Often, when considering the task of interpreting historical events and their significance, multiple approaches can be taken to developing an argument regarding the issue. No exception to this is the American Revolution, as acclaimed historians have debated this issue for centuries. More specifically, the topic of taxation of the colonies is often discussed, with varying interpretations that explain the interactions between Britain and Colonial America that evoked the colonies’ desire for independence. Two prominent historians, Charles Beard, and Bernard Bailyn have presented their own ideologies through writing, criticizing the actions of Britain and Colonial America. While analyzing their writing, within their opinions may lie biases that are a product of their own social and political environment at the time of their studies. These biases, regardless of if they are explicit, contribute to the narrative the two historians push within their study of colonial taxation.  

Throughout the texts, The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution written by Bernard Bailyn and An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States by Charles Beard, it is evident that both the authors have a shared influence which connects their writings to their historical time. Charles Beard, an early 20th century historian during the progressive era, focused on the colonial prioritization of minority interests. To support his arguments, he takes angles from both historical figures and conflicts from both the past and present. Quoting political figures such as James Madison and other founding fathers who constructed the constitution–Beard emphasizes the idea that small populations such as wealthy landowners were prioritized in the making of the U.S governmental system and the documents that support it. Moreover, he argues that the motives of the revolution were derived from the economic interests of this small group of individuals. On the other hand, Bernard Bailyn, a historian whose research spanned the later half of the 20th century focuses on how many of the fears the colonies had of Britain were derived from assumptions and conspiratorial political campaigning that were pushed amongst the colonies. As a result of these campaigns, the idea of protecting personal liberties served as the main motivation for colonies to revolt against British rule. 

A key factor of both excerpts was that the colonists’ reactions had served as the catalyst of the American Revolution. Throughout Beard’s arguments he credits the economic interests of those with substantial amounts of wealth and land as the primary reason for the revolution. Furthermore, he explains that obtaining total economic autonomy was believed to be achieved by limiting the amounts of money the Crown could reap from colonial businesses. Beard states that “in no uncertain language, the principle that the first and elemental concern of every government is economic.” Further solidifying his economic approach used to explain the reasoning of the colonist’s revolt. Bailyn rebuttals this statement by presenting ideas that the colonists were concerned more with protecting their own beliefs and rights than their wallets. For instance, he discusses the colonial reactions to the stamp act, stating that the colonists saw this act as a direct violation of their own rights. Bailyn goes on to indicate that this was the reason the colonists were so motivated to begin a revolution, stating “It was this — the overwhelming evidence, as they saw it, that they were faced with conspirators against liberty determined at all costs to gain ends which their words dissembled…”. This factor alone is what in Bailyn’s mind caused the colonists to revolt, instead of the other economic reasons that Beard had proposed decades before.

  Bailyn introduces a variety of historical occurrences for which the colonies were targeted by Britain–bringing up the increased military presence, specific events such as the Boston massacre, and the colonial reactions to it all. In his writings, everyone was on this conquest for freedom together. He briefly discusses the events that occurred on the day of the Boston Massacre, focusing more on the “the deliberateness of the shooting and the clarity of the design that lay behind the lurid event” and how after, the colonists’ thirst for freedom only increased.

This is a key distinction of the works of Bailyn and Beard. Beard emphasizes that the push for independence was purely an attempt of economic growth for those with monumental power in the American colonies. He concludes his writings invalidating the U.S government system and the U.S constitution’s attempt at meeting everyone’s needs and interests. Within his dissent to Bailyn, he makes claims that the spark for independence was not for the greater good or morals of the people –rather a stride at wealthy individuals protecting themselves.  

Overall, it can be concluded that Bailyn and Beard have vastly different ideologies behind what was the motivation for colonial independence. While presented with the same issue of colonial taxation, the political and social climate they experience could be a significant factor in the discrepancies between their works. However, although the exact reasons for independence from Great Britain may be debatable, what is clear is that both authors can agree that the hunger for independence did exist amongst the colonists.