Madi Kirsch- Causes of the American Revolution by Madilyn Kirsch

Navigation Acts - 1651

mk22337 — 2024-10-01 00:12:24 UTC

The Navigation Acts of 1651 were laws created by the British Parliament that created rules, and restrictions about trade in Britain and colonies in North America. The purpose of these acts were to increase self-sufficiency in Britain and decrease the dependency on foreign trade. Although these acts were a royal attempt to regulate trade, colonists sometimes smuggled to try and avoid these acts.

French and Indian War - 1754-1763

mk22337 — 2024-10-02 15:26:43 UTC

The French and Indian War, which began in 1754, was a battle in which French and Native American forces and British/Colonial forces fought against each other to gain control of the Ohio River Valley. The British won, gaining control of North America and they wanted the land because colonists were starting to settle past the Appalachian Mountains and needed that land. Soon after, they began greatly taxing colonies to repay war debt.

Sugar Act - 1764

mk22337 — 2024-10-02 15:28:39 UTC

The Sugar Act passed on April 5, 1764, was the first restriction on trade for the colonists that benefited the British. The first version of the Molasses Act/sugar stated that colonists who participated in the selling of molasses had to pay a tax of 6 pence on the importation of this foreign good. The Sugar Act modified the tax and reduced it to 3 pence but put taxes on other goods as well such as coffee, pimiento, and sugar. This new Sugar Act also enforced the tax much stricter than the old.

Currency Act - 1764

mk22337 — 2024-10-02 15:31:06 UTC

The currency act was passed on September 1, 1764. This act was passed because colonies always had a shortage of currency and there were many different types of currencies being used. This act put in place that the colonial bills could no longer be used, and they reissued the existing currency which was the pound sterling. This act was mostly in favor of the British and they wanted to revoke all other forms of currency from the colonists.

Stamp Act - 1765

mk22337 — 2024-10-02 15:32:17 UTC

The Stamp Act was passed on March 22, 1765. This act was Parliament's first determined attempt to gain power over the colonies. The Stamp Act was the first tax to be applied only to American colonists by the British Parliament and it was issued to try and aid debt created from the Seven Years War. It allowed taxes to be issued on certain goods such as paper, stamps, and newspapers. The issues in representation and taxes that were caused by this act caused great tension among the colonists and they turned to violence.

Sons of Liberty - 1765

mk22337 — 2024-10-02 15:38:40 UTC

Established in 1765, the Sons of Liberty were a group of colonists that used violence, threats, and disobedience to make the British government angry. This group organized boycotts and protested against the policies that were being directed at the colonies by the British. The most famous act that was caused by the Sons of Liberty was the Boston Tea Party and it was a major boycott that propelled the British and Colonies to war.

Stamp Act Congress - 1765

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 00:09:25 UTC

In October of 1765 James Otis held an intercolonial congress in New York, to meet and discuss a plan to help colonies regain representation within taxes and revoke the Stamp Act. It was obvious that the individual colonies could not reach their messages to the King and parliament alone, so they believed this congress to be a solution. The Stamp Act Congress was only partially sucessful which later led to the Stamp Act Resolves.

Daughters of Liberty - 1765

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 01:13:54 UTC

A female association was formed in 1765 to support colonists and oppose the British. It was also formed to assist the Sons of Liberty in their fights against the British. Later, in the 1800s, it started fighting for female rights and encouraged boycotts of British goods.

Declaratory Act - 1766

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 01:27:32 UTC

The Declaratory Act was passed on March 18^th, 1776 after the Stamp Act was repealed. It was an act to say that the British parliament was still in power and could rule over, and make laws for America, they wanted the Americans to depend on them. This act ensured that the British had complete and total control over the colonies.

Townshend Acts - 1767

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 01:56:17 UTC

The Townshend Acts were named after Charles Townshend and were published in 1767. They were measures that were passed by the British parliament and they once again taxed goods. The taxes were on goods being imported to the American colonies and the British even went as far as sending UK troops to enforce these new laws. Townshend put taxes, especially on goods he knew colonists could not produce themselves with most of the money coming from tea taxes.

