Causes of the Revolution
Proclamation of 1763
There were many contributing factors towards the American Revolution, and all were crucial to the beginnings of the separation of colonial America and Great Britain.
The French and Indian War: This occurred between the years of 1754-1763. The outcome was a British/colonial victory against the French, driving French influence out of America. However, this war brought large amounts of war debt upon the mother country.
Salutary Neglect - This term refers to the loose enforcement of any British laws upon colonial America. This allowed colonists to control their economy and have the ability to loosely govern themselves within their "states" that had been established as time carried on. When the French and Indian War ended, Britain ended salutary neglect and this in effect angered the colonists, especially those who has become used to their slight independence.
The Proclamation of 1763 - This proclamation was declared by the British towards the colonists in 1763, and prohibited any settlement in territory west of the Appalachian mountains. Though this was a proclamation for the colonists' safety, many still took offense over the issue.
The French and Indian War: This occurred between the years of 1754-1763. The outcome was a British/colonial victory against the French, driving French influence out of America. However, this war brought large amounts of war debt upon the mother country.
Salutary Neglect - This term refers to the loose enforcement of any British laws upon colonial America. This allowed colonists to control their economy and have the ability to loosely govern themselves within their "states" that had been established as time carried on. When the French and Indian War ended, Britain ended salutary neglect and this in effect angered the colonists, especially those who has become used to their slight independence.
The Proclamation of 1763 - This proclamation was declared by the British towards the colonists in 1763, and prohibited any settlement in territory west of the Appalachian mountains. Though this was a proclamation for the colonists' safety, many still took offense over the issue.
The Acts
Stamp Act
The following are acts that were passed by Britain upon the colonial America in order to settle war debts are in order to keep a closer eye upon the colonists.
Sugar Act (1764) - This act raised revenue by increasing duties upon of sugar imported from the West Indies.
Currency Act (1764) - Parliament stated that colonial currency was negatively impacting British trade, and in effect outlawed American assemblies from issuing paper bills.
Quartering Act (1765) - Britain ordered that colonists were to house and feed British soldiers if deemed necessary.
Stamp Act (1765) - This was the first act that was directly enforced upon the colonists. This required tax stamps on items such as playing cards, newspapers, and marriage licenses.
Townshend Acts (1767) - Imposed to make colonial officals independent from colonists and required duties upon glass, paper, and tea. This causes an increase upon smuggling in order to avoid taxes, and, in effect, led to Britain sending more troops in Boston.
Tea Act (1773) - To assist the failing British East India Company, the Company was given a monopoly to trade tea in America. This resulted in the Boston Tea Party, where angered colonists dressed up as Indians and raided the tea ships, dumping all goods into the Boston Harbor.
Intolerable Acts (1774) - These acts were passed in response to the Boston Tea Party. They placed restrictions upon the colonists, including outlawing town meetings and the closing of Boston Harbor.
Sugar Act (1764) - This act raised revenue by increasing duties upon of sugar imported from the West Indies.
Currency Act (1764) - Parliament stated that colonial currency was negatively impacting British trade, and in effect outlawed American assemblies from issuing paper bills.
Quartering Act (1765) - Britain ordered that colonists were to house and feed British soldiers if deemed necessary.
Stamp Act (1765) - This was the first act that was directly enforced upon the colonists. This required tax stamps on items such as playing cards, newspapers, and marriage licenses.
Townshend Acts (1767) - Imposed to make colonial officals independent from colonists and required duties upon glass, paper, and tea. This causes an increase upon smuggling in order to avoid taxes, and, in effect, led to Britain sending more troops in Boston.
Tea Act (1773) - To assist the failing British East India Company, the Company was given a monopoly to trade tea in America. This resulted in the Boston Tea Party, where angered colonists dressed up as Indians and raided the tea ships, dumping all goods into the Boston Harbor.
Intolerable Acts (1774) - These acts were passed in response to the Boston Tea Party. They placed restrictions upon the colonists, including outlawing town meetings and the closing of Boston Harbor.
Reaction to the Acts
Sons of Liberty tarring and feathering tax collector
The following are all reactions to the acts enforced upon the colonists:
Stamp Act Congress (1765) - In reaction to the Stamp Act imposed upon the colonies, 27 delegates from nine of the colonies met in New York City and wrote a statement of rights and grievances, thereby bringing many colonies together in opposition to Britain.
Sons and Daughters of Liberty (1765) - Colonists tried to fight back by imposing non-importation agreements. The Sons of Liberty often took the law into their own hands enforcing these 'agreements' by methods such as tar and feathering. The Daughters of Liberty took on less violent acts. They did so by boycotting the Townshend Acts and making their own homespun clothing and other goods.
Boston Massacre (1770) - This event was quickly heard through the colonies. There was a drunken group of colonists that decided to aggravate the British soldiers in front of the custom house in Boston. This quickly grew into a mob that was throwing rocks at the soldiers. The colonists yelled out into the crowd and some started to yield clubs and attack soldiers. The soldiers then fired their muskets into the crowd, overall killing five men. This event threw the colonists into an uproar, and was widely spread with Paul Revere's engraving of the event, which showed that the soldiers fired upon a completely innocent crowd.
Boston Tea Party (1773) - This was a response to the Tea Act. Many colonists, particularly the Sons of Liberty, dressed up as Indians and threw all the tea on the British merchant ships into the Boston Harbor.
The Continental Congress (1774) - The Congress started with the reactions to the Townshends Acts, yet didn't actually become very well known until the Revolution had actually started. They typically met in secret so that the British did not know of their meetings, but many of these people organized what would soon to be the beginnings of America's government.
Stamp Act Congress (1765) - In reaction to the Stamp Act imposed upon the colonies, 27 delegates from nine of the colonies met in New York City and wrote a statement of rights and grievances, thereby bringing many colonies together in opposition to Britain.
Sons and Daughters of Liberty (1765) - Colonists tried to fight back by imposing non-importation agreements. The Sons of Liberty often took the law into their own hands enforcing these 'agreements' by methods such as tar and feathering. The Daughters of Liberty took on less violent acts. They did so by boycotting the Townshend Acts and making their own homespun clothing and other goods.
Boston Massacre (1770) - This event was quickly heard through the colonies. There was a drunken group of colonists that decided to aggravate the British soldiers in front of the custom house in Boston. This quickly grew into a mob that was throwing rocks at the soldiers. The colonists yelled out into the crowd and some started to yield clubs and attack soldiers. The soldiers then fired their muskets into the crowd, overall killing five men. This event threw the colonists into an uproar, and was widely spread with Paul Revere's engraving of the event, which showed that the soldiers fired upon a completely innocent crowd.
Boston Tea Party (1773) - This was a response to the Tea Act. Many colonists, particularly the Sons of Liberty, dressed up as Indians and threw all the tea on the British merchant ships into the Boston Harbor.
The Continental Congress (1774) - The Congress started with the reactions to the Townshends Acts, yet didn't actually become very well known until the Revolution had actually started. They typically met in secret so that the British did not know of their meetings, but many of these people organized what would soon to be the beginnings of America's government.