In The Preconditions of the American Revolution by Jack P. Greene, the author expertly lays out the many conditions that led to the outbreak of the American Revolution. From the growing literacy and political experience of the colonists, to the different perspectives of what the relationship between Britain and America actually entailed, the throwing off of the yoke of British rule had many different causes, which must be examined closely. Greene begins by laying out the five main preconditions to the Revolutionary War. The first he describes is the development of acknowledged and effective social elites. These ruling groups had broad public support and extensive political experience. Members of these groups, such as Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock, were able to organize citizens in protest against the unfair taxes levied against them. Next, the rise of strong local governing institutions gave the aforementioned elites a place to voice their opinions on the burdens thrust upon by Mother…show more content… The relationship suffered from different perspectives of what it actually was. America saw themselves as practically autonomous, with the British Parliament serving a small role compared to the previously mentioned lower houses of assembly. Britain would only provide protection to the colony like a mother caring for her child. This did not mean that the mother colony could get in the way of the her colonies’ personal autonomy. Britain, on the hand, after abandoning their policy of accommodation, saw themselves as a mother with ability to discipline her child. They believed that as they were intrinsically superior to their colonies, they could do anything to put their people in line, even if this meant compromising the autonomy of the Americans. The large discrepancy between these two viewpoints lead to great trouble and ultimately, to the American
