essay on causes of the american revolution

Causes of the American Revolution Essay

1775 was the year that saw disagreements explode amid the United States’ colonized states, and the colonizer Great Britain. The phrase “no taxation without representation” is very familiar. The colonies succeeded in getting their independence by the signing of the Treaty of Paris that brought the war to stop. Whereas we cannot point to one particular action as the real cause of the American Revolution, the war was ignited by the way Great Britain treated the thirteen united colonies in comparison to the treatment that the colonies anticipated from Great Britain. The Americans had a feeling that they were equal to the Englishmen, and thus entitled to the same rights (Wood, 2002, p 123-125). On their part, the British had it that the Americans existed to be used according to the stipulation of the parliament, as well as the crown. This disagreement is carried in the American slogan, “no taxation without representation.”

We can look at the independent way of thinking by the American founding fathers. Firstly, geographically, the distance between the colonies and Great Britain made independence that could rarely be overcome. The colonizers were searching for new fertile lands as well as exploring new opportunities, and also being in the free world. Secondly, the presence of colonial legislators implied that the colonies were variously crown independent. Passing of laws, the mustering of the soldier troops, and levying of taxes was under the mandate of legislators. With time, these powers were considered rights. When they were denied by the British, disagreements set in between the groups. The leaders to be in the United States came out of their mothers’ wombs during this era of legislatures.

Thirdly, it was the issue of salutary neglect. Despite the belief strongly held by the British with regard to the leader then (Prime Minister Robert Walpole) favored the “salutary neglect.” This is a structure that promoted negligence in the actual enforcement of the relation to the outside or international trade. He had at the back of his mind that with this liberalism, trade would be triggered even more. Finally, there was the issue of enlightenment. The exposure of a large number of the revolutionary leaders to writings that consisted of works by prominent writers ( John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu) was an eye-opener to the Americans. The writings equipped the founders with concepts relating to limited government, separation of powers, the acceptance of the people governed not forgetting the social contract as well (Bancroft, 2007 pp 162-168).

Some of the main events that resulted in the revolution include the following:

1763 proclamation, which barred settlement past the Appalachian Mountains; the sugar act of 1764 which raised revenue via increased duties on sugar imported from West Indies; Quartering Act of 1765 where Britain did order that the colonists, where necessary were supposed to house as well feed the British soldiers; and the Stamp Act of 1765 which affected many items including licenses for marriage, but was repealed nine years later (Bancroft, 2007 pp 172-175). Further, the revolution at this point was due to increased hard life impositions from the British side (Bancroft, 2007 pp 1176).

There was the great awakening which was a period of heightened religious activity in all the colonies in America. The enthusiasm that resulted was characterized by disagreements among the competing divisions of churches as well as opposing the existing churches. These religious movements reignited the older customs relating to protestant dissent and resulted in the popular, as well as individualistic means of religiosity which disagreed with the alleges of the instated authorities, and respected chains of command- first within the churches and, after some time, around the 1760s to 1770s, in regal politics. It is argued that the first awaking that involved religious upheavals acted to set the stage for creating colonies that gave a hand to a political revolution. It is thus evident that American Revolution resulted from putting together the customs of republicanism and those relating to the radical protestant dissent (Wood, 2002, pp 178-190).

Works Cited

Bancroft, George. History of the United States-From the Discovery of the American Continent , Volume 4. New York: Read Books Publishers, 2007. Print.

Wood, Gordon S. The American Revolution: Volume 9 of Modern Library Chronicles. New York: Modern Library Publishers, 2002. Print.

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• America 1765 - 1865

6 Key Causes of the American Revolution

14 Jan 2021

@histluketomes.

This educational video is a visual version of this article and presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Please see our AI ethics and diversity policy for more information on how we use AI and select presenters on our website.

The American War of Independence (1775-1783) served as a harsh lesson to the British Empire that the dominions they controlled, if treated improperly, would always be susceptible to revolution.

The British did not wish to see the thirteen colonies break away from their realm, yet their colonial policies in the late-18th century proved consistently disastrous, demonstrating a complete lack of empathy or common understanding with the American population.

One might argue that independence was always on the horizon in this period for North America, yet even in an era of enlightenment the British seemed, through sheer ignorance, negligence and pride, to seal their own fate.

As with any revolution in history, ideological differences may have provided the foundation and impetus for change, but it is so often the events in the run up to the internal struggle that enhance tensions and ultimately trigger the conflict. The American Revolution was no different. Here are 6 key causes of the American revolution.

1. Seven Years War (1756-1763)

Although the Seven Years War was a multinational conflict, the main belligerents were the British and French Empires. Each looking to expand their territory across numerous continents, both nations suffered mass casualties and racked up copious amounts of debt in order to fund the long and ardous struggle for territorial dominance.

Arguably the most important theatre of the war was in North America, which in 1756 had been geographically split between the empires of the British, French and Spanish. With key but costly victories at Quebec and Fort Niagara, the British were able to emerge victorious from the war and henceforth assimilated large swathes of previously held French territory in Canada and the Mid-West as a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

After a three-month siege of Quebec City, British forces captured the city at the Plains of Abraham. Image credit: Hervey Smyth (1734-1811), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

While British victory had removed any French and Native Indian threat (to an extent) to the thirteen colonies, the war had led to greater economic hardship in the US and an acknowledgment of the cultural differences between colonists and Britons.

Clashes in ideologies became all the more apparent as the British looked to levy higher taxes on the thirteen colonies in order to heal the debt they incurred from military and naval spending.

2. Taxes and Duties

If the Seven Years War had not exacerbated the divide between the colonies and the British metropole, the implementation of colonial taxation certainly did. The British witnessed these tensions first-hand when the Stamp Act of 1765 was introduced. Colonists bitterly opposed the new direct taxation on printed materials and forced the British Government to eventually repeal the legislation a year later.

“No taxation without representation” became an iconic slogan, as it effectively summarised the colonial outrage at the fact they were being taxed against their will and with no form of representation in Parliament.

A key cause of the American revolution which followed the Stamp Act was the introduction of Townshend Duties in 1767 and 1768. This was a series of acts that imposed new forms of indirect taxation of goods such as glass, paint, paper, lead and tea .

These duties caused outrage in the colonies and became the main root of spontaneous and violent opposition. Encouraged and rallied by propaganda leaflets and posters, such as those created by Paul Revere, colonists rioted and organised merchant boycotts. Eventually, the colonial response was met with fierce repression.

3. Boston Massacre (1770)

Just a year after the imposition of the Townshend Duties, the governor of Massachusetts was already calling for the other twelve colonies to join his state in resisting the British and boycotting their goods, which coincided with a riot in Boston over the seizure of a boat aptly named Liberty  for smuggling.

The Boston Massacre, 1770. Image credit: Paul Revere, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite these tremors of discontent, nothing suggested that the colonies might seriously consider fighting their British masters until the infamous Boston massacre of March 1770. This was one of the most significant causes of the American revolution.

