Causes of the American Revolution
1763-1776
Causes of the American Revolution
The American Revolution was an event that took place in the 13 colonies in the 18th century. The 13 colonies felt like they were being treated unfairly and wanted British rule to stop. Some social causes were when England created the Stamp Act, which was a tax on paper. The rich colonists were getting hit by it, but they told the poor, who didn't have to pay as much taxes, and told them that the British were violating their rights. The economic policies were just as bad and the colonists could only get tea from a certain company called the British West Indies. Once Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty caused the Boston Tea Party, no one could trade because the Boston Harbor was off limits. But were the colonists justified in declaring independence over England. Well, yes because their rights were being violated and they were being treated unfairly and a government should make it so everyone is treated fairly.
Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts was an act to put the theory of mercantilism into practice. Trade in the colonies was to only be conducted only with English and Colonial ships. If you wanted to trade outside of the empire had to first go to England. England also created the Sugar Act which made importation of sugar from the West French Indies not available to the colonies and they had to trade with the British West Indies, which was also more expensive. The most significant impact of the Navigation Acts was colonial manufacturing and increasing resentment against the mother country.
The Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian War, the Proclamation Line was created. King George of England made this proclamation because he didn't want another costly war with the Natives, which had already put them in a great debt. If the colonists moved past the Appalachains they would be breaking this act. The colonists did not like this idea, because they wanted to live somewhere where they weren't living with the British. Tensions grew in the colonies more and more as this went on.
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was created as a tax on pretty much anything that was paper. Colonists had to buy a stamp, or seal, for paper products. This wouldn't be a problem if England hadn't gotten in a war with the French and Native Americans. They had so much debt, so King George thought this was a good idea. In protest Samuel Adams and the Committees of Correspondence used boycotts, where people refused to buy certain goods in protest. Samuel Adams also created Sons of Liberty, which were groups of men that protested British policies, and sometimes used violence to get their way. In 1765 a congress of nine colonies met in New York to discuss the British policies at the Stamp Act Congress. They decided that there should be only colonial governments should tax the colonies and asked the King to repeal the act. He agreed, but right after he approved the Declaratory Act which said the Parliament had full authority over legislation in the colonies.
Quartering Act
In response to the Stamp Act protests, Britain sent more soldier to keep order in the colonies. Britain created the Quartering Act, which made the colonists take care of the British soldiers. Some problems with this that the colonists didn't like was, they didn't always want a standing army of soldiers with blank search warrants, and also taking care of a soldier is expensive. It was even harder with the soldier not helping them out, thanks to the writs of assistance, which said that the soldier living in the household, didn't have to help the people that were quartering them, and could sit around being lazy. Colonists couldn't stand this act.
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were actsthat taxed imported goods, such as tea, glass, paper, and other items, due to the rising military costs due to the Quartering Act. In protest the Daughters of Liberty made their own cloth at home instead of buying the British cloth. After 1770, when the Townshend Acts were repealed, the British continued to tax tea to show that they still had power over everyone. In response the Sons of Liberty and Samuel Adams attacked homes of British officials and tax collectors. Tensions grew and grew.
Boston Massacre
On March 5th,1770 anger and tension had grown, because Brtain sent more soldiers to Boston, because some colonists had resisted taxes. The tension and anger came rushing out when an angry colonist and a British soldier were arguing, when a huge mob crowded around and got angrier and angrier. As the mob got angrier more British soldiers backed up the lone soldier. Out of no where shots were fired and five colonists fell dead. Samuel Adams used this incident as propaganda and made it unilateral, trying to make the public to believe them. After the massacre John Adams decided to support the British in soldiers in court. The colonists were not happy and things didn't look good.
Tea Act and Boston Tea Party
The Tea Act was an act that made the British West Indies the only company that the colonies could get tea from. Even though the Tea Act made the price of tea lower, the colonists didn't like it, bevause they had to pay imported taxes to Britain. The Sons of LIberty were not happy with this and in response to it they disguised themselves as Natives and illegally boarded ships and dumped 342 crates of tea over board, into the Boston Harbor. Britain was furious and made even more laws.
Coercive Act
The colonists hated this act, and called it the Intolerable Acts. There were four laws that wereenforced as aresult of this. The laws said that the Coercive Acts: Stopped all trade between Boston and Britain, town meetings not allowed, Britain was given control of the colonies, strengthened Quartering Act. Since the Boston Harbor was closed the economy went down for awhile. Responding to the Intolerable Acts the colonies brought in goods. This stirred revolutionary spirit through out the colonies.