1. Navigation Acts
Mercantilism – country must have more exports than imports
Colonies could only trade with Britain
Colonies were taxed on some imports from Britain
Colonists smuggled goods to avoid taxes
Colonists saw their rights as Englishmen being taken away

2. Causes of the Revolution
Proclamation of 1763
British attempt to end troubles with Native Americans
Colonists forbidden from settling west of the Appalachian Mts.
10,000 British soldiers on the frontier
Speculators had already bought land

3. Causes of the Revolution
Sugar Act (1764)
To stop smuggling with the French W. Indies
Writs of Assistance used
Lowered tax on molasses
Smugglers would be tried in front of a British judge
Right to trial by jury was taken away

4. Causes of the Revolution
Stamp Act (1765)
Britain faced a huge war debt, needed $
Tax on all printed goods in the colonies
A British stamp had to be applied to all printed items

5. British Stamps on Printed Material

6. Causes of the Revolution
Stamp Act Protests
Colonists had been taxed without a voice in Parliament
Sons of Liberty formed in Boston
Burning effigies and boycotts throughout the colonies
Stamp Act Congress (9 colonies) claim that only the colonies can tax themselves

7. Sons of Liberty visit a Tax Collector

8. Causes of the Revolution
Stamp Act Repealed
Parliament repeals Stamp Act (1766)
Parliament also passes Declaratory Act
Parliament claims the right to tax the colonies

9. Causes of the Revolution
Townshend Acts (1767)
British tax on imported goods
Included everyday items (glass, tea, paper)
More boycotts
Daughters of Liberty: “Produce goods at home”

10. Causes of the Revolution
Boston Massacre (1770)
British troops sent to Boston (redcoats)
Arguments between Bostonians & redcoats
Standoff between crowd & soldiers
A soldier is hit by a rock, accidentally fires on crowd

11. Causes of the Revolution
Boston Massacre (1770)
Five colonists were killed, including Crispus Attucks (African American, leader of the group)
Anti-British propaganda spreads (Revere)
John Adams defended the soldiers in court

12. Boston Massacre Propaganda

13. Causes of the Revolution
Boston Tea Party (1773)
Tea Act: British Tea Company would not pay same tax as colonial merchants
Tea ships arrived in Boston in December
Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawks and dumped the tea into Boston Harbor

14. Boston Tea Party

15. Causes of the Revolution
Coercive (Intolerable) Acts (1774)
To punish Boston for the Tea Party
Closed Boston Harbor until tea was paid for
Forced colonists to quarter (house) British soldiers
Other colonies sent food & clothing as aid
Britain prohibited town meetings
Britain prohibited town meetings

16. The Road to War - Overview
Proclamation of 1763
Britain taxes the colonies to pay for the French and Indian War
Britain interference in the colonies right to self-government
“Taxation without representation is tyranny!” James Otis