July is the month when America and France celebrate their national independence days. For the Americans their celebrations focus on
the signing of the Declaration of Independence on 4th July 1776. The French commemorate the storming, on the 14th July,1789 of Prise de
la Bastille.
The eastern seaboard of the country that is now known as the
United States of America was Britain’s largest and most successful colony until
the East India Company secured most of the Indian sub-continent for the company
and the crown at the battle of Plessey (see previous post).
Along with the French, Spanish and the Dutch the British fought to keep and expand its territory on the American continent since its first colonies were established in the 16th century but were eventually driven out in 1783.
Photo credit: blog.fluentcity.com |
Along with the French, Spanish and the Dutch the British fought to keep and expand its territory on the American continent since its first colonies were established in the 16th century but were eventually driven out in 1783.
The British adventure in America began with the establishment of
the James Town colony in 1607 and since then the colony had grown. By the mid 18th
century the colony had achieved some measure of self government but was
still subject to the British parliament.
The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) has its origins in the resistance of many Americans to taxes imposed by the British parliament. On December 16, 1773, unhappy with the high price of tea, which had to be purchased from British East India Company, a shipment was dumped in Boston harbour as a protest, the event that is now known as the Boston Tea Party.
The British government retaliated by closing the port of Boston and taking away the self-government the colony had achieved. The Bostonians responded by rejecting British rule and setting up a shadow government. Twelve other colonies supported them and formed a Continental Congress to coordinate their resistance. On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress formally voted for independence, and issued its Declaration two days later on July 4.
The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) has its origins in the resistance of many Americans to taxes imposed by the British parliament. On December 16, 1773, unhappy with the high price of tea, which had to be purchased from British East India Company, a shipment was dumped in Boston harbour as a protest, the event that is now known as the Boston Tea Party.
The British government retaliated by closing the port of Boston and taking away the self-government the colony had achieved. The Bostonians responded by rejecting British rule and setting up a shadow government. Twelve other colonies supported them and formed a Continental Congress to coordinate their resistance. On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress formally voted for independence, and issued its Declaration two days later on July 4.
Thomas Jefferson, draftsman of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the nation's third president |
“At supper Sinclair
fell into conversation with Captain Greenwood a young man like himself intent
on forging a successful career in the East. He was a retired British Army
officer who like so many others had been let go after the defeat in America.
Greenwood, much to Sinclair's chagrin, was admired by both the men and the
women on board. His good looks and easy temperament seemed to smooth all his
social interactions. He was gracious, charming and good company. He spoke
eloquently of his experience in the American War telling Sinclair that he had
had a mainly diplomatic role and had not seen much in the way of fighting. Over
their meal he told Sinclair how he had sailed from Nova Scotia up the Hudson
River with his commanding officer, Sir Guy Carleton to a conference with
General Washington at Orangetown. There they agreed how what was left of the
British Army and the thousands of ordinary people who had remained loyal to the
Crown were to be removed from the new and independent country.”
Sir Guy Carleton: the last British Commander in North America |
“In every town and
village we pass through there are vagrants on the road and groups of young men
looking for work. In the woods and along the roadside we see women and children
foraging for food. It looks like they are eating weeds, snails, and mushrooms
in fact whatever they can find. From what I have seen so far I am not
impressed.”
“I agree John, things
look pretty bad.”
When they stopped for lunch John decided to
their driver Joseph the cause of the malaise.
“It’s because of you
British,” he said with a sour face. “The men who weave are without work. This new Commercial Treaty will be the death
of us. We cannot compete with your English factories. And now there is no food.
In the summer it did not rain and to compound our problems when the rains came
the Lord sent us hail the size of men’s fists that destroyed the crops in the
fields. This harvest is the worst in living memory. The bread you are eating is
most probably made of English corn and the oats we feed the horses are English
too. There is nothing here but the landlord must still have his rent. The King
has been merciful and has suspended the collection of normal taxes but the
country is bankrupt someone has to pay for fighting you British in America and
Canada. The trouble is that the nobles don’t want it to be them; they think us
little people should foot the bill. France is in crisis Monsieur, people
disappear into prison never to see the light of day again and to make matters
worse the weather was already unusually cold for the time of year; it will be
very bad for many Frenchmen this year messieurs.”
The Bastille in 1715 |
Both the American Revolutionary War and the build-up to the French Revolution provide a back drop to my new novel. Times of war and conflict are times of misery and heroism: Find out what happens to Dr Sinclair and Frank Greenwood in my novel, Sinclair, which will be available to read in the autumn of 2016.