Causes of the American Revolution
Natalia Torres 1763-1776
Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were an effort to put the theory of merchantism into action. There were many rules that the colonists had to follow while trading goods. Just like how trade was to be operated only with English ships."Enumerated" items like sugar, tobacco and indigo could only be shipped within the empire. Trades with nations outside of the empire had to go to England first. The Sugar act was when American rum distillers were forced to buy high costing sugar from the British West Indies Company. The colonists did not like that they were being forced to pay the British empire, so they were against the Act. The most significant impact of the Navigation Acts was the constraining of colonial manufacturing and developing resentment against England.
The Proclomation of 1763
The Proclomation of 1763 was created as a result of the French and Indian War. King George issued the Proclomation to recognize the Indian's right to land, and it was to help prevent future attacks on colonists. The colonists were against the Proclomation, and mostly disregarded it by wandering onto the forbidden land.
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act placed a tax on all paper goods. The Stamp Act was created so that money could be collected to help pay off the debt of the French and Indian war. Samuel Adams and his group the Committees of Correspondence protested against the act with violence, but other times they used boycotts to get their point across. Samuel Adams formed the Sons Of Liberty as a secret society against King George III.
Quartering Act
In response to the Stamp ACt Protests, Britain sent troops to keep order in the colonies. the Quartering Act was issued, and Britain forced colonists to house soldiers. Britain said that it was a way for the colonies to give back, but the colonists did not like having soilders with writs of assistance. the colonists felt that they had lost theur sense of right over thier property, and caring for the soldiers was costly for them. All of this increased the tension between the colonies and the mother country.
Townshed Acts
Tea, glass, and paper were a few of the items that were taxed in the Townshed Acts. in response to this the Daughters of Liberty created their own cloth in protest. even after the Townshed Acts were repealed in 1770, the British government continued to tax on tea to prove that they still held power and athourity. Just as the the taxes continued, Samuel Adams and the Sons of liberty continued to use violence in response.
Boston Massacare
On March 5,1770, a crowd gathered when a colonist was arguing with a soldier. As the crowd grew and began threatening the soldiers, shots were fired into the crowd. Samuel Adam used this occurence as a way to influence colonists to fight against Britain. However, the cousin of Samuel, John Adams, took the side of the soldiers and represented them as he attempted to demonstrated rights.
Tea Act & Boston Tea Party
The Tea Act was when Britain made it so that only the British East India Company could sell tea to the colonies. The colonitst did not like that they were being forced to pay import tax to Britain. So, The Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans, illegally boarded ships and dumped crates of tea into the harbor.
Coercive Act (Intolerable Acts)
Colonists called the Coercive Acts the Intolerable Acts because of how harsh they were. The laws stopped all trade from Britain to the colonies, and did not allow town meetings. This gave Britain more control over the colonies and strengthened the Quartering Act. The Intolerable Act only stirred revoluntionary spirit among the colonies.
Summary of the American Revolution
There were many causes of the American revolution. The fact that Britain tried so hard to control the colonies did not help any of the situations. Colonists were treated unfairly, and did not like that they were being forced to do things, such as pay taxes without a representative. However, I believe that some of the ways that colonists chose to protest, such as using violence, was not effecient. The colonists were justified when the declared their independence from England because they were free to have thier rights, and govern themselves the way that they saw fit.