now respectable and some even dominant. Most importantly though, the American Revolution made the interests and prosperity of ordinary people the goal of society and government. In conclusion, it is fair to say that an autonomous, colonial government was the Americans' natural and protected right. When reflected upon, it was infinitely safer and wiser for the colonies to form a constitution of their own, guided by their own principles, and constructed by their own hand. Independence was best described by Jacob Green, a Congregationalist minister from New Jersey in 1776: “If we are independent, this land of liberty will be glorious on many accounts: Population will abundantly increase, agriculture will be promoted, trade will flourish, religion unrestrained by human laws, will have free course to run and prevail, and America be an asylum for all noble spirits and sons of liberty from all parts of the world. Hither they may retire from every land of oppression; here they may expand and exult; here they may enjoy all the blessings which this terraqueous globe can afford to fallen men”(146,AR).Independence was viewed as a blessing and reconciliation no more than a fallacious dream. Never could true reconciliation grow where such hate and disparity existed. Had Britain recognized the inhabitants of its colonies as people with the same rights and privileges as its own subjects the Revolution may have possibly been avoided; Britain failed to do so causing the great rebellion of colonial America to be inevitable. ...
