Talk:American Revolution

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

↓    Skip to table of contents    ↓

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the American Revolution article.
Article policies
Archives: 1
Good article American Revolution was one of the History good articles, but it has been removed from the list. There are suggestions below for improving the article to meet the good article criteria. Once these issues have been addressed, the article can be renominated. Editors may also seek a reassessment of the decision if they believe there was a mistake.
This article is within the scope of the following WikiProjects:
This article has an assessment summary page.
To-do list for American Revolution: edit · history · watch · refresh

Add role of the native americans.

  • Merge article on Colonial Scrip into Origins section as Benjamin Franklin, Peter Cooper, and others have written Parliament's passage of the Currency Act in 1764 was detrimental to the colonial economies, as it outlawed the circulating medium and caused a depression created widespread dissatisfaction among the Colonists. Many prominent Americans have called this the primary cause of the American Revolution and it deserves mention.
  • Black Loyalists! Under-commented on group... Black Loyalists were slaves lured to promises of land, freedom, and provision in the British empire..namely Nova Scotia and Canada West..though some west to Trinidad I believe... investigate that group and its a very interesting trail.
  • Add details about the effect of the Seven Years' War as a cause of the American Revolution
  • Add information about the Boston Tea Party to the section titled "Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party"
  • Rewrite "Crisis" section, converting bullet points into text. Be sure to include Massachesetts rebellion of 1774 that forced royal officials out of office.
  • Add section about historical interpretations on the effect of the Revolution on society, including:
  • emergence of more "democratic" notions and practices in America
  • role of women
  • effect on "race relations"
  • rewrite "choosing sides" section, discussing how various segments of the population decided to act
  • rewrite "War for Independence" section, discussing issues not covered in the American Revolutionary War article, such as
  • Domestic issues: Congressional management of the war
  • Foreign policy issues: Treaty and alliance negotiations
  • Rewrite "America after the war", converting bullet points into text, with some discussion of the issues confronting America under the Articles of Confederation
  • Under the "Loyalists" topic it says, "Loyalists took some part in fighting, especially near Canada. 70,000 left the 13 colonies during or after the war. About 45,00 later settled in Canada, which they profoundly influenced." What is the number supposed to be?
  • A new Web site provides first hand information regarding the American Revolution... from a British point of view : [ http://www.haldimand-collection.ca Haldimand Collection ] The 232 series fully indexed !
  • National Debt section needs a generality to be specified. Add the word "merchants" after the phrase "were debts owed by the national and state governments to Americans" in the section on National Debt. ---- estherannelittle
Priority 1 (top) 
Archive
Archives
1


Contents

[edit] Link distinction

Notice: when linking articles to the American Revolution, be aware of the distinction between the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War.

[edit] Canada

Why is there no mention of the U.S. invasion and attempted annexation of Canada in this article? It was only a sideshow but nevertheless a legitimate theater of war. If the contributions of women and blacks are sufficiently important to the modern historian to discuss at length in this article, then the invasion of Canada should also apply. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 137.165.201.138 (talk) 01:55, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

I think "annexation" is the wrong word (the states that formed the US were hoping that Quebec would join them willingly)... but you certainly have a point as to the invasion. Blueboar 19:29, 27 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Archive

The talk page was archived on January 30, 2007. Previous discussions can be found at: Talk:American Revolution/Archive 1. --The Spith 14:17, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Immigrants and Loyalists

The assertion that immigrants were more likely to be Loyalists is not universally accepted, and particularly in the case of the Scots-Irish the opposite is often claimed, as it is contended that by-and-large they had a distrust of authority based on perceptions of mistreated by the British Crown. I suggest removal of the following from the article:

"Recent immigrants who had not been fully Americanized were also inclined to support the King, such as recent Scottish settlers in the back country.[1]"

You have overlooked the word "recent". Immigrants since 1770 or so were unlikely to trust the rebellious American authorities, either. Flora Macdonald is the test case here. Septentrionalis PMAnderson 23:52, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] GA/R

I'm filing a GA/R on this article since it seems it wasn't listed properly to start with, and looking at the archive, it seems there were some major problems brought up that someone felt meant it shouldn't be a GA at all. Might as well just make this article's status certain and whatnot, review filed here: WP:GA/R. Homestarmy 17:35, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Citation on Rousseau?

Hello all, I'm a relative lurk in the Wiki world (and as such don't comment or contribute often), but a statement made in American_revolution#Liberalism_and_republicanism caught my eye:

Historians find little trace of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's influence in America.

Could the contributor of this statement offer a citation of some kind? I am interested in using this information, but cannot without reference :)

Apologies to all in advance, I'm not sure if I'm addressing this concern in the right place or format. Lucificifus 20:39, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Not to be argumentative but I don't think we can provide a citation for a lack of influence.Padillah 16:47, 13 March 2007 (UTC)

Arguably Paine's Common Sense and his notions of a collective 'general good', to be expressed by a unicameral legislature designed to be democracy through representation, are derived from Rousseau's 'general will'. Those comments (and the Pennsylvania 1776 Constitution) didn't come from Locke. But his political influence was, in the wider scheme of things, really limited to anti-monarchism/republicanism and independence.

