For the wealthy, white men of the American colonies, the American Revolutionary Period was a time in which many aspects of culture, politics, and society were transformed. This group of men supported a separation from England so that they may control their own political and financial affairs. Leaders of business and society participated in a revolution of their government and policies that entailed an overthrow of an existing government and a restructuring of an adolescent government, however very few aspects of this independent system trickled down to the ignored majority of the population. Unlike for their influential male counterparts, womens, poor families, slaves, and Native Americans lives changed very little due to the Revolutionary Period. The era of change began when affluent American merchants were forced to pay taxes on imports and were meant to trade with only the British empire due to British mercantile laws. This hurt their businesses and caused dissent among the wealthier people, especially in New England. Colonists were also forced to pay taxes like the stamp act, sugar act, and quartering act among others, all without representation in the British government. After an escalating series of events, generally begun by those who had been threatened financially by the British, the port of Boston was closed and the Massachusetts assembly disbanded. The northern colonists received more support from the rest of the colonies, resulting in the first and second Continental Congresses. At these congresses wealthy, white men came together to fight the injustices of the British colonial system and to campaign for a government more beneficial to them. After winning the war against England, the new United States no longer paid taxes to absent leaders and gained control over its own people, letting its wealthier citizens gain the power they had desired in colonial times. Though voting rights were expanded, the enslaved, the poor, women, and Native Americans still could not vote, nor did their standings in society change.
