Causes of the Revolution

The Proclamation of 1763 – a treaty giving the Indians all the land west of the Appalachian Mountains. Angered the colonists because it kept them from moving west. A right they believed they earned after their victory in the French and Indian War.

The Sugar Act (1764) – the Sugar Act actually lowered taxes from the Molasses Act, but was intended to be more strictly enforced. Enforcement allowed officials to search peoples homes without cause. It also took away the right to trial by jury and forced the accused to prove their innocence. The colonists were angry about the new enforcements, but still found ways to smuggle in the sugar.

“ No Taxation without Representation!” The Stamp Act (1765) – the Stamp Act put a tax on ALL printed goods including: books, mail papers, newspapers, official forms, dice, cards, etc. The angry colonists cried out… “ No Taxation without Representation!”

The colonies were so angry that they created the Stamp Act Congress with representatives from most of the colonies. The congress decided to boycott, refuse to buy, all printed goods. It worked! England repealed, discontinued, the Stamp Act. Also at this time, Samuel Adams created the Sons of Liberty, a group of colonists who began pushing for independence.

WHO has the WHO has the power to power to tax? spend the taxes? While the colonist’s celebrated their victory over the Stamp Act, England passed the Declaratory Act (1766), which stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the colonies “in all cases.” The colonists might have won one battle, but the argument over who makes decisions for the colonies had just begun.

The Townshend Acts (1767) – a law putting taxes on several imported goods like: lead, glass, tea, etc. The colonists fought against these taxes with further boycotts of British goods. In fact, colonists were encouraged not to buy any British Goods. The Daughters of Liberty organized themselves to teach each other how to make their own cloth and do other things to keep from buying British goods.

The Boston Massacre – (March 1770) started as a snowball fight and escalated into an angry mob. Five colonists were killed, including Crispus Attucks, the first free African American killed for the cause. The Committee of Correspondence was created, to communicate any further British conflicts to all the colonies. Colonists used the Boston Massacre as propaganda, information designed to influence opinion, against the British.

The Tea Act of 1773 – Most of the Townshend Acts were repealed, but the tea tax was reinforced by the Tea Act. The Tea Act allowed the East India Company not to pay the tea taxes. In protest, several of the Sons of Liberty dressed like Indians and boarded several ships in Boston harbor and dumped the tea overboard. This became known as the Boston Tea Party.

The Colonists quickly referred to these laws as the Intolerable Acts. The Coercive Acts (1774)/ the Intolerable Acts - King George was furious about the Boston Tea Party. He insisted the colonists must be punished. The punishments included: Boston Harbor was closed – no goods in or out of Boston No more town meetings. Assemblies were sent home British soldiers were sent to Boston to enforce these new laws Bostonians were forced to allow British soldiers to stay in their homes The Colonists quickly referred to these laws as the Intolerable Acts.

The Continental Congress The colonists believed that many of their rights as British citizens had been taken away. The Continental Congress with representatives from each of the colonies met together to decide what to do.

1st Continental Congress (1774) (Met to decide what to do about the Intolerable Acts.) 55 delegates from all colonies (except Georgia) They met at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They drafted a statement of grievances to the king against 13 acts of Parliament that they felt violated colonial rights. They voted to boycott all British goods and trade. They encouraged each of the colonies to create a militia to protect themselves.

WAR Steps to the Revolution British Actions Each step moved us closer to war British Actions The Coercive Acts The Tea Act The Townshend Acts The Boston Massacre The Intolerable Acts The Proclamation of 1763 The Stamp Act The Sugar Act WAR 1763 1764 1765 1767 1770 1773 1774 Colonial Responses 1st Continental Congress The Boston Tea Party More boycotts & Daughters of Liberty The Committee of Correspondence The Stamp Act Congress & Sons of Liberty Colonists were angry Smuggling

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