Introduction
The history of the United States in the 18th century is fascinating for several reasons. Firstly, colonial changes became the causes of new problems and requirements that need to be answered. Secondly, it is the American Revolution, which resulted from the Great Awakening and the flowering of Enlightenment. Thirdly, and most importantly, there was the birth of an independent American nation. A common fact unites the reasons: they would be impossible if the metropolis started listening to the English colonists. The municipality’s management was not perfect due to problems in political representation in legislative bodies, the concentration of power, and tax policy. Indigenous people used ethical norms and civic activism to achieve the right to self-government. This work touches on the causes of discontent, patriots’ ethical considerations, and civic education methods.
Causes of Discontent
The patriotic upsurge was caused by the need to eliminate the claims of the English colonists about the lack of political representation, uneven concentration of power, and unfair tax policy. American land in the 18th century was a cauldron in which the landowners of Great Britain, Spain, and France pursued their interests. The Powers established their own rules to obtain the necessary political and economic benefits, neglecting the rights of the indigenous population.
The indigenous population focused their actions on maintaining economic growth and rejecting the idea of raising taxes. An additional aspect of the struggle was the desire for political change because the local population did not have a satisfactory representation in the legislature. At that time, there were no specific laws on the territory of the United States that would regulate relations between Americans, Britons, and other owners. The necessity of confrontation prompted the patriots to include such mechanisms as consumer revolutions, bigots, administrative reforms, which caused the American Revolution in 1765. This fact demonstrated how significant the influence of people would be if they all interacted as a civil society.
Ethical Considerations
The positive results of the patriots’ resistance are explained by the assessment of ethical considerations, which helped the Americans eliminate their complaints already in the new state. The American Revolution and the identification of the causes of the discontent of the indigenous population can be characterized by several ethical problems. Firstly, it is society’s desire for civil liberties and independence due to the unequal concentration of power in Europe. Secondly, it is dissatisfaction with the current situation and the negative impact of the administration of the colonies. When the patriots achieved independence from Britain, one of their first actions was the introduction of the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. The idea of taking into account all ethical considerations turned out to be either time-consuming or utterly unattainable in the United States.
Civic Education
The formation of two cultural and social movements (the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening) was another way to assert the rights of Americans. The movements are intended to unite people and clearly explain that the current ideas of the government are no longer practical. In conditions of resistance, education is essential for all people to develop critical thinking. Similar methods (protests and boycotts) of civic participation made possible the American Revolution of 1765, which led to the liberation of Americans from Western influence.
Conclusion
The events discussed highlighted the high potential of Americans in setting and achieving goals. The origins of the American revolutions were in the claims that the metropolis refused to discuss with the colonists. The patriots’ speech was a matter of time when the movements of the Great Awakening and Enlightenment demonstrated several acute ethical and civic issues to the population. Instead of using administrative and legislative power as the only sources of legitimate changes, the patriots decided to turn to real people. Such a move was actively used both before and after the events considered.
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