Causes of the American Revolution
1763-1776
Townshend Acts - 1767
The Townshend Acts made colonists pay taxes on imported tea, glass, and paper. The Daughters of Liberty made their own cloth instead of buying British cloth in protest. The Parliament left a tax on tea after the Townshend acts were repealed. The Sons of Liberty continued to use violence and attacked the homes of British officials and colonial tax collectors.
Boston Masscare - 1770
A crowd gather around as an angry colonist argued with a British soldier. The crowd began to shout insults and throw snowballs at the soldiers. Samuel Adams responded by using the incident as propaganda against the British. After the Boston Massacre, John Adams chose to represent the soldiers in this infamous trail to demonstrate that colonists value the right to a trial by jury for all citizens.
Tea Act and Boston Tea Party - 1773
The Tea Act made the British East Indian company the only company allowed to sell tea to the colonies. Colonists were unhappy that they were forced to pay import taxes to Britain even though the prices were lower. The Son's of liberty dumped 342 crates of British tea into Boston Harbor in response. This became known as the Boston Tea Party.
First Continental Congress 1774
The First Continental Congress brought together representatives from the colonies.