APUSH Essay Rewrite

The Revolutionary era in America was so adequately named for its advancement and
significant changes, not only externally (from Britain), but also internally in the form of new
government and political structures. The Revolutionary era contributed to inspiring experiments
with new governmental structures through economy and political ideologies. It was inspired
economically to experiment with new political structures because of different taxes employed by
the British upon the Colonists. However, it was inspired to experiment with new governmental
structures due to new political ideologies from the enlightenment period being carried over to the
soon to be United States.
After the French and Indian war the British began to impose new taxes to help pay for the
costs of the war and the continuous defense of the colonies. the stamp act of 1765, for example,
was put in place specifically to pay for the troops in position to defend the colonies frontier
territory near the appalachian mountains. Though this act was relatively small in the amount it
was taxing, the colonists felt that the tax was a direct attempt by the British parliament to levy
taxes from the Americans without their consent, or adequate representation in parliament. This
hatred, and oppressive view of taxation led the articles of confederation to decree that it was up
to the state whether they would submit taxes to the federal government or not. In addition to the
economic aspects of the Revolutionary era, different beliefs from the enlightenment era provided
inspiration for new government structures.
Due to the contemporary nature of the Revolutionary era with the enlightenment period,
many colonists borrowed ideas from many famous enlightenment thinkers. Most notably in the
philosopher John Locke who, through his essays on the social contract theory and treatise of
government, instigated the idea that would eventually become the Bill of Rights in the
constitution. More directly related to the Revolution, was the french philosopher Jean-Jacques
Rousseaus effect on the colonies. Rousseau stated that society is a contract between citizens and
their government, and when the government is not fulfilling the needs of the people, then it is the
duty of the people to stand up against the government. This particularly appealed to the
American people because they believed that Britain was no longer fulfilling their needs and
therefore should not be their government. Montesquieu, Though a lesser discussed philosopher,
also had important impacts in the American experiments with new government structures.

Montesquieu was the person to create the Ideas of Separation of powers which was a system of
government that divides the power of a country between three branches to stop any one part of
the government from gaining too much power. This appealed greatly to the colonists due to their
perception that Britain had too much power and was oppressing the colonists. In lieu of this
experience with a government having too much power, the colonists adopted the political system
of separation of powers and made the judicial, executive, and legislative branch of government to
top any one branch from being able to again oppress the people. These enlightenment ideas were
the underlying support to the experimentation that had gone on in America during the
Revolutionary era.
It is simple to say that it was the tangible events and experiences (such as the acts passed
by Britain) however it was the new ideals and ideologies that drove the Americans to
governmental experimentation. Being an abstract object, it is clear that new political ideas would
most heavily affect the politics of the new nation. True, the events of the revolutionary stirred
contempt within the colonies, however it was the ideas behind the emotions that lead colonists to
strive for change.
It was these ideas and events of the Revolutionary era that caused the experimentation of
the new governmental structures in America. It was this inspiration that paved the way for not
only the experiment of new political structures, but also for our current system of government as
well. it was these Ideas and events that created the backbone, and outline for the country America
would one day be.