The Martyrdom of Jonathan Robbins

The Martyrdom of Jonathan Robbins

Introduction

Over the course of history, numerous heroes have entered the stage and stimulated dramatic changes through their courage, resolve and leadership. History has been shaped by the efforts of a handful of men who had it within them to lead by example. One can look at countless examples of historical figures that have made many efforts and battled against tyranny and oppression. These are the men who have upheld the values of freedom, liberty, and justice. There are numerous historical figures that have been regarded as beacons of freedom and justice. One of these heroes was Jonathan Robbins, a conservative actor and revolutionary beacon who led a mutinous campaign against the British forces while on board an English ship. The event took place during the Napoleonic war and its outcome led to a serious backlash from the Americans (Newmyer, 2007). There are numerous reasons why the case of Robbins is regarded as being different from that of other popular revolutionaries. This paper examines the reasons why Robbins has been considered to be a unique revolutionary.

Discussion

Also known as the War of the American Revolution or simply the American Revolution of 1776, the War of Independence of the United States had its roots in the signing of the Treaty of Paris which in 1763 ended the Seven Years' War. At the end of the conflict, the territory of Canada was incorporated into England (Newmyer, 2007). In this context, the thirteen colonies represented by Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia started having increasing conflicts with the English metropolis. Therefore, given the huge spending on the war, the city increased the exploitation of these areas. Broad-based popular movement was its main engine and led to the proclamation on July 4th of 1776, the independence of the Thirteen Colonies (Newmyer, 2007). This made the United States, the first country with a constitution written policy.

Military actions between the British and the American colonists began in March 1775. During the conflict. Many battles were fought such as the Battles of Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill. It was during this time that most of the American revolutionists made their appearances on the stage (Pyle, 2001). For example, when representatives from the colonies met in the second Congress of Philadelphia in 1775, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence of the United States and enacted it in 1776 to mark it as an irreversible step. This was a major contribution on the part of Jefferson. In the same manner, George Washington also made tremendous contributions for the American cause. After the formation of an army, for example, its command was handed over to George Washington whose leadership proved to be decisive to the cause in the long run (Pyle, 2001).

The English who were struggling more than 5,500 miles away from their homeland, faced numerous problems which impeded their efforts to seek a military solution to the ...