Causes of the American Revolution
1763-1776
Navigation Acts
In 1650, England passed strict policies stating that the colonies could only trade with England and could only use English ships to do so. This was called the Navigation Act. This restriction made colonists angry, and even more so when the Sugar Act passed in 1733. This act placed taxes on all incoming sugar from England, therefore upsetting colonists and causing resentment to England.
The Proclamation of 1763
As a result of the French and Indian war, the colonists received bundles of land west of the Mississippi River. Although, British king-King George the third-realized that the Indians who lost Ohio River valley deserved to live on their own land. King George also did not want more fighting between the colonists and the Indians. He made an imaginary line on the Appalachian mountains as a border for the colonists. Even after a war fought hard, the colonists had to remain east of the Appalachians. This proclamation angered colonists even more.
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was passed in 1765 in order to raise money to pay off debts from war. This act was passed by England and said that the colonies were forced to pay tax on every item made of paper, and a stamp had to be placed on every book, newspaper, and paper eh product. Yet again angering the colonists, groups form by colonist Samuel Adams. The Committees of Correspondence boycotted against the Stamp Act, and the Sons of Liberty protested by by violence. Eventually, colonies discussed taxes at the Stamp Act Congress and sent King George the third a letter asking for these taxes to go away. King George repealed the Stamp Act, but he just issued another act saying that British Parliament controlled government in the colonies.
Quartering Act
Because the Stamp Act protests got out of control, Britain sent even more troops to the colonies. In 1765, Parliament said that colonists has to quarter (house, feed, and clothe) soldiers coming in. This was known as the Quartering Act. Colonists hated the fact that they were coming in and diminishing their money as well as searching their house without evidence. Each soldier carried blank search warrants called Writs of Assistance, and they had permission to search any house for smuggled goods.
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Act was passed in 1767 in order to benefit the British. They taxed the colonists on practically all incoming common items such as tea, glass, and paper. The Daughters of Liberty from the colonies protested and made their own cloth materials because they did not want to pay the British. In 1770, Britain repealed the act, but kept the tax on tea. This angered The Sons of Liberty, a terrorist group in the colonies, and they attacked the homes of tax collectors and any British Officials living in the colonies.
Boston Massacre
The Boston massacre took place on March 5, 1770. A colonist began arguing with a British soldier about taxes, arousing chaos with other colonists. Colonists began throwing snowballs and insults at the British soldiers, causing the soldiers to fire at them. Five colonists were killed in this riot. Samuel Adams afterword used this as a propaganda, influencing other colonists. Also, Jonn Adams represented the soldiers in a trial later on, trying to prove colonist's rights to a trial by jury.
The Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party
The British East India company decided to pass an act in 1773 that only allowed colonists to receive tea from their company. It made the price of tea lower, but colonists were still mad because they still had to pay taxes on the tea for Britain. On Semtember 16, the Sons of Liberty went to a British ship and dumped 342 crates of tea into the harbor.
Coercive Act
Britain was angered because of the tea party, and stopped trade between Britain and Boston in 1774 This act also said that there were to be no town meetings, made the quartering act stronger, and let Britain have control over the colonies. Although colonists were extremely mad, they helped Boston in receiving goods.
American Revolution
in 1775 a war began between Britain and the colonies. This war was fueled due to colonial restrictions and excessive taxes, and lasted all the way until 1783. The United States finally got its desired independence from Britain, and they had justification because they were treated harshly by Britain. The lasting effect from this war is that today we are separated from the rule of Britain.