I see your point, and understand it. Thank you, I seem to have been overthinking again. :) Lucificifus 03:53, 21 March 2007 (UTC)
Historians find very little Rousseau in America before 1820s. Thus "Rousseau, whose romantic and egalitarian tenets had practically no influence on the course of Jefferson's, or indeed any American, thought." Nathan Schachner, Thomas Jefferson: A Biography. (1957). p. 47. Rjensen 03:57, 21 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Callout at top of article.

This article is about political poopy and social developments. I'm sorry but I have to ask: is political poopy really what is meant here? That seems less than eriudite. Padillah 12:29, 13 March 2007 (UTC)

Wow... that's poopy vandalism from poopy schoolchildren. This is a known scourge. - NYC JD (objection, asked and answered!) 12:35, 13 March 2007 (UTC)
EDIT: How can I critique others when I can't spell 'article' correctly? Padillah 16:45, 13 March 2007 (UTC)

...Nor "erudite"... (Sorry... inveterate proofreader with a prediliction for making hasty typos myself.) Esseh 00:07, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Real Americans

I STILL haven't the faintest idea how to comment/edit etc here!!! ("Two peoples separated by a common language"?) Anyway, this SHOULD be a separate comment, BUT as I can find no way to add a NEW comment, only ways to edit EXISTING stuff, I'm ph**t!!! :) Genuinely sorry to freeload your comment, :// hope you'll forgive my intrusion. Seems sort of apposite though wouldn't you say? (see below)

Comment is as follows: . . . what about the REAL Americans, the native Indians??? They were involved in the Revolution (or squabble between invaders over who should control the spoils of conquest?). I know they've been virtually completely exterminated by the colonists but still, would be nice to have a nod in their direction, no? What about the Iroquoi for example who allied with the Loyalist Brits (against the "New-world" Brits)? Isn't that significant? Perhaps Wasi'chu don't see their surroundings, including those living in them, human, animal, plant etc, as being relevant to their squabbles, but shouldn't wiki contextualise information as well as reflect perceptions of reality?

End rant  :)

LookingGlass 13:28, 15 March 2007 (UTC)

I have taken the liberty of creating a new section and moving your comment to it... (for the future, just click the plus sign next to "edit this page").
You raise a good point. We should have something on the indiginous peoples. Please add it (Make sure it is well referenced and NPOV). Blueboar 13:36, 15 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] End date

I know that an earlier version of this article (as well as much literature on the topic) considers the "American Revolution" to include the period up through 1789, when the current U.S. Constitution was adopted. Fishal 13:15, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

Articles of Confederation:

While these were adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1777 they were not actually ratified until 1781. Before '81 Congress relied on powers no colony/state had delegated to it (such as raising and funding an army...).

formal ratification was not necessary for actual operations. The states knew what they were doing when they sent delegates and obeyed orders from Congress and put their militia under Congressional control. Ratification did make the bond permanent, a point Lincoln emphasized in secession critis of 1861. Rjensen 21:24, 20 March 2007 (UTC)

Yes, granted. My point was, some sources (including Timeline of United States revolutionary history (1760-1789)) consider the Constitution-writing process to be a part of the "American Revolution" period. Fishal 15:56, 21 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Boston Tea Party? Boston Massacre?

Is this section missing for some reason? I know there are individual articles addressing both these events but some mention should be made here, especially since they are refered to later in the page and without some structure the references make no sense.Padillah 14:28, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. That's weird --AW 20:25, 28 March 2007 (UTC)
OK, I added back the section on the Massacre, but it seems short. And the tea party still isn't mentioned --AW 20:31, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

I attempted to expand the section (as well as at least mention the Boston Tea Party). Hopefully my contributions can be used by someone else to further expand and improve it.Psyche825 04:00, 21 May 2007 (UTC)

I've done some minor copy-editing of the section, but am wondering: is more mention of them really necessary? The links to the main articles are included and the section seems to cover the important bits. Thoughts? GFett 01:44, 9 July 2007 (UTC)
I also believe the copy-edit tag can be removed from the section now, so am doing so. The tag mentions structure and stylistic differences between this section and the rest of the article, but it does not seem to me that any significant difference exists, so with some minor changes the copy-editing seems (?) relatively complete. GFett 01:48, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Black Loyalists

