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Effect Of The American Revolution

Political:

Domino Affect:

The effects of the American Revolution showed other countries that freedom from oppression by the mighty British was indeed possible. The Brits had Colonies all over the new world and the American's victory put many English controlled lands at risk of revolt. The term "Atlantic Revolution" applies to handful of revolutions that took place during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The first of these revolutions was the American Revolution introducing the phenomenon known as the Domino Effect. This situation is much like what the Americans themselves were, and still are, worried about with communism in Eastern Europe, Asia and most recently the Middle East and Africa. The United States started the trend that lasted until the mid 1900's, when India and Jamaica became the last countries to declare their independence, effectively ending the British Empire.

Affect on Politics Around the World:

Early support for change in the parliament of England and other European countries could be attributed to the American Revolution. The Brits defeat across the pond, made Europe’s most powerful nations weary of a revolt. Britain was in a lot debt from it's failed American colonization and was worried about the political situation in many other of it's colonies, it could not handle an revolt in the home country. The thought of an over throw almost pushed them to total reform but there fear was not confirmed happened.

The North And South:

The political divide between the north and the south would propel America into another war: the civil war. What went wrong? Was the new country just experiencing growing pains or were there underlying issues that would still be present without a war? The answer is a combination of the both. Like most new countries the United States was going through some much needed adjusting. However, in the creating of the country, the individual colonies, now called states, were given too much power. Still to this day the states themselves can control many laws and other administrative duties that further complicate the American political system. Thus, with all this confusion, many citizens don’t trust the federal government and feel detached from the political process.

Economy

Laws and Taxes:

What were once many Colonies had now become the United States of America and with the name came a common market for goods. No longer were there tariffs and duties on interstate trade. The lowering of taxes brought down the cost of goods by as much as fifty percent, and with that the cost of living went down also. With the establishment of the federal government, duties such as administering trade with other nations, printing and regulating money, and overseeing other economic laws became uniform and up to Washington, not the states themselves.

Red Tape:

The British imposed a system of mercantilism that had been in effect before the war and had put heavy limitations on American markets and economic growth. One of the causes of the overthrow was the Brits' economic bullying of the colonies. However the Revolution wasn't the end of the two countries' economic relations. America was, for all intensive purposes, obligated to maintain its ties with their former oppressor. The English had forced this upon America to keep economic control. While the colonists had hoped to break free, economically speaking, the Revolution failed to provide them with freedom in every way.

Set Backs:

As good as being independent seemed, there were some financial set backs. Like a child moving away from home, they no longer benefited from the economic stability of the parent, in this case the British Empire. The lack of support from the English put the States in the red, and, more importantly, into their first of many recessions. The debt rose by just under fifty percent in 6 years. The cost of the war meant the state owed money to its own citizens and private, foreign armies. Their response to the problem, print more money, devalued the currency of the already struggling nation.

Social

Women:

For the most part the revolution brought a better standard of living for women in America. The English were not too fond of women's rights and treated them more as a male's accessory then a citizen. They new and independent country vowed to change that, and did. Women now benefited from the right to divorce, hold property, participate in business relations such as land deals and contracts without their husband present and other legal rights. The only problem was that, unlike present day Canada, the individual states had the power to implement only the laws that they wanted too. That meant that women were treated considerably better in northern states while not much had changed for those that lived in the very conservative south.

Slaves:

Post revolution proved to be a good time for slaves. The North's stance on slavery became stronger and more vocal; as a result many slaves were freed. In northern New England, slavery was virtually a thing of the past very soon after the war; the process of ending slavery had started before the war. Much like the women the slaves of the south did not benefit from the war, their situation stayed the same until the end of the civil war. the North reinforced their hostile stance towards slavery following the Revolution, and many slaves were freed as a result. Slavery was almost completely abolished in New England not long after the war, having started its process of abolishment during the Revolution itself.

Natives:

The American Revolution resulted in an influx of immigrants flooding the newly founded country in search for a higher standard of living. As soon as the first ship arrived from Europe, the Natives had been experiencing a reduction in land and the resources that came from it. The small amount of land that the Native Americans still held after the Revolution was taken away with complete disregard of its former inhabitants by the new settlers. It was no better for Natives in the north, unlike the blacks they were treated, for the most part, as barbarians and people who didn't have a place in America. The First Nations of the west coast were no disturbed so quickly but when the Oregon trail was established, the Natives of the west suffered the same fate as there east coast allies.