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Essay / The American War of Independence and the political, social and cultural changes it brought
The American Revolution was a defining period for the United States. The Revolution led to a split in England, making the United States its own country. Like any war, the Revolutionary War changed many aspects of American life, especially between 1775 and 1800. The major changes occurred in the political, economic, and social aspects of society in the United States. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Politically, the American government has changed dramatically. They went from being colonized to controlling their own government. However, before declaring their independence, the colonies had to face multiple political problems. The main problem was the lack of representation. They were being taxed by people who weren't there. The inhabitants of the colonies were also not given the opportunity to represent themselves. Throughout the war, the rebels considered different ways to run the government. Different committees were brought together for these reasons. The Committee of Correspondence was the first. It was the beginning of unification, it was a way of communicating between the colonies about their ideas for the future. Then took place the 1st Continental Congress. It was a congress organized to fight for the rights of the colonies. Then the 2nd Continental Congress took place, there they named George Washington as their leader and they wrote the Declaration of Independence. After the United States declared its independence, it opted for a different form of government. The Articles of Confederation constituted the first formal government of the United States. Because they wanted everything to remain calm after the war, they set up a government with little power. This government had many weaknesses, which was proven after Shays' Rebellion. This rebellion showed that the United States government was too weak to enforce the law and therefore the country needed a new law. The states then held a Constitutional Convention. They opted for a two-house legislature to accommodate both large and small states. It was also decided that there would be a president. The choice of whether or not to have a president was hotly debated because they feared the president would gain too much power. At the convention, they spoke to the entire government; the three powers: legislative, judicial and executive, and the system of checks and balances. Then the Constitution was written, including the Bill of Rights, which was included for the Anti-Federalists, or those who were against the Constitution. Since the Bill of Rights was included, states have ratified the Constitution and it has taken effect. Like most wars, the Revolutionary War really affected the American economy. Even before the war began, the British implemented numerous acts against the colonies. These included the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Declaratory Act, the Townshend Acts and the Coercive Acts. These acts took away rights from the colonies and made them pay for the things they used every day. Soldiers were paid to fight in the war, creating a debt that the government had to repay. After the war, states had to deal with debts. Larger states immediately paid off their debts because they had more people to tax. But small states were having difficulty finding payment for their debts and, with the Articles of Confederation, the.