Let's go back before the Revolutionary War, to the beginning of the French and Indian War. This is the only way to understand the future of the American colonies and, ultimately, the causes of the American Revolution. After the war, Britain had emerged as the world's leading power, however, Britain's national debt had tripled. To ease the heavy burden, the British decided to tax the American colonies. This taxation caused a massive rebellion by the Americans and, ultimately, war. Professor Breen, a historian familiar with the Revolution, argues that American colonists were motivated by a new form of protest called boycotts. Breen explains that the revolution was a consumer revolution led not only by elite landowners, but by all American colonists. Degler on the other hand states that the revolution was not a consumer revolution, and was mostly controlled by the elite aristocracy. In my opinion, the American Revolution was a war that represented a country seeking freedom and liberty. Despite the use of boycotts, the colonies also used methods other than economics to break away from Great Britain. Taking Breen and Degler into consideration, the American Revolution was both an economic and political revolution. “Professor Breen believes that the American Revolution was a consumer revolution based on the importation of goods by Great Britain. The American colonists used the boycott system to break away from Great Britain and establish their own economic currency” (128). Breen feels strong about his arguments and provides excellent evidence in support of an economic breakdown. However; Breen seems to have overlooked the most important aspect of American culture, which is why we fight for “Liberty and Liberty.” In spite of the tremendous... half of the paper... and the freedom which is our birthright, and which we have ever enjoyed until the last violation of it." These men were satisfied with their existence, they were not disgruntled agitators or frustrated politicians; they were a strange new breed of contented revolutionaries (143).” The revolution was a national event for all classes of people. The boycott of British goods began a revolt that would become the basis of the greatest country on Earth. I view Breen and Degler's statements as a final assessment it was not a unilateral revolt of “consumers” driven by the boycott, or a political aristocracy wanting control. However, the revolution was an economic conflict driven by the new political protest of the boycott, which resulted in national support for the push towards the. independence led by our country's elites Works Cited Taking a Stand