Boston Massacre - 1770

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:01:42 UTC

The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770. This massacre occurred when British soldiers fired at a large group of unfriendly colonial protestors, killing 5 people. The aggression from the British came from the fact that they were upset about the colonial protests that were taking place in Boston. This event was a British action that resulted in the colonists being even angrier than before.

Tea Act - 1773

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:04:16 UTC

The Tea Act was passed on May 10^th, 1773. This Act was put in place to help aid the East India Tea Company and stated that the colonists were only allowed to drink tea from that company. The East India Company was granted the importation and sale of goods in the colonies, but this act was not to increase revenue in America. The colonists were very upset about the tea and their anger led to the Boston Tea Party.

Boston Tea Party - 1773

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:05:38 UTC

The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16^th, 1773, and occurred when parliament gave rights to the American tea trade to a British company. This upset the colonists and led them to protest by disguising themselves as Native Americans and they dumped 3 ships worth of tea cargo into the Boston Harbor. This event was colonist-led.

Intolerable/Coercive Acts - 1774

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:08:12 UTC

In response to the Boston Tea Party, a set of harsh laws known as the Intolerable Acts were passed by parliament in the spring of 1774. These acts closed the Boston Harbor, ended self-ruling in Massachusetts, and made private homeowners house British troops. The colonists were made very angry by these acts and it led to more revolts.

Quartering Act - 1774

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:09:55 UTC

The Quartering Act was passed by the British parliament on May 15^th, 1765, and stated that colonies were required to house British soldiers without complaint. They were also required to hire, take in, and make it comfortable for any of the King’s forces. The intent of this law was not to upset the colonists, but they were angry and preferred to be asked to take in these soldiers instead and then greatly taxed colonies to repay war debt. of them just showing up at their doorstep.

Battle of Lexington & Concord - 1775

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:10:53 UTC

The Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought on April 19, 1775, and they started the American Revolutionary War. It started when the colonists found out that British troops were coming to Concord, Paul Revere then rode into town to warn the Patriots about the British so they could plan an attack. On that day in April 700 British troops arrived and only 77 militiamen were there, when the first shot was fired it began the Revolutionary War and was known as “the shot heard around the world”.

Declaration of Independence - 1776

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:12:10 UTC

The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and the First Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and was the first document that truly outlined our independence as Americans and the right to have our own governments. This Document summarized the search for independence from the colonists and the breakaway from the British; Thomas Jefferson also took ideas from the Virginia Declaration of Rights to write it.

Battle of Saratoga - 1777

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:13:31 UTC

This battle occurred Sep 19 - Oct 7 of 1777 and was a significant turning point in the American Revolution. It occurred on the farm of John Freeman in Saratoga New York and was a battle between American and British forces. General John Burgoyne wanted to invade New England and separate it from the US but the colonists did not put up with that and even though the British planned a very thought-out attack, many mishaps occurred that led to Patriot victory and boosted morale for all of America.

Battle of Yorktown - 1781

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:14:00 UTC

The Battle of Yorktown also known as the Siege of Yorktown. began September 28, 1781. George Washington commanded French and Continental troops to begin the siege against British Lord, Charles Cornwallis in Yorktown Virginia, it is known as the most important battle of the Revolutionary War. On that day they blocked Cornwallis’s escape from Yorktown, Virginia by land and sea which later led to his surrender which ended the war for independence after years and years of fighting.

Treaty of Paris - 1783

mk22337 — 2024-10-04 02:14:19 UTC

The Treaty of Paris was signed by British and American forces on September 3^rd, 1783. This treaty ended the fighting and finally signified that the United States was a free and independent nation after nearly eight years of wars. Britain finally recognized the independence of the 13 colonies and the outlines of the republic were discussed.