A detachment of redcoats were accosted by a large crowd in the city, and bombarded with snowballs and more dangerous missiles as the cold and frustrated townsfolk vented their anger on the soldiers. Suddenly, they opened fire after a soldier was knocked down, killing five and injuring six others.

The Boston Massacre is often represented as the inevitable start of a revolution, but in fact it initially prompted Lord North’s government to withdraw the Townshend Acts and for a time it seemed like the worst of the crisis was over. However, radicals such as Samuel Adams and Thomas Jefferson kept the resentment ticking over.

4. Boston Tea Party (1773)

A switch had been flicked. The British government had a chance to make important political concessions to these disgruntled voices, yet they chose not to, and with this decision, the opportunity to avert rebellion was lost.

In 1772, a British ship which had been enforcing unpopular trade regulations was burned by angry patriots, while Samuel Adams set about creating Committees of Correspondence – a network of rebels across all of the 13 colonies.

Boston Tea Party. Image credit: Cornischong at lb.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Yet it was in December 1773 that the most famous and overt display of anger and resistance took place. A group of colonists led by Adams hopped aboard the East India Company trade vessel Dartmouth and poured 342 chests of tea (worth close to $2,000,000 in today’s currency) of British tea into the sea at Boston Harbour. This act – now known as the ‘Boston Tea Party’, remains important in patriotic American folklore.

5. Intolerable Acts (1774)

Rather than attempting to appease the rebels, the Boston Tea Party was met with the passing of the Intolerable Acts in 1774 by the British Crown. These punitive measures included the forced closure of Boston port and an order of compensation to the East India Company for damaged property. Town meetings were now also banned, and the authority of the royal governor was increased.

The British lost further support and patriots formed the First Continental Congress in the same year, a body where men from all the colonies were formally represented. In Britain, opinion was divided as the Whigs favoured reform while North’s Tories wanted to demonstrate the power of the British Parliament. It would be the Tories who got their way.

In the meantime, the First Continental Congress raised a militia, and in April 1775 the first shots of the war were fired as British troops clashed with militia men at the twin battles of Lexington and Concord. British reinforcements landed in Massachusetts and defeated the rebels at Bunker Hill in June – the first major battle of the American War of Independence.

Shortly after, the British withdrew into Boston – where they were besieged by an army commanded by the newly appointed General, and future president, George Washington.

6. King George III’s Speech to Parliament (1775)

On 26 October 1775 George III , King of Great Britain, stood up in front of his Parliament and declared the American colonies to be in a state of rebellion. Here, for the first time, the use of force was authorised against the rebels. The King’s speech was long but certain phrases made it clear that a major war against his own subjects was about to commence:

“It is now become the part of wisdom, and (in its effects) of clemency, to put a speedy end to these disorders by the most decisive exertions. For this purpose, I have increased my naval establishment, and greatly augmented my land forces, but in such a manner as may be the least burthensome to my kingdoms.”

After such a speech, the Whig position was silenced and a full-scale war was inevitable. From it the United States of America would emerge, and the course of history radically changed.

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The Root Causes of the American Revolution

The cause of the american revolution.

• America's Independent Way of Thinking

The Freedoms and Restrictions of Location

The control of government, the economic troubles, the corruption and control, the criminal justice system, grievances that led to revolution and the constitution.

• M.A., History, University of Florida
• B.A., History, University of Florida

The American Revolution began in 1775 as an open conflict between the United Thirteen Colonies  and Great Britain. Many factors played a role in the colonists' desires to fight for their independence. Not only did these issues lead to war , but they also shaped the foundation of the United States of America.

No single event caused the revolution. It was, instead, a series of events that led to the war . Essentially, it began as a disagreement over the way Great Britain governed the colonies and the way the colonies thought they should be treated. Americans felt they deserved all the rights of Englishmen. The British, on the other hand, thought that the colonies were created to be used in ways that best suited the Crown and Parliament. This conflict is embodied in one of the rallying cries of the ​ American Revolution : "No Taxation Without Representation."

America's Independent Way of Thinking

In order to understand what led to the rebellion, it's important to look at the mindset of the founding fathers . It should also be noted that this mindset was not that of the majority of colonists. There were no pollsters during the American revolution, but it's safe to say its popularity rose and fell over the course of the war. Historian Robert M. Calhoon estimated that only about 40–45% of the free population supported the revolution, while about 15–20% of the free white males remained loyal.     

The 18th century is known historically as the age of Enlightenment . It was a period when thinkers, philosophers, statesman, and artists began to question the politics of government, the role of the church, and other fundamental and ethical questions of society as a whole. The period was also known as the Age of Reason, and many colonists followed this new way of thinking.

A number of the revolutionary leaders had studied major writings of the Enlightenment, including those of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Baron de Montesquieu. From these thinkers, the founders gleaned such new political concepts as the social contract , limited government, the consent of the governed, and the  separation of powers .

Locke's writings, in particular, struck a chord. His books helped to raise questions about the rights of the governed and the overreach of the British government. They spurred the "republican" ideology that stood up in opposition to those viewed as tyrants.

Men such as Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were also influenced by the teachings of the Puritans and Presbyterians. These teachings included such new radical ideas as the principle that all men are created equal and the belief that a king has no divine rights. Together, these innovative ways of thinking led many in this era to consider it their duty to rebel against laws they viewed as unjust.

The geography of the colonies also contributed to the revolution. Their distance from Great Britain naturally created a sense of independence that was hard to overcome. Those willing to colonize the new world generally had a strong independent streak with a profound desire for new opportunities and more freedom.

The Proclamation of 1763 played its own role. After the French and Indian War , King George III issued the royal decree that prevented further colonization west of the Appalachian Mountains. The intent was to normalize relations with the Indigenous peoples, many of whom fought with the French.

A number of settlers had purchased land in the now forbidden area or had received land grants. The crown's proclamation was largely ignored as settlers moved anyway and the "Proclamation Line" eventually moved after much lobbying. Despite this concession, the affair left another stain on the relationship between the colonies and Britain.

The existence of colonial legislatures meant that the colonies were in many ways independent of the crown. The legislatures were allowed to levy taxes, muster troops, and pass laws. Over time, these powers became rights in the eyes of many colonists.

The British government had different ideas and attempted to curtail the powers of these newly elected bodies. There were numerous measures designed to ensure the colonial legislatures did not achieve autonomy, although many had nothing to do with the larger British Empire . In the minds of colonists, they were a matter of local concern.

From these small, rebellious legislative bodies that represented the colonists, the future leaders of the United States were born.

Even though the British believed in mercantilism , Prime Minister Robert Walpole espoused a view of " salutary neglect ." This system was in place from 1607 through 1763, during which the British were lax on enforcement of external trade relations. Walpole believed this enhanced freedom would stimulate commerce.

The French and Indian War led to considerable economic trouble for the British government. Its cost was significant, and the British were determined to make up for the lack of funds. They levied new taxes on the colonists and increased trade regulations. These actions were not well received by the colonists.

New taxes were enforced, including the Sugar Act and the Currency Act , both in 1764. The Sugar Act increased already considerable taxes on molasses and restricted certain export goods to Britain alone. The Currency Act prohibited the printing of money in the colonies, making businesses rely more on the crippled British economy. 

