Causes of the American Revolution

The Enlightenment

Very important period because political philosophers began expressing democratic ideas. These ideas would help fuel the coming revolution in the colonies!

John LockeBelieved people were reasonable and they would cooperate with each other. Rulers, therefore, must have the consent of the governed (citizens) to stay in power. The people have a right to rebel because people have natural rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of property. Sound familiar?

The Great Awakening

A religious revival that began in the 1730s and lasted until about 1750. Ministers and preachers roamed the country side spreading born again Christian beliefs. The movement caused the spread of the Baptists and Methodists denominations. It also caused many people to realize that there was nothing wrong with questioning authority, whether it be spiritual or political leaders.

The French and Indian War (1754-1763)

By the 1750s, most colonists believed that the were members of British society and they were extremely loyal to the British Monarchy. In 1754 war broke out between the British and the French. Most of the battles took place in North America. Since the Native Americans had better relations with the French, they sided with the French. So, the real name of the war could be, The French and Indians vs. Great Britain (England). Remember, most American colonists considered themselves British and therefore they fought with England (the British).

The French and Indian War (1754-1763)

The War is eventually won by Great Britain. In a 1763 Treaty of Paris, the French turned over all of their North American colonial land to England. Now the American colonies stretch all the way to the Mississippi River!

The French and Indian War (1754-1763)

• British colonial territories almost double in size. Colonists are excited about claiming all this land.• Proclamation of 1763 – The King says that

American colonists cannot settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. Why? Fewer British troops would be needed to protect the American colonists from Native Americans attacks.• However, the biggest reason why the French

and Indian War is a cause of the American Revolution – the British begin to tax the colonists in order to pay for the war.

Triangular Trade and Smuggling

The Triangular Trade allowed for Great Britain to make a lot of money from it’s colonies (mercantilism). For many decades many colonists bought finished goods that were smuggled in from other countries. Why? Because they were cheaper than buying finished goods colonies from their mother country (England).

However, after The French and Indian War, Great Britain cracked down on all of the smuggling. Now American colonists were being forced to pay higher prices for their finished goods. It also hurt the profits of many smugglers in the Boston area.

The Sugar TaxThe British legislative branch is called Parliament. In 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act. It raised taxes on all kinds of finished goods going to the colonies, including sugar. However, the colonists had not a single person who was allowed to vote for on their behalf in Parliament. A new cry rang out: “No taxation without representation!” Colonists begin boycotting British goods.

The Stamp Act – 1765

Parliament does away with the Sugar Act, but then adopts the Stamp Act. Any piece of printed paper bought by the American colonists had to have a stamp on it. How did you get the stamp? You had to pay a tax for it. Protests erupted, especially in New England, where tax collectors were beaten and sometimes tortured!

The Quartering Act – 1765 Colonial governments would have to pay for feeding and housing for the British Troops, the hated “redcoats”. Why were the redcoats in the colonies? To control the colonists who were getting harder and harder to control.

The Boston Massacre – March, 1770

Fearing for their lives British troops shoot at a crowd of Bostonians who were throwing, snowballs, chunks of ice and rocks at them. John Adams represented the redcoats at trial and almost all of them were found not guilty of murder or even manslaughter. Still, patriots, like Paul Revere, used the incident as propaganda to push their cause of independence.

http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/boston-massacre

The Boston Tea Party - 1773Colonists are forced to buy their tea from the East India Tea Co. Samuel (Sam) Adams leads a protest group known as the Sons of Liberty to three British ships in Boston Harbor. The group goes on board each ship and dumps each crate of tea into Boston Harbor. http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/boston-tea-party

The Intolerable Acts - 1774Great Britain reacts to the Tea Party by punishing Boston and Massachusetts. First, they close Boston Harbor. Then they close down the Massachusetts colonial legislature. Other colonies begin to worry if England might do the same to them. Calls for independence are now spreading throughout the other colonies.

First Continental Congress 1774

For the first time delegates (representatives) from all of the colonies arrive in Philadelphia to discuss what to do about Great Britain. Few delegates want independence, but they do believe that the colonists have been wronged by their country and their King. They wrote to their King, George III, asking that they be treated like British citizens, with the same rights as Englishmen and with representation in Parliament.

March 23, 1775I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Who said these immortal words and where did he utter them?

Lexington and Concord

April 1775 – the first two battles of the Revolutionary War begin in Massachusetts. In Lexington, the Redcoats fire on the colonial militia known as the minutemen. No redcoats are killed, but several colonists are. As the redcoats headed for Concord, however, the minutemen used guerilla warfare tactics and ambushed the redcoats. By the time they had made it back to Boston the Redcoats had suffered 250 casualties.

The Second Continental Congress May 1775Hoping for peace, but preparing for war, the Continental Congress sent a peace proposal to King George III, but they also made George Washington commander of the Continental Army. As they were meeting the Battle of Bunker Hill occurred. At this point, most of the delegates stopped hoping for peace and sought for independence.

Common SenseIn January, 1775 Thomas Paine wrote a short pamphlet entitled “Common Sense”. In very simple English it explained the logical reasons for Americans to declare their independence. A few months after it was published, many neutrals became patriots.

The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Thomas Jefferson used the writings of John Locke and Thomas Paine to write the declaration. In the first section of the declaration Jefferson’s uses Locke’s words to explain why the colonies are breaking away from England. In the second prtion Jefferson lists a series of grievances against the king. This list of grievances comes from much of Paine’s “Common Sense”.