The Biggest Lie of a Lifetime

Sorry to say, but you have all been lied to. The American Revolution really wasnt a revolution.
It didnt produce any long last changes, things remained pretty much how they were. Changes
didnt occur for the women, slavery, or wealth and political powers. This wasnt a revolution; it
was bound to happen as time went by. Peoples lives didnt change, only their perception of
everything changed.
First of all, womens lives didnt change at all. They were still subservient to their husbands and
didnt receive many rights, just like how its always has been. Abigail Adams wrote a letter to
her husband about ladies having the right to vote, but no change resulted from this. In fact,
womens suffrage didnt occur till 140 years after this letter! Also you know this wasnt radical
because this letter is to her husband not to the public or a feminist group. Remember all Men
would be tyrants if they could. (Doc M) This statement isnt radical; she is just saying that
because England has always been headed by a king. This was written during the time where the
declaration of independent was signed, if it was radical it would be mentioned in the constitution.
Vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
(Doc N) This amendment was passed 137 years after the war, into a nation where women
outnumbered men. This was bound to happen, the war was not a reason of this amendment being
passed, it was to satisfy the majority of the population, women.
Another thing that didnt change was slavery. Slaves were still looked down upon and not
respected. the migration of such persons (slaves) as any of the states now existing shall think
proper to admit shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year 1808 (Doc J) This
banned the slave trade in the states, but it gave plantation owners 20 years to stock up on them. A

revolutionary thing done would be the slave trade being immediately outlawed. Illinois
abolished slavery in 1787, Mississippi did so in 1863 (Doc K) The American Revolution really
wasnt revolutionary, slavery still occurred 80 years after the war. Illinois may have abolished
slavery due to the war, but Mississippi clearly didnt, it followed the step 56 years after Illinois.
This clearly wasnt revolutionary for the slaves; their lives didnt change for the ones who were
already on American soil.
The most not so revolutionary thing about the American Revolution is the wealth and political
power of the rich. The poor never got a say and always remained poor before and after the war.
Not one member represent in his economic interests the small farming or mechanic class. (Doc
H) So they are always ignored. Poor 0% in 1765, Poor 0% 1765 for North colonies, Poor 0% in
1765, Poor 0% 1785 in South colonies (Doc I) Also according to Doc I majority of the
population would be classified poor, clear example would be teachers who made only 80 pounds
a year; you have to make over 500 to not be poor. Even when the constitution was written, only
the rich benefitted. At least five-sixths, were to greater or less extent economic beneficiaries
from the adoption of the constitution. (Doc H) The rich basically wrote the laws to benefit them,
what is radical about that? The rich only get richer and the poor have to suffer like how they
were in England. The wealthy also owned a lot of the land that was out there. Leasehold tenures
affecting 260,000 persons and 1,800,000 acres as late as 1846 These tenants never got the right
to buy their land as late as 1846. Nothing is revolutionary about this, all these citizens have to
rent their land from the rich, meanwhile the rich just sit and get automatic income. No change
has occurred, before the war the colonies were dependent on charters and parent countries, now
they are on their landowners.

As you can see, the American Revolution really wasnt a revolution. The lives of people didnt
change, and things were the way they were with the rich only richer and poor suffering.
Womens rights, slavery, and wealth and political power all stayed the same. It should just be
called the War of Independence.