Part 1: The Causes of the American Revolution

 The most important cause  The ideas of the Enlightenment (Freedom, Liberty, Social Contracts etc.) hade spread throughout the Western World  These ideas were accepted by most educated people  After the Enlightenment, people were far more likely to question their leaders and suggest alternate solutions

 During the war, the colonists were largely responsible for defending themselves  Also, different colonies were forced to work together and co-operate (a sense of nationhood soon developed)  After their victory, English policy changed, they became more forceful and active within their colonies in order to protect all their new territory  The British, wanted peace with the natives, also discouraged the colonists from taking more land in the countryside

 The Seven Years war bankrupt Britain  They needed money in order to survive  The colonists lived tax free and often disregarded British trade rules without punishment  Now, Britain was forced to heavily tax the colonists and enforce trade restrictions in order to get their economy back on track

 American colonists were not directly represented in the British parliament  Representation in parliament was a part of the British constitution  However, only 1 in 20 British citizens had direct representation in Parliament – and only 3% of men were eligible to vote  The British parliament was dominated by the noble class  The parliament argued that this parliament provided “virtual representation’ to all citizens”

 British parliament passed a series of Laws that taxed products that American colonists bought from Britain  Examples include the Stamp Act, the Townshend Act, the Sugar Act  The Americans responded by illegally smuggling goods  The Americans claimed it was illegal to impose taxes on them without their consent

 To enforce taxes, more British troops were sent to the colonies  However, the British lacked the money to house and feed their army  Therefore, the British ordered that the colonist must provide Food, Shelter and Comfort for the soldiers  The British Army was soon hated and seen as an occupying force

 American Colonists began to openly protest British policies  They formed “Secret Societies” to discuss their problems (secret because it was illegal to oppose British Rule)  The most famous of these groups was the SONS OF LIBERTY  During one protest in Boston, British troops and colonists exchanged fire  Five colonists died

 The British passed another law (a tax on tea)  The Sons of Liberty (dressed as natives) raided a British ship and dumped 340 chests of tea into the water  The British were enraged and responded by sending even more troops to America to crush the colonists

 As the War began, an English Enlightened Philosophe, Thomas Paine, wrote a short book named “Common Sense”  The book argues that the British had no right to rule America  The book sold 600,000 copies and inspired Americans all over the colonies to fight against England