Feeling underrepresented, overtaxed, and unable to engage in free trade, the colonists rallied to the slogan, "No Taxation Without Representation." This discontent became very apparent in 1773 with the events that later became known as the Boston Tea Party .

The British government's presence became increasingly more visible in the years leading to the revolution. British officials and soldiers were given more control over the colonists and this led to widespread corruption.

Among the most glaring of these issues were the "Writs of Assistance." These were general search warrants that gave British soldiers the right to search and seize any property they deemed to be smuggled or illegal goods. Designed to assist the British in enforcing trade laws, these documents allowed British soldiers to enter, search, and seize warehouses, private homes, and ships whenever necessary. However, many abused this power.

In 1761, Boston lawyer James Otis fought for the constitutional rights of the colonists in this matter but lost. The defeat only inflamed the level of defiance and ultimately led to the Fourth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution .

The Third Amendment was also inspired by the overreach of the British government. Forcing colonists to house British soldiers in their homes infuriated the population. It was inconvenient and costly to the colonists, and many also found it a traumatic experience after events like the  Boston Massacre in 1770 .

Trade and commerce were overly controlled, the British Army made its presence known, and the local colonial government was limited by a power far across the Atlantic Ocean. If these affronts to the colonists' dignity were not enough to ignite the fires of rebellion, American colonists also had to endure a corrupt justice system.

Political protests became a regular occurrence as these realities set in. In 1769, Alexander McDougall was imprisoned for libel when his work "To the Betrayed Inhabitants of the City and Colony of New York" was published. His imprisonment and the Boston Massacre were just two infamous examples of the measures the British took to crack down on protesters. 

After six British soldiers were acquitted and two dishonorably discharged for the Boston Massacre—ironically enough, they were defended by John Adams—the British government changed the rules. From then on, officers accused of any offense in the colonies would be sent to England for trial. This meant that fewer witnesses would be on hand to give their accounts of events and it led to even fewer convictions.

To make matters even worse, jury trials were replaced with verdicts and punishments handed down directly by colonial judges. Over time, the colonial authorities lost power over this as well because the judges were known to be chosen, paid, and supervised by the British government. The right to a fair trial by a jury of their peers was no longer possible for many colonists.

All of these grievances that colonists had with the British government led to the events of the American Revolution. And many of these grievances directly affected what the founding fathers wrote into the U.S. Constitution . These constitutional rights and principles reflect the hopes of the framers that the new American government would not subject their citizens to the same loss of freedoms that the colonists had experienced under Britain's rule.

Schellhammer, Michael. " John Adams's Rule of Thirds ." Critical Thinking, Journal of the American Revolution . 11 Feb. 2013.

Calhoon, Robert M. " Loyalism and Neutrality ." A Companion to the American Revolution , edited by Jack P. Greene and J. R. Pole, Wiley, 2008, pp. 235-247, doi:10.1002/9780470756454.ch29 

• Major Events That Led to the American Revolution
• The Declaration of Independence
• The History of British Taxation in the American Colonies
• American Revolution: The Boston Massacre
• American Revolution: The Stamp Act of 1765
• American Revolution: Boston Tea Party
• The Original 13 U.S. States
• Questions Left by The Boston Massacre
• American Revolution: The Intolerable Acts
• An Introduction to the American Revolutionary War
• Biography of Samuel Adams, Revolutionary Activist and Philosopher
• What Led to the Boston Tea Party?
• Brief History of the Declaration of Independence
• Europe and the American Revolutionary War
• Patrick Henry
• Federalism and the United States Constitution

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7.4: The Causes of the American Revolution

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Most immediately, the American Revolution resulted directly from attempts to reform the British Empire after the Seven Years’ War. The Seven Years’ War culminated nearly a half-century of war between Europe’s imperial powers. It was truly a world war, fought between multiple empires on multiple continents. At its conclusion, the British Empire had never been larger. Britain now controlled the North American continent east of the Mississippi River, including French Canada. It had also consolidated its control over India. But, for the ministry, the jubilation was short-lived. The realities and responsibilities of the post-war empire were daunting. War (let alone victory) on such a scale was costly. Britain doubled the national debt to 13.5 times its annual revenue. In addition to the costs incurred in securing victory, Britain was also looking at significant new costs required to secure and defend its far-flung empire, especially western frontiers of the North American colonies. These factors led Britain in the 1760s to attempt to consolidate control over its North American colonies, which, in turn, led to resistance.

King George III took the crown in 1760 and brought Tories into his Ministry after three decades of Whig rule. They represented an authoritarian vision of empire where colonies would be subordinate. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was Britain’s first postwar imperial action. The King forbade settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains in attempt to limit costly wars with Native Americans. Colonists, however, protested and demanded access to the territory for which they had fought alongside the British.

In 1764, Parliament passed two more reforms. The Sugar Act sought to combat widespread smuggling of molasses in New England by cutting the duty in half but increasing enforcement. Also, smugglers would be tried by vice-admiralty courts and not juries. Parliament also passed the Currency Act, which restricted colonies from producing paper money. Hard money, like gold and silver coins, was scarce in the colonies. The lack of currency impeded the colonies’ increasingly sophisticated transatlantic economies, but it was especially damaging in 1764 because a postwar recession had already begun. Between the restrictions of the Proclamation of 1763, the Currency Act, and the Sugar Act’s canceling of trials-by-jury for smugglers, some colonists began to see a pattern of restriction and taxation.

In March 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act. The Sugar Act was an attempt to get merchants to pay an already-existing duty, but the Stamp Act created a new, direct (or internal) tax . Parliament had never before directly taxed the colonists. Instead, colonies contributed to the empire through the payment of indirect, internal taxes, such as customs duties. In 1765, Daniel Dulany of Maryland wrote, “A right to impose an internal tax on the colonies, without their consent for the single purpose of revenue, is denied, a right to regulate their trade without their consent is, admitted.”

Stamps were to be required on all printed documents, including newspapers, pamphlets, diplomas, legal documents, and even playing cards. Unlike the Sugar Act, which primarily affected merchants, the Stamp Act directly affected numerous groups including printers, lawyers, college graduates, and even sailors who played cards. This led, in part, to broader, more popular resistance.

Resistance took three forms, distinguished largely by class: legislative resistance by elites, economic resistance by merchants, and popular protest by common colonists. Colonial elites responded with legislative resistance initially by passing resolutions in their assemblies. The most famous of the anti-Stamp Act resolutions were the “Virginia Resolves” that declared that the colonists were entitled to “all the liberties, privileges, franchises, and immunities . . . possessed by the people of Great Britain.” When the resolves were printed throughout the colonies, however, they often included three extra, far more radical resolves not passed by the Virginia House of Burgesses, the last of which asserted that only “the general assembly of this colony have any right or power to impose or lay any taxation” and that anyone who argued differently “shall be deemed an enemy to this his majesty’s colony.” The spread of these extra resolves throughout the colonies helped radicalize the subsequent responses of other colonial assemblies and eventually led to the calling of the Stamp Act Congress in New York City in October 1765. Nine colonies sent delegates, including Benjamin Franklin, John Dickinson, Thomas Hutchinson, Philip Livingston, and James Otis.

