Aims
This course aims to:
• give you an understanding of the events and issues relating to the war for American independence in its British and global contexts
• give you an understanding of different views and interpretations of the conflict between Britain and its American colonies
• give you deeper insight from working with documents and other relevant source material in relation to the war for American independence
Content
The conflict which broke out in America in 1775 had its roots far beyond the Stamp Act or the accession of King George III. It grew out of the constitutional clash between Crown and Parliament that had rocked the British Isles in the 17th century. On the British side of the ocean, that conflict had established the absolute sovereignty of Parliament over all territories ruled by the British Crown. On the American side a significantly different conclusion was drawn - that Parliamentary sovereignty came from its representative nature and where that was lacking, Parliament itself could act illegally.
18th-century Britain was engaged in a global struggle with France which has been called the ‘second Hundred Years’ War’ and the American colonies were central to the conflict, as were India and the seas around the British Isles. The war of 1756-1763 had ended in remarkable triumph for Britain, but where the colonists saw only the benefits of peace, the government in London was faced with a huge bill to pay; few thought the colonists should not contribute to paying it. When the colonists vociferously disputed this, London was taken completely by surprise and sought to find a way both to get revenue from the colonies and to uphold its constitutional right to do so.
Colonial resistance to British taxation grew, especially in the troublesome port of Boston, but this was only one of many problems London faced. Not only was the threat from France and Spain ever-present, but the British government in India was mired in conflict and corruption, Irish parliamentarians were calling for relaxation of the anti-Catholic laws so essential for Britain’s security, while in England a serious challenge to the constitutional power of the King’s government was being posed by the radical journalist John Wilkes. In the circumstances, the outrageous actions of the Bostonians were a final straw that clearly called for exemplary action.
When shooting incidents descended into full-scale war, everything appeared to favour the British, whose highly professional army was larger and more experienced than it had ever been. True, the British commanders were faced with major logistical difficulties, but they had overcome them in the past; in any case, the American side was riven with divisions and personal rivalries. What tipped the scales was the entry into the war of Britain's old enemy, France. Instantly a transatlantic war was transformed into a global conflict, fought in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, even the English Channel, in Gibraltar and India as well as in Continental America. Meanwhile, within Britain powerful voices were denouncing the war as an attack on the very liberties that had been established by their 17th-century ancestors. When the war ended in disaster and humiliation for the British, it raised a crucial question: liberty had been preserved in America: who would preserve it in Britain?
Presentation of the course
The main method of presentation will be illustrated lectures, with time built in for discussion.
We will also look at some source material to see how it can be evaluated to help us understand the issues and the outlook of the people who created it.
Course sessions
1. Crown, Parliament and Colonies
The English colonies in America were closely tied into the religious and constitutional conflicts that raged in 17th-century England. How far did they reflect the rapidly-changing ideas of liberty and the rights of the Crown?
2. A Global Power
The new united state of Great Britain established the financial and military basis to establish its power on a global scale, challenged only by its old rival, France. America was central to this conflict and to Britain’s eventual triumph.
3. 1776: the Irreversible Breakdown
The speed with which an undercurrent of constitutional controversy between the colonies and Parliament escalated into open conflict caught London by surprise. How and why did the arguments lead to a definitive separation in the Declaration of Independence?
4. A Global War, 1775-1783
Britain’s immediate hopes and expectations that the conflict would be contained to New England were soon disappointed: the war with the Americans became a world war in which Britain stood alone against a hostile coalition and a union of unfriendly neutrals.
5. Peacemaking, 1783-1785
By 1783 Britain had lost the war for the American colonies but scored notable successes on other fronts. The peace treaties reflected this mixed result and sowed the seed for revolution
in France, while Britain and the United States worked out their post-war relationship and power dynamic.
Learning outcomes
You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.
The learning outcomes for this course are:
• an understanding of the events and issues relating to the war for American independence
• an understanding of different views and interpretations of the conflict between Britain and its American colonies
• deeper insight from working with documents and other relevant source material in relation
to the war for American independence
• to show knowledge of the major personalities, events and themes of the period and develop
an appreciation of their lasting significance
• to analyse documentary material from the period in its historical context
• to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the impact of the American revolution
on British perceptions of America through to the present day
