# Convince me to support American independence **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 10, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441 "2012-02-10T18:37:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441/41 "2012-02-17T17:51:56Z")
Honestly, the best argument for the American Revolution is the case it created for self-determination of other people all over the world. It wasn’t really necessary from an American point of view, even with the benefit of hindsight; Canada did just fine with a gradual shift to self-government. I know you want reasons which were applicable at the time, and I think that’s one, though it’s better as a reason given today. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441/42 "2012-02-17T18:10:24Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Oh, it’s worth it if only for Tuchman’s explanation for what led up to the Protestant Reformation.Feeling a little needy today? 😉 Trust me: you guys done good. You done good indeed. Whaddaya want, hugs? ---
**Author:** ![2sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e47774/32.png) [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441/43 "2012-02-17T23:22:24Z")
Hugs are good. What’s wrong with hugs? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441/44 "2012-02-17T23:39:25Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Clearly, others thought differently. So, I invite the Teeming Millions - persuade me to engage in vile rebellion against King and Country! (No fair to argue that the US turned out well - we’re talking about arguments that would have been possible during the 1770s). Say, that’s a very flammable-looking barn you’ve got there. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441/45 "2012-02-18T23:18:34Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It makes more sense for the army to keep their troops in one place, rather than scattered about individual households. Not households. The Quartering Act authorized commanders to quarter troops in: “inns, livery stables, ale houses, victuallinghouses, and the houses of sellers of wine by retail to be drank in their own houses or places thereunto belonging, and all houses of persons selling of rum, brandy, strong water, cyder or metheglin, by retail, to be drank in houses . .” and, should those not be available, and should the colonial assemblies not be willing to authorize the building of shelter for the troops, “uninhabited houses, outhouses, barns, or other buildings, as shall be necessary” ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441/46 "2012-02-19T07:06:13Z")
Malden Capell: > [@](#): > > Are you implying the British monarchy was in place against the will of the British people, or that it ran along the lines of the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI of France? I’m implying that the rule of the British monarch over the unwilling American colonists was more of a minority imposition than the democracy imposed by the independence-desiring colonists on those who might have preferred to remain British subjects. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441/47 "2012-02-24T04:19:28Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > While the patriotic textbooks all emphasize the driving force of wanting “freedom.” I read somewhere that the unspoken reason is basically money. Not so much anger at taxation, but the idea that the colonies (especially Boston) could fare quite well economically on their own. I think I read this in the book, _Cod_, so the idea is a bit self-serving for the book. In other words, the lucrative Cod trade in Boston created an economic environment where independence was desired. Isn’t it always about money? Australia needed the mother land a lot longer than other places. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-to-support-american-independence/612441.md?page=2)