The Stamp Act Congress issued a “Declaration of Rights and Grievances,” which, like the Virginia Resolves, declared allegiance to the King and “all due subordination” to Parliament, but also reasserted the idea that colonists were entitled to the same rights as native Britons. Those rights included trial by jury, which had been abridged by the Sugar Act, and the right to only be taxed by their own elected representatives. As Daniel Dulany wrote in 1765, “It is an essential principle of the English constitution, that the subject shall not be taxed without his consent.” Benjamin Franklin called it the “prime Maxim of all free Government.” Because the colonies did not elect members to Parliament, they believed that they were not represented and could not be taxed by that body. In response, Parliament and the Ministry argued that the colonists were “virtually represented,” just like the residents of those boroughs or counties in England that did not elect members to Parliament. However, the colonists rejected the notion of virtual representation, with one pamphleteer calling it a “monstrous idea.”

The second type of resistance to the Stamp Act was economic. While the Stamp Act Congress deliberated, merchants in major port cities were preparing non-importation agreements, hoping that their refusal to import British goods would lead British merchants to lobby for the repeal of the Stamp Act. The plan worked. As British exports to the colony dropped considerably, merchants did pressure Parliament to repeal.

The third, and perhaps, most crucial type of resistance was popular protest. Violent riots broke out in Boston, during which crowds, led by the local Sons of Liberty, burned the appointed stamp collector for Massachusetts, Peter Oliver, in effigy and pulled a building he owned “down to the Ground in five minutes.” Oliver resigned the position of stamp collector the next day. A few days later a crowd also set upon the home of his brother-in-law, Lt. Gov. Thomas Hutchinson, who had publicly argued for submission to the stamp tax. Before the evening was over, much of Hutchinson’s home and belongings had been destroyed.

Popular violence and intimidation spread quickly throughout the colonies. In New York City, posted notices read: “PRO PATRIA, The first Man that either distributes or makes use of stampt paper, let him take care of his house, person, and effects. Vox Populi. We dare.” By November 16, all of the original twelve stamp collectors had resigned, and by 1766, Sons of Liberty groups formed in most of the colonies to direct and organize further popular resistance. These tactics had the dual effect of sending a message to Parliament and discouraging colonists from accepting appointments as stamp collectors. With no one to distribute the stamps, the Act became unenforceable.

Pressure on Parliament grew until, in March of 1766, they repealed the Stamp Act. But to save face and to try to avoid this kind of problem in the future, Parliament also passed the Declaratory Act, asserting that Parliament had the “full power and authority to make laws . . . to bind the colonies and people of America . . . in all cases whatsoever.” However, colonists were too busy celebrating the repeal of the Stamp Act to take much notice of the Declaratory Act. In New York City, the inhabitants raised a huge lead statue of King George III in honor of the Stamp Act’s repeal. It could be argued that there was no moment at which colonists felt more proud to be members of the free British Empire than 1766. But Britain still needed revenue from the colonies.

The colonies had resisted the implementation of direct taxes, but the Declaratory Act reserved Parliament’s right to impose them. And, in the colonists’ dispatches to Parliament and in numerous pamphlets, they had explicitly acknowledged the right of Parliament to regulate colonial trade. So Britain’s next attempt to draw revenues from the colonies, the Townshend Acts, were passed in June 1767, creating new customs duties on common items, like lead, glass, paint, and tea, instead of direct taxes. The Acts also created and strengthened formal mechanisms to enforce compliance, including a new American Board of Customs Commissioners and more vice-admiralty courts to try smugglers. Revenues from customs seizures would be used to pay customs officers and other royal officials, including the governors, thereby incentivizing them to convict offenders. These acts increased the presence of the British government in the colonies and circumscribed the authority of the colonial assemblies, since paying the governor’s salary gave the assemblies significant power over them. Unsurprisingly, colonists, once again, resisted.

Even though these were duties, many colonial resistance authors still referred to them as “taxes,” because they were designed primarily to extract revenues from the colonies not to regulate trade. John Dickinson, in his “Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer,” wrote, “That we may legally be bound to pay any general duties on these commodities, relative to the regulation of trade, is granted; but we being obliged by her laws to take them from Great Britain, any special duties imposed on their exportation to us only, with intention to raise a revenue from us only, are as much taxes upon us, as those imposed by the Stamp Act.” Hence, many authors asked: once the colonists assented to a tax in any form , what would stop the British from imposing ever more and greater taxes on the colonists?

New forms of resistance emerged in which elite, middling, and working class colonists participated together. Merchants re-instituted non-importation agreements, and common colonists agreed not to consume these same products. Lists were circulated with signatories promising not to buy any British goods. These lists were often published in newspapers, bestowing recognition on those who had signed and led to pressure on those who had not.

Women, too, became involved to an unprecedented degree in resistance to the Townshend Acts. They circulated subscription lists and gathered signatures. The first political newspaper essays written by women appeared. Also, without new imports of British clothes, colonists took to wearing simple, homespun clothing. Spinning clubs were formed, in which local women would gather at one their homes and spin cloth for homespun clothing for their families and even for the community.

Homespun clothing quickly became a marker of one’s virtue and patriotism, and women were an important part of this cultural shift. At the same time, British goods and luxuries previously desired now became symbols of tyranny. Non-importation, and especially, non-consumption agreements changed colonists’ cultural relationship with the mother country. Committees of inspection that monitored merchants and residents to make sure that no one broke the agreements. Offenders could expect to have their names and offenses shamed in the newspaper and in broadsides.

Non-importation and non-consumption helped forge colonial unity. Colonies formed Committees of Correspondence to update the progress of resistance in each colony. Newspapers reprinted exploits of resistance, giving colonists a sense that they were part of a broader political community. The best example of this new “continental conversation” came in the wake of the “Boston Massacre.” Britain sent regiments to Boston in 1768 to help enforce the new acts and quell the resistance. On the evening of March 5, 1770, a crowd gathered outside the Custom House and began hurling insults, snowballs, and perhaps more at the young sentry. When a small number of soldiers came to the sentry’s aid, the crowd grew increasingly hostile until the soldiers fired. After the smoke cleared, five Bostonians were dead, including Crispus Attucks, a former slave turned free dockworker. The soldiers were tried in Boston and won acquittal, thanks, in part, to their defense attorney, John Adams. News of the “Boston Massacre” spread quickly through the new resistance communication networks, aided by a famous engraving attributed to Paul Revere, which depicted bloodthirsty British soldiers with grins on their faces firing into a peaceful crowd. The engraving was quickly circulated and reprinted throughout the colonies, generating sympathy for Boston and anger with Britain.

