What Is the American Revolution, Anyway? (V5)

Written by Frank Li

This is such a critical chapter in my forthcoming new book (Introduction to “History 2.0”) that I keep improving it, based on the feedback I keep receiving.

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1. What is the American Revolution?

Read Wikipedia – American Revolution.

Here is a bold statement: The American Revolution was real, but most of its purported reasons are lies! Three examples of big lies:

1. No taxation without representation.
2. Against the tyranny of a king.
3. Liberty and justice for all in the name of “all men are created equal”.

2. What was the real reason behind the American Revolution?

The American Revolution was chiefly instigated by a bunch of rich people (e.g., Samuel Adams and John Hancock), who simply did not want to pay [more] taxes to the mother country. They conspicuously hid this real reason behind an eloquent slogan of “no taxation without representation“.

Here is a famous article: What we get wrong about taxes and the American Revolution. Below is an excerpt.

The article then raises the following question and argues about it.

Here is my approach: instead of arguing about what the colonists really wanted before the revolution, like many historians have been doing over the past 200 years, let’s see what they actually got after the revolution, and reason backward from there, additionally.

With that, I argue that the colonists wanted not only to keep more to themselves (instead of paying [more] taxes), but also the possibility of expanding British colonialism further on their own, without Britain!

3. What led to the American Revolutionary War?

Three important events in sequence as follows:

1. Royal Proclamation of 1763.
2. Boston Massacre of 1770.
3. Boston Tea Party of 1773.

Let me elaborate on each …

3.1 Royal Proclamation of 1763

Read Wikipedia – Royal Proclamation of 1763. The image below is a summary.

Bottom line: The proclamation protected the indigenous people from further British colonialization beyond the 13 colonies.

Critical reasoning … This was the first piece of legislation of many that infuriated the colonists. But it is not even listed as an event in this well-known article: 7 Events That Enraged Colonists and Led to the American Revolution.

Why is that?

It does not fit the desirable narrative, maybe?

For a simple repeat of the “edited” history with a contemporary example, read 9/11: Remembered in America, But Not Understood!

3.2 Boston Massacre of 1770

Read Wikipedia – Boston Massacre.

Bottom line: It was not a massacre by any reasonable definition. The rich people (e.g., Paul Revere and Samuel Adams), via the media under their control, exaggerated it into a massacre. In other words, history was “edited” in this case!

3.3 Boston Tea Party of 1773

Read Wikipedia – Boston Tea Party.

Bottom line: In today’s terms, it was a dispute between billionaires and millionaires, with the governments, “Federal” and “local”, taking opposite sides. In other words, this is just yet another example of “edited” history!

4. What happened throughout the American Revolution?

Two big deals:

1. The publication of the United States Declaration of Independence.
2. The American Revolutionary War.

Let me elaborate on each …

4.1 Declaration of Independence

Read What Is the Declaration of Independence, Anyway?

4.2 American Revolutionary War

Read Wikipedia – American Revolutionary War.

The American revolutionaries (aka “Patriots” in America but “ungrateful colonists” in Britain) won the war easily, especially in terms of casualties – See image below.

Why so easily?

Because it was very much a war of simple attrition, with one side clearly having huge advantages over the other.

In other words, the British might have been able to successfully fight the war for two to three years. But after it stretched into eight years, they basically gave up.

Very importantly, because it was viewed as a “civil war” in Britain, the British did not go all-out, which was a main reason behind the low American casualties, as well as Britain’s ultimate defeat.

In short, given the risk and reward, the war proved to be worthwhile for the leaders of the American Revolution – No guts, no glory!

What about the American soldiers in the war?

They were no different from those in any other war throughout human history: the children of the poor fighting the war of the rich.

The American Revolutionary War was concluded with Britain’s recognition of America in 1783 (Treaty of Paris), thus ending the American Revolution.

Bottom line: The colonists took a modest risk throughout the American Revolution for huge potential gains.

5. What happened after the American Revolution?

Three significant outcomes:

1. America became a republic, by accident.
2. A government by/of/for the rich was formed.
3. America continued British colonialism, without Britain.

Let me elaborate on each …

5.1 America became a republic, by accident

It turned out that the colonists did not really dislike the “tyranny of a king” – They just did not like the British King (i.e., George III). After the war was over, they simply asked George Washington to be their new king. But Washington refused, thus making it possible for America to become a republic.

In short, America became a republic by accident – It was neither a reason nor a goal throughout the American Revolution!

5.2 A government by/of/for the rich was formed

The rich wanted a limited government, which would not only leave them alone to become richer (e.g., without paying taxes), but also support them with slavery (i.e., socialism supporting capitalism with free labor) and colonialism (e.g., territory expansions). They got it, as shown by the image below.

The image below highlights its profound implication to date.

It is for this reason, chiefly, that America remains by/of/for the rich today.

5.3 America continued British colonialism, without Britain

Two big examples: Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark Expedition.

With more European migrants enjoying the “land of the free, home of the new”, the indigenous people became much worse off, because Americans turned out to be much more brutal than the British, even committing genocides against them (e.g., Trail of Tears).

The same can be said about the slaves. For example, slave trade was exacerbated after 1783, because of the huge desire for more “free labor”, thanks to the surge in cotton (vs. sugar) production. It was for this reason, chiefly, that many slaves actually fought for the British throughout the War of 1812, because the British promised to free them, if they won the war (but they did not).

6. Discussion

Time is the best judge of everything, including the American Revolution.

Moreover, let’s further understand the American Revolution by comparing it with the French Revolution (What Is the French Revolution, Anyway?) and the Chinese Communist Revolution (What Is the Chinese Communist Revolution, Anyway?), respectively.

6.1 American Revolution vs. French Revolution

1. The French Revolution was by/of/for the people (mostly poor). It was the beginning of the end of absolute monarchy in Europe, replacing it with republic and constitutional monarchy. So, it was definitely a positive development in humanity.
2. The American Revolution was by/of/for the rich. After becoming a republic by accident, America brutally continued British colonization, without Britain. Overall, however, was it even a positive development in humanity like the French Revolution was? I am no longer sure …

For more, read The French Revolution vs. the American Revolution (Version 2).

6.2 American Revolution vs. Chinese Communist Revolution

1. The American Revolution was by/of/for the rich, and America remains so today.
2. The Chinese Communist Revolution was by/of/for the poor, but China has, over the past four decades, transformed itself to a form that is truly by/of/for the people (i.e., rich and poor), with a long way to go toward the ideal though.

For more, read American Revolution vs. Chinese Communist Revolution.

7. Closing

The American Revolution was real, but most of its purported reasons are lies. It’s time for America to reason profoundly, as highlighted by the image below.

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