The American Revolution: A European reaction

Distinguished historian David Pike disagrees with Tim Brown: "Tim Brown writes: 'In 1776, polls in such places as England or Spain would probably have run 80-90% against our declaring our independence.' What method was used to arrive at this probability? To take Spain first, Spain had been one of the two grand losers back in 1763 and, like France, was hell-bent on revenge. How does Tim calculate that Spanish support would not have been more than 20%? As for England, has Tim done a study of the antiwar movement there? That movement was led by the two greatest orators (pace Jefferson) of the 18th century: William Pitt and Edmund Burke? It took courage in the heat of war to stand up in Parliament and say, "I rejoice that America has resisted." In time many of those who called that attitude treason came to see it as loyalty to what counted most, the Constitution. Loyalty and treason are not always what they seem".

RH: As for Spain, David is right. Opinion generally favored supporting the American Revolution. Only one or two far-sighted individuals warned that independence of the English colonies would lead to Spain's loss of her American colonies.

Ronald Hilton - 1/2/03