Resistance again led to repeal. In March of 1770, Parliament repealed all of the new duties except the one on tea, which, like the Declaratory Act, was left to save face and assert that Parliament still retained the right to tax the colonies. The character of colonial resistance had changed between 1765 and 1770. During the Stamp Act resistance, elites wrote resolves and held congresses while violent, popular mobs burned effigies and tore down houses, with minimal coordination between colonies. But methods of resistance against the Townshend Acts became more inclusive and more coordinated. Colonists previously excluded from meaningful political participation now gathered signatures, and colonists of all ranks participated in the resistance by not buying British goods.

Britain’s failed attempts at imperial reform in the 1760s created an increasingly vigilant and resistant colonial population and, most importantly, an enlarged political sphere — both on the colonial and continental levels—far beyond anything anyone could have imagined a few years earlier. A new sense of shared grievances began to join the colonists in a shared American political identity.

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5.2: The Origins of the American Revolution

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The American Revolution had both long-term origins and short-term causes. In this section, we will look broadly at some of the long-term political, intellectual, cultural, and economic developments in the eighteenth century that set the context for the crisis of the 1760s and 1770s.

Between the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the middle of the eighteenth century, Britain had largely failed to define the colonies’ relationship to the empire and institute a coherent program of imperial reform. Two factors contributed to these failures. First, Britain was at war from the War of the Spanish Succession at the start of the century through the Seven Years’ War in 1763. Constant war was politically consuming and economically expensive. Second, competing visions of empire divided British officials. Old Whigs and their Tory supporters envisioned an authoritarian empire, based on conquering territory and extracting resources. They sought to eliminate Britain’s growing national debt by raising taxes and cutting spending on the colonies. The radical (or patriot) Whigs based their imperial vision on trade and manufacturing instead of land and resources. They argued that economic growth, not raising taxes, would solve the national debt. Instead of an authoritarian empire, “patriot Whigs” argued that the colonies should have equal status with the mother country. There were occasional attempts to reform the administration of the colonies, but debate between the two sides prevented coherent reform. 2

Colonists developed their own understanding of how they fit into the empire. They saw themselves as British subjects “entitled to all the natural, essential, inherent, and inseparable rights of our fellow subjects in Great-Britain.” The eighteenth century brought significant economic and demographic growth in the colonies. This success, they believed, resulted partly from Britain’s hands-off approach to the colonies. By midcentury, colonists believed that they held a special place in the empire, which justified Britain’s hands-off policy. In 1764, James Otis Jr. wrote, “The colonists are entitled to as ample rights, liberties, and privileges as the subjects of the mother country are, and in some respects to more .” 3

In this same period, the colonies developed their own local political institutions. Samuel Adams, in the Boston Gazette , described the colonies as each being a “separate body politic” from Britain. Almost immediately upon each colony’s settlement, they created a colonial assembly. These assemblies assumed many of the same duties as the Commons exercised in Britain, including taxing residents, managing the spending of the colonies’ revenue, and granting salaries to royal officials. In the early 1700s, colonial leaders unsuccessfully lobbied the British government to define their assemblies’ legal prerogatives, but Britain was too occupied with European wars. In the first half of the eighteenth century, royal governors tasked by the Board of Trade attempted to limit the power of the assemblies, but the assemblies’ power only grew. Many colonists came to see their assemblies as having the same jurisdiction over them that Parliament exercised over those in England. They interpreted British inaction as justifying their tradition of local governance. The Crown and Parliament, however, disagreed. 4

Colonial political culture in the colonies also developed differently than that of the mother country. In both Britain and the colonies, land was the key to political participation, but because land was more easily obtained in the colonies, a higher proportion of male colonists participated in politics. Colonial political culture drew inspiration from the “country” party in Britain. These ideas—generally referred to as the ideology of republicanism—stressed the corrupting nature of power and the need for those involved in self-governing to be virtuous (i.e., putting the “public good” over their own self-interest). Patriots would need to be ever vigilant against the rise of conspiracies, centralized control, and tyranny. Only a small fringe in Britain held these ideas, but in the colonies, they were widely accepted. 5

In the 1740s, two seemingly conflicting bodies of thought—the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening—began to combine in the colonies and challenge older ideas about authority. Perhaps no single philosopher had a greater impact on colonial thinking than John Locke. In his Essay Concerning Human Understanding , Locke argued that the mind was originally a tabula rasa (or blank slate) and that individuals were formed primarily by their environment. The aristocracy then were wealthy or successful because they had greater access to wealth, education, and patronage and not because they were innately superior. Locke followed this essay with Some Thoughts Concerning Education , which introduced radical new ideas about the importance of education. Education would produce rational human beings capable of thinking for themselves and questioning authority rather than tacitly accepting tradition. These ideas slowly came to have far-reaching effects in the colonies and, later, the new nation.

At the same time that Locke’s ideas about knowledge and education spread in North America, the colonies also experienced an unprecedented wave of evangelical Protestant revivalism. Between 1739 and 1740, the Rev. George Whitefield, an enigmatic, itinerant preacher, traveled the colonies preaching Calvinist sermons to huge crowds. Unlike the rationalism of Locke, his sermons were designed to appeal to his listeners’ emotions. Whitefield told his listeners that salvation could only be found by taking personal responsibility for one’s own unmediated relationship with God, a process that came to be known as a “conversion” experience. He also argued that the current Church hierarchies populated by “unconverted” ministers only stood as a barrier between the individual and God. In his wake, new traveling preachers picked up his message and many congregations split. Both Locke and Whitefield had empowered individuals to question authority and to take their lives into their own hands.

In other ways, eighteenth-century colonists were becoming more culturally similar to Britons, a process often referred to as Anglicization. As colonial economies grew, they quickly became an important market for British manufacturing exports. Colonists with disposable income and access to British markets attempted to mimic British culture. By the middle of the eighteenth century, middling-class colonists could also afford items previously thought of as luxuries like British fashions, dining wares, and more. The desire to purchase British goods meshed with the desire to enjoy British liberties. 6 These political, intellectual, cultural, and economic developments built tensions that rose to the surface when, after the Seven Years’ War, Britain finally began to implement a program of imperial reform that conflicted with colonists’ understanding of the empire and their place in it.

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The Revolution

The foundations of the constitution: the american revolution begins, introduction.

Defining the American Revolution within its historical context is crucial to understanding its significance in the course of American history.

The American Revolution was a pivotal event that transformed the thirteen American colonies from subjects of the British Empire into an independent nation. This treatise aims to explore the multifaceted aspects of this revolution, from its causes and progression to its profound impact on American society and its enduring ideological legacy.

The thesis of this treatise is that the American Revolution was not merely a war for independence, but a complex and transformative movement driven by a combination of factors, including British colonial policies, Enlightenment ideas, socioeconomic tensions, and pivotal events that culminated in the Declaration of Independence . Its consequences reshaped the course of history, both domestically and internationally, leaving a lasting legacy of freedom and democracy.

Causes of the American Revolution

British colonial policy.

The American Revolution was shaped significantly by British colonial policies that engendered growing discontent among the colonists. Among these policies, taxation was a focal point of contention. The Stamp Act of 1765, which imposed taxes on various printed materials, and the Townshend Acts of 1767, which levied duties on imported goods, were met with vehement opposition.