Hi yall. Noticed that this was on the "To do" list. I just added a paragraph in the "Loyalists" section that makes at least passing reference to Black Loyalists. I was in fact shocked to see that there is no independent article on them when I tried to wikify it. This really should be a separate article, linking here, to United Empire Loyalists, to African-Americans and I don't know how many other locations. I hope my little addition (with ref - details inside there; the article itself mentions two other articles on the same subject in The Beaver) will encourage someone to at least start this article. This is an important bit of Canadian history, too. (Honestly, I really do not feel qualified to do this, for those of you about to suggest it.) Of course, all comments welcome. Esseh 00:00, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
P.S. I see there is an entry on Africville, a now defunct suburb or Halifax, Nova Scotia founded by manumitted Black Loyalists. And yes, I will continue to red-link this until it (and I) turn(s) blue! I'll be watching... ;-) Esseh 00:00, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

Why wait for someone else to do this... why not start the article yourself. Blueboar 20:28, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

Hi Blueboar. Thanks for the vote, but as I said above (I bolded it), I'm not the guy for this. I did, on your prodding, send an e-mail to the Black Loyalist Heritage Society, however, suggesting that they might begin such an article, and offering to help with editing and such. I'll let you know what happens. In the meantime, you can check out their marvellous web site here [1] Esseh 05:33, 5 April 2007 (UTC)


ZJust triple-checked, and there IS a stub for Black Loyalist, singular. I think it should have the title changed, as there was more than one, and the stub refers them (properly) as a group. I will now change the link in the main article. Esseh 07:26, 5 April 2007 (UTC)


Hi all. At their behest, and for the edification of all, I have taken the liberty (pun intended) of adding links to the Black Loyalist Heritage Society in the "External links" and in the relevant paragraph. As well, I added a full, though it may need a cleanup to conform (and/or a change of section). Be bold, all! (Now, if we just had a citation or two for the Native Americans...) Esseh 22:38, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Constitution again

Perhaps I didn't phrase my comment clearly enough. It is fairly common to include the early postwar years in the the "American Revolution." I am referring especially to Shays's Rebellion, the Philadelphia Convention, and the political ferment accompanying the debate onRatification. Since the article specifically says that it is not simply about the war, the revolutionary events of 1784-1789 should be included. Fishal 20:20, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Should this be here?

"The word "patriot" is used in this article simply to mean a person in the colonies who sided with the American revolution. Calling the revolutionaries "patriots" is a long standing historical convention, and was done at the time. It is not meant to express bias in favor of either side." -this seems... with a lack of wording for what i'm thinking... a little odd 69.136.166.168 00:47, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

This explanation was put into the article after a debate on whether the word "patriot" should be used at all in the article. One side, mainly non-Americans, argued that the word could be seen as strongly biased and factually wrong. The compromise was that the word was kept, but an explanation was added on how the word is used in the article. - Duribald 09:57, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Seems valid to me. The rebels in Lower Canada (Québec) in 1837 were, and still are, known as to many as les patriotes, even though their rebellion was short-lived, never gained popular support, and failed. Usually the winners write the history. The American rebels won - and can call themselves anything they like. BUT, for NPOV reasons, the view from the other side (rebellious traitors to long-standing and rightful authority) must at least be acknowledged - and it is, if somewhat inelegantly. Imagine if the phrase in brackets were used instead, followed by "known as "Patriots" within the colonies". Think it would cause a stink? I do. Just my 2¢ worth. Esseh 22:50, 16 April 2007 (UTC) i dont no foo

I have removed this line. An argument behind the scenes here should never be visible like that. Its highly self-referential and argumentative. Its worse than when Spoiler (media) said that readers of online encyclopedias should expect spoilers. Atropos 03:22, 5 July 2007 (UTC)
And I have put it back, because it serves a purpose. This usage of the term "patriot" is largely unknown to non-Americans and there have been complaints that it is biased. If you want to explain it in another way, then please do, but don't just remove something that there has been previous discussions about. - Duribald 17:59, 10 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Port Bill

Hello! Does somebody know, what the Boston Port Bill was? It must be something of the late 18th century. Please answer at my diskussion page.Thank you--Ticketautomat 15:48, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] North America---a Continent???

Ok, before we get into an edit war over whether or not North America is a continent, it should be noted that there is a difference in opinion on the subject. Historically North and South America were viewed as one continent in Europe/Asia. Recently this has changed to the North/South American view that there are two continents. Since the prevalent view is that there are two continents, and the fact that this is an Article on the American Revolution (a country that views it as two continents), the identification of North America as an identifiable continent is correct.Balloonman 19:28, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

