The colonists had a few goals in waging the Revolutionary War. The most important goal was for the people, eager to create a system of government on their own terms, to be free from the suffocating rule of Great Britain. Although the idea of ​​freedom and independence was popular, the colonists made sure that some restrictions still existed that kept certain groups such as women and African Americans repressed. Finally, the colonists intentionally adopted systems of government that were the exact opposite of the British model to resolve their strongest grievances. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay The main goal of the Revolutionary War was to gain independence from Great Britain and gain freedom. As the new political system emerged, the idea of ​​independence was often highlighted, whether it was independence from the British government or personal freedom. The idea of ​​inherent rights was very popular thanks to the Enlightenment. For example, the Pennsylvania Constitution, written in 1776 by some of the founding fathers, began by saying that “all men are born equally free and independent” (Doc 6). The document's purpose of creating a system of government for the state was quickly realized by the people, and although the document was aimed only at white landowners, it was considered a success. The first design of a federal government didn't come until the creation of the Articles of Confederation in 1777, so before that point states had to create their own individual governments. Because of the newfound freedom, many people feared that a federal government would be too similar to the English structure. A freelance writer in 1776 argued that, although the British government was somewhat republican thanks to the House of Commons, “England [was] almost as monarchical as that of France or Spain” (Doc 1). Since the colonies had no representation in the House of Commons, the republican part of the government was stripped from them. Furthermore, the English continued to tax the colonists at even higher prices than they charged their own citizens. The colonists were not themselves unhappy about being taxed, but they called for “no taxation without representation.” The desire for representation pushed colonists to ensure they had a say in their government when drawing up plans for the nation. When Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he took into consideration the will of the people (Doc 2). He declared the colonies to be free and independent states, giving them the right to wage war, create trade, and make alliances. He made it clear that the new U.S. government would give states the rights they wanted, assuaging people's fears. Although the proposed new systems of government promised representation, they were somewhat misleading. In most cases, the idea of ​​representation in government really only applied to white men. The difference, however, between the US and British rules was that people were given the opportunity to make a change. One important group in the United States, African Americans and slaves, was still severely restricted. However, African Americans used the nation's history with Great Britain to their advantage. A slave named Cato was freed[1] because his owner did not comply with slave registration laws (Doc 5). In an effort to convince the jury to uphold the law that gave him freedom, he appealed to their memories of the past. Since his goal was to win over the jury and be freed, the.