The War of Independence in America: Another British Civil War or Revolution?

Journal Entry 3

For Americans, our Revolutionary War is often viewed as the start of our history. We view July 4, 1776 as the beginning of time, forgetting that our story extends back thousands of years. The United States and England share a common story, and the American Revolutionary War is just one of the many events in history that have shaped our country.

One of today’s lectures was entitled, “The War of Independence in America: Another British Civil War or Revolution?” I had never really thought about the War of Independence as a war between British citizens. I had always seen the British in the war as the enemy we fought (with the help of the French) to gain independence. It was interesting to think of the war from the perspective of the British, for whom the conflict was, in many ways, just another civil war and simply another event on the long timeline of their history.

Today’s lecturer, Professor Robert Schuettinger, also spoke about the fact that the implications of events in history cannot be fully understood until long after the event has passed. It is impossible to know the repercussions of our actions today without the perspective of tomorrow. When asked about his thoughts regarding the French Revolution, a man replied, “Ask me in another thousand years, and I will be able to give you a better answer.” I wonder what events from our time will be seen as monumental a few centuries down the road. I vividly remember journaling every hour of the day on September 11, 2001. I knew that this day was one that would greatly impact the next decade, and I wanted to remember my thoughts and feelings as I lived through the day. However, there are many times since that day that I have wondered about the true impact of September 11. Compared to so many other incidents throughout time, the loss of life was relatively small. Will our “war on terror” end as a blip in a textbook, or will it have implications that shape the future of world policy and relations? Only time will tell.

In American culture, people place a value on personal beliefs and convictions. We elect our leaders based on issues such as abortion, the death penalty, and gay marriage, and we vehemently resist participating in any cause in which we do not believe. Professor Schuettinger informed us that, during the American Revolution, many British Loyalists sided with the King because of their sense of duty to the Crown and that, for Britons, duty is placed higher than personal convictions or beliefs. In the United States, our own opinions matter more than our loyalty to a particular political party or cause, a testament to the America’s more individualistic culture.