AP U.S. History Prep w/ Daniel Jocz #8 | Unit 2 Review (1607 – 1754)

When European colonists came to North America, they faced the challenge of establishing societies that reflected their identity and mission for God. Experiments with economic and civil liberty followed in the name of the common good. Colonists and, later, the Founding generation became convinced that legally requiring individuals to commit their labor or their money towards a communal farm or church, with no regard for individual contribution or conscience, violated principles of justice. The link between economic liberty and the liberty of conscience became clear to many, and is responsible for liberating "a field without an horizon ... to the exploring and ardent curiosity of man."

How much did the colonists form their own American identity and how much of the identity of their mother country did they keep? Malcolm Gaskill and Phillip Hamilton debate this question.

The American Revolution developed after decades of growing tension between Britain and its American colonies. For much of the 1600s and early 1700s, the colonies enjoyed significant self-government while Britain loosely enforced trade regulations. However, after the costly French and Indian War ended in 1763, Britain sought to raise revenue and tighten control through new taxes and trade restrictions, including the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Acts. Colonists also became frustrated by limits on westward expansion and by having no representation in Parliament. Protests such as the Boston Tea Party led Britain to impose the Intolerable Acts, further increasing colonial resentment. By 1776, many Americans believed their rights were no longer being protected by the British Crown and concluded that independence was necessary to govern themselves and preserve their freedoms.