Causes leading up to the American Revolutionary War

 After the French & Indian War England issued the Proclamation of 1763 closing the land west of the Appalachian Mountains to the colonists supposedly to keep peace with the Indians.  Also, to protect the colonists from any Indian uprisings and to enforce all English laws and acts, England left a standing army of 100,000 British troops in the colonies.  George Grenville, Prime Minister of England, ask Parliament to tax the colonists to pay for the army and pay for England’s debt from the French and Indian War.  Sugar Act of 1764—taxed sugar and molasses imported into the colonies.  To prevent smuggling, traders/merchants were required to list all trade goods they carried on their ships—which had to be approved before they left port.

 British navy was also given permission to stop and search colonial ships for smuggled goods.  Parliament also changed the legal system in the colonies to vice-admiralty courts which dealt with smugglers. (no longer innocent until proven guilty; but guilty until proven innocent)  The colonists believed that England did not have the right to tax them without representation in Parliament. (“no taxation without representation”)  Samuel Adams helped create the Committees of Correspondence—told what the British were doing throughout the colonies so that the colonists could always be informed as to what the British were up to—no surprises.  The colonists protested the taxation by boycotting all British goods(1765), hoping to hurt the British economy and convince Parliament to repeal the taxes.  Parliament passed the Stamp Act(1765) in the colonies requiring the colonists to pay for a stamp to be placed on all paper items: deeds, wills, playing cards, newspapers, etc.  The colonists protested the Stamp tax: the Sons of Liberty(secret patriot group) was organized to frighten the tax collectors.  Patrick Henry presented the Virginia Resolution before the House of Burgesses stating that the Stamp Act violated the colonists’ rights and “no taxation without representation”.  Stamp Act Congress(Oct., 1765)—representatives from 9 of the 13 colonies met in New York City and drafted a letter to Parliament stating that the Stamp Act violated their rights and told the king that they would continue to boycott if the Stamp Act was not repealed.  Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 because the British merchants pleaded with the king to do so because they were unable to support themselves.  The colonists lifted their boycott.

 Parliament issued the Declaratory Act which allowed them to make laws for the colonies in all areas.  Townshend Acts(1767)—taxed imported goods that the colonists purchased from England: glass, lead, paint, paper, tea, etc. British soldiers were also issued writs of assistance(blank search warrants) to enforce the Act and search for smuggled goods.  The colonists boycotted again.  Daughters of Liberty were organized to support the boycott by making things by hand instead of purchasing them from England. (Ex. Cloth)

 Tax collectors seized the ship “Liberty” on suspicion of smuggling, which angered the Sons of Liberty, who attacked custom officials in protest.  The governor of Massachusetts suspended the colonial legislature and called on more British troops to come to Boston in 1768.  The Boston Massacre--March 5, 1770 A large concentration of British troops in Boston created tension. Arguments and fights between the citizens and soldiers was common. A snowball battle and argument between a guard and a citizen caused this unfortunate event. Crispus Attucks, a runaway slave, was 1 of the 5 citizens to be killed in this “massacre”. British officer, Thomas Preston and the soldiers were charged with murder but were found not guilty in a jury trial. The Boston Massacre further increased tensions between the American colonists and the British government.

 The Boston Tea Party—1773 England repealed the tax on all items except tea from the Townshend Act(boycotting was working, but to show the colonists they were still in control they left the tax on tea.) Parliament passed the Tea Act in 1773 allowing the British East India Company to sell their tea directly to the colonists very cheap. Colonists refused to buy the tea because there was still a tax on it. 3 ships arrived in Boston carrying the tea. Colonists wouldn’t let the tea be unloaded from the ships. Royal governor of Massachusetts wouldn’t let the ships leave port without paying the import tax. The ships waited!!!! Colonial law only allows a ship to be at port for 30 days and then the cargo on the ship becomes the property of the colony. Dec. 16, 1773—The Sons of Liberty members disguised as Indians boarded the ships and dumped 340 tea chests into the Boston Harbor.

 The Intolerable/Coercive Acts— Parliament’s punishment on the town of Boston for the Tea Party 1. Closed the port of Boston—starve them until they pay for the damages of the Tea Party 2. Revoked their charter and suspended their town meetings—took away their self-governing rights. General Thomas Gage became the new governor of Massachusetts. 3. British officials/soldiers accused of committing a crime were sent back to England to stand trial. 4. Quartering Act—forced the colonists to house British troops in their homes against their will.