Could the American Revolution Be Avoided?

In history, there are certain things that we study and come to learn that they could have, in no way, been avoided. However, after reading Ellis's essay, The Collaborators, we can come to assume that this same idea is present toward the American Revolution. There are so many factors that are said to have caused it, that it's hard to determine what never needed to happen. Because of the French and Indian War, the British were suffering from debt. They needed the find a way out; therefore, new laws and acts were established. If the British would have treated the colonists as friends instead of their instant way out of dept, we could have never seen independence. Another reason that the American Revolution could not have been avoided, is because the colonists had already learned to fight, were tired of British rule, and wanted to be self sufficient. If they were to stay under British control, this could not happen. Finally, we had Adams, who demanded absolute independence from Great Britain, and Jefferson, who will be remembered for it. Without them, there wouldn't have been independent colonies.

There were many things that happened in the 1700's that are often linked to the cause of the American Revolution; however, most of them stemmed from paying for the French-Indian War. After the war, in 1763, the British were starting to feel the strain that often follows war. In order to raise money to pay off these costly debts, Parliament began to pass a series of taxes, acts, and other laws which caused a massive uproar from the colonists who were forced to pay and abide them. Because the British didn't back off and find other ways to pay off their debt, it forced the colonists to rebel and take up arms to fight back.

Although there were so many other factors contributing to the American Revolution, without the Adams-Jefferson tandem, there may not have been a revolution. Adams, being the loud, demanding type, pretty much demanded independence from the British all through his presidency. But Jefferson, more of the quiet type, had his own ideas on how the revolution should go about; however, Adams still found a way to involve Jefferson into his own plans. Adams was so desperate to secure a memorable place in history. But it pained him that he called Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence because he know that history would, as a result, remember Jefferson more than Adams. His views were outstandingly precient.