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Causes of the American Revolution
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Sugar Act
British Parliament passed the Sugar Act which was about to expire. It reduced the rate of tax on molasses from six pence to three pence per gallon. It increased taxes on coffee, indigo, and wine. Affected only a certain population, but mostly merchants. This hurt the British West Indies in market in molasses and sugar, which the colonies had been producing in quantity with the cheaper and French molasses. Colonists were angry because British government did this without permission. -
Stamp Act
British Parliament passed this act so colonists paid a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Newspapers, documents, and even lincenses were taxed. The overall money was used to protect American frontier. This act strained relations on colonists to the point when 10 years later, the colonists rebelled against the British. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act required the colonies to house British soldiers in barracks provided by the colonies. British Parliament passed it. Made provisions for British troops to be given food and shelter at the expense of the American colonists. -
Declaratory Act
This act was passed by British legislature for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever" which could survey be taken to mean the power to tax. It accompanied the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1765. Whatever the case of the Declaratory Act did not have an immediate impact on the colonies; It would take another raft of taxation legislation the following year to stir the Americans once more. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Acts were placed to give certain duties in the British Colonies. It imposed a series of taxes on all goods that were imported into the colonies. Parliament placed this series of acts due to the war debt; needed to raise tax revenue. Also, passing these acts showed Parliament control over the right to pass laws. The Townshend Acts angered the colonists and though it was difficult to go around these laws, some colonists began to smuggle. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was the end result of cumlation of tension. The tension had been growing since October 1768. British soldiers were sent to enforce heavy taxes, the Townshend Acts. British troops were quartering in the colonists' home. The British soldiers fought and five colonists were killed, thus the name "Boston Massacre". -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was a tax British officials and the Parliament placed on the importation of tea. Though this was not meant to raise the colonies, it created no new taxes. It was a way to sell all the unsold tea of the East India Company. This created problems which led to the Boston Tea Party, an act of revolution where colonists threw crates of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were a series of acts placed in response to the Boston Tea Party. In all, it was a combination of the Boston Port Act, Quartering Act, Quebec Act, Massachusetts Bay Regulating Acts, and the Administration of Justice Act. The British government spent a large amount of money on equipment and troops to send to control the Massachusetts Colony. -
Lexington and Concord
Lexington and Concord's battle began with General Gage's plan for the American colonies. The plan was to go to Lexington, capture John Hancok and Sam Adams, and then go to Concord so they could seize gunpowder and other supplies. It was stopped when American spies discovered their plan and a malitia of minutemen were formed.
