In Chapter 18: \u201cImperial Wars and Crisis, 1739-75,\u201d Taylor outlines the Seven Years War and discusses the ways in which the conflict led to the Revolutionary War. As my specific interest area in history does not pertain to war, I appreciated that the brevity with which Taylor discusses the actual war and its battles. The majority of the chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the global and territorial implications of the war, in addition to an explanation of the colonies\u2019 political, social, and economic climate that incited the American Revolution. Contrary to my high-school history courses, Taylor offers a complex template of the Revolution\u2019s causes. He asserts that the conflict was not simply a disagreement in governance and taxation, but derived from a fundamental difference between Britain and the colonies\u2019 socio-economic structures. This, in turn, facilitated the creation of a collective American mentality that clashed with the British way of life.<\/p>\n
Taylor attributes the colonists\u2019 preoccupation with and perception of \u201cindependence\u201d as the focal point of divergence in colonial and British ideology. America\u2019s economic structure was unique to Britain, because most white men were able to own land and had the opportunity of social mobility. Even indentured servants eventually gained their freedom, and were provided with a small plot of land as compensation for their years of servitude. As indentured servitude was replaced with enslavement of Africans, white landowners formed a middle-class that was a buffer between wealthy elites and slaves. Conversely, Britain lacked a middle-class. Its social structure was stratified between the very rich and very poor, and left virtually no opportunity for upward mobility. Thus, the concept of independence became synonymous with American society, and colonists resented any infringement on their independence by the British crown and Parliament. In Taylor\u2019s words, \u201cthe colonists clung to independence as a precious state in a world where dependence was the norm\u201d (441).<\/p>\n
Matt\u2019s blog post, however, recognizes the troubling irony that existed within colonists\u2019 emphasis on independence and their pursuit of sovereignty from Britain\u2014American society depended upon African bondage for survival. While Matt acknowledges the value of the American Revolution in the creation of the United States of America, he makes the important distinction that \u201cit should not be thought of as morally righteous in nature.\u201d Although white colonists were accorded a level of independence that was not as achievable in Britain, their prosperity was reliant upon the oppression of slaves and Natives. Oftentimes history courses glorify the American Revolution as a courageous tale of Americans\u2019 united conquest over an imperial oppressor. This narrative fails to recognize the hypocrisy with which our nation was founded. I do not mean to undermine the Revolutions\u2019 import and do not take for granted the sacrifice of our country\u2019s forefathers that are responsible for my independence and good fortune. Rather, both narratives must be told in efforts to ensure that slavery is not ignored as a minor blemish on American history. Taylor does just this, and consequently, provides an effective and fascinating tale of the precursor to the American Revolution.<\/p>\n
Taylor, Alan.\u00a0American Colonies.<\/em>\u00a0New York: Penguin Group, 2001.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Chapter 18: \u201cImperial Wars and Crisis, 1739-75,\u201d Taylor outlines the Seven Years War and discusses the ways in which the conflict led to the Revolutionary War. As my specific interest area in history does not pertain to war, I appreciated that the brevity with which Taylor discusses the actual war and its battles. The … <\/p>\n