I have never in my life heard of North America being referred to as anything but a continent in it's own right. I checked, however, an old Swedish encyclopedia (published 1876-1926), which did refer to "America" as one continent with three parts: North, Central and South. I think it is logical to think of North America (including Central America) as a continent. We do, for example, consider Africa a continent, even though it has a land connection with Asia. Teh Wikipedia article on North AMrica also calls it a continent. -Duribald 13:51, 31 May 2007 (UTC)
Take a look at the article Continent. It discusses the various definitions of continent---which can range from 4-7 depending on the definition. 7 is the most commonly accepted number, but it isn't the only way to count continents. As for Europe calling it one continent, the countries that I heard that used to refer to the Americas as one continent were primarily Southern European countries that referred to the "Americas" as one continent as a result of early exploration efforts. (Spain, Italy, and Portugal) My guess is that Venezuela (which was heavily influenced by Southern Europe) holds to the position that there is only one continent as well. But that is why I made this post. Both your assertion and Andres assertion, which are contradictory, are correct. But because the article is about the US, the US understanding should be used.Balloonman 16:43, 31 May 2007 (UTC)
Rereading the article continent it does discuss how the 6 continent (one Americas)view is primarily taught in the Iberian Penensula (Spain/Portugal), Italy, South America and Iran.Balloonman 16:48, 31 May 2007 (UTC)
This is a silly thing to be arguing about. I fully understand that there is disagreement as to whether there are two continents (North America and South America) or just one (The Americas) ... but we do not need to get into this debate here... It can easily be dealt with by restucturing any sentences that discuss the area so that we don't mention the word "continent" ... something along the lines of: "By 1763, Great Britain possessed vast holdings in North America." This can either mean the continent (to those who think of North America as a continent) or the clearly defined area (ie the northern region of The Americas) within the larger combined continent (for those who like to think of it as The Americas). Blueboar 17:20, 31 May 2007 (UTC)
I don't think we're arguing... just making an observation to explain how/why both Andres and Duribald can say the exact opposite thing and both be correct. Your wording works great.Balloonman 17:33, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "The sense that all men have an equal voice in government"

This is a preposterous statement completely unsupportable by facts. Post-revolutionary America was a plutocracy in which something like 90% of the white male population didn't have the right to vote -- to say nothing of the slaves. It's certainly true that the American revolution encouraged similar-minded revolutionaries elsewhere but it shouldn't be presented in such a hagiographic fashion. Eleland 02:37, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Pmanderson's new version is much to be preferred. Eleland 22:36, 8 June 2007 (UTC)
I agree with you and not to mention the next to enslaved women not being able to own property nor vote. However the revolution wasn't single minded there was many revolutions of freedom at the same time all for their own personal freedom be it women's, black's, poor and so on. They even selected their officers in the army through vote. In the end, little freedom was gained as corrupt people always want to use the force of government. Lord Metroid 23:37, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] When

By late spring 1776
By summer 1776

These wordings are ambiguous. They would be better if replaced by more specific time periods. --B.d.mills 03:19, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

According to the book 1776 by historian David McCullough, Boston was under siege in late October 1775. (see chapter 1) Boston was sieged until March 4, 1776 when it was agreed to attack with cannon from Dorchester Heights. (see page 90, paperback) 63.226.196.7 (talk) 20:03, 11 January 2008 (UTC) J. E. Zimmer

[edit] Townshend Acts

In the paragraph describing Townshend Acts, it says three years after which would be 1770+3=1773. However, in the article, Townshend Acts, it has conflicting data, the date said is 1767. A minor mistake?

--Hwilliam50 22:24, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

corrected the dateBlueboar 18:10, 10 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Some Causes of the American Revolution

•Navigation Acts •Stamp Act •Boston Massacre •Relationship between England and their colonies after the French and Indian War •American Power of Salutary Neglect •MOST IMPORTANT-The Decleration on Independence

How could the declaration of independence have caused the revolution, when the revolution started first? Eleland 03:07, 16 July 2007 (UTC)
The war did not start out as a revolution as much as armed protest against the Stamp Act and other actions against the colonies. ComplexEndeavors 17:11, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
The revolution was originally a violent method for the colonists to change British regulations to better suit colonial wants and needs. The pamphlet Common Sense seems to be the catalyst to the Declaration of Independence. --Dubtiger 01:38, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Accurate List of Enlightment Influences, Please!!!!

A correction to the "social contract" reference in the article: 1) The "social contract" concept was introduced by ROUSSEAU, NOT (as the article implies) LOCKE. 2) Therefore, the article's subsequent statement that "historians find little trace of Rousseau's influence in America" seems to be invalid, since the article references the "social contract" as an influence.

Nope! Both Hobbes and Locke used the social contract idea. Rousseau, however, wrote a book by that name. That doesn't mean he invented the concept. -Duribald 21:42, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] France

"The Americans however were revolting against royalty and aristocracy and consequently did not look at France as a model for government." Ahem--Montesquieu, anybody? This line seems needlessly anti-French. The Enlightenment thinkers were heavily influenced by French political thought. --75.67.189.21 15:52, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

