Causes Leading Up to the American Revolution

Causes of the American Revolution The French and Indian War The British sent in troops to fight the French forces that tried to claim lands in Canada and all lands east of the Mississippi. The war lasted 9 years and the Indians helped the French defeat the British. France's defeat meant that Great Britain stood alone as the one true colonial power in North America. The Stamp Act The Stamp Act was by the British to the Americas and put a tax on nearly all printed materials. The colonists were not pleased and one of the leaders of the Stamp Act Congress, James Otis, claimed "No taxation without representation!" and this lead to the colonist to boycott all British goods. They ended up repealing the act. This withheld the British of money so Parliament passed the Declaratory Act and it allowed them to impose laws on the colonies.

Townshend Acts Passed by Parliament and it taxed imported goods like glass and tea. This lead to violence in Boston and the British had to send in troops to handle it. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers who felt threatened by a mob of angry protesters fired shots that left several colonists dead or dying. The event came to became known as the Boston Massacre. Boston Tea Party After the massacre a group of colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians and marched to Boston Harbor. The members raided the ships with British tea on it and threw the crates overboard. Coercive Acts Passed by Parliament after the Boston Tea Party in response and it closed Boston Harbor and placed a military governor over Massachusetts and also expanded the Canadian border, taking land away from certain colonies. First Continental Congress All representatives from every state attended in September 1774 (except Georgia) and Congress wrote a statement to the king saying that the colonists had the right to be represented in government and since they were not represented in Parliament, they were entitled to govern themselves. Lexington and Concord In April 1775, the hope for a peaceful resolution was lost when fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord. As British troops were on their way to seize arms and ammunition stored by colonists at Concord, Massachusetts, they were met at Lexington by colonial militia. It was there that someone fired the "shot heard 'round the world" that started the American Revolution. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the American Revolution stared!