Major events leading up to the Revolutionary War helped to define the American people as a functioning unit. Events such as the Sugar and Stamp Acts strengthened American’s hatred towards Great Britain, effectively creating a sense of identity through a mutual enemy. On top of this, public opinion was heavily swayed by propaganda written by people of high position for the purpose of unifying the American people. By the eve of the Revolution, the colonists developed a major sense of identity as Americans as expressed through economic, cultural, and political unity.
The colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans through cultural relations created before the eve of the revolution. Hector St. John Crevecouer’s Letters from an American Farmer describes how the cultural diversity of Americans gave birth to a new cultural identity, through which “individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men” (Doc. H). During the colonial period, immigrants were coming into the colonies from all over Europe, in order to share in the colony’s newfound prosperity and independence. Regardless of his place of origin, “He is an American” who “extinguishes all his European prejudices” in order to contribute to a growing prosperity and independence, which would be later labeled as the American identity. This strengthening of unity is described in Richard Henry Lee’s (a member of the second continental congress) letter to Arthur Lee, where he writes: “all North America is now most firmly united and as firmly resolved to defend their liberties ad infinitum against every power on earth that may attempt to take them away” (Doc. C). This passage shows that the colonies are becoming increasingly stronger and more willing to fight for their liberties due to this increase in unity. With an increase in cultural unity throughout the colonies, an American identity is able to develop by the eve of the Revolution.
The colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans through political relations created before the eve of the revolution. Political tension began to grow between the British government and the colonial government along with the desire for self-government in the colonies. Pieces of propaganda, such as Ben Franklin’s “Join or Die” political cartoon, published in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754, depicted the ‘disunited state’ of the colonies, and stressed the importance of colonial unity (Doc. A). The cartoon of the cut up snake represents the functionality of the colonies on their own, useless, versus the functionality that the predator could possess if joined (i.e. if the colonies were united as one). Pieces of propaganda, such as this, were very successful in uniting the colonies in this time of conflict. Additionally, Edmund Burke’s “Notes for Speech in Parliament” describes how the idea of Great Britain governing an entire continent the way that they govern one of their own Towns is preposterous (Doc. B). Rather, the colonists should be in charge of their own government, functioning as “images of the British constitution”. This idea of political unity further contributed to the emergence of the American identity by the eve of the Revolution.
The colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans through economic relations created before the eve of the revolution. As the British Parliament tightened the constraints of certain colonial economies, most notably through the Trade Act of 1774, the remaining colonies united in assistance to provide relief for said economy. The Massachusetts Historical Society published a document listing “Contributors of Donations for the Relief of Boston”, which shows the enormous support Boston received from the other colonies upon economic restriction from the Trade Act (Doc. G). Even though events such as this united the colonies economically, it also evoked a greater sense of hatred towards the British, leading to the publication of Continental Congress’ “Declaration for the Causes of Taking up Arms” in 1775 (Doc. E). This declaration describes describes how colonists will take up arms and fight for their lives “in defiance of every hazard […] rather than live [like] slaves”. It is clear to see that by this time in American history, colonists have decided to unite and fight together to achieve independence for what will become a global role model of nations.
By the eve of the Revolution, the colonists developed a major sense of identity as Americans as expressed through economic, cultural, and political unity. Major events and documents played a part in the formation of the American identity, successfully connecting the colonies together in a ‘united state’. It is interesting to think that times of great struggle can prove to be such a good ‘bonding agent’ among a large group of people. It is certainly not the first or the last time that this phenomenon occurs in American History. An comparable event to the precursors of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, are the Terrorist events in New York City of 9/11. Resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries, the events of September 11, 2001 brought together millions of Americans through grief and sympathy, ultimately fueling America’s war on terror. In conclusion, through multiple hardships and with the assistance of declarations and propaganda, the colonists were able to come together in unity and develop a major sense of identity as Americans by the eve of the Revolution.
