The Question
The American Revolution started in 1775, climaxed in 1776, and, at least partially, ended in 1789 when the Constitution was ratified. But was it really a revolution? What criteria must the new government possess to be considered a revolutionary regime? What kind of ideologies do the revolutionaries believe in and how do these differ from the old regime's ideologies and form of rule? How violent must the revolution be? How much of a social impact should there be? All of these questions can be answered differently depending on what constitutes one's definition of a revolution. For the purposes of this study, it will be assumed that the American Revolution was a real Revolution. The different theories of what is a revolution will be discussed with the intention of disproving the assumption that the American Revolution was a true Revolution. The conclusion will be an answer to the question: was the American Revolution a real revolution?
