Causes of the American Revolution

During the early years of settlement, England

ignored its colonies.
Under the Navigation Acts, the colonists could
trade only with England.
Colonists resented Englands control of the
colonies because they were used to being left
alone.

Sketch of Baltimore Harbor, 1752

Colony founders knew they must guarantee

rights and good government if they were going
to attract colonists.
Virginia colonists created the House of
Burgesses which was the first representative
assembly in the Americas.
By 1750 each of the 13 colonies had an
elected assembly.

The first meeting of the Virginia Assembly

Britain and France were intense rivals in the

struggle for North America.
In the 1750s the center of colonial conflict
was the Ohio River Valley.
British officer George Washington was sent to
build a fort on the river but was defeated by
the French before he could.
Native Americans became French allies
because it appeared the French would win the
war.
North American land claims, 1753

The French and Indian war went badly for the

British colonies until Captain James Wolfe took
Quebec in 1759.
The British finally won three years later.

Taking of Quebec by English forces during the French and Indian War

Great Britain became the most powerful nation

in the world.
The enlarged empire meant conflicts with
Native Americans in the Ohio River Valley.
To avoid problems, Britain issued the
Proclamation of 1763 which did not allow
colonists to cross the Appalachian Mountains.
Colonist were infuriated because they did not
like being told where they could and could not
go.
North American land claims, 1763

In order to enforce the Proclamation of 1763

and keep peace with Native Americans, a
permanent British army was stationed in
America.
British officials expected colonists to help pay
for their defense.
The colonists did not like the presence of the
army, nor having to pay for the troops
support.

King George III

and how they correspond to the

new school policies

The French and Indian War

Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Britain needed money

to finance war with
France.

Britain imposed taxes

on the colonists to
pay for the war.
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Proclamation of 1763
Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Britain wanted to avoid

conflict with Native
Americans, so Colonists
were forbidden to cross
Appalachian Mountains.

Colonists were angered

because of British
presence and being
told what to do

British Army stationed

in the colonies

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Sugar Act
Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Tax on sugar
and molasses

Did not affect

many, but the idea
of taxes was a
growing issue
brown bag
tax

Quartering Act
Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Colonists had to
provide food, housing,
blankets, candles, etc.
for the British soldiers

This was hated, but

little could be done
teacher home
visits

Stamp Act
Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Tax on legal
documents,
newspapers, wills,
and basically every
piece of paper
used

Stamp Act Congress

formed to organize a
boycott
Eventually repealed
official
stamped
papers for
grades

Writs of Assistance
Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Customs officers
could search ships at
will

Few colonists affected,

but merchants felt this
was an invasion of
privacy
search
belongings

Townshend Acts
Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Tax on various
household items such
as paper, glass, lead,
silk, and tea

Colonists boycott
through the nonimportation agreement
Eventually repealed
lunch price
increased

The Boston Massacre

Explanation

Reaction/ Result

A rioting mob
confronted British
soldiers at the Boston
Customs House

Sam Adams
used the
opportunity
to whip up
anti-British feeling
by calling the event a
massacre

Tensions rose,
and shots were
fired into the crowd,
killing five colonists

Two soldiers were

found guilty of
manslaughter, six
were found not guilty

Tea Act
Explanation
Tea merchants in the
colonies were cut out
of the tea trade
because the British
East India Company
lowered their tea prices.

British
East India
Company

The company monopolized, or

controlled, tea sales in the colonies.
Reaction/ Result
Boston Tea Party

Boston Tea Party

Explanation

Reaction/ Result

On December 16,
1773, the Sons of
Liberty dumped 90,000
pounds of tea into
Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts

Intolerable Acts
Explanation

Reaction/ Result

Colonists could not hold

town meetings

First Continental
Congress meets

Port of Boston closed

Individual colonies
began to unify

Customs officials tried

in Britain

no
discussion
of policies

No taxation without representation!

Explanation
Colonists had no
representatives to
speak for them in
Parliament
Reaction/ Result
Colonists resented not
having a say in their own
affairs
Became a rallying cry

do not call
with a
complaint

Chronology of Events
French and Indian War- 1754-1763
Proclamation of 1763- 1763
Sugar Act- 1764
Quartering Act- 1765
Stamp Act- 1765

Chronology of Events
Writs of Assistance- 1767
Townshend Acts- 1767
Boston Massacre- 1770
Tea Act/ Boston Tea Party- 1773
Intolerable Acts- 1774