French political thought, yes... French government, no. The ideals of Voltair, Montesquieu, and other French philosophers had a huge influence... but these philosophies were very different than (and often diametrically opposite to) the way France was actually governed. Blueboar 16:00, 21 August 2007 (UTC)
Blueboar is right. As a matter of fact, the French thoughts - that the American revolutionaries were so influenced by - were decidedly against the French form of government in every way. To the enlightenment philosophers of France England was the political ideal. And English political and constitutional thought was the other great influence of the American revolution and constitution. - Duribald 21:40, 21 August 2007 (UTC)
On the other hand, I don't think it is entirely correct to say that "the Americans were revolting against royalty and aristocracy ... " After the revolution many Americans thought very hard about the idea of making Washington a king... and proposals for the creation of chivalric orders led to the formation of organizations like the Cincinati society. bald statements almost never seem to fit American history. Blueboar 17:09, 22 August 2007 (UTC)
Well, some wanted a constitutional monarchy, like in England, in Sweden 1720-1772 or like a lot of the French revolutionaries wanted in 1789. This would have been in line with Montesquieu's thoughts on the subject. It is correct that the revolution was not a reaction to the British form of government per se, but with lack of representation and concrete issues that were seen as an illegitimate interference with the affairs of the colonies. I'll try to rephrase this sentence in the article... - Duribald 17:36, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Where's the Revolution?

This article is mainly concerned with the War of American Independence, by which the political independence gained by the American Revolution was defended. But scarcely anything is said about the Revolution itself, despite the name of the article -- the actual period in 1775-1776 when power passed from colonial governors and assemblies to local patriotic organizations. July 4, 1776, is represented as if it marked the beginning of the revolution, rather than its culmination. But this short period was, one might think, the most crucial period of the Revolution, which left the British with the task of re-conquering a rebellious continent rather than just suppressing local revolts, and obviously tilted the scales decisively in favor of the revolutionaries. Something about how it happened, how it was resisted, and what the immediate consequences were, would be a welcome addition to this article. RandomCritic 19:17, 30 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] [Blank] Cornwallis

I know it was Cornwallis who surrendered at Yorktown, but other than that, I have no information regarding him. I don't even have a clue what his first name is. Information about him is appreciated. --Dubtiger 01:36, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

See Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis.RandomCritic 04:26, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Numbers unclear

Where it says "The war expenses of the individual states added up to $114,000,000, compared to $37 million by the central government,[43]" it's not easy to see whether the states owed more than the central government or vice-versa. If both were writen in numbers ($114,000,000 compared to $37,000,000) or both in words ($114 million compared to $37 million) it would be much better.--190.74.108.43 14:29, 12 October 2007 (UTC) um, cornwallis surrenders at york town —Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.110.227.113 (talk) 02:41, 11 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Join or Die

In my history textbook, it says the join or die was for the French and Indian war, not the revolutionary war. Maybe it needs a citation? EDIT: In [[2]], it says that it was for the French and Indian war. RJRocket53 (talk) 05:57, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

Or, with modification, for both: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1091369 --JimWae (talk) 06:31, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

The phrase was indeed first created to foster inter-colony cooperation during the French and Indian war... it continued to be used as catch-phrase during the period prior the Revolution, and was placed on several regimental/state flags and such during it. So "Both" is the correct answer. Blueboar (talk) 17:43, 22 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Edit to section Taxation without representation

The existing article stated:

"The British government determined to tax its American possessions, primarily to help pay for its defense of North America from the French in the Seven Year War. The issue with many colonists was not that taxes were high, but that the colonies had no representation in the Parliament which passed the taxes."

I have provided sourced material that shows (1) that the taxes were intended to pay for future defense rather than to retire debt already incurred and (2) that the amount of the taxes was indeed a factor in colonial opposition. It can be argued that as events developed the principle overrode the practical, but this seems like it is better argued in the sub-articles that cover specific time periods. Tom (North Shoreman) (talk) 15:41, 11 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Rum industry could not support taxes

I deleted this statement because not only is it demonstratively false, it is simply ludicrous. Miller is a long dead author who sixty five years ago had a non-neutral point of view of the Revolution and who speculated about the effect of the molasses taxes without doing any analysis or citing any sources. Some of his work no longer stands up to modern scholarship. In fact the Sugar (molasses) duties were the largest source of British revenue from the colonies bringing in almost 40,000 pounds per year. BradMajors (talk) 02:51, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

