Causes of the American Causes of the American Revolution!Revolution!

The French

and Indian War

1754-1763

Intolerable Acts

1774

Stamp Act 1765

Boston Massacre 1770

Boston Tea Pa

rty

1773

Proclamation of 1763Townshend Acts 1767

Tea Act 1773

The Quartering Act 1765

The Sugar Act 1764

Declaratory Act of1766 

French and Indian WarFrench and Indian War The North American The North American

chapter of the “Seven chapter of the “Seven Years War.” The name Years War.” The name refers to the two main refers to the two main enemies of the British: the enemies of the British: the royal French forces and the royal French forces and the various Indian forces allied various Indian forces allied with themwith them

Cause: The colonists kept Cause: The colonists kept pushing the Indians west. pushing the Indians west.

Effect: The British made Effect: The British made

the Proclamation of 1763. the Proclamation of 1763.

Stamp Act 1765Stamp Act 1765

The Stamp Act was a tax The Stamp Act was a tax on every sheet of every on every sheet of every legal document.legal document.

Cause: Britain needed Cause: Britain needed money because they money because they were in debt from the war were in debt from the war so they taxed the so they taxed the colonists.colonists.

Effect: The colonists Effect: The colonists boycotted British goods. boycotted British goods. They also organized the They also organized the Sons of Liberty and the Sons of Liberty and the Daughters of Liberty. Daughters of Liberty.

Boston Massacre 1770 Boston Massacre 1770

The Boston Massacre was a clash The Boston Massacre was a clash between British troops and a group of between British troops and a group of colonists in which five colonists were killed.colonists in which five colonists were killed.

Cause: After lots of ridicule, the tension Cause: After lots of ridicule, the tension finally broke. Some colonists started finally broke. Some colonists started throwing snowball in front of the Boston throwing snowball in front of the Boston Customhouse. The soldiers became Customhouse. The soldiers became nervous and started shooting.nervous and started shooting.

Effect: Six of the soldiers were acquitted, Effect: Six of the soldiers were acquitted, and two of them had their thumbs branded and two of them had their thumbs branded for shooting.for shooting.

Tea Act 1773Tea Act 1773 The Tea Act was a tax on all The Tea Act was a tax on all

imported tea from Britain.imported tea from Britain. Cause: The colonists boycott Cause: The colonists boycott

against British goods had hurt against British goods had hurt their trade, so the British their trade, so the British repealed the Townshend Acts repealed the Townshend Acts after the Boston Massacre. after the Boston Massacre. Parliament only kept the tea Parliament only kept the tea tax.tax.

Effect: The Sons of Liberty Effect: The Sons of Liberty organized a protest against organized a protest against the Tea Act known as the the Tea Act known as the Boston Tea Party. Boston Tea Party.

Boston Tea Party 1773Boston Tea Party 1773

The Boston Tea Party was a The Boston Tea Party was a protest organized by the protest organized by the colonists against the British. colonists against the British. All the colonists dressed up All the colonists dressed up as Indians and snuck on-as Indians and snuck on-board the British ships in the board the British ships in the harbor. Then they threw all harbor. Then they threw all the tea on the ships into the tea on the ships into Boston Harbor. Boston Harbor.

Cause: The colonists were Cause: The colonists were upset by the Tea Act.upset by the Tea Act.

Effect: The Intolerable Acts Effect: The Intolerable Acts were passed to keep the were passed to keep the colonists under control. colonists under control.

British Closes Boston British Closes Boston HarborHarbor

To punish Boston, To punish Boston, the harbor was the harbor was closedclosed

Many colonists Many colonists lost their jobs due lost their jobs due to no workto no work

Many Americans Many Americans decided to actdecided to act

Second Continental Second Continental CongressCongress

In early 1776, the 2In early 1776, the 2ndnd Continental Congress Continental Congress convened in convened in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia

Issues discussed: Issues discussed: Battles of Lexington Battles of Lexington and Concord, how to and Concord, how to deal with England’s deal with England’s new lawsnew laws

The Committee of FiveThe Committee of Five

John Hancock, the John Hancock, the congress’ president, congress’ president, called for 5 people to called for 5 people to draft a declaration of draft a declaration of independenceindependence

1.1. Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

2.2. Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin

3.3. John AdamsJohn Adams

4.4. Robert LivingstonRobert Livingston

5.5. Roger ShermanRoger Sherman

Jefferson’s InspirationJefferson’s Inspiration

Jefferson was charged Jefferson was charged with writing the with writing the document, and he drew document, and he drew many ideas from John many ideas from John Locke. Locke.

Locke was an Locke was an Enlightenment thinker Enlightenment thinker who denounced kings who denounced kings and promoted and promoted democracydemocracy

“…for all the power the government has,being only for the good of the society… that both the people mayknow their duty, and be safe and secure withinthe limits of the law; and the rulers too keptwithin their bounds, and not be tempted, by thepower they have in their hands, to employ it tosuch purposes, and by such measures, as theywould not have known, and own not willingly.”

John Locke

The Declaration of The Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

Released on July 4, Released on July 4, 1776, Jefferson’s 1776, Jefferson’s declaration formally declaration formally stated the colonists’ stated the colonists’ desire to break from desire to break from BritainBritain

He stated people were He stated people were granted “…unalienable granted “…unalienable rights…” that could rights…” that could never be taken awaynever be taken away

LifeLife Liberty Liberty Pursuit of Pursuit of

HappinessHappiness

References:References:

http//:www.ushistory.orghttp//:www.ushistory.org