Causes of the American Revolution
1763-1776
Navigation Acts
The Navigations Acts started because the British wanted the colonies to export raw materials to England. This made the colonies upset because the colonies wanted to make their own products. Then came the Sugar Act, which taxed the colonies on sugar and malasses.
The Proclomation of 1763
After the French and Indian War, the British and it's colonies won land from France. The king didn't want any more wars against the natives, because it would cost them money. So the King said the colonists couldn't pass a certain longitude. The colonists didn't like this because they couldn't move into the land they helped win.
The Stamp Act
The stamp act taxed all paper goods. King George the Third needed this money because after the French and Indian War, the British had a lot of debt. The Committees of Correspondence started a Boycott, while the Sons Of Liberty terrorized the British.
Quartering Act
Because of the Stamp Act protests more English troops came to the colonies. Not only that, but a new law stated the troops could live in the colonist's homes. The colonists had to feed them, and give them a place to sleep. The Writs of Assistance allowed the troops to search the houses.
Townshend Acts
The British weren't done yet though. The colonists were taxed on glass, paper, and tea. The Sons of Liberty weren't happy with this, and started protesting. A Daughters of Loberty group also protested.
Boston Massacre
A group of colonists were arguing with British, when the British fired into the crowd. Samuel Adams saw the opportunity for Propaganda, calling it a massacre. John Adams defended the troops in court.
Tea Act and Boston Tea Party
Although the townshend acts were repealed, the British kept the tax on importing tea with the 'Tea Act'. This was to help the British East India Company out. The Sons of Liberty did not like this, and as a result dressed up as Native Americans and dumped crates of tea into the Atlantic.
Coercive Acts (aka the Intolerable Acts)
Because of the Boston Tea Party, the English Parliament put a bunch of rules down, and called it the Coercive Act. Boston was not allowed to trade with Britan, colonists couldn't hold meetings, and strengthened a previous act, the Quartering Act. Since Boston was a huge port, other clonies did not like this.
Conclusion
The American Revolution was a war against Britan to gain independence for the colonies. All the protests and the social gatherings gave Britan no choice but to make strict laws. The Townshend Act, the Tea Act, and the Coercive Acts were acts that affected the colonists economically. Personally, I think the colonists were freaking out over almost nothing, and I think Britan had the right to have all those taxes, because the colonies were still colonies!