Citation does not meet standards of WP:RS for reliable sources. BradMajors (talk) 03:05, 12 February 2008 (UTC)
However, it is a verifiable statement (cited to Miller). May I suggest that we use attributition here. Attribute the statement to Miller, and then present the contradicting information along side it (attributed to whoever the sources are that contradict him). That is the NPOV way to handle such disputes. Blueboar (talk) 03:03, 12 February 2008 (UTC)
BradMajors --: And yet you quoted Miller on both this article (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Revolution&diff=190276489&oldid=190008164) and the article Stamp Act 1765 (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stamp_Act_1765&diff=189415985&oldid=188889805). I guess Miller is only reliable when you agree wth him. We have already had a very similar discussion at Talk:Sugar Act#destroyed much of the rum industry. You rely solely on a popular biography of John Hancock which makes a contrary claim.Tom (North Shoreman) (talk) 03:12, 12 February 2008 (UTC)
Brad, what in the world makes you say that Miller is unreliable? It is certainly a reliable source... it is a well known work, published a reputable publisher. It may be contradicted by other reliable sources, and if so we can discuss them as well, but in itself it is reliable. Blueboar (talk) 03:16, 12 February 2008 (UTC)
Miller's take is hardly unique. Robert Middlekauff in his 2005 revision to "The Glorious Cause" emphasizes the economic impact of the tax. He notes that "These Parliamentary statutes could not have been passed at a worse time as far as the colonists were concerned. An economic depression had gradually overtaken the colonies ... ." (pg. 65-66) He further states that "most Americans who protested concentrated on how the new policies cut into their purses."
Theodore Draper in "A Struggle For Power" (1996) makes the same point. Speaing also of the post Seven Years War depression, he wrote, "As their businesses suffered, New york merchants became more and more disturbed by any British legislation that threatened their dwindling profits." (pg. 270)
Pauline Maier in "From Resistance to Revolution" (1972) wrote, "Commerce seemed even more directly attacked by British trade regulations ... and by the Sugar Act, which seemed to threaten the foreign West Indian trade that sustained the economies of colonies like Rhode Island." (pg. 10)
Tom (North Shoreman) (talk) 03:46, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] GA Sweeps Review: On Hold

As part of the WikiProject Good Articles, we're doing sweeps to go over all of the current GAs and see if they still meet the GA criteria. I'm specifically going over all of the "World History-Americas" articles. I believe the article currently meets the majority of the criteria and should remain listed as a Good article. However, in reviewing the article, I have found there are some issues that may need to be addressed. I have made minor corrections and have included several points below that need to be addressed for the article to remain a GA. Please address them within seven days and the article will maintain its GA status. If progress is being made and issues are addressed, the article will remain listed as a Good article. Otherwise, it may be delisted. If improved after it has been delisted, it may be nominated at WP:GAN. As you address each issue, either strike through the issue or add a checkmark indicating it has been completed. Needs inline citations:

  1. "John Locke's ideas on liberalism greatly influenced the political minds behind the revolution; for instance, his theory of the "social contract" implied the natural right of the people to overthrow their leaders, should those leaders betray the historic rights of Englishmen." This needs an inline citation, unless it is also from the same inline citation in the next sentence (if so, just add it to both sentences).
  2. "He lost the case, but John Adams later wrote, "American independence was then and there born."" Quotes need inline citations directly after the statement.
  3. "Lending weight to the argument was an economic boycott of British merchandise, as imports into the colonies fell from £2,250,000 in 1764 to £1,944,000 in 1765." Statistics such as these need an inline citation directly after the statement.
  4. "The event also began a downward spiral in the relationship between Britain and the colonies, especially Massachusetts."
  5. "...despite the fact that the cause was a reduction in duty (from a shilling to 3 pence) and not an increase."
  6. "There would be no negotiations whatsoever until 1783."
  7. "While there is no way of knowing the actual numbers, historians estimate 15% to 25% of the colonists remained loyal to the British Crown; these were known at the time as 'Loyalists', 'Tories', or 'King's men'." If this information comes from the source at the end of the paragraph, also add it to the end of this sentence, if not, find a source for it.
  8. "William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin and Governor of New Jersey remained Loyal to the Crown throughout the war and never spoke to his father again." If this information comes from the source at the end of the paragraph, also add it to the end of this sentence, if not, find a source for it.
  9. "62,000 Loyalists (of the total estimated number of 450-500,000) relocated to Canada (42,000 according to the Canadian book on Loyalists, True Blue), Britain (7,000) or to Florida ([number missing]) or the West Indies (13,000), making it one of the largest mass migrations in history. This made up approximately 2% of the total population of the colonies."
  10. "The boycott of British goods involved the willing participation of American women;[citation needed]"
  11. "Therefore no American prisoners were put on trial for treason, and although most were badly treated and many died nonetheless,[citation needed]"
  12. "In 1790, Congress combined the state debts with the foreign and domestic debts into one national debt totaling $80 million. Everyone received face value for wartime certificates, so that the national honor would be sustained and the national credit established."

Other issues:

  1. In the Origins section (and other sections throughout the article), there are several subsections that are brief, consider merging some of these subsections together or expanding on the information present.
  2. Consider adding an image or two for the first subsections in the Origins section, as the first images don't appear in the main text until the "Townshend Act 1767", and they're located very close to each other.
  3. "By late spring 1776[when?]..." Address this tag.
  4. "A minority of uncertain size tried to stay neutral in the war. Most kept a low profile." Consider rewriting the first sentence (it doesn't appear very descriptive/make sense) and merge it with the next sentence.
  5. "By summer 1776[when?]..." Address this tag.

