England's Financial Systems

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses that the American Revolution was largely the result of England's financial policies. In order to understand how England's imposition of taxes helped lead to the American Revolution, the writer points out that one must first understand England's financial system at the time of the Revolution. The writer notes that during that time period, England was the world's largest imperial power, and its financial strength depended on two things: the wealth of its colonies, and its ability to control those colonies. Having gained an understanding of British colonialism, the writer maintains that one must then understand the specific acts that the British passed to target the American colonies. The writer concludes that it is clear that England's financial system, rather than any form of political tyranny, was responsible for the American Revolution.

From the Paper:

"At the time of the American Revolution, England had vast global holdings. Obviously, much of North America had been colonized by the British, but the American colonies represented only part of England's holdings. In fact, the British controlled the majority of islands off North America and in the Caribbean. Furthermore, the British controlled large parts of India, parts of Eastern Asia, and much of Africa. The result is that Britain had an empire that rivaled the Roman Empire or the lands controlled by Alexander the Great. The British Empire was, in reality, far vaster than either of these preceding empires because it included such a tremendous portion of the New World, which had not yet been discovered during those two previous large empires."
"This vast colonial system was incredibly lucrative for England, but it also created a significant financial burden. First, in order to secure the colonies, the English often had to expend tremendous financial and human resources. For example, although initial colonization of the United States was relatively inexpensive, Great Britain had to wage military actions against the French and several Native American tribes to retain control over the claimed area."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adams, Charles. 2006. The Rocky road of American taxation. Auburn, AL: Ludwig von Mises Institute. On-line. Available from Internet, http://www.mises.org/story/2110, accessed 10 August 2006.
• Avery, Steve. 2005. The American Revolution: Sugar Act of 1764.. Florence, OR: OnlineHighways. On-line. Available from Internet, http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1211.html, accessed 10 August 2006.
• Avery, Steve. 2005. Revolutionary American: Stamp Act, 1765. Florence, OR: OnlineHighways. On-line. Available from Internet, http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h642.html, accessed 10 August 2006. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. 2006. A Summary of the 1765 Stamp Act.Williamsburg, VA: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. On-line. Available from Internet, http://www.history.org/History/teaching/tchcrsta.cfm, accessed 10 August 2006.
• Independence Hall Association. 2006. The Currency Act. Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association. On-line. Available from Internet, http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/currencyact.htm, accessed 10 August 2006.
• Independence Hall Association. 2006. The Townshend Revenue Act. Philadelphia, PA:

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