From the War of Independence to the American Revolution

The most powerful contemporary western nation, the United States of America, arose as consequence of a revolt against a European state: the United Kingdom of Great Britain. This “rebellion” was actually a “revolution” in so far as subjects of His Gracious Majesty agreed to separate, voluntarily and unilaterally, from British sovereignty to found a new nation, and monarchy was thrown off in favor of republicanism.^[573] This aspect was clearly stated in the final paragraph of the Decla­ration of Independence of July 4, 1776:

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these United Colonies are and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved, and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.^[574]

In the case of the colonies which emancipated themselves from the sovereignty of the British Crown, the monarchical regime was replaced by 13 united “repub­lics”, sharing as a common body an assembly called “Congress” by virtue of an initial constitutional text known as the Articles of Confederation, approved in 1777 by the representatives of the former colonies, now states.

To understand the events of the American “Revolution”, one must examine the history of English colonization and its peculiarities in the light of other European efforts at settlement in the Americas.

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