How revolutionary was the American war for independence? Did it bring enough change to warrent the name?

How revolutionary was the american was for independence? Did it bring enough change to warrant the name "Revolution"?

Not at all.

The first answer points out the definition of revolution but neglects to emphasize the term "THOROUGH replacement of an established government" which would involve the colonists sailing to Britain, overthrowing the Westminster parliament and replacing it with themselves; something they had neither the desire or capability to do. That would have been a genuine revolution.

As it is, it's far better to call it a War of Independence, or even the Second English Civil War considering that the colonists considered themselves such. Benjamin Franklin stated that " to be an England-man was, of itself, a character of some respect" but he lamented that his non-colonial cousins did not regard them as fellow Britons as if they were "unworthy of the name of Englishmen, and fit only to be snubbed". John Adams expressed the same feeling of inferiority at his sense that those born in Britain did not see him as a fellow Englishman. "We won't be their Negroes", he snarled, writing as Humphrey Ploughjogger in the Boston Gazette. "I say we are handsome English folks, and so should be as free".

In terms of bringing change, not that much altered for the average colonist. Ironically, the taxes that stirred up so much trouble (at least in the eyes of the wealthy smugglers) were raised five times above that which was levied by Britain and still the wealthy families were in charge. Just no longer with a king.

The claim that America was the first secular democracy is wrong on both counts. The country with greatest amount of democratic freedom was that which the colonists had saught seperation from - Britain. They obviously thought so too considering that 90% of the US Constitution is a direct lift from the English Bill of Rights (1689) and Act of Succession (1701). For over a century the British monarch had no real say in the running of government and religion had certainly been kept well out of the whole business since the religious dictatorship of Oliver Cromwell during Englands flirt with republicanism.

Also the word "democracy" is from the classical Greek dÄ"mokratiā (dÄ"mos = people) which gives an idea who first practised it.

The only other country that the War of Independence affected was, of course, France. The majority of the rest of Europe adopted a parliamentary system when absolute monarchies were abandoned, even though some leaders held the title president.

Absolutely. The word 'revolution', by the way, is also defined as "an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed." Which, is of course accurate given that we rejected a monarchy in favor of a democracy. The first secular democracy in the world, in fact.

The infant United States was an experiment in Enlightenment and humanist values which had never before been attempted. Many of the world's experts at the time were certain it would fail, including Edward Gibbons, historian and author of "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire".

Funny anecdote: Ben Franklin called on Gibbons while he was in France, hoping to dine with the famous author, whom Franklin greatly respected. Gibbons refused the invitation. He thought Franklin and the rest of the colonists were nothing more than rebels who would quickly be put down by the British government. Franklin wrote him to back and said that due to his (Franklin's) actions, Gibbons' next book would be entitled "The Decline and Fall of the British Empire".

The Revolutionary War was a huge influence on the rest of human history, particularly in Europe. It inspired the French Revolution as well as changes in existing political systems.

Moriarty - the English government after the Magna Carta was representative in name only. The legislature had no real power over the king, as Tom Paine eloquently pointed out in Common Sense. It could not truly be called a democracy. No government which claims a king with a 'divine right' to rule as its leader could be.

Absolutely.

Beginning of the end of colonialism.

The first time a nation was built on the proposition of freedom,equality & self determination ,without foreign rule or opression.

Still a work in progress.

All in the history books.

Just noticed...2 Absolutelys' get the picture.

Best regards