Many nations still struggle for indepedence, albeit in a different form than the United States did 200 years ago. The conflict in Northern Ireland is one of national identity, a conflict the U.S. experienced before and during the American Revolution. The similarities and differences between these two wars are shown in three major areas: the populations of colonial and imperial states, the means in which rebellion is carried out, and the motivations and goals of the competitors.

The populations of the 1776 United States and 1997 Northern Ireland are similar in several ways. Both are \ were split into several opposing factions. In the Revolutionary War, one-third of Americans were patriots, or pro-independence, one-third were Tories, or pro-Great Britain, and one-third were neutral. In Northern Ireland, also known as Ulster or the Six Counties, the population is also divisible into three groups: Catholics, Protestants, and a small group who are neither. The Catholics make up around forty percent, the majority of whom are Nationalist. The Protestants make up approximately half of the population and are predominantly Unionist, or pro-union with Great Britain. This group wishes for a single Irish State made of northern and southern Ireland. The remaining tenth are neither Catholic nor Protestant, and may be members of either camp, although most maintain neutrality.

Despite these similarities, differences exist between the two peoples. The U.S. was occupied by a country of similar religious beliefs and cultural traditions, mostly because the great majority of pre-Revolution colonists had emigrated from England. The Six Counties are occupied by a foreign force, because English is Anglo-Saxon and Irish culture is Gaelic. The divisions between the colonists were based on political belief, whereas those in Ulster are based upon religious beliefs as well. The Imperial owner of each colony is also the same.

The same Great Britain which lost the Revolutionary War against the American colonists now occupies Ulster. Despite some changes in the U.K. over the last 200 years, the country is culturally and politically similar. Great Britain has always been overwhelmingly Protestant. Parliament, especially when led by the Conservatives, still shows a remarkable tenacity in hanging on to its colonies. A war in the Falklands, and mixed opinions of British rule in Bermuda and Ulster show Britain still holds some of its imperialist views. Public opinion in England, in 1776 and in 1997, was and is mixed between those who want(ed) troops out and those who believe(d) that withdrawal is a sign of weakness and submission.

The world position of England has changed, however. England is no longer the dominant world power, nor are imperialistic views condoned. At the time of the Revolutionary War, many western European countries were imperialistic. Now, both the European Economic Community (E.E.C.) and the United Nations (U.N.) have strong anti-imperialist platforms. Britain no longer possesses the world support it did when democracy was considered a threat to European monarchies.

The war in the U.S. also corresponds with the pseudo-war in Northern Ireland in the methods used for carrying out the fighting. For years, guerrilla warfare was carried out in the U.S., by patriots such as Samuel Adams. Most of the early battles of the Revolutionary War, including Lexington and Concord were fought in this style. In Northern Ireland both Nationalist and Unionist para-military groups regularly assault both British troops and each other. The British were superior to American forces and are superior to Irish forces, but they suffer from the same problems. In both countries the British fight \ fought against guerrilla armies on their native ground. The British Army is \ was unable to hold large portions of land without an occupying force. The British utilize nearly identical counter-insurgency methods. In both cases the British Army used a system of martial law to maintain order. British troops in America used their rank to take food, shelter in unwilling homes, and shut down presses. Many of the items found in the U.S. Bill of Rights were designed after experiencing harsh British rule. Among those most directly connected were the right to a fair trial, no cruel or unusual punishments, and the right to free speech \ press. Several times, the British Army opened fire on civilians, notably the "Boston Massacre". In Northern Ireland, due to the Special Powers Act and its predecessors, the British Army can still search houses with little or no justification, hold suspects for seven days without arresting them, and have incredible power over both the press and civil rights movements. Incidents occur similar to those in colonial America, one of the best known being "Bloody Sunday". In both conflicts, much of the fighting occurred in urban, rather than rural areas. The American Revolution started in and near Boston and remained strong there throughout the war. Many other large cities were hotbeds of discontent that supported the revolution. In Northern Ireland, most of the fighting occurs in larger cities such as Belfast and Derry, where mixed populations are forced to live in close quarters.

There also exist several major disparities between the two conflicts. The American Revolution eventually became a full scale rebellion, with organized armies maneuvering and attacking. The war was won by a formal British surrender at Yorktown. In Ulster, there is no open warfare, but daily conflict, mostly between the Irish Republican Army (I.R.A) and the British Army. The U.S. received no direct representation in Parliament, whereas Northern Ireland has a set number of M.P.s. During the revolutionary war, Britain itself was in little danger because of its distance from the colonies. Now, Nationalist groups plant bombs in London, Manchester, and Glasgow. The Americans received huge amounts of both military and economic aid from France to continue the conflict. Northern Ireland is largely self contained, although the I.R.A. and other Nationalist groups receive support from the U.S.

The goals and motivations inspiring the conflict show some common threads. Many peoples that have a national identity different from the identity of those that govern them desire to form their own country. This occurred in both the U.S. and Northern Ireland. Another quality in common is that of indecisiveness within the rebels themselves. In America, some wanted a monarchy, some a democracy; some wanted slavery, some not. Those who fight in Northern Ireland find similar problems. The varying goals include: union with Great Britain, a united Ireland, and an independent Ulster.

The goals are not completely parallel though. The revolutionaries in the U.S. created the most pure market economy the world had ever seen. Many Irish Nationalists seek to create a socialist state, and some radicals seek to create Marxist one. The U.S. wanted full independence, many groups in Ulster want full union with either southern Ireland or Great Britain. The struggle in America was mainly political -- "no taxation without representation!" The troubles in Ulster are more religious in nature. Many Catholics fight in the hope for equality, in jobs, housing, and civil rights Protestant groups fight to keep the existing order, fearing reverse discrimination should the Six Counties be ruled from Dublin.

A comparison between the troubles in colonial America and those in modern Ulster show several striking similarities, but also a few glaring differences. Examing the people, the methods of revolution, and the reasons for the trouble can lead one to any number of conclusions. Despite the progress society has made in 200 years, it has not ended imperialism, racism, or abuse of power. Our society has written constitutions, fought wars, and sacrificed millions of its members, yet it has not ended division, nor will it, until people are considered People rather than Catholics, Protestants, Blacks, Whites, Conservatives, or Liberals.