1. The American Revolution
Long Term Causes:

2. 1. Intellectual Causes
Americans, by 1750, believed that government did not have unlimited power over its citizens

3. Enlightenment ideal of limited power
The Glorious Revolution, 1688 = limits on monarch’s power (const. monarchy)
The Enlightenment provided Americans with the belief that government must provide for its citizens’ welfare
Locke’s “social contract”  disputes Divine Right
Govt. of “natural laws”

4. 2. Political Causes
Americans felt that Britain was no longer providing for their welfare, politically
“Salutary Neglect”= policy of British largely ignoring its colonies from their beginnings to 1763; too busy with European affairs
The Proclamation Act, 1763 = British law that forbade the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains
Colonists felt betrayed
British tried to prevent Indian/colonists conflict

5. 3. Economic Causes
Americans believed that Britain’s economic policies towards them and its taxes were not in America’s best interests

6. A. Mercantilism = British economic policy that worked to make Mother Country wealthy at colonies’ expense.
Colonies had provided cheap raw materials and purchased more expensive finished goods
Could trade with Mother Country only
By mid-1700s, Americans ready & able to produce own goods

7. B. Navigation Acts = laws passed to enforce British mercantilism on colonies
Oliver Cromwell, pictured right, was the leader of the Navigation Acts passed by England.

8. C. Taxes for French and Indian War Debts
Sugar Act = tax on molasses {indirect tax/hurt New England colonies}
Stamp Act – 1765 = tax on all printed materials {direct tax/hurt all colonists}
colonists call Stamp Act Congress in NY and agree to boycott stamps
Parliament repeals Stamp Act in 1766
Townshend Acts – 1766 = another tax placed on popular American imported items: tea, lead, paint, glass, & paper {indirect tax/ affected all but dealt with trade}

9. D. Taxation without Representation
Americans develop argument of “no taxation without representation”
They argue that the colonial assemblies alone have the right to tax them
Parliament argues for virtual representation (Parliament’s members represent everyone in British Empire)

10. 4. Social Causes
Due to the vast distances between them (3,000 miles) and the amount of time that had passed (160 yrs), Americans had developed their own culture, separate from Britain
“Americanization”= nationalism, self identity
Process of developing a new & unique culture after a long period of time and distance