Myths of the Revolution

In my US history course we've just finished learning about the revolution. I realized that most students, unless they're really interested in history, seem to have the American preconception of what the revolution was really like. My Professore brought up what she calls The Myths of the Revolution, meaning the facts that most Americans think of when learning about the war. This post will disprove some of those preconceptions through my research on the Revolutionary War, and what I have learned through my history class.


A painting of the Sons of Liberty, a group of
colonists, such as Samuel Adams, who were
against taxation by Britain. They planned
and executed the Boston Tea Party.



#1 The Revolution was caused by "taxation without representation".
In a mercantilist society (A society where the mother country regulates the economy of its colonies in order to benefit itself) Great Britain had the right to tax its colonies. It even reduced taxes in most of the acts that were passed. What made the colonists angry is that they were actually enforced taxes on luxuries such as tea.

The colonists argued that Britain had no right to tax them without representation. This right was promised to all British citizens in the Magna Carta. Britain explained that the colonists were represented through virtual representation and that their rights had not been violated. 

(Virtual Representation is where citizens can be represented through a member ot legislature/parliament, without the citizens voting for that representative.)


#2 All Americans were for the Revolution.
This is also not true. Most American citizens in the time before did not even imagine splitting from Britain. They were proud to be British citizens. To explain how a few prominent revolutionaries became figureheads, I have to first explain who was for and against the revolution. (This will help to explain how Francis Marion originally decided to fight for the revolution.)

For the Revolution:

smugglers: Smuggling was a big problems in the colonies. After the Navigation Acts, colonists became angry with Britain, because they could not make as much money selling goods as they could smuggling them in.
One well known smuggler from the revolution was John Hancock.

colonial legislatures: When Britain took a tighter control on the colonies, the legislatures powers were reduced. The legislatures joined the revolution to gain more power.

planters: Planters, according to my professor, were reluctant to join the revolution at first, but joined because of the money that they owed to england.

Francis Marion was a planter, as was George Washington. It may not seem as admirable, but because it was so long ago, the individual reasons of why Marion and Washington agreed to join the revolution is not known. What is important to remember is that no one is perfect. America has idolized the founding fathers so much that most hold the impression that they could do no wrong. The fact that Marion has flaws only makes me admire him more, it reminds me that he was only human, and that even with his flaws, he was a good person.