Political

• The establishment of the thirteen American colonies was successful. The British Empire was huge, so huge administrative cost were required.
• Formerly, the American colonists were given a large degree of autonomy. They could make laws, collect taxes, and set up militaries.
• After the Seven Years' War, Britain faced financial difficulties and wanted to reform the colonies to support the treasury. Reforms were introduced between 1763 and 1766, including the Sugar, Stamp, and Townshend Taxes, which upset the colonists who were used to autonomy.
• Britain is a country that practiced the rule of law and every action had to base on a law. For example, the Sugar Tax was justified by the Sugar Act.

Economic

• Since 1760, the colonists were forbidden from producing goods that would compete with British markets around the world.
• The colonists had no choice but to pay the taxes on sugar, stamp, glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea, which were imposed under the Sugar, Stamp, and Townshend Acts of 1764. This upset the colonists.
• To increase income at the expense, Britain allowed Indian tea to be sold in America, not allowing the colonists to raise taxes. This led to the Boston Tea Party incident.

Intellectual

• The ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers supported the American colonists.
  • Montesquieu — Separation of powers
  • Rousseau's — Social contract & General will
  • Locke — Rights to life, liberty, and property
  • Voltaire — Limited government
• The two major local followers of the Enlightenment thinkers in America were Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine. They passionately preached the beliefs in the thirteen colonies. Jefferson went on to become the third American President. Paine was one of the founders of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Along with George Washington, they were considered the ‘Founding Fathers’ of the American Constitution.

Diplomatic

• The British and French were enemies who competed in Europe and through their colonies. As anything that would weaken the opposite was considered, so France supported the American colonists against Britain.
• To celebrate America's success over Britain, the French had planned to send the Statue of Liberty as a gift to the United States, which was eventually realized in 1886. The statue now stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor as a symbol of freedom and democracy.