This article is in good shape besides these above issues. I will leave the article on hold for seven days, but if progress is being made and an extension is needed, one may be given. I will leave messages on the talk pages of the main contributors to the article along with related WikiProjects/task forces so that the workload can be shared. I would like to see this important article remain a GA, so let me know on my talk page if you have any questions, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Happy editing! --Nehrams2020 (talk) 01:36, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] GA Sweeps Review: Failed

Since the issues I raised were not addressed, I have delisted the article according to the requirements of the GA criteria. If the issues are fixed, consider renominating the article at WP:GAN. If you disagree with this review, you can seek an alternate opinion at Good article reassessment. If you have any questions let me know on my talk page and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I have updated the article history to reflect this review. Happy editing! --Nehrams2020 (talk) 05:15, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] The History Channel's special

Could someone find the article on the History Channel's "The American Revolution" from 2006. I can't seem to find it anywhere on Wikipedia. That said, when it IS found, there needs to a link at the top of this page. Thanks. --Jophus00 (talk) 18:06, 5 March 2008 (UTC)

Looking with the search function, I don't think there is an article on the History Channel's show... Normally, I would suggest that you go and write one, but I am not sure if yet another TV documentary on the Revolution is all that notable. Blueboar (talk) 21:33, 5 March 2008 (UTC)
Maybe so, but is there even a list of shows? As to whether it should exist, I've noticed on several pages, including the History Channel's page, that the "show" is linked but it merely goes to the main Revolution page. Further, can Wiki really have "too many" pages? If the purpose is to be the ultimate information source, shouldn't that include everything possible? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jophus00 (talk • contribs) 04:54, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Few movies??

I have read that rather few movies have been made that depict the American revolution or events during it. Many more have been made about the Civil War and the Vietnam War. Is this so, and why? -- BIL (talk) 10:41, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

I am not so sure about that... see List of plays and films about the American Revolution (most are films). Compare it to American Civil War#Films about the_war. Blueboar (talk) 13:40, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
    • I would like to know where you read that, since I have suspected it from my own anecdotal evidence, but never saw a reputable source propose it.Shoreranger (talk) 13:41, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
      • I checked Category:Vietnam War films, and that includes 69 films alone, and the Rev War list includes plays and animated TV episodes and still doesn't beat it.Shoreranger (talk) 14:02, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
I read it in a newspaper, which described a movie (maybe it was The Patriot (2000 film)) to be shown on TV that evening. I count 15 movies in List of plays and films about the American Revolution, of them 4 after 1960. The civil war seem to have 16, of them 11 after 1960. Not to mention World War II. Most countries would be more proud and interested in its liberation war than a civil war which could be sensitive to parts of the country. --BIL (talk) 18:47, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
  • Here's a couple of educated guesses: a) the film industry was just catching on when the US and UK were fighting world wars, followed by a common cause during the Cold War - maybe a conscious or sub-conscious determination was made that films that did not accentuate our differences would be more popular; b) the Vietnam War films were made in a time when film became accepted as a forum for social issues, and veterans as well as the war itself was a divisive social issue for many years; c) It is expensive to do 18th century films, considering the elaborate costumes and locations, extremely antiquated technology, etc. that can only partially be overcome more easily by computer-aided film making now; d) Civil War veterans or their children were still alive when film was born, and so would pay to see romanticized versions of themselves or their parents in romanticized war - as would succeeding generations and their wars - no such audience was available for 18th century wars. I am not a film historian, but these are what occured to me after a little more thought. Shoreranger (talk) 19:03, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Date of Revolution start: March 1775 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.82.252.158 (talk) 02:04, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] New navigation template

Howdy. I've created {{American Revolution origins}}. I intended to create a simple box to navigate between all those obscure county resolves issued 1774–1776. Although we only have a handful of articles on them now, there were many of them, and the articles will no doubt increase. But I got ambitious and listed various writings, declarations, etc. in the run-up to the Declaration of Independence. Maybe the template will become too big eventually and we'll have to create an offshoot. Feel free to play with it and add stuff I missed. —Kevin Myers 07:23, 19 April 2008 (UTC) After the surrender at Saratoga in 1777, there were thousands of British prisoners in American hands who were effectively hostages.

[edit] Therefore no American prisoners were put on trial for treason . . .

There were prisoners taken and executed for treason--spying for the English. Edmund Palmer was hanged at Gallow's Hill near Peekskill, NY, in 1777 by Israel Putnam. There were others but I have documentation for Palmer. 216.232.20.88 (talk) 19:03, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

I think this line is referring to Americans held prisoner by the British, not the other way around. And, of course, Nathan Hale was executed by the British... however, I think this was simply for spying and not for treason. Blueboar (talk) 19:08, 26 April 2008 (UTC)


Jhudgina (talk) 19:51, 26 April 2008 (UTC) Thanks for your response. But the sentence before this reads: "After the surrender at Saratoga in 1777, there were thousands of British prisoners in American hands who were effectively hostages." I haven't looked up the dates (Palmer was executed in August 1777) so this may mean that none were executed after Saratoga. (I think spying is included in treason--Putnam thought so). Janet

Yes... I read it to mean: Because there were now thousands of British prisoners in American hands, the British did not put any Americans they had captured on trial for treason (for fear that the Americans would retaliate by killing all those Brits). Does that make sense? Blueboar (talk) 20:25, 26 April 2008 (UTC)
Although in fact Americans were killed, largely without trial. See Nathan Hale and Joshua Huddy, the latter well after Saratoga. The claim that the Saratoga prisoners were hostages is extreme; the chief reason they weren't exchanged was that, even if they pledged not to fight in America, they would be used to replace units in Britain which could then be sent to America. Septentrionalis PMAnderson 16:09, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Why mention Rousseau?

