Causes of the American Revolution

Travis Clarke

Professor Kelley (GHIST 225)

September 12, 2007

Causes of the American Revolution

The American Revolution is quite possibly the most monumental event in the history of this country. Four major events contributed to the colonist’s revolt toward the tyranny of British rule; the 7 Years War, new taxes, the Boston Massacre, and the Boston Tea Party. The 7 Years War was the first event to stir tension between the colonists and their home country Britain. It placed colonial troops into an unwelcome war and devastated vital trade with the French territories. England issued abominable taxes on all 13 colonies taxing items such as stamps, glass, tea, and imports. This greatly upset the colonists and spiraled into numerous acts of rebellion colony-wide. The Boston Massacre sent the city of Boston into complete turmoil, when British troops fired upon unarmed colonists. It not only proved a threat to Boston but a potential threat to the other 12 colonies. Another act of conflict was the Boston Tea Party. Boston colonists, under the cover of darkness, creped into the Boston Harbor and dumped British tea into the Boston Harbor. The 7 Years War, new taxes, the Boston Massacre, and the Boston Tea Party all directly led to the colonist revolution now labeled the American Revolution.

The 7 Years War was a war between France and England that took place on North American soil. The English, not the colonist, wanted to fight the French. The conflict begun when Britain uncovered New England cities illegally trading with the French during the war. On city in particular was Boston. As a reprimand Britain passes the Writs of Assistance. What this states is that the British army can settle anywhere while looking for smuggled goods. The colonists were outraged. Not only was their privacy violated, but they were excessively punished for only attempting to economically contribute to their city. The conflict with the French was at its conclusion as the British win, but the conflict between the British and colonists was just beginning.

England has gone broke, both from the 7 Years War and the Civil War at home. Parliament contemplates a resolution to their financial instability and decides to tax the colonists. The first of this series of taxes was the Revenue Act. This act affected those who imported goods. This tax did not compliment the interest of the colonists, but it affected so few that it caused few problems. The next was the Stamp Act. This tax affected nearly all colonists, placing a tax on all paper products. Colonists were outraged. As a result, groups like the Sons of Liberty were formed who threatened and harassed tax collectors. England stood firm on their authority and announced the Declarator Act. This simply asserted that England has the right to tax. The Townsend Acts put taxes on glass, lead, paint, tea, and paper imported into the colonies. What eventually tipped the scale was the Quartering Acts which allowed British soldiers to quarter in colonial homes. If this act was not abided colonial assemblies would be revoked. New taxes basically obliterated any chance of a relationship with Britain and led to many other devastating events leading up to the American Revolution.

In 1768 British