One common theme throughout every social and political revolution to ever take place, is leadership. Leadership is the glue that bonds ordinary people, to an idea they all believe in. Average citizens may desire change, but without leaders who truly take action and drive the will of the people forward towards the desired change, no such change will occur. The American Revolution was no different. Increasing British tyranny after the Seven Years War, created a resentment to British Control, and a desire for revolution. The Colonists certainly had the strong desire for change, but without the work and leadership of Founders such as John Dickinson, Samuel Adams, and Thomas Paine in events leading up to and during the war, the American Revolution
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Often called the “Penman of the Revolution”, Dickinson wrote many influential Documents leading up to the war. One of these documents was Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, written between 1767 and 1768, The series of essays written by Dickenson expressed his position that Parliament could regulate Colonial commerce but could not levy taxes on the American people without the consent of said colonists. Dickinson’s essays put elegantly in to words what was on the minds of many frustrated American Colonists, and gave people who felt that they were being unfairly taxed a leader and many statements by that leader to rally around. Another key rallying document was written by John Dickinson seven years later, Dickinson wrote the final draft of the Declaration on the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. Written during the Second Continental Congress, this document laid out the reasons as to why the American Colonists have initiated war with Great Britain. Reasoning included unfair and tyrannical taxes as well as violence against Colonists in events like the Boston Massacre. This document summarized all the frustrations American Colonists had felt since after the Seven Years War in a way that spoke volumes to the British Government and rallied the people of the Colonies together around the ideas pushing them to revolution. John Dickinson’s writings were key in united the …show more content…
Thomas Paine was one of the more famous Enlightenment writers and thinkers. In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet that would spread through the colonies like wild fire, called Common Sense. One of the more famous quotes from Common Sense read “Until an independence is declared the continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity.” Paine was saying that a declaration of independence from Great Britain will mostly cause more issues, such as war, but must be done in order to secure the rights of the American people. Paine’s statement was very cohesive with some Colonists who felt the desire for American Independence but were too afraid of the hardships that may ensue to reach the final goal. Another Quote from Common Sense brought a different argument forward as too why people should rally behind the idea of American Independence, “Small islands not capable of protecting themselves are the proper objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is something very absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island”. This reasoning presented by Paine was something different than most other rallying arguments for American Independence brought forward by other Colonial leaders. Paine was
Often called the “Penman of the Revolution”, Dickinson wrote many influential Documents leading up to the war. One of these documents was Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, written between 1767 and 1768, The series of essays written by Dickenson expressed his position that Parliament could regulate Colonial commerce but could not levy taxes on the American people without the consent of said colonists. Dickinson’s essays put elegantly in to words what was on the minds of many frustrated American Colonists, and gave people who felt that they were being unfairly taxed a leader and many statements by that leader to rally around. Another key rallying document was written by John Dickinson seven years later, Dickinson wrote the final draft of the Declaration on the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. Written during the Second Continental Congress, this document laid out the reasons as to why the American Colonists have initiated war with Great Britain. Reasoning included unfair and tyrannical taxes as well as violence against Colonists in events like the Boston Massacre. This document summarized all the frustrations American Colonists had felt since after the Seven Years War in a way that spoke volumes to the British Government and rallied the people of the Colonies together around the ideas pushing them to revolution. John Dickinson’s writings were key in united the …show more content…
Thomas Paine was one of the more famous Enlightenment writers and thinkers. In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet that would spread through the colonies like wild fire, called Common Sense. One of the more famous quotes from Common Sense read “Until an independence is declared the continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity.” Paine was saying that a declaration of independence from Great Britain will mostly cause more issues, such as war, but must be done in order to secure the rights of the American people. Paine’s statement was very cohesive with some Colonists who felt the desire for American Independence but were too afraid of the hardships that may ensue to reach the final goal. Another Quote from Common Sense brought a different argument forward as too why people should rally behind the idea of American Independence, “Small islands not capable of protecting themselves are the proper objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is something very absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island”. This reasoning presented by Paine was something different than most other rallying arguments for American Independence brought forward by other Colonial leaders. Paine was