The Main Causes Of The Revolutionary War

The Revolutionary War was one of the greatest underdog stories in history. The war was fought between young colonies with no real military strength and Great Britain, known to command the world’s strongest navy at the time. The colonists were able to defeat the British for three reasons: their will to fight, the timing and situation, and foreign aid. The sparks for conflict began in Boston Massachusetts. Before Britain had royal governors in the colonies, the first settlers in Boston created the Mayflower Compact. This document planted the seeds for a self-ruling government, which is America’s political system today. Soon after King George assigned governors to the colonies, relations began to deteriorate. Britain’s national treasury was …show more content…
After years of attempting to negotiate and continued mistreatment from the British, colonist leaders decided that seceding from the mother nation was the only way they can represent themselves. Based on The Common Sense by Thomas Paine, the colonists believed that “freedom would make it possible to create a new kind of government without a king. In the democracy envisioned by the country’s earliest leaders, Americans would govern themselves based on certain principles and ideals.” The idea of a new type of government that was ruled by the people, became the main reason to fight the crown. Another reason for the colonists’ will to fight were the consequences of suffering defeat. They had more at stake, losing meant years of harsher treatment under British rule as repercussion. However, British soldiers did not have a strong reason to fight, since losing the campaign posed no threat to their homeland. Defeat only meant international humiliation for England. With motivation on their side, the Patriots were willing to do anything in order to secure their freedom and …show more content…
America and England were separated by the Atlantic Ocean, while the battles took place on American Soil, giving the colonists the home field advantage. The distance presented a problem for the away team, making it difficult for the British to send troops and supplies for the war, which took at least three months to arrive. Additionally, Britain’s national treasury was in crisis due to the French and Indian War. This lack of financial substance hindered their ability to produce supplies and hire soldiers. Several of Britain’s other colonies were also rising up to rebel against King George’s rule. Furthermore, if Britain were to defeat the Patriots, government officials would have to force the colonists to like and respect the crown again. This feat was close to impossible, due to repercussions from the bloodshed, and the length of time to brainwash them to support the crown