Download Section 1 The Causes of the American Revolution

Section 1
The Causes of the
American Revolution
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British Policies Anger Colonists
• Proclamation of 1763, which halted expansion
west of Appal Mtns upsets colonists
• Colonists continue to move west despite
Proclamation of 1763
Problems Resulting from the Fr & Ind War
• Prime Minister George Grenville sets policies
to pay war debt
• Parliament a series of taxes aimed at:
1. repaying British debt from French and Indian
War
2. Paying for new military forces for colonial
defenses
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The Colonies Organize to Resist Britain
The Stamp Act
• Stamp Act (1765)—requires stamped
paper for legal documents, printed
items
Stamp Act Protests
• Samuel Adams helps found Sons of Liberty,
secret resistance group:
- harass customs workers, stamp agents, royal
governors
• Stamp Act Congress—colonies can’t be taxed
without representation in Parliament
• Daughters of Liberty formed to protest British
policies—help organize boycotts
• Parliament repeals Stamp Act;
passes Declaratory Act same day (1766)
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Tension Mounts in Massachusetts
The Boston Massacre
• Soldiers compete with colonists for shipyard
jobs
• Boston Massacre (1770)—mob throws
stones, British fire, kill five
• 1772, colonists burn customs ship; suspects to
be tried in Britain
• Committees of correspondence were
formed to:
• Communicate with other colonies about
threats to their liberty (very effective at
sending information to other colonies)
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Tension Mounts in Massachusetts
The Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)
• King George III, British king, is angered by
destruction of tea
1. Acts close Boston Harbor until tea was paid for
2. Established a new quartering act
3. Ended town meetings in Massachusetts
• General Thomas Gage puts Boston under
martial law—rule by military
• First Continental Congress claims colonial
rights, supports all forms of protests against
British
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