Causes of the American Revolution

Proclamation of 1763BRITISH ACTION

British law: colonists could not settle west

of the Appalachian

Mountains. That land would

remain Indian land.

American ReactionColonists felt

cheated and were angry. They felt that since they helped fight the

French and Indians for the

land they should be allowed to

settle it. Having land dictated social status.

British ActionFirst attempt by Parliament to tax the colonies directly. Required that every legal document,

newspaper, diploma, will, advertisement, and playing cards carry a stamp showing a tax had been paid. This tax had to be paid in gold or silver coin, which was scarce in the colonies and not easily paid by

most colonists. American Reaction

React with rage; Sons of Liberty are formed to lead boycotts against British goods. They tar and feather tax

collectors and burn the stamps.

Quartering Act1765

British ActionBritish law that required the colonies to quarter

(provide shelter and supplies) to the Kings

soldiers stationed in the colonies

American ReactionFueled tensions between the

Colonies and England. Most of the soldiers were stations in New York so Colonists in New York viewed the act as

unfair.

Declaratory Act1766

British ActionLaw passed by the English

Parliament stating that they had the right to tax

and rule over the colonies in any and all cases

whatsoever.American Reaction

A tug-of-war between the colonists and Parliament

begins concerning the English Parliaments

authority over the colonies. Colonies decide to ignore these new laws.

Townsend Acts1767

British ActionCharles Townsend (The King’s

Finance Minister) presented a way to tax the colonies “w/o offense”. 1)

Suspend colonial assembly until they agree to pay for the King’s soldiers. 2) Tax glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea brought into the colonies. 3) The colonists would be required to pay

this tax in gold or silver.

American Reaction Colonists protested against the Acts.

They viewed them as a way for the King to take money out of their

pockets w/o their consent.

Boston MassacreMarch 5, 1770

British ActionThe Kings places 4000 British soldiers in Boston to ensure and protect tax collections. The soldiers in order to make more $$

begin to hire themselves out for cheaper wages then the colonials.

American ReactionResentment rises and one night an angry mob of colonials fell

upon a group of soldiers outside of the Customs House in Boston. They begin calling the soldiers names and throwing snowballs, rocks, and sticks. In the confusion shots are fired

and in the end five men (colonists) lay dead.Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty use the event as

propaganda to strengthen support for the American cause. They refer to it as a Massacre and tensions in Boston begin to

reach boiling points.

Tea Act1773

British ActionGreat Britain allows the British East India

Company to have a monopoly on the American Tea trade in the hopes that the colonists would

buy British tea and not smuggled Dutch tea.American Reaction

Acts of resistance in the form of “Tea Party’s” take Place in New York, Boston,

Philadelphia, and Charleston.

Boston Tea PartyDecember 17, 1773

British Action British East India Company ships

carrying tea dock in Boston Harbor. The kings says the

colonists must unload the tea.

American ReactionSons of liberty in an act of

resistance dress as Indians and destroy the tea by dumping the tea (342 chests) from the British tea ships into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts1774

British ActionThe King is infuriated and closes the port of Boston until the colonists agree

to pay back the money for the tea that was destroyed. Parliament’s response to colonial resistance in Boston (The Tea Party). They

want to punish Boston so they pass what became known as the Intolerable acts (1) the ports of Boston would remain closed until all of the tea

destroyed was paid for, (2) Massachusetts town meetings were suspended, (3) British commanders in Boston could house soldiers wherever necessary, and (4) any British officer accused of a crime in Boston would stand trial in

England rather than the colonies.

American ReactionIntolerable acts join the colonies together. All of the colonies came to the

aide of the city of Boston and Massachusetts. They sent Money and food to the citizens of Boston.

The Committees of Correspondence called for colonies to each send delegates to meet in Philadelphia.

First Continental CongressSeptember 5 to October 26, 1774

British ActionParliament passes the Intolerable acts

as retaliation for the Boston Tea Party.

American ReactionA meeting between delegates

(representatives) from all the colonies is held in Philly. They decided to boycott all trade with

Britain until they lifted the Intolerable Acts. They also called on each colony to begin training soldiers.

1st Continental Congress Cont.

• The meeting in Philly was an important step in American History.

• Most delegates at the time did not favor Independence from Great Britain.

• Their meeting in Philly broke British laws.• It planted the seeds of independent

government.

• Colonists expected that the boycott on trade with Great Britain would force Parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts.

• The boycott back fired and Great Britain instead sent more soldiers to the colonies and imposed more limits on colonial trade.

• By 1774 some colonists began to prepare for war!

• Most colonial leader felt that a fight with Great Britain would be short.

• A quick show of force would make the British repeal the Intolerable Acts.

• The colonists would go back to being loyal subjects.

• Few expected a war for independence.

Battle of Lexington & ConcordApril 19, 1775

“The Shot Heard Around the World”

British ActionBritish general Thomas Gage received information

that the Minutemen were storing guns and ammo in Concord, Mass (18 miles from Boston). On the

night of April 18th 1775 soldiers in Boston marched out to Concord to capture stores of ammunition and destroy the supplies.

American Reaction The British were not successful in capturing the colonial stores of ammunition and instead When they got to Lexington there was a

large group of Minutemen standing on the green. A shot was fired by an unknown person? Eight colonists died. The rest fled for

Concord and the British followed.They experienced harsh resistance on their march all the way back

to Boston. The Revolutionary War had begun!

Second Continental CongressMay 1775

British ActionThe Kings refuses the Olive Branch Petition sent to try

and regain peace with the colonies.

American ReactionDelegates from the 13 colonies met in Philly. Those

from New England believed the duty of Congress was to prepare for war, others favored peace talks, and

still others were unsure. By the end they decided to set up a continental army

and named George Washington its leader.

The Battle of Bunker Hill• June 1775, Patriot troops

(during the night) move to occupy a peninsula overlooking Boston. (Actually took place on Breeds Hill)

• In the morning the British a stunned to see the Patriots on the hill and storm to retake it.

• British Gen. William Howe and 2,200 men cross the harbor charge up the Hill.

• “Don’t fire till you see the whites of their eyes!”

• The British storm the hill twice and are turned back by the Patriot militia.• On the third time up the hill, American gunpowder runs out and they are forced

to retreat.• The British took the hill but the Patriots (Americans) viewed the Battle of

Bunker hill as a victory.• Over 1,000 British soldiers are killed or wounded, while the Patriots only suffer

400 casualties. • The Battle of Bunker hill showed that the patriots colonial militia (untrained

soldiers) could hold its own against the most powerful army in the world.

Common Sense

1. After the battle of Bunker Hill most Americans still wanted to avoid a break with Great Britain.

2. Colonists worried about breaking away from Great Britain.

• What code of laws will be established?

• How will we govern ourselves?

• Who will make these laws?

• How will we survive?

3. January 1776 a 46 page pamphlet jolted the Americans out of their uncertainty.

4. That pamphlet was Common Sense written by Thomas Paine.

5. Paine was the first to make a bold call for Independence.

The Declaration of IndependenceJuly 4, 1776

British Action

Parliament and the King of England impose laws on the colonies that are viewed as unfair and go

against the basic natural rights of man.

American Reaction

The delegates of the 2nd continental congress Declares the Colonies free and Independent from British rules and draft our Declaration of

Independence.