The War for Independence was a Social Revolution: R

The American Revolution was the most deciding time in America’s relatively short history. It was filled with rousing speeches and thunderous battles, but it was by for the tamest revolution in history. This has led many to believe that it was not revolutionary at all but merely exchange of the reins of power. This is a very misleading observation according to Mr. Wood. He is right but I do not think he supports his point very well I would like to strengthen his argument.
First Wood brings up the fact that this was a political revolution and not a social revolution such as Lenin’s revolution. I think that it was a social revolution considering that we became the, “most liberal, democratic, and modern nation in the World.” (Wood 260) This was a calmer revolution but these ideas, such as those addressed in Thomas Pain’s “Common Sense” were revolutionary in and of themselves. Do you think that that it was any small coincidence that the French chose red, white, and blue for their flag? We set the stage for these for the more “social” revolutions. We did have a bigger social exchange than the Russian’s did. They exchanged one ruler for another—we exchanged an entire political system.
This leads me to my next point, political change. The American Revolution led to the most radical political change in any revolution in modern history. A political change of this magnitude has never happened before or since. American government went from a complete monarchy with a few colonial governors to completely running themselves through a representative democracy. Although we did have a rocky start, I think our last couple of hundred years have spoken for our system’s success.
I think Wood did a phenomenal job describing the difference between patriots and courtiers. Courtiers bow before the wishes of a king. They apply themselves, “to the passions and prejudices, the follies and vices of great men in order to obtain their smiles.” (Wood 263) Patriots love their country but do not bow to the wishes of some king. These fundamental differences are what made the American Revolution a true revolution.
Think of the American Revolution not as just a political change of hands, but a true social revolution that brought about massive amounts of change if not immediately then at least in the near future. Put together, all the social and political change into one event and you get the greatest country on the earth.