Causes of the American Revolution
1763-1776 Victor Santangelo
Navigation Acts
Navigation acts were for mercantilism. In 1650 Engalnd made it so that the colonies could only trade with England. The could only send Engalnd raw materials and could not manufacture anything in the colonies because England wanted money.
Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian war in 1763, the King of England made a proclamation that stated all the colonists could not move past the application mountains because of the native attacks and costly wars.
Stamp Act
Parliament passed the stamp act, in 1765. This taxed all paper goods. The needed to buy a stamp to put on their paper things. They made this law to tax the colonists to help pay back for the cost of the French and Indian War.
Quartering Act
In 1765, Britain sent more troops to the colonies because of the riots going on. The British Parliament passed the quartering act. That made it so the colonists had to house the troops. The troops also had blank search warrants to search people's houses for smuggled goods.
Townshend Acts
Parliament passed the Townshend Acts in 1767, that created taxes on tea, glass, paper, and other products because they needed to pay for the military costs because of the Quartering Acts. People were protesting by making their own materials instead of buying from the British. The protests worked and in 1770 parliament repealed most of the taxes except the one on tea to show they still had power.
Boston Massacre
In 1770, the riots got very bad and a group of protesters started arguing with some British soldiers. This escalated and shots were fired. 5 colonists died but the gun fire. Sam Adams made propaganda about the indecent. John Adams made a trial for the soldiers for a fair chance.
Tea Act/Boston Tea Party
Parliament, in 1773, passed the tea act. That made BEIC the only company allowed to sell tea. Even though the tea price was lower, that colonists still were mad. In December, people in the Sons of Liberty dressed like Native Americans and through lots of tea overboard.
Intolerable Acts
The British were mad after the Boston Tea Party, so they made the Intolerable Acts. These Acts tried to make the colonists pay for all the tea they wasted and tried to make them not have any more attacks. The laws also stopped all trade between Britain and the Colonies, did not allow town meetings, gave Britain control of the colony, and make the quartering acts harsher. This brought revolutionary spirit to the colonies.
Summary
The American Revolution started because the colonists thought the British were making unfair laws. The main social cause of the American Revolution was that they wanted a voice for the colonies in parliament. The main British economic policies was taxing the colonists. The colonists were not justified because they have no reasons to separate from England.