Pre Revolutionary War Attitudes

By the 1750’s, Americans began to query their involvement with the British Empire by establishing their own identity and unity as Americans. The colonist began to see a strong display of British oppression. Taxes and the different Acts, such as the Intolerable Acts caused the colonists to believe that it would be better if they were separated from their mother country. Colonists also felt that some of their rights and liberties were being taken away by the British Empire. By the eve of the revolution colonist had a sense of identity of an American.America became the melting pot of the world. Colonist began to think of themselves as a new race of men (Document H). Colonist slowly dismissed their ancient dispositions and demeanor and accommodated new ones (Document H). With a natural barrier (the ocean) between Great Britain and America, colonist started to think of the colonies as a separate nation (Document B). The ocean caused the colonist to believe that they were separated from the mother land for a reason (Document B). They believed that the ocean was there to prevent the colonies from blending with Great Britain (Document B).Since colonists were separated from Great Britain they considered having their own congress (Document D). The colonist would rather have three thousand people who is living near them and who can see the problems they are facing govern them rather than have one person govern them that isn’t there and doesn’t know what’s going on in the area the colonist are located at (Document D). Another act of identity is show in 1774 and 1775 (Document G). During those years Boston wasn’t relying on Great Britain to provide them with donations of goods, such as food, animals, or money (Document G).This illustrates that the colonies don’t need to confide on Great Britain and they can depend on the other colonies alternatively. Throughout these events it is evident that the colonists are displaying a sense of identity. Before the revolution, the colonist displayed many acts of unity. In 1754, a picture of a cut up snake was posted in the Pennsylvania Gazette (Document A). Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"If not united to form a whole snake, then the snake cannot survive†. The picture displayed that if the colonies do not come together as one united nation, it is possible that the different colonies could perish (Document A).This picture could have motivated the colonies to act as one nation. In 1774, it was said that a very small corrupted Junto, a self appointed committee in New York acknowledged the idea that all of North America was united (Document C). The Junto also acknowledged that North America was determined to defend their rights and liberties endlessly against Great Britain (Document C). On July 6, 1775, the representatives of the United Colonies of North America met in Congress at Philadelphia to talk about going to war (Document E).Colonists were daring to start reb ellions and resist their authority to preserve their liberties (Document E). The representatives were under the impression that all the colonist had the same state of mind. They thought that they would rather die as freemen rather than like slaves (Document E). Another unifying act of the colonies was when many of the colonies donated food, animals, money, and etc to Boston in 1774 and 1775 (Document G). The colonies donated goods due to the Intolerable Acts, when the British closed the Boston ports.This illustrates that the colonist were willing to come and work together to help other colonies in need. Throughout these events it is evident that the colonists are displaying a sense of unity. Throughout history there has been many acts of Americans developing a sense of identity and unifying as one nation. Americans were very devoted to making sure they were not taken advantage of by Great Britain. Although Americans had to fight for their independence and their liberties they were a ble to push and break free from the British Empire.