In addition to taxation, the Navigation Acts imposed restrictions on colonial trade, compelling colonists to trade primarily with Britain and its territories. These policies not only stifled economic growth but also bred resentment among those who sought more economic autonomy.

Enlightenment Ideas and Philosophical Influences

The Enlightenment, a period marked by intellectual flourishing and the spread of rationalist ideas, played a pivotal role in fomenting revolutionary sentiments. Influential thinkers like John Locke, whose ideas on natural rights and government’s obligation to protect them, and Montesquieu, whose theories on the separation of powers, deeply influenced American colonists.

These Enlightenment ideals not only provided intellectual underpinnings for the American Revolution but also ignited the belief that self-governance and liberty were inalienable rights that the British government was infringing upon.

Socioeconomic Factors

The American colonies were characterized by economic disparities and class tensions. The elites of colonial society were discontented with British economic policies, which they saw as detrimental to their prosperity. At the same time, the colonial economy was intricately tied to trade and commerce, further fueling resentment when British regulations interfered with these economic activities.

The tensions between the colonial elite and the common people, many of whom were struggling economically, contributed to the revolutionary fervor. The quest for greater economic independence and opportunities played a significant role in the growing unrest.

Events Leading to Conflict

While tensions simmered over time, several events served as catalysts for the outbreak of open conflict. The Boston Massacre of 1770, in which British soldiers killed five colonists during a confrontation, intensified anti-British sentiment.

Further escalation occurred with the Boston Tea Party in 1773 when colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, boarded British ships and dumped chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest of the Tea Act. These events marked a turning point, as they demonstrated the readiness of some colonists to use force to resist British authority.

American Revolution: From Rebellion to Independence

Initial responses to british policies.

The initial responses to British policies were marked by protests and resistance. Colonists organized themselves, forming Committees of Correspondence to exchange information and coordinate actions against British authorities. The First Continental Congress convened in 1774, bringing together representatives from twelve of the thirteen colonies to discuss grievances and strategies for collective action.

Outbreak of Armed Conflict

The armed conflict that would become the American Revolution began in earnest with the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775. These skirmishes between colonial militia and British forces marked the first military engagements of the revolution. Paul Revere’s midnight ride and the contributions of figures like Sam Adams played crucial roles in alerting and rallying the colonial forces.

Declaration of Independence

The pivotal moment in the American Revolution arrived with the drafting and adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Crafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration proclaimed the colonies’ intent to sever ties with Britain and outlined the philosophical foundations for their decision. It asserted the self-evident truths of equality and unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Military Campaigns and Key Figures

The subsequent years of the revolution were marked by a series of battles and campaigns, with George Washington emerging as a central figure. Key conflicts, such as the Battle of Saratoga and the Siege of Yorktown, significantly influenced the course of the war. The support of international allies, particularly the French, played a crucial role in securing American victory.

Impact of the American Revolution

Domestic changes.

The American Revolution ushered in significant changes within the newly independent nation. The colonies transitioned into states, each drafting its own constitution and establishing governments. The Articles of Confederation served as the first attempt at a national government but proved ineffective, eventually leading to the drafting of the United States Constitution in 1787.

International Consequences

The American Revolution had far-reaching consequences on the international stage. It served as an inspiration for other independence movements, most notably the French Revolution. The successful American bid for independence also reshaped global politics, altering alliances and diplomatic relationships.

Ideological Legacy

The revolution’s ideological legacy left an indelible mark on American society. The principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, including the belief in individual rights and limited government, influenced the framing of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The American Revolution set a precedent for democratic governance and the protection of citizens’ rights that continues to shape American political and social life.

Challenges and Controversies

Loyalists and divided loyalties.

While the American Revolution garnered support from many colonists, it also created significant divisions and challenges. Loyalists, those who remained loyal to the British Crown, faced hostility and persecution from patriots. The experiences of Loyalists during and after the revolution shed light on the complex nature of divided loyalties within colonial society.

Native Americans and African Americans

The American Revolution had varying impacts on different groups, including Native Americans and African Americans. Native American tribes faced choices regarding alliances and territorial disputes. Some tribes sided with the British, while others aligned with the American colonists.

The question of slavery also loomed large during the revolution. Despite the rhetoric of liberty and equality, slavery persisted in many parts of the newly formed United States, revealing a stark contrast between the revolutionary ideals and the realities of racial inequality.

Women’s Contributions

Women played significant but often overlooked roles during the American Revolution. Figures like Abigail Adams, who corresponded with her husband John Adams about women’s rights and the need for legal protections, made important contributions to the revolutionary discourse. Women also supported the war effort as nurses, spies, and in various other roles, demonstrating their commitment to the cause of independence.

In conclusion, the American Revolution was a transformative and multifaceted movement that reshaped the course of history. It emerged as a response to a combination of factors, including oppressive British colonial policies, the influence of Enlightenment ideas, socioeconomic tensions, and pivotal events that culminated in the Declaration of Independence.

The consequences of the revolution were profound. Domestically, it led to the formation of a new nation with a unique system of government. The United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights reflected the revolutionary principles of individual rights and limited government, setting a precedent for democratic governance.

Internationally, the American Revolution inspired other independence movements and shifted the geopolitical landscape. It contributed to the emergence of the United States as a global player.

However, the revolution also brought forth challenges and controversies, such as the treatment of Loyalists, the complex relationships with Native Americans, the persistence of slavery, and the struggle for women’s rights.

Ultimately, the American Revolution’s legacy endures. It serves as a testament to the enduring power of ideas and the capacity of a determined people to shape their own destiny. The principles of liberty, equality, and self-determination continue to be central to the American identity and its role on the global stage.

Frequently Asked Questions about the American Revolution?

The American Revolution was driven by a complex interplay of factors. One of the primary causes was British colonial policies that imposed heavy taxation, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, and restricted colonial trade through the Navigation Acts. These policies angered the colonists, who believed they were being unfairly taxed without representation in the British Parliament.

Enlightenment ideas also played a significant role. The works of thinkers like John Locke and Montesquieu, which emphasized individual rights and the separation of powers, influenced American colonists and fueled their desire for self-determination.

Socioeconomic factors cannot be overlooked. Economic disparities and tensions between the colonial elite and common people contributed to revolutionary sentiments. Many colonists sought greater economic autonomy and opportunities for growth.

The outbreak of armed conflict, triggered by events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, further escalated tensions, pushing the colonists towards rebellion.

The American Revolution saw the emergence of several key figures who played pivotal roles in shaping its course.

George Washington: George Washington is often regarded as the father of the nation. He served as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and played a crucial role in leading the colonists to victory.

Thomas Jefferson: Thomas Jefferson is best known for drafting the Declaration of Independence, which articulated the colonists’ desire for independence and their belief in fundamental human rights.

Benjamin Franklin: Franklin was a polymath who made significant diplomatic contributions to the revolutionary cause. He helped secure French support, which proved vital to the American victory.

John Adams: John Adams was a key advocate for independence and played a critical role in the Continental Congress. He later became the second President of the United States.

