I received a comment from Historical Kate who is interested in looking at the American Revolution through the eyes of the British. I think that is a great project.
One of the most interesting questions for me about the British response to the American Revolution is why they didn’t just let the American colonies go. This was the recommendation of many members of the British political and business establishment, including such prominent figures as Edmund Burke and Adam Smith. They argued that Britain would control the colonies economically even if the colonies were politically independent and Britain would be spared the costs and aggravation of having to govern the colonies.
There was a furious ongoing debate within the British establishment during the whole course of the Revolution as to whether it was worth it to keep ownership of the colonies. And the “let the colonies go” faction finally won the argument. Why did they win and why did it take so long?
historyaschoice 