This blog post examines whether the American Revolutionary War was an inevitable result of 18th-century European colonial expansion and foreign policy failures, exploring the historical context.
By the 18th century, European powers were gradually expanding their colonies, reaching the peak of imperialism. At this time, the 13 colonies located on Britain’s eastern seaboard seized the opportunity presented by the American Revolutionary War to gain independence from Britain and establish the United States. American independence brought significant changes not only at the time but also to today’s international landscape.
The causes of the American Revolutionary War can be broadly divided into two main factors. First, Britain’s excessive taxation policy was problematic. The American colonies did not generate significant economic profit for Britain at the time. Facing financial constraints after the Seven Years’ War, Britain decided to increase the financial burden on America. Consequently, the Sugar Act was enacted in 1764 to impose tariffs. However, since this was an indirect tax also applied in Britain itself, it did not provoke major opposition. However, the Stamp Act of 1765 became problematic. This law imposed an internal tax on all printed materials, sparking significant colonial backlash. Since the American colonies had no representation in the British Parliament, they protested under the slogan “No taxation without representation!” Ultimately, the Stamp Act was repealed as it violated British principles of taxation. However, the Townshend Acts of 1767 imposed tariffs on imports of glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea into the American colonies.
Another cause of the American Revolutionary War was the establishment of Indian Reservations. Colonial residents hoped to expand into the fertile Midwest, but Britain established Indian territories that prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains and restricted trade with Native Americans. This was because Britain feared that colonial expansion into these areas would lead to friction with Native Americans, necessitate military deployment, and create military expenditure issues. However, when the Indian Reservation was not properly enforced, Britain implemented the Quartering Act in 1769, dispatching troops and forcing colonists to bear the costs of their garrison. This provoked significant backlash. On March 1, 1770, as British soldiers marched through the city streets, citizens jeered and threw snowballs, escalating the situation into a gunfight that resulted in civilian deaths. This incident became known in America as the Boston Massacre.
Britain later repealed the Townshend Acts but maintained the tea tax, leading to the Boston Tea Party and becoming the spark that ignited the American Revolutionary War. During the Seven Years’ War, the East India Company was granted the exclusive right to sell tea in America as payment for purchasing government bonds. This led to the establishment of tea depots, harming existing tea merchants. To provoke conflict between Britain and the Indians, these merchants dressed as Indians and staged an incident where they threw tea into the sea. In response, Britain closed Boston Harbor in 1774 and demanded compensation.
In response, the 12 colonies (excluding Georgia) convened the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia in September. In 1775, the Revolutionary War began when colonial militiamen raided a British army armory in Lexington. The Declaration of Independence was issued on July 4, 1776. Benjamin Franklin played a prominent role during the war, using his fluency in French to secure French support. Though France, facing financial difficulties, initially sent only militias, the victory at the Battle of Saratoga in 1778 led to the formation of the Franco-American Alliance. France then entered the war, providing naval support. In 1781, taking advantage of the French Navy’s blockade of Virginia’s main forces, American troops won the Battle of Yorktown. Ultimately, through the Treaty of Versailles in 1783, Britain recognized American independence, marking Britain’s first defeat since the Hundred Years’ War.
Twenty years earlier, in the Seven Years’ War of 1763 over Silesia, Britain supported Prussia against Austria and France, securing victory and gaining dominance in North America. However, Britain’s defeat in the American Revolutionary War twenty years later, in 1783, can be seen as a failure of foreign policy. In 1763, Britain could win due to its superior war command and financial advantage, but by 1783, there was no nation to counter France. Russia and Prussia were preoccupied with the Partitions of Poland and could not intervene in the war between Britain and America. Consequently, in the struggle for hegemony between Britain and France, France avenged its 1763 defeat and reestablished the balance of power necessary for future challenges.