Abigail Adams: While not a political leader, Abigail Adams deserves mention for her letters to her husband John Adams. Her correspondence highlighted the importance of women’s rights and their contributions to the revolution.

These figures, among others, shaped the American Revolution and the subsequent founding of the United States.

The American Revolution had profound and lasting impacts on American society. One of the most significant changes was the transition from colonies to states. Each state drafted its own constitution and established its government. However, the initial attempt at a national government under the Articles of Confederation proved ineffective, leading to the adoption of the United States Constitution in 1787.

The revolution also brought about a heightened sense of national identity among Americans, as they now saw themselves as citizens of a single nation rather than subjects of a distant monarchy.

Ideologically, the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, such as individual rights and limited government, influenced the framing of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This set the stage for the development of American democracy and the protection of citizens’ rights.

Economically, the revolution disrupted trade relationships with Britain but opened new possibilities for commerce and expansion within the United States.

While women’s roles in the American Revolution are often overlooked, they made significant contributions to the revolutionary cause. Women were actively involved in various capacities:

Spies: Some women acted as spies, gathering intelligence and passing on crucial information to the Continental Army. One notable spy was Lydia Darragh, who provided valuable information to George Washington.

Nurses and Medics: Women worked as nurses and medics, tending to wounded soldiers on the battlefield and in military hospitals.

Suppliers and Supporters: Women contributed by sewing uniforms, knitting socks, and preparing supplies for the troops. They also ran households and farms in the absence of male family members who were away fighting.

Ideological Contributions: Women like Abigail Adams wrote letters and engaged in intellectual discourse, advocating for women’s rights and highlighting the revolutionary ideals of liberty and equality.

Despite the limitations placed on their roles in society at the time, women played an integral part in supporting the American Revolution, and their contributions paved the way for discussions about gender equality in the years that followed.

Loyalists, those who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, faced significant challenges and hardships. They were often subjected to persecution, harassment, and even violence by Patriots who viewed them as traitors. Loyalists had their properties confiscated, and some were forced to flee to British-controlled territories. After the war, many Loyalists faced difficulties reintegrating into American society, and some chose to emigrate to other British colonies, such as Canada.

The American Revolution had varied effects on Native American tribes. Some tribes supported the British, hoping that a British victory would prevent American expansion into their lands. Others, like the Oneida and Tuscarora, allied with the American colonists. The revolution ultimately led to territorial disputes, loss of land, and disruptions to Native American communities. The Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the war, did not protect Native American interests, and many tribes faced significant challenges in the post-revolutionary period.

Yes, slavery played a complex role in the American Revolution. While the revolution was motivated by ideals of liberty and equality, slavery continued to exist in many parts of the newly formed United States. Some enslaved individuals sought freedom by joining the British or Continental Army, where they were promised emancipation in exchange for their service. However, the institution of slavery persisted in many states, and the issue of slavery remained a contentious and divisive one in the years following the revolution. The contradiction between the revolutionary ideals of freedom and the reality of slavery would eventually lead to the abolitionist movement and the Civil War.

The American Revolution served as a source of inspiration for other independence movements globally. The successful rebellion against a colonial power demonstrated that it was possible to achieve independence and self-determination. Perhaps the most notable example is the French Revolution, which was heavily influenced by American revolutionary ideals and the Enlightenment. The French Revolution, in turn, inspired independence movements in Latin America, Haiti, and other regions. The American Revolution’s impact on the world stage extended beyond its own borders, contributing to a wave of movements seeking freedom and self-governance in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

International allies played a significant role in the American Revolution. The most notable ally was France, which provided critical military and financial support to the American colonists. The French Navy and troops, under General Rochambeau, played pivotal roles in the Siege of Yorktown, a decisive battle in the American Revolution. Additionally, Spain and the Netherlands offered support at various stages of the conflict. These international alliances helped tip the balance in favor of the American colonists and contributed significantly to their victory.

The American Revolution fundamentally altered the relationship between the United States and Britain. Prior to the revolution, the American colonies were British subjects. However, after gaining independence, the United States became a sovereign nation. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 formally recognized the independence of the United States and established the boundaries of the new nation. While the two countries eventually developed diplomatic relations, the legacy of the revolution left a lasting impact on their relationship, shaping their interactions on political, economic, and cultural fronts for years to come.

The American Revolution had profound and long-term consequences for American democracy. The revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and self-determination were enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and later reflected in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These documents laid the foundation for American democracy, emphasizing individual rights, the rule of law, and limited government. The revolution set a precedent for democratic governance and became a touchstone for discussions on citizenship, civil liberties, and political participation. It continues to influence American political and social life, shaping debates and policies to this day.

The enduring legacy of the American Revolution in contemporary America is vast and multifaceted. It includes the establishment of a democratic republic with a system of checks and balances, a commitment to individual rights and freedoms, and the protection of civil liberties through the Bill of Rights. The revolution’s ideals continue to inspire political discourse, activism, and advocacy for social justice. Additionally, the American Revolution’s impact on international politics is seen in its influence on global movements for independence and self-determination. The revolution remains a source of national pride and identity, celebrated through holidays like Independence Day. Its legacy serves as a reminder of the enduring power of revolutionary ideas and the capacity of a determined people to shape their own destiny.

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7 Events That Enraged Colonists and Led to the American Revolution

By: Patrick J. Kiger

Updated: September 5, 2023 | Original: August 20, 2019

The American colonists’ breakup with the British Empire in 1776 wasn’t a sudden, impetuous act. Instead, the banding together of the 13 colonies to fight and win a war of independence against the Crown was the culmination of a series of events, which had begun more than a decade earlier. Escalations began shortly after the end of the French and Indian War —known elsewhere as the Seven Years War in 1763. Here are a few of the pivotal moments that caused the American Revolution.

1. The Stamp Act (March 1765)

To recoup some of the massive debt left over from the war with France, Parliament passed laws such as the Stamp Act , which for the first time taxed a wide range of transactions in the colonies.

“Up until then, each colony had its own government which decided which taxes they would have, and collected them,” explains Willard Sterne Randall , a professor emeritus of history at Champlain College and author of numerous works on early American history, including Unshackling America: How the War of 1812 Truly Ended the American Revolution. “They felt that they’d spent a lot of blood and treasure to protect the colonists from the Indians, and so they should pay their share.”

The colonists didn’t see it that way. They resented not only having to buy goods from the British but pay tax on them as well. “The tax never got collected, because there were riots all over the place,” Randall says. Ultimately, Benjamin Franklin convinced the British to rescind it, but that only made things worse. “That made the Americans think they could push back against anything the British wanted,” Randall says.

2. The Townshend Acts (June-July 1767)

Parliament again tried to assert its authority by passing legislation to tax goods that the Americans imported from Great Britain. The Crown established a board of customs commissioners to stop smuggling and corruption among local officials in the colonies, who were often in on the illicit trade.

Americans struck back by organizing a boycott of the British goods that were subject to taxation and began harassing the British customs commissioners. In an effort to quell the resistance, the British sent troops to occupy Boston, which only deepened the ill feeling.

