Sunday, April 22, 2012

What are Britain's current views on the American Revolution?

Most British today regard the US War for Independence as a minor uprising—one caused by an incompetent king—for which they always had sympathy for.
This war was part of a larger series of colonial wars at the time. The Seven Years War (called the French and Indian War in the US) was a much larger and more important war only twelve years before. That war doubled England's debt and ended the French colonial occupation in North America. The debt caused England to tax the US colonies, leading to the famous protests of those taxes.
Most English regard King George's incompetence as the cause of the war. Even minor concessions or local autonomy might have prevented the revolt. Very few English could vote at the time, and many working-class English felt a similar lack of power over their daily lives.
There are few who have any resentment for US independence. The US and Britain began cooperating following treaties after the War of 1812. Starting with World War I until today, the US and UK have been close allies.

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