The American Evolution: The Development of a Distinct American Identity during the Colonial Period and the Consequent Inevitability of a Rupture with Britain

by John Ruf

The cause of the American Revolution is most often placed squarely on the actions of the British government. In essence, the break is seen as the consequence of inept and heavy-handed administration of the colonies by George III‘s ministers. This viewpoint implies a belief that somehow the split was not inevitable; that either with a more benevolent management, or even parliamentary representation, or, conversely, with the use of overwhelming force from the outset, the North American colonies could have been kept within the empire. While the acts of the British government certainly were the trigger that brought matters to a head, the cause of the American Revolution was the gradual evolution of an American identity, one at odds with the British society from which it had sprung.

107 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2022