The American Revolution can be compared to a teenager moving out on his or her own for the first time. While scary, it's a new adventure, and there comes a certain sense of autonomy from it. Britain could be considered that sad parent with a severe case of empty nest syndrome, at once deciding to pull back on a leash that, horrified to find, no longer exists.
             It's a silly metaphor, but not far from the truth. Once America showed any sign of unity, Britain took lengthy steps to exercise power over the new colonies, almost as to say, "do not forget, we are still in charge."
             Many people overlook the events that led America to be so unified in achieving her goal of independence. While boycotting and opposition did lead America to become more bonded for their cause, these were events that metaphorically "backed America into a corner". The colonists had to unify to stand against the British or their cause would be forever lost. While events such as the Stamp Act and Quartering Act were blatantly wrong and a desperately calling for change, this is not the only way early Americans began to pull together as one. Even as colonial troops and British troops were allied to defeat the Spanish, there was a lot of tension.
             The first signs of American unity were The Age of Enlightenment and The Great Awakening. These were two very influential movements, though opposite in ideas, that seemed to bring colonists together to shape their own individual ideas as a nation separate from Britain.
             In 1737 and 1738, a contagious disease of the throat called diphtheria had struck one out of every ten children under the age of sixteen in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania. (Boyer 118) The severity of the event caused some people to look at it as a sign from God. The third generation of colonists did not pay much heed to religion. People were having sex out of wedlock, not attending church, and had no fear of sin or wrongdoi...