Historians find little trace of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's influence in America.[3]

Then why mention him at all in this encyclopedia article? I saw the discussion above, but I find that this statement is more confusing than informative. It seems to be part of a debate that a typical Wikipedia reader will have no interest in. To put it another way, if we're compelled to say Rousseau had little influence, we must also explain why one might be tempted to think otherwise. And at that point it seems that we're heading down a minor side trail.

Mindful of WP:BOLD, I'm removing the sentence. -- Rob C. alias Alarob 22:35, 30 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] James Somerset and the slavery issue

Editor Lord C added a section with the above title in the Origins part of the article. Part of the edit included the following:

"The ruling was interpreted by many pro-slavery Americans colonists as part of a wider move to eventually abolish slavery throughout the British Empire (including the American colonies, some of whose economies were based upon growing slave-tended crops)."

The clear implcation that Lord C is attemping to make is that the Somerset ruling was a reason why many Americans favored independence. In other words, the worldwide leader in the international slave trade (not to mention its strong economic support for the slave colonies in the Indies), Great Britain, was seen as such a serious threat to slavery prior to 1776 by Americans. Such a claim by Lord C needs documentation from reliable sources before being added back into the article. Tom (North Shoreman) (talk) 12:39, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

I've restored the passage with the appropriate cites. Lord Cornwallis (talk) 17:59, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

The problem with your cites is that they do not link the Somerset case as part of the American reasons for revolution. This is the sentence that you wrote that allegedly makes the link:

"The landmark ruling was interpreted by many pro-slavery colonists as part of a wider move to eventually abolish slavery throughout the British Empire (including the American colonies, some of whose economies were based upon growing slave-tended crops)."

You source this to Chapter 3 in Hochschild. In fact, Chapter 3, in discussing this case, makes no such claim (I appear to be using a US edition while you are using a British edition but I doubt there is that much difference. I have added some info to the section using Hochschild (I included the only direct reaction to the case decision that I could find in the chapter) as well as info from David Brion Davis's "Inhuman Bondage: The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World" to add balance to the section. I have also moved the entire section from "Origins" to "Factions: Patriots, Loyalists and Neutrals". This section should probably be fleshed out a little more to provide specifics on both sides attitudes towards and use of blacks, both slave and free. Tom (North Shoreman) (talk) 21:11, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] When does the American Revolution end?

At the moment it seems to fizzle out around the Treaty of Paris, with an Aftermath section seeming to imply that the end of the Revolution came withend of the war. My understanding, admittedly as a non-American, was that it also included the period leading up to 1787 constitution and the period after that when the nature of American goverment was framed. Or does it just cover the period leading up to the American Revolutionary War and the war itself?

A brief search on the internet produces several different answers. Some seem to agree with the current state of the article, others include the post-1783 era, some even include the US Civil War as part of it, while others seem to assert it is ongoing as the nature of goverment in the United States is continually evolving. If it is then the post 1783 stuff might need expanding. Lord Cornwallis (talk) 17:59, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

In North America, that is the aftermath to the war. There was scattered fighting in New Jersey and the Carolinas, and the Continental Army stayed in being to watch New York, but there was an effective armistice after Yorktown. Since it was not the result onf a pact, it could fall apart at any time; but that's another question. The politics of 1785 dealt with other matters. Septentrionalis PMAnderson
Yes that is the aftermath to the WAR... but is it the aftermath of the Revolution? Blueboar (talk) 17:14, 10 June 2008 (UTC)
I suspect there is no consensus among our sources; but the article must end somewhere. For comparison, French Revolution ends with 18 Brumaire, with a half-sentence of "to be seen in our next installment". Septentrionalis PMAnderson 17:44, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Cleanup needed

I haven't paid attention to this article for a couple of years. Wow, it's a bit of a mess, ain't it? Lots of good stuff here, mixed in with some errors, omissions, and digressions. The article can't decide if it's supposed to be organized chronologically or thematically, and so some things are repeated, seemingly at random. All in all, it's not a bad rough draft for an article on the American Revolution. What it needs is for someone to take the wheel and do a complete rewrite, upgrading the article to a new level of coherence. And by "someone", I mean "not me". Volunteers? —Kevin Myers 14:42, 13 June 2008 (UTC)