The American Revolution was a war for independence. It was a war fought for the equal rights and freedom of a future nation. It showed the sheer courage and heart of the American colonists by pitting them against a much more powerful opponent. The English had the best army in the world and the colonists were often simple farmers armed with hunting muskets. It was truly a case of David versus Goliath. The reasons, course, and outcome of the American Revolution provided the perfect backdrop for achieving independence. The ideas behind the revolution came long before 1776. They came from the depths of the Enlightenment. While there wasn't much support behind these ideas, it's important to note that they existed. Stress had been building in the colonies since the end of the Seven Years' War. For the first time there was a standing British army in the colonies. The English had nearly doubled their national debt by defending their colonies, and they felt it was time for the colonies to start contributing some money. Colonists were expected to care for British soldiers in the colonies. They would feed, clothe, and house these soldiers. The soldiers were there for the spiritual purpose of strengthening England's hold on its colony. Needless to say, this did not please the colonists very much. They had enjoyed freedom under a neglectful Britain in the early 1700s. Now they face the possibility of losing everything they had gained. The American Revolution was directly triggered by the constant discussions about raising taxes. The first tax to arrive was in the form of the Navigation Acts. The Navigation Acts "were acts passed by the British Parliament to regulate colonial traffic... middle of paper... ship and cunning diplomacy the colonists surprised the world and won their independence. Works Cited - Buckler, John, Bennett D. Hill and John P. McKay.Boston, PA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975.- Lecky, William E.H. The American Revolution 1763-1783 New York, NY: D. Appleton andCompany, 1924.- Morgan, Edmund S. The Birth of Republic, 1763-1789 Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1956.- Morris, Richard B. The American Revolution 'A Brief History'. Krieger Publishing Company, 1955.- Stokesbury, James L. A Brief History of the American Revolution New York, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1991.- Ward, Harry M. The American Revolution: Nationhood Achieved 1763-1788. New York, New York: St. Martin's Press, Inc., 1995.