Causes of the American Revolution

Proclamation of 1763*Drew an imaginary line along the Appalachian Mountains.*Colonists were not allowed to settle west of this line.*People that already lived there were supposed to move!!

Proclamation of 1763• Britain sent

troops to enforce the law.

• Why did this anger the colonists?

Proclamation of 1763

• Many colonists ignored the law.• Daniel Boone – explored Kentucky & led

settlers west.

Sugar Act - 1764• Taxed molasses. (What is Molasses??)• A good thing??• Replaced an earlier tax that was incredibly

high. Merchants smuggled molasses into the colonies to avoid paying the tax.

• Actually lowered the tax!• Why were Colonists angry??

Stamp Act - 1765• Taxed legal documents.

What’s this?? - wills, marriage papersTaxed newspapers,

almanacs, playing cards & dice.

Had to have a stamp to prove the tax had been paid.

Stamp Act - 1765

• Stamp Taxes were common in Britain so why were the Colonists so angry?

No Taxation Without Representation!

• Colonists insisted that only THEIR elected representatives could impose a tax on them.

• They had NO elected representative in Parliament (British Government) therefore they could NOT tax the Colonies!

Stamp Act Congress - 1765• 9 Colonies sent delegates.• Wrote a petition to King George

III which said they rejected the Stamp Act & that Britain had NO RIGHT to tax the Colonies.

• What is a petition??• Also decided to boycott all British

goods.

Townshend Acts - 1767

• Taxed glass, paper, paint, lead & TEA!!• Writs of Assistance – allowed the British

to search colonial ships to check for smuggled items.

• Many Colonists signed nonimportation agreements.What are these???

Boston Massacre - March 5, 1770• Britain had sent soldiers to Boston to protect customs officers.• A crowd gathered & started to shout at the soldiers -

“lobsterbacks” & started to throw snowballs & ice at the soldiers.

• 5 people were killed.• After this things calmed down - for a while!

This engraving was created by Paul Revere

Tea Act - 1773• Passed by Parliament to

help the British East India Company.

• Allowed the company to sell its tea directly to the Colonists.

• This made tea CHEAPER than ever before!!

• Why were the Colonists angry??

Tea Act - 1773• Colonists were angry because:• Tea Merchants had been cut out

of the tea trade.• Believed it was a trick to make

them accept Parliament’s right to tax the Colonies.

• No Taxation Without Representation!

Boston Tea Party – December 16, 1773

• Colonists boycott tea!• Creating a nation of coffee drinkers??• Colonists dresses as Native Americans

boarded ships in Boston Harbor & dumped the tea into the harbor.

Intolerable Acts -17741. Parliament closed the port of Boston.2. Forbade Massachusetts to hold Town

Meetings more than once a year – had to have permission of the governor.

3. Any official charged with a crime had to be put on trial in Britain.

4. Quartering Act – Colonists had to house British troops!