History P3 - Chapter 1.1 - Causes of the American Revolution

The 13 Colonies and Their Differing Identities

New England: small farms, fishing, shipping, trade; tight-knit Puritan communities. Middle colonies: mixed economy (farming + trade), diverse population (Dutch, Germans, English). Southern colonies: large plantations, cash crops (tobacco, rice), reliance on enslaved labour.

Religious Differences

Puritans in New England → strong communal identity. Quakers in Pennsylvania → tolerance, pacifism. Anglicans in the South → linked to British hierarchy.

Political Traditions

Long history of local assemblies (Virginia House of Burgesses, New England town meetings). Colonists accustomed to self-rule; British interference increasingly resented.

Emerging American Identity

By the 1760s, many colonists thought of themselves as distinct from Britain. Created foundation for unified resistance when Britain imposed new controls.

Removal of the French Threat (1763)

Britain defeated France; gained Canada and land east of Mississippi. French threat eliminated → reduced colonial dependence on British military protection.

Impact on Colonial Confidence

Colonists felt they could manage own defense and affairs. Sense of independence increased; loyalty to Britain weakened.

Proclamation of 1763

Forbade colonists from settling west of Appalachian Mountains. Angered colonists who fought for that land; seen as British overreach.

Cost of the War and British Response

Britain faced massive war debt (~£130 million). Needed revenue → turned to colonies for contribution.

Sugar Act (1764)

Tax on imported sugar and molasses; designed to raise revenue and curb smuggling.

Stamp Act (1765)

Tax on all printed materials; direct tax → widespread anger.

Townshend Acts (1767)

Duties on glass, paper, paint, lead, tea; revenue used to pay governors/judges → undermined colonial assemblies.

Colonial Reaction

Slogan: “No taxation without representation.” Protests, boycotts, formation of Sons of Liberty. Stamp Act Congress (1765) → first inter-colonial meeting to coordinate resistance.

Escalation Towards Breach – Key Incidents

Boston Massacre (1770): British soldiers killed 5 civilians → inflamed anti-British sentiment. Boston Tea Party (1773): protest against Tea Act; dumped tea into harbor. Intolerable/Coercive Acts (1774): punitive measures (closed Boston port, restricted assemblies).

Colonial Unity Grows

Committees of Correspondence coordinated protest across colonies. First Continental Congress (1774) → colonies began planning joint action.

Why Breach Occurred

Colonial identity + confidence post-1763 made resistance natural. British insistence on control clashed with colonial demands for rights. Gradual escalation → open confrontation inevitable.

The Colonies’ Response to British Attempts to Tax Them – Stamp Act (1765)

Direct tax on printed materials (legal documents, newspapers, playing cards). Colonists: “No taxation without representation.” Sons of Liberty → protests, intimidation of tax collectors. Stamp Act Congress (1765) → petitioned King

Parliament. Act repealed 1766 due to protests. Showed colonial unity.

Declaratory Act (1766)

Passed same day as Stamp Act repeal; stated Parliament had right to make laws “in all cases whatsoever.” Seen as warning Britain still claimed authority. Less protest but set stage for future conflict.

Townshend Acts (1767)

Duties on imported goods (glass, paper, paint, lead, tea). Colonists boycotted goods; increased political activism. Assemblies and committees coordinated resistance. Reinforced belief Britain overstepping; strengthened unity.

Tea Act (1773)

Gave East India Company monopoly on tea sales; cheaper tea still taxed. Viewed as trick to accept Parliament’s tax right. Led to Boston Tea Party (1773). Triggered Intolerable/Coercive Acts (1774).

Key Incidents – Boston Massacre (1770)

British soldiers fired on crowd, killing 5. Caused by rising tension from taxes and troops. Significance: propaganda victory (Paul Revere engraving); increased anti-British sentiment.

Gaspee Incident (1772)

Colonists burned British customs ship in Rhode Island. Protest against trade regulation enforcement. Showed willingness to use violence and growing unity.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

Colonists disguised as Native Americans dumped East India Company tea. Protest against Tea Act, assertion of rights. Led to Coercive Acts → escalated tension toward revolution.

Reasons for the Coercive Acts of 1774

Immediate cause: Boston Tea Party (1773). British aimed to punish Massachusetts, restore order, reassert authority, deter defiance.

Key Acts

Boston Port Act – closed Boston Harbor until tea repaid. Massachusetts Government Act – limited self-government, gave governor power. Administration of Justice Act – trials of British officials moved to Britain. Quartering Act – housed troops in private buildings.

Underlying Causes

Long-term tensions over self-rule vs. parliamentary authority. British frustration over colonial resistance to taxes and boycotts.

Impact of the Coercive Acts

Seen as punishment and rights violation. United colonies in opposition. Led to First Continental Congress (1774). Colonies supported Massachusetts. Strengthened committees of correspondence. Escalated tension to armed conflict.

Social/Economic Impact

Boston economy hit by port closure. Widespread anger and resentment.

Political Significance

Increased colonial unity and identity as Americans.

Significance of the First Continental Congress (1774)

Triggered by Coercive Acts. 12 of 13 colonies (except Georgia) met in Philadelphia to unite response.

Actions Taken at the Congress

Declaration of Rights and Grievances: loyal to King, condemned Parliament’s actions. Economic boycott of British goods (Dec 1774). Pledged support to Massachusetts. Strengthened Committees of Correspondence.

Significance/Impact

First unified colonial action. Step toward collective identity. Laid groundwork for Second Continental Congress (1775). Encouraged cooperation. Escalated tension → led to armed conflict (Lexington

Concord, 1775).

Outbreak of War (1775) – Background/Causes

Long-term: colonial independence, resentment over taxes (Stamp, Townshend, Tea Acts), Coercive Acts. Short-term: First Continental Congress organized resistance; militias formed.

Immediate Events Leading to War

Lexington

Concord (April 1775): British tried seizing weapons/arrest leaders. “Shot heard ’round the