CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES - HISTORY - 2025

The causes and consequences of the independence of the United States constitute the events that preceded and continued to the formation as an independent country of the 13 colonies of the United Kingdom in North America.

The independence of the United States was a historical event that arose as a result of a number of political and military events that occurred between April 19, 1775 and September 3, 1793.

On July 4, 1776, the declaration of independence of the United States was issued and approved by the Continental Congress.

In this way, the 13 American colonies cut their political connections with Great Britain.

The 3 main causes of the independence of the United States

1- The control exercised by Great Britain

The colonies of South Carolina and Virginia were regulated by local laws that were annulled by Great Britain.

In this context, the customs authorities were ordered to search homes and premises, in order to find contraband merchandise.

2- The Sugar Law and the Stamp Law

Subjected to the British Empire, the colonies were forced to pay taxes in order to contribute to the maintenance of the bureaucracy.

The approval of the Sugar Law (1764) generated great impact because it imposed the payment of taxes on goods such as sugar, coffee, potassium, wines, iron and silks.

Likewise, with the Stamp Law, all printed material such as newspapers, wills and contracts was taxed.

The discomfort of the settlers at the arbitrary measures was felt through their protests.

3- The Boston Massacre and the Tea Riot

On March 5, 1770, a group of settlers attacked with snowballs and stones the soldiers in charge of guarding the customs office in Boston. They attacked with their weapons and killed five villagers.

The Crown continued to establish more tributes to the colonists; with it the climate became more and more hostile.

Thus, in December 1773, in protest against the tea taxes, a group of settlers intermingled with the crew of 3 ships and threw their cargoes overboard.

The people were aware that their subsistence capacity was based on their own economy. For this reason he generated a revolution and fought tirelessly against British oppression.

The 2 main consequences of the independence of the United States

1- The first liberal revolution was formed

In 1787 the first written constitution in history emerged, according to which the federal State was articulated, supported by three powers: the legislative, the judicial and the executive.

2- The economic and territorial expansion of the United States

By freeing itself from British mercantilist oppression, the new independent nation sets out to conquer the West, expanding economically and territorially, giving rise to the formation of the great power that it is today.

The independence of the United States had repercussions on the international scene as the first example of decolonization.

Six years later the French Revolution broke out, and decades later the independence processes of Spanish America took place.

References

1. Gosh, B. (nd). Top 12 causes of the American war of independence. Retrieved on October 22, 2017 from: historydiscussion.net
2. Martin, K. (August 3, 2017). The root causes of the american revolution. In: thoughtco.com
3. Rickard, J. (May 25, 2003). American war of independence. In: historyofwar.org
4. The declaration of independence, 1776 (nd). Retrieved on October 22, 2017 from: history.state.gov
5. Wallace, W. (July 7, 2017). American Revolution. In: britannica.com