British Colonists Becoming Americans essays

British Colonists Becoming Americans essays By the eve of the American Revolution, a large number of colonists had already developed a strong sense of their identity and unity, and considered themselves true Americans; not just English immigrants. While most Americans realized that they must unite to win their freedom from England, not all colonists supported the cause. The Americans discovered that they did have many things in common. They were all being unfairly taxed, and they could not have representation in Parliament. In 1773, the English enacted a tax on tea that was sold in America; this tea tax enraged the colonists, and resulted in the Boston Tea Party, which in turn caused the English to create a blockade on Bostons ports. This hurt the economy of Boston, which was then one of the major American cities, because the citizens could not receive valuable shiploads of supplies, such as food and textiles, until they repaid England for the damages caused when the tea was destroyed. Since Parliament consisted of people only from England, there was no one to voice an opinion about the particular need of the colonists. In a statement showing the distinction between the colonists and the English at home, Edmund Burke asked, Is there a single Trait of Resemblance between those few Towns, and a great and growing people spread over a vast quarte r of the globe, separated from us by a mighty Ocean? (Document B). But, the blockade at Boston Harbor also had a positive effect on America. As a result of the English action, Boston was cut off from food, and the other American colonies rallied to the support of their fellow colonists. As can be seen by records of the times, colonies including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and many others sent supplies like grain, corn and sheep to Boston (Document G). As the colonists began to realize that they shared common goals, they started to unify. The unification was helped along by propaganda such as t...