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The American Revolution. 1775-1783. Due to all the wars and conflicts in Europe; England was basically broke They needed a way to pay off all their war debt So they began to tax their colonies in North America We call these taxes: Acts. Causes. The Acts Sugar Act: Tax on sugar
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The American Revolution 1775-1783
Due to all the wars and conflicts in Europe; England was basically broke They needed a way to pay off all their war debt So they began to tax their coloniesin North America We call these taxes: Acts Causes
The Acts • Sugar Act: Tax on sugar • Stamp Act: Tax on paper • Townshend Duties: Tax on tea, paper, and glass • Tea Act: Tax on Tea • Intolerable Acts: Shuts down the port of Boston and the British troops can sleep in your house
The colonists were furious about these taxes • Because it violated the social contract in Parliament • “No Taxation without Representation!” • So they formed radical groups to protest these acts and ultimately called for independence • The Sons of Liberty: Boycotted, tar and feathered British loyalists, and held other protests The Response
Two major events pushed the colonists to declare war on England • Boston Massacre: • Group of angry colonist protest and harass British troops stationed in Boston • The protest gets out of hand and the British troops fire on the colonists • Killing five colonists • Boston Tea Party • After the passing of the Tea Actthe Sons of Liberty hold a radical protest • They dressed as Indians , raided British tea ships, and threw the tea over board • Britain responds by creating the Intolerable Acts and they colonists refuse to follow them that pushes them to declare war Tipping Point
Leading colonists gather together to organize themselves as an independent country to fight England • These colonists include: • Samuel Addams • John Hancock • Benjamin Franklin • John Addams • George Washington • Thomas Jefferson • Alexander Hamilton • Thomas Jefferson writes the Declaration of Independence • George Washington becomes the general of the Continental Army Declaration of Independence
British tried to arrest the Sons of Liberty. Minutemen stopped them & chased them back to Boston 1st battle of the Revolution. Leads to the 2nd Continental Congress who declares independence colonists British try to crush the colonists & end the war. Assault a hill- colonists winning until they run out of gunpowder Difficult win proves to the British it will be a long war. British
Colonists get better training at Valley Forge. Sneak attack on British troops Christmas Day by crossing Delaware River Proves to colonists they CAN defeat England. Boosts morale & troop enlistments Colonists Colonists defeat the British by using European tactics in a open field for the 1st time. TURNING POINT because this win convinces the French to ally with the colonists, sending troops, supplies & their navy Colonists
French navy prevents British southern army under Cornwallis to escape from Yorktown. Colonial army surrounds it & lays siege until the British surrender Loss turns public opinion in England against the war. This is the LAST major battle. Colonists
Treaty of Paris (1783) generous south east The End of the American Revolution