American Revolution

"The shot heard around the world "set in motion a no ordinary Revolution that allowed the thirteen colonies to gain independence from their mother country, England. Through 1775 to 1800, the American Revolution engendered a drastic change in American society in political, economic, and social aspects. First of all social changes occurred due to a rising of egalitarianism ideology in a majority of Americans and groups like women and slaves gaining some sort of power, influence or freedom. In addition, America's new government had to overcome political threats and deal with Native American's disappointments and claims. Furthermore, debt accumulated from the war and trading policies consequently led to economical struggle and development that challenged agrarian way of life.

The Revolutionary War created partially new social standards in America for all kinds of Americans. During the war, women's role expanded to them performing tasks done by men previously (Doc A). This hinted a potential revolutionary change in women's role; this occurred partially through Republican motherhood. A woman was the key force in the presentation and advancement of republican values in the new nation through the youth. The youth were raised by the mother who influenced the nation's future. This led to more educational opportunities and even in some states gaining the right to vote temporarily (Doc J). In addition, slaves in the Northwest Territory gained freedom though the Northwest Ordinance banning slavery (Doc H). Egalitarianism also gave a rise to a sense of African American independence from slavery in the north necessary, leading to a domino effect of banning of slavery in the north. Also, the once lower class of pre-revolutionary times deemed to be called "Mr." and "Mrs." This was a title for the upper-class containing of Tories -supporters of the British government and king in the Revolutionary War - that were now replaced by rich land owning American aristocrats. Confiscation of loyalist's properties and calls of banishments for Tories led to fleeing of once aristocrats to Canada or England (Doc B). This allowed a replacement of this aristocratic group that was more in common with the common man than the Loyalists.

A successful succession from tyrannical British authority, imprinted in the minds of society that popular democracy could champion over the anything promoted to a formation of government unheard of at that time period. Ratification of the Articles of Confederation was the solution to the central government engendered mob rule thundering forth a wave of unremitting riots as elucidated by Abigail Adams in her letter to Thomas Jefferson. "They [people] have been carried to so alarming a height as to stop the courts of justice," was stated in the letter indicating of Shay's Rebellion occurring at the moment. (Doc G) The rebellion demonstrated the weakness of the confederation-a loose union of sates where federal and state levels exist, yet the state level retains the most sovereignty. Even though some might reason that the states had all the power during the Articles of Confederation it's evident that some states themselves went even farther as to assert

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