3. The Boston Massacre (March 1770)

Simmering tensions between the British occupiers and Boston residents boiled over one late afternoon when a disagreement between an apprentice wigmaker and a British soldier led to a crowd of 200 colonists surrounding seven British troops. When the Americans began taunting the British and throwing things at them, the soldiers apparently lost their cool and began firing into the crowd .

As the smoke cleared, three men—including an African American sailor named Crispus Attucks —were dead, and two others were mortally wounded. The massacre became a useful propaganda tool for the colonists, especially after Paul Revere distributed an engraving that misleadingly depicted the British as the aggressors.

4. The Boston Tea Party (December 1773)

The British eventually withdrew their forces from Boston and repealed much of the onerous Townshend legislation. But they left in place the tax on tea, and in 1773 enacted a new law, the Tea Act , to prop up the financially struggling British East India Company. The act gave the company extended favorable treatment under tax regulations to sell tea at a price that undercut the American merchants who imported from Dutch traders.

That didn’t sit well with Americans. “They didn’t want the British telling them that they had to buy their tea, but it wasn’t just about that,” Randall explains. “The Americans wanted to be able to trade with any country they wanted.”

The Sons of Liberty , a radical group, decided to confront the British head-on. Thinly disguised as Mohawks, they boarded three ships in Boston harbor and destroyed more than 92,000 pounds of British tea by dumping it into the harbor . To make the point that they were rebels rather than vandals, they avoided harming any of the crew or damaging the ships themselves, and the next day even replaced a padlock that had been broken.

Nevertheless, the act of defiance “really ticked off the British government,” Randall explains. “Many of the East India Company’s shareholders were members of Parliament. They each had paid 1,000 pounds sterling—that would probably be about a million dollars now—for a share of the company, to get a piece of the action from all this tea that they were going to force down the colonists’ throats. So when these bottom-of-the-rung people in Boston destroyed their tea, that was a serious thing to them.”

5. The Coercive Acts (March-June 1774)

In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British government decided that it had to tame the rebellious colonists in Massachusetts . In the spring of 1774, Parliament passed a series of laws, the Coercive Acts , which closed Boston Harbor until restitution was paid for the destroyed tea, replaced the colony’s elected council with one appointed by the British, gave sweeping powers to the British military governor General Thomas Gage, and forbade town meetings without approval.

Yet another provision protected British colonial officials who were charged with capital offenses from being tried in Massachusetts, instead requiring that they be sent to another colony or back to Great Britain for trial.

But perhaps the most provocative provision was the Quartering Act , which allowed British military officials to demand accommodations for their troops in unoccupied houses and buildings in towns, rather than having to stay out in the countryside. While it didn’t force the colonists to board troops in their own homes , they had to pay for the expense of housing and feeding the soldiers. The quartering of troops eventually became one of the grievances cited in the Declaration of Independence .

6. Lexington and Concord (April 1775)

British General Thomas Gage led a force of British soldiers from Boston to Lexington, where he planned to capture colonial radical leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock , and then head to Concord and seize their gunpowder. But American spies got wind of the plan, and with the help of riders such as Paul Revere , word spread to be ready for the British.

On the Lexington Common, the British force was confronted by 77 American militiamen , and they began shooting at each other. Seven Americans died, but other militiamen managed to stop the British at Concord and continued to harass them on their retreat back to Boston.

The British lost 73 dead, with another 174 wounded and 26 missing in action. The bloody encounter proved to the British that the colonists were fearsome foes who had to be taken seriously. It was the start of America’s war of independence.

7. British attacks on coastal towns (October 1775-January 1776)

Though the Revolutionary War’s hostilities started with Lexington and Concord, Randall says that at the start, it was unclear whether the southern colonies, whose interests didn’t necessarily align with the northern colonies, would be all in for a war of independence.

“The southerners were totally dependent upon the English to buy their crops, and they didn’t trust the Yankees,” he explains. “And in New England, the Puritans thought the southerners were lazy.”

But that was before the brutal British naval bombardments and burning of the coastal towns of Falmouth, Massachusetts and Norfolk, Virginia helped to unify the colonies. In Falmouth, where townspeople had to grab their possessions and flee for their lives, northerners had to face up to “the fear that the British would do whatever they wanted to them,” Randall says.

As historian Holger Hoock has written , the burning of Falmouth shocked General George Washington , who denounced it as “exceeding in barbarity & cruelty every hostile act practiced among civilized nations.”

Similarly, in Norfolk, the horror of the town’s wooden buildings going up in flames after a seven-hour naval bombardment shocked the southerners, who also knew that the British were offering African Americans their freedom if they took up arms on the loyalist side. “Norfolk stirred up fears of a slave insurrection in the South,” Randall says.

Leaders of the rebellion seized the burnings of the two ports to make the argument that the colonists needed to band together for survival against a ruthless enemy and embrace the need for independence. This spirit ultimately would lead to their victory.

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“Causes of American Revolution” Essay

Causes of the american revolution.

The Colonies

The colonies in America were founded by people who wanted to escape from slavery or from religious and social inequalities. With the increasing power and control of the British over these colonies, the people feared the loss of freedom and wanted to do everything to remain free and this was one of the major reasons for the revolution.

The French and the Indian War

The war was fought between 1754 and 1763 and led to a lot of money being spent. Additionally, the American colonies and France allied with native Americans for the war. This also meant stationing the British troops in the American colonies and providing for their essential needs. To do so, the British government started imposing taxes on the people of the colonies with brought about a lot of resentment.

Taxes and Laws

There were several unfair and unjust laws and taxes that were imposed by the colonial government on the people of the colonies. The Sugar Act that increased taxes on molasses, the Stamp Act that required duty to be paid on legal documents and paper were some of the acts that led to discontent of the people. In addition, the government collected a high amount of taxes from the people who were not happy with the tax laws.

Boston Protests

Many people from the colonies started to protest against the laws and taxes in Boston. During one of the protests, shots were fired and this led to a massacre in Boston. This added fuel to the fire and prepared a strong ground for the revolution. The colonial government at this time also imposed a new tax on tea and this was protested against in the form of the Boston Tea Party.

Attacks on Towns

The British also attacked several towns like New York, New Jersey as well as the coastal towns in America that made people run for their lives. This further led to increasing unity between the people of the colonies who wanted to revolt against the government to stop atrocities and gain their independence.

The First Continental Congress

In the year 1774, 12 out of the 13 colonies of the Americans sent representatives to the First Continental Congress to raise their voice against the unjust acts and laws. A petition was sent to King George to repeal the act, but Congress did not receive any response. As a result, the people of the colonies decided to boycott British goods and this became one of the main reasons for the revolution.

All these events eventually led to the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, at the end of which America was able to gain its independence.

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American Revolution

Dbq: causes of the american revolution, using evidence: nys regents style dbq.

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American Revolution: DBQ: Causes of the American Revolution

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Home — Essay Samples — History — American Revolution — Was the American Revolution Justified?

Was The American Revolution Justified?

• Categories: American History American Revolution

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Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 674 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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Arguments in favor of the american revolution, arguments against the american revolution, assessing the justification.

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