Essay Sample on Colonial Ties

Looking back at British North America and the ties to Great Britain it is easy to simplify the relationship. Watering the colonial dynamic down to the revolutionary war doesn’t allow for any analysis of the real paradigm between the two powers.

Attractions

Great Britain relied on America as a source of raw materials, and in turn Great Britain offered their superior manufacturing capabilities. The free trade between the two powers allowed for upward shifts in economic mobility for the mass majority. As these societies became richer their goods became cheaper. This results in a consumption shifted movement, which only furthers spending, (said spending in turn takes the economy by storm- resulting in the emergence of credit like options) With the influx in trade and consumption, there came an increase in globalization between the transatlantic. Bringing with it discourse, and  cultural shifts. Abolition ideals begin to whisper in the states, and Great Britain.  Between 1660-1763 is when there begins an advocacy for or against slavery in the mainstream culture. By the mid 1700’s many Northern states have already began outlawing slaves, and Great Britain mirrors this. The two are connected by the interchanging ideologies. America and Great Britain are connected by various socioeconomic and political factors, but those same factors may have caused the colonial severance later attributed to causing the revolutionary war.

Severance

Great Britain imposed taxes on the colonies, and so while the colonies did experience economic growth, their growth was limited by British taxation. The tax issue creates rifts in transatlantic relations. The seven years war, despite America being a British colony, was mostly fought by Americans on British American soil. Americans felt betrayed that Great Britain would not bring troops or resources. The conflict was taxing and oftentimes resulted in high casualties, destruction and raids on British North American.  Americans begin to harbor resentment towards Britain over their unfair impostions the colonists are forced to bear. In response to growing unrest in the colonies Britain attempted to impose even more restrictive policies, only resulting in further unrest in America. The “no taxation without representation” ideal becomes more widespread further wedging the two apart. Eventually civil unrest becomes apparent with events like the Boston Tea party or the Boston massacre.

In summation, while there are many reasons the British American colonies and Britain were tied together, there was ultimately more that separated them, at least in terms of severity. It is important to acknowledge the underlying relations between the two to better understand the historical context. Both divided and unified by social, economic, and political factors, the late 17th century is one of complexities.