Super Short Summary

In The American Revolution: A Constitutional Interpretation, Charles Howard McIlwain examines the transition from constitutional rebellion to full-fledged revolution during the American Revolution, highlighting when Americans shifted from addressing grievances against Parliamentary overreach to rejecting the entire British political system. McIlwain contextualizes this struggle by comparing it to the English Civil War and the Restoration of Charles II, arguing that rightful representation is the crux of parliamentary power limits. The Americans, inspired by past Irish resistance, viewed Parliament's legislative moves as illegitimate due to lack of representation, leading ultimately to a revolutionary stance framed in the Declaration of Independence.