Why a Revolution:Examining the Causes of the Revolutionary War

Proclamation Line of 1763

• Created partly to avoid further costly wars against Native Americans

• Largely ignorned by American colonists, particularly Virginians

Britain Imposed Taxes

• In 1764 the British for the 1st time imposed a series of taxes on the colonists to offset the costs of maintaining troops in the colonies.

• The official name was the American Revenue Act, but was popularly referred to as the Sugar Act.

No Taxation without Representation: The Stamp Act

• Imposed in 1765

• Taxed all legal documents (including newspapers)

• Colonists were so enraged that several colonies vowed not to import goods until the tax was repealed

Patriots: The Sons of Liberty

• A secret organization formed to fight British oppression as a reaction to the Stamp Act

• Members included very prominent members of society, such as Sam Adams (the cousin of John Adams)

Townshend Acts Imposed• In 1767 Prime Minister of

England, Charles Townshend, convinced Parliament to pass a series of new taxes on the colonists.

• These laws included taxes on lead, paint, paper, glass and tea.

• As a result of these Acts colonial officials, including governors and judges, would receive their salaries from the Crown.

Response to the Townshend Acts:

Boycott

• In retaliation to the Townshend Acts the colonists boycotted imported British goods.

• Within a year importation from Britain dropped almost in half.

British Troops Land in Boston

• In response to colonial protest and increasing attacks on colonial officials by the Sons of Liberty, 4,000 troops were dispatched, to restore order in Boston in 1768.

The Boston Massacre

• On March 5, 1770, a crowd of sixty towns people began pelting snowballs at British guards.

• A shot rang out, and ultimately, 11 colonists were hit and five were dead.

Colonial Victory:Most Townshend Acts

Repealed

• The British parliament repealed the Townshend duties on all imports but tea.

• Falling colonial imports and raising opposition convinced the British government that its policies were not working.

The Boston Tea Party• Parliament passed the

Tea Act in 1774. The new act granted a monopoly on tea trade in the Americas to the East India Tea Company.

• The Sons of Liberty dressed as Indians and boarded three vessels docked in the harbor. And they threw 90,000 pounds of tea overboard in protest of British abuses.

Coercive Acts Imposed• The British were shocked by the destruction of the

tea in Boston Harbor and other colonial protests.

• The British parliament imposed a series of acts that became known as the "Coercive Acts"; or the "Intolerable Acts” in 1774.

• These acts included:– The closing of the port of Boston. – The Royal governor took control of the

Massachusetts government.– Sheriffs & juries would become royal appointees.– The British took the right to quarter soldiers

anywhere.

Due to Irreconcilable Differences

War Broke out April 19, 1775

References• www.loc.gov/exhibits/ british/brit-2.html• www.educationplanet.com/articles/ american_revolution.html• www.cronab.demon.co.uk/br.htm• memory.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml/ revolution.jpg• www.cvco.org/sigs/ reg64/intro.html• www.jastown.com/newprod/ bk-566.htm• www.clements.umich.edu/ dup/img-redo3/dc49.jpg• www.greenleafpress.com/reviews/ books000810.htm• www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/ 1776/1776.html• www.columbiagames.com/Products/

GamePlan/Liberty/liberty.htm• www.colonialmusic.org/ CDTape.htm• www.assumption.edu/ahc/ 1770s/default.html• www.liberty-tree.org/ltn/ american-revolution.html• www.ilssar.org/programs/ cover.jpg