Introduction
British imperialism is known as the movement that was focused on spreading the influence of the crown, and in turn increasing the colonist’s sphere of influence or territoriality for that matter. The rule of the king was imposed on many nations, the United States being one of them. However, there are particular scenarios, which have brought about questions over the factual background of the American history as it is currently known especially when one looks at the events that led to the American Revolution, if indeed it did occur. Notably, a critical review of history will help one develop a clear and concise view or account of the various myths and reality that were experienced during the imperial crisis and what impact they had, particularly on history.
Owing to the vast information pertaining to mythology during the imperial crisis, it is important to confirm that the Americans were indeed proud of being under the rule of the British; they were attracted to the British form of government, which created divisions of power in terms of Kings, Lords and Commons, which they considered as the only effective path towards ensuring and promoting liberty. This leads to the realization that Americans were not united in their desire for independence, which then questions the foundation on which the American Revolution was based. 1 In truth, they wanted their relationship with the British to be rearranged, and not completely obliterated. However, Americans were not happy with the Stamp Act; their concerns were that it would be wrong for them to be taxed if they were not represented in the House of Commons. This was indeed a reality and arguably, one could consider such misgivings in the British rule as the main propellants of the American Revolution.
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It is important to note that dislike for the British was not homogenous and that Americans were not united when it came to deciding whether they wanted independence or not. A state like Virginia, for instance, was not involved in the movement until when it realized that conflicts between the colonial government and congress were not coming to an end. In Worcester County, a Scottish-born, John Murray, was regarded as the most powerful man owing to his money and political influence. 2 Thus, Americans were under the domination of English born men and this would soon come to an end after the insurgence of the American Revolution. The reaction by Richard Henry Lee, a farmer from Virginia who later became a politician, can be regarded as part of what intensified the revolution. In particular, Lee was highly contested against the Quebec Act, which he felt, “… stripped away Virginia's longstanding claim to the Ohio River Valley and gave that land to Quebec”. 3 It was the worst grievance as it threatened the position of Virginia as a leader in the trade of tobacco. Thus, Lee and others who shared in his point of view felt that the British government did not have their best interest at heart as was the case with the Stamp Act. Actually, the people of Massachusetts regarded taxation without representation as the worst grievance as they felt that colonies could not be taxed without agreement or permission.
Conclusion
There are evidences of situations and accounts whereby history does not provide facts about the major developments of the imperial crisis. However, one particular myth is that Americans were largely opposed against the British, which was not the case and in fact they had no problem with the form of foreign government under which they were subjects. Some of the legislations such as the Stamp Act and the Quebec Act appear to have played a critical role in promoting the American Revolution.
References
McGaughy, Kent J. 2016. "Lee, Richard Henry (1732–1794)". Encyclopediavirginia.Org . Accessed June 28. http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/lee_richard_henry_1732-1794 .
Raphael, Ray. 2002. The First American Revolution . New York: New Press.
Wright, Jonathan. 2009. "Crisis Of Empire: Britain And America In The 18Th Century, By Jeremy". The Independent . http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/crisis-of-empire-britain-and-america-in-the-18th-century-by-jeremy-black-1231540.html .
