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Causes for the American Revolution. 10 Causes for the American Revolution. There are several other "causes" for the American Revolution that are not mentioned below--speeches, organizations--these just happen to be the most concrete and agreed upon (and the ones mentioned in our text).
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10 Causes for the American Revolution There are several other "causes" for the American Revolution that are not mentioned below--speeches, organizations--these just happen to be the most concrete and agreed upon (and the ones mentioned in our text). • Navigation Acts • 7 Years' War/French and Indian War • King George's Proclamation Line • Sugar Act • Stamp Act • Declaratory Act • Townshend Act • Boston Massacre • Tea Act/Boston Tea Party • Intolerable Acts
Pre-Chapter 5 Causes for the Revolution (i.e., what you should already know) • Navigation Acts (17th century) • British rules and regulations placed on colonial trade aimed to maximize profits and protect England's economy from foreign competitors (a part of mercantilism) • benefited the Crown at the expense of the colonies • 7 Years' War/French and Indian War (1763) • War fought over territory/New World presence involving the French and their Indian allies versus the British, colonists and their Indian allies • British won the war and gained new territories--Florida, Canada, land west of the Appalachian Mountains--racked up enormous post-war debt • start to tax colonists • King George's Proclamation Line (1763) • Imaginary line running north and south along the Appalachian Mountain range that could not be settled unless authorized by the Crown • made sure Britain received payment for land purchased in newly acquired land • settlers weren't allowed to settle west/purchase land
Chapter 5 Causes for the Revolution (i.e., what you probably didn't already know) • Sugar Act (1764) • Parliament reduced the tax on molasses in an effort to stop smuggling/boost revenue at the same time created a tax on sugar, wines, coffee • hurt colonial business; tax imposed without colonial input • Stamp Act (1765) • Parliament, in an effort to raise money for British soldiers stationed in the colonies, put a tax on all "legal/official" documents--newspapers, almanacs, pamphlets, etc.--anyone printing anything on paper not "stamped" would be tried by the courts • leads to Stamp Act Congress • tax imposed without colonial input • Declaratory Act (1766) • Parliament revokes Stamp Act--colonial boycotts started hurting British business--but states they have authority to impose any law on colonies "in all cases whatsoever." • Parliament makes brash statement, no colonial input
Chapter 5 Causes for the Revolution (i.e., what you probably didn't already know) • Townshend Act (1767) • Series of taxes/rules placed on colonies in order to raise money for the Crown • tax on paper, paint and glass • increased British soldier colonial presence; tax imposed without colonial input • Boston Massacre (1770) • An event that took place on the streets of Boston between a "mob" of angry colonists and British soldiers resulting in the death of 5 colonists • leads to 8 soldiers being tried with 2 being found guilty of "manslaughter"--had the letter "M" branded on their thumbs • first major instance of British aggression towards colonists; Paul Revere's engraving of incident reaches all colonies; colonists upset with presence of British soldiers/the fact they "got off easy" • Tea Act (1773) • In an effort to help the East India Company, Parliament passes act that allows East India tea to be sold in colonies for a large discount • East India Company was hurting financially • discounted tea hurts local merchants, no colonial input • Boston Tea Party (1773) • Colonists dressed as Indians board ships carrying East India tea and threw tea into the Boston Harbor • tensions escalate; implementation of Intolerable Acts
Chapter 5 Causes for the Revolution (i.e., what you probably didn't already know) • Intolerable Acts (1774) • Series of rules placed on colonies, especially Massachusetts, in order to restore order and British authority • forbid MA town meetings without approval • closed down Boston harbor • allowed British officials to go to elsewhere to be tried (e.g., another colony, Britain) • colonists must house British soldiers if need be (Quartering Act) • tensions continue to grow; rules imposed without colonial input Other causes worth mentioning.... • Speeches • Patrick Henry, Virginia House of Burgess 1775, "Give Me Liberty" • Literature • Thomas Paine, 1776, Common Sense • Organizations • Sons of Liberty, 1765 • Rallying Cries • "no taxation without representation"