Revere who rode all night to |
| rule. | | | | inform them that the "regulars (not the |
| Some of the colonists - for instance, | | | | British, as the legend has it) are |
| the New Englanders - were among the | | | | coming." He was one of many such scouts. |
| wealthiest and best educated people in | | | | The Loyalists fielded 50-55,000 armed |
| the world, better off than the British | | | | men and the Patriots countered by |
| themselves. But, per capita, they paid | | | | organizing "militias" - irregular units |
| only 3% of the taxes levied on a typical | | | | of ill-trained and undisciplined |
| Briton. The colonies supplied the West | | | | volunteers. The Continental Army was |
| Indies with most of their foodstuffs and | | | | established only in June 1775, under the |
| consumed British finished products - but | | | | command of George Washington, a veteran |
| they were not economically crucial to | | | | of the French and Indian War. At their |
| the British Empire. | | | | peak, the rebels mastered less than |
| In the years leading to the War of | | | | 100,000 men in arms - only 25-30,000 of |
| Independence (1765-1776), the British | | | | which were on active duty at any given |
| actually repealed all the taxes on | | | | time. |
| products imported into the colonies - | | | | The Continental Army was, in the words |
| with the single exception of tea (and | | | | of General Philip Schuyler of New York |
| even this tax was drastically reduced). | | | | "weak in numbers, dispirited, naked, |
| The colonists' slogan "no taxation | | | | destitute of provisions, without camp |
| without representation" was, therefore, | | | | equipage, with little ammunition, and |
| more about local representation than | | | | not a single piece of cannon." Late pay |
| about foreign taxation. And even this | | | | caused frequent mutinies and desertions. |
| bit ringed hollow. The Encyclopedia | | | | In 1783, Washington had to personally |
| Britannica: "The assemblies had the | | | | intervene to prevent a military coup. |
| right to tax; to appropriate money for | | | | Only repeated promises of cash bonuses |
| public works and public officials, and | | | | and land grants kept this mob of |
| to regulate internal trade, religion, | | | | youngsters, foreigners, and indentured |
| and social behavior". The role of | | | | servants intermittently cohesive. |
| British government was confined to | | | | Still, they outnumbered the British and |
| foreign affairs and trade. | | | | the "Hessians" - the 30,000 German |
| But both parties to the conflict | | | | mercenaries who participated in the 8 |
| breached this modus vivendi. During the | | | | years of fighting. In all of North |
| Seven Years (French and Indian) War | | | | America, the British had 60,000 soldiers |
| (1754-1763), the colonies refused to | | | | as late as 1779. They had to face a |
| relinquish control over their militias | | | | growing presence of hostile French, |
| to the British command and smuggled | | | | Spanish, and Dutch armies, supplies, and |
| French goods into British North America | | | | navies. The Native-Americans (Indians) |
| (France being Britain's enemy). The | | | | supported mostly the British, especially |
| British, on the other hand, began | | | | west of the Appalachians. This provoked |
| interfering in the colonies' internal | | | | numerous massacres by the Patriots. |
| affairs, notably (but not only) by | | | | The War spread to other parts of the |
| imposing taxes and customs duties in | | | | world: the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, |
| order to ameliorate Britain's growing | | | | India, the Netherlands, the |
| national debt and by rendering tax | | | | Mediterranean. The US Navy even invaded |
| officials financially independent of the | | | | the British port of Whitehaven in 1778. |
| local colonial assemblies. | | | | The conflict affected the civilian |
| Add to this a severe recession in the | | | | population as well with both sides |
| colonies brought on by unbridled | | | | committing war crimes and atrocities |
| spending financed with unsustainable | | | | aplenty. With many men gone, women took |
| personal indebtedness and, not | | | | over traditionally male roles and |
| surprisingly, acts of resistance to | | | | vocations, such as farming. |
| British taxation - such as the Boston | | | | Hyperinflation - brought on by $500 |
| Tea Party - were organized mainly by | | | | million in newly minted and printed |
| smugglers, artisans, and shopkeepers. | | | | money - led to mob scenes as |
| Secret groupings, such as the Sons of | | | | storekeepers were attacked and |
| Liberty resorted to violence and | | | | warehouses looted. |
| intimidation to achieve their (mostly | | | | The blacks largely sided with the |
| economic but disguised as "patriotic") | | | | British - but many joined the Patriots |
| goals. Even women got involved in a "buy | | | | and, thus, won their freedom after the |
| American" campaign of boycotting British | | | | war. Virginia planters alone manumitted |
| goods. | | | | 10,000 slaves. By 1800, slavery was |
| Many British merchants, bankers, | | | | abolished in all the states north of |
| politicians, intellectuals, and | | | | Delaware. |
| journalists supported the colonies | | | | All told, less than 7000 Patriots died |
| against the crown - each group for its | | | | in battle (and 8500 wounded). About 1200 |
| own reasons. The merchants and bankers, | | | | Germans perished, too. No one knows how |
| for instance, were terrified of a mooted | | | | many British troops, Indians, and other |
| unilateral debt moratorium to be | | | | combatants paid with their lives in this |
| declared by the colonies if and when | | | | protracted conflict. About 100,000 |
| militarily attacked. Others found it | | | | Loyalists emigrated to Canada and |
| distasteful to kill and maim white | | | | thousands others (mainly of African |
| British subjects (as the insurgents | | | | ancestry) went to Sierra Leone and the |
| were). Yet others resisted imperialism, | | | | Bahamas. They were all fully compensated |
| the monarchy, taxes, or all three. Even | | | | for the property they left behind in |
| within the British Army there was strong | | | | what came to be known as the United |
| dissent and the campaign against the | | | | States of America (USA). |