Causes of the American Revolution
1763-1776
Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were made to enforce mercantilism in the thirteen colonies. The colonists were forced to obey two specific rules when trading. They could only trade with English ships and items were only allowed to be shipped within the empire.
The Sugar Act is a law where Americans were forced to only purchase sugar from the British West Indies where it was more costly.
The Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian War the Proclamation of 1763 was created. George III issued the proclamation in effort to avoid conflict and tension with Americans and Indians. The conflict did not have a good impact on the colonists. They were angered that they were being forced to give shelter and rations to the British soldiers.
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act put an unjust tax on paper and everyday necessary items. The stamp Act was formed to make paying the tax unavoidable or eliminating the boycotting of the taxes. The Committees of Correspondence and Samuel Adams continued to boycott despite the new challenge. Samuel Adams also created the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty was a group that protested British policies. After realizing the seriousness of the issue King George III repealed the Stamp Act to avoid revolution.
Quartering Act
After the Stamp Act protests Britain sent more troops to the colonies in effort to keep order. The Quartering Act required colonists to provide shelter and food for the British soldiers. The colonists didn't like that the soldiers didn't have a search warrant and when they did it was blank. The people felt like they had lost their rights over their property.
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts was yet another set of taxes. The tax was placed on everyday items such as imported tea, glass,and paper. Groups like the Daughters of Liberty and the Sons of Liberty boycotted the new taxes and made their own items. They also used violence and attacks on the British soldiers to show their anger.
BOSTON MASSACRE
The Boston Massacre began when Britain sent soldiers to Boston, They were accompanied on the streets of Boston by a group of passionate, angry protesters. They were unarmed and innocent. The soldiers on the other hand did have firepower. The British soldiers shot into the crowd and killed five. Samuel Adams took advantage of the tragedy and used it for propaganda. John Adams, Samuel Adams cousin, sided with the British to prove colonists could be fair and treat others fairly.
Tea Act & Boston Tea Party
The Tea Act was a law that isolated the the British East India Company as the only company allowed to sell tea to the 13 colonies. Although the tea was cheaper, colonists wanted complete freedom from the British and didn't wan to pay import taxes to Britain. In protest, the Sons of Liberty dumped 342 crates of British tea into the Boston Harbor. This became known as the Boston Tea Party.
Coercive Act (Intolerable Acts)
The four laws enforced as a result of the Coercive Acts were stopping trade with Britain, town meetings were now prohibited, and Britain gained control, and the Quartering Act gained strength. The colonists renamed this act the Intolerable Acts. The other colonies responded with anger to this new laws because it affected them too. They were even considering revolution.