4th July: Looking back into the past

15th and 16th Century: The European empires were fast expanding their colonization all across the globe. America was no exception to it. The colonization which started in America by Spanish explorers was at its peak by the 16th century. There were thirteen colonies of the British Empire which included: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Province of New Hampshire Province of Massachusetts Bay Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Connecticut Colony Province of New York Province of New Jersey Province of Pennsylvania Delaware Colony Province of Maryland Colony and Dominion of Virginia Province of North Carolina Province of South Carolina Province of Georgia

American Revolution:The common interests of trade and colonization between the Great Britain on one side and France and Spain on the other led to the Seven Years war. This war between 1754 and 1763 had enormous effects on Europe, America, Africa, India and the Philippines. Though the war ended in declaring Britain as the worlds dominant power yet the prolonged struggle and made it bankrupt and financially feeble to support the Army and Naval forces which were required to maintain its strong foothold over the globe. Britain tried to find ways of resolving their financial crisis and developing their economy through policies of taxes and other legislatures in America. The important ones are listed below Navigation Act Molasses Act Royal Proclamation Sugar Act Currency Act Quartering Acts Stamp Act

Declaratory Act Townshend Acts and Tea Act Quebec Act and the Intolerable Acts

Americans did not entertain the idea of the Parliament in London to lay legislatures and direct taxes as they did not have their own elected representative in the Parliament. This resulted in strong opposition and protest to the British Government and led to the American Revolutionary War. To further ignite the fire were the ideological movement known as the American Enlightenment. Liberalism John Locke inspired the English writers on the ideas of libertywhich in turn played a major role to influence the political thoughts behind the revolution. He argued all humans were created equally free; governments needed the consent of the governed. Republicanism It advocated the idea of performing civic duties before personal desires. Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, George Washington, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were some eminent names who strongly emphasized the concept. Continental Congress To voice their grievances against the British Parliament colonial delegates met in Philadelphia in September, 1774. Noted among them were George Washington of Virginia, John and Samuel Adams of Massachusetts, Patrick Henry of Virginia and John Jay of New York. The First Continental Congress helped in the following ways 1. It now did not allow taxes to be levied without proper representation. 2. It also forbade the maintenance of British army without the consent of the Congress 3. It gave rights every individual on life, property, assembly and trial by jury. The Continental Congress voted to meet again in May 1775.

Declaration of Independence At the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson joined. The Congress formed a Continental Army headed by Washington. On June 17, in the Revolution's first major battle, colonial forces inflicted heavy casualties on the British regiment of General William Howe at Breed's Hill in Boston. This is known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. Though the British gained victory at this however, it lit the colonists with a lot of courage to continue with the revolution. Throughout that fall and winter, Washington's forces struggled to keep the British contained in Boston, but artillery captured at Fort Ticonderoga in New York helped shift the balance of that struggle in late winter. The British evacuated the city in March 1776, with Howe and his men retreating to Canada to prepare a major invasion of New York. By June 1776, the Revolutionary War was in full swing. Majority of the colonists was now in favor of gaining independence from the British Empire. On July 4, the Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence, drafted by a five-man committee including Franklin and John Adams but written mainly by Jefferson. That same month, determined to crush the rebellion, the British government sent a large fleet, along with more than 34,000 troops to New York. Though the American Revolution continued in full swing till 1777 but July 4th 1776 had been marked in the American History as the Day of Independence.