Introduction
It is exactly 245 years since the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence from British colonial rule. The nation, in this period, has developed a long and rich heritage that could easily obscure pre-independence events. Accordingly, an occasional reminder of the factors and influences that contributed to the birth of the world’s oldest liberal democracy becomes necessary. The establishment of Jamestown, the inception of the Great Awakening, the Seven Years War, oppressive British colonial laws, and the meeting of the first Continental Congress are among the defining events that lay the foundations for the great American nation that exists today. The various battles in the war for independence were evidence of the colonists’ willingness to pay the ultimate prize for freedom.
The Establishment of Jamestown
The establishment of the first English colonial settlement in North America is a defining moment in the nation’s history because it signified the origins of what was to become the US. Around 104 men comprised the first English settlers that founded the colony of Virginia with Jamestown as its capital in 1607 (Foner). English North America presented a clean slate on which everyone hoped for freedom to recreate a new world based on his preferred ideals (Foner). Notably, settlers in this region acquired greater entitlements such as voting members to elected assemblies, access to land, economic autonomy, and common law safeguards (Foner). Therefore, the establishment of the first English dominion at Jamestown also signified the origins of the notions of democracy and liberty that define modern America.
The Great Awakening and the Seven Years War
The Great Awakening denotes a spiritual resurgence that strengthened religion in colonial America and resulted in the formulation and advancement of progressive religious, social, and political ideas. The 1730s marked the beginnings of the revival of religious fundamentalism that also affected the colonial social and political structures (Foner). Consequently, it triggered social tensions, encouraged the questioning of authority, and encouraged criticism of various facets of the colonial society, including slavery (Foner).
The Seven Years War, on the other hand, was instrumental to the establishment of the territorial entities that, eventually, comprised some of the United States of America. English North America expanded significantly following this war when the French ceded all the territory between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River to the British (Foner). Hence, while the Great Awakening contributed to the ideological development of the colonists, the war resulted in territorial expansion.
British Colonial Legislation
Oppressive colonial laws were among the most contentious factors that contributed to the anti-British sentiments that influenced the calls for independence. The British had the tendency to pass restrictive legislation, but which the colonists usually ignored (Foner). However, between 1764 and 1774, the colonial administration enacted a series of statutes that triggered discontent among the colonists and inspired them to react.
The impugned laws include the Currency and the Sugar Acts 1764, the Stamp Act 1765, Townshend Acts 1767, Tea Act 1773, and the Intolerable Acts 1774 (Foner). These laws imposed various restrictions on colonists’ that angered them and resulted in riots and demonstrations over that period. Thus, the oppressive laws served as a catalyst that culminated in the outward expression of dissatisfaction against the British.
First Continental Congress
The convening of the First Continental Congress was a pivotal moment in the pre-independence era because it demonstrated the colonists’ ability and willingness to mobilize, organize, and establish viable structures of governance without British input. A congregation of the most prominent political leaders from twelve mainland colonies, its establishment was in reaction to the Intolerable Act and it was designed to coordinate resistance to them (Foner). Accordingly, this convention was an organized manifestation of the colonists’ discontent against British imposition. The significance of this event stems from the fact that it was the first political outfit in the anti-colonial efforts. Merchants whose commercial interests the British intruded upon usually funded all other similarly organized entities.
The American Revolution
Admittedly, the phrase ‘American Revolution’ is an overarching reference to the events between 1763 and 1783 that culminated in American independence. However, in this context, focus is on some influential battles that signified American’s resolve to die for their independence. Examples include the Battles at Concord and Lexington in 1775, the Battle of Trenton in 1776, and the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 (Foner). It is important to remember these battles and others that marked the American Revolution because of the fact that there was blood shed for Americans to claim the liberties they enjoy today. No one should take it for granted that past generations had to die for the birth of the American nation to occur.
Conclusion
The reason why the US is renowned as the greatest democracy is its emergence from a small colonial settlement and steady growth into the only superpower in the world. However, to get to its present status, numerous events have had a defining impact on the nation. Apart from the establishment of the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, contention that the Great Awakening, the Seven Years War, erratic and oppressive British law and policy, and the various battles in the war for independence as among the most definitive events in the nation’s history seems plausible.
Work Cited
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty!: An American History. 6th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.