Does anyone know what the British think of the Revolutionary War and the independence that we fought for?    Do they realize that their king was wrong at the time to impose what he did, or do they rationalize it to any degree? 

Phid - are you asking what they think now, or what their thoughts were then?

Phid - are you asking what they think now, or what their thoughts were then?

Vulture, my question was about their feelings today.  How do the British teach the American Revolution?  How do they portray it?

?Two hundred years before that visit, one of my ancestors had played a seemingly disastrous role in your affairs. [Laughter] Yet, had King George III been able to foresee the long-term consequences of his actions, he might not have felt so grieved about the loss of his colonies.Out of the War of Independence grew a great nation, the United States of America. And later there was forged a lasting friendship between the new nation and the country to whom she owed so much of her origins???.. Our close relationship is not just based on history, kinship, and language, strong and binding though these are. It is based on the same values and the same beliefs, evolved over many years in these islands since Magna Carta and vividly stated by the Founding Fathers of the United States.?Quote from toast of Queen Elizabeth II at a Dinner Honoring the President Reagan at Windsor Castle in England .June 8, 1982[/b]

Everlast, that's a great quote from Margaret Thatcher.

Although ,U.S Revolutionary war was the first on his kind in recent history, Britain as a former colonial power has experienced a lot of setbacks for its attempt to subjugate other nations. I think for British collective memory it is a part of game rules of colonialism. If King George III was very sad indeed this event did not traumatized British psyche at all. Still .Americans have vivid memory of their Independence because they view those events with quite religious devotions. I do not know any other people who cherish they independence history as Americans do.I am always struck by the respect they pay to the relics of their past struggles and the attention and care they display to preserve them. I can cite The Liberty Bell, the Flag of Fort Mchenry.The terms such as Tea Baggers, Sons of Liberty, Freedom fighters, Patriots are still popular among some segments of Americans society. And Americans are always reminded by the hardships that endured their founding fathers during their dare bid for freedom.The last not the least ,the early inhabitants of the New World are in majority the historically bitter opponents like Irish and Scotts.For British I think the American Independence is part of history and subject of jokes and humor.Take this testimony of Ronald Reagan during his first visit to Britain Embassy in Washington: "This is my second visit to Great Britain as President of the United States. My first opportunity to stand on British soil occurred almost a year and a half ago when your Prime Minister graciously hosted a diplomatic dinner at the British Embassy in Washington. Mrs. Thatcher said then that she hoped I was not distressed to find staring down at me from the grand staircase a portrait of His Royal Majesty King George III. She suggested it was best to let bygones be bygones, and in view of our two countries' remarkable friendship in succeeding years, she added that most Englishmen today would agree with Thomas Jefferson that ``a little rebellion now and then is a very good thing.'' [Laughter]"Ronald Reagan adress to British member of Parliament June 8,1982.

There were so many events that happened prior to the American Revolution. The colonists thought of themselves as true English men. They identified themselves as English, originally coming from England yet living in North America. They were subject to the laws bestowed upon them by England yet were not given the same civil rights and liberties as the English subjects living in England.  I wrote about their experiences and what ultimately led to the revolution.  You can read it athttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5820164/prelude_to_the_american_revolution.html?cat=37

As Tasha points out, the American colonists at the time would have regarded themselves as Englishmen.  Plenty of other Englishmen living in England sympathised with them.  People went to and fro freely and there were no doubt people born in England who fought for independence in America and then moved back to England.  Benedict Arnold was buried in England in his America revolutionary uniform.When I learnt about what we call the American War of Independence at school in England, the grievances of the colonists were treated very sympathetically and were put in the context of other grievances that ordinary Englishmen had with the government of the time.The big difference is that the British still remember very well the role of the French in the success of the revolution, i.e., without French support the revolution would not have succeeded.  This doesn't seem to be something that modern Americans are nearly so well aware of judging by the conversations I have had, though I am ready to be corrected on that one. 

There were so many events that happened prior to the American Revolution. The colonists thought of themselves as true English men. They identified themselves as English, originally coming from England yet living in North America. They were subject to the laws bestowed upon them by England yet were not given the same civil rights and liberties as the English subjects living in England.  I wrote about their experiences and what ultimately led to the revolution.  You can read it athttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5820164/prelude_to_the_american_revolution.html?cat=37

Nicely done! Welcome aboard, nice to have another voice.