causes of the american revolution
1763-1776
Navigation acts
Navigation acts were efforts to practice mercantilism. Two rules that the colonists had to follow were that trade had to be conducted with English ships, and certain items (like sugar ect...) could only be shipped within the empire. Also trade that was going to nations outside of the empire had to go to England first. The sugar act was a tax on sugar, it enraged the colonists because it meant they would be forced to pay more for rum. The most significant impact of the Navigation acts was the ending of colonial manufacturing and gaining resentment against the mother country.
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was created after the French and Indian war. King George III issued the proclamation in order to recognize that the Indians had rights to the land. After it was issued it made the colonists very angry. An Ottawa chief led the Indians a war against the British in attempt to get them to leave the land, this war was called Pontiac's Rebellion.
The stamp act
The stamp act was a tax on anything that was printed on paper and required the colonists to buy a stamp or seal for any business activity. It was created because the English were trying to raise funds to replace the money the spent on the French and Indian War. Sam Adams and the Committees of Correspondence protested the stamp Act by boycotting British goods. Sam Adams started the Sons of Liberty who used violence to get their message across.The Stamp Act Congress sent a message to the king that the Stamp Act must be repealed. King George III repealed the Stamp Act because of the colonists strong protests and the boycott.
Quartering Act
Britain responded to the protests against the Stamp Act by sending more troops to keep the colonists in line. The Quartering Act required the colonists to house the soldiers in their homes and to feed them. Two major issues that the colonists had with this practice was that housing the soldiers was costly and also that these soldiers carried blank search warrants that could be served on anyone at any time. These blank search warrants were called the Writs of Assistance.
The Townshend Acts
Some the items that were taxed under the Townshend Acts were tea, glass and paper. The Daughters of Liberty, a group of patriotic women, began making their own cloth instead of buying English fabric. The British Government repealed the Townshend Acts but continued to tax tea. The Sons of Liberty attacked British officials as part of their continuing violent resistance to British taxation.
Boston Massacre
On March 5th, 1770, British soldiers opened fire on protesting colonists and killed five people. Sam Adams responded by using this event as propaganda against the British. John Adams, Sam's cousin, chose to represent the soldiers in the case brought against them.
tea act and Boston tea party
The The tea act made the British east India company the only company allowed to sell tea to the colonies. The colonists were unhappy with the tea act because it forced them to pay import taxes to Britain. The sons of liberty responded to the tea act by dumping tea into the harbor.
Coercive Acts
The colonists called the Coercive Acts the Intolerable Acts. Four laws that were enforced were stopping all trade between Boston and Britain, not allowing town meetings, gave Britain full control over the colonies, and strengthened the Quartering Act. Other colonies supported Boston and these actions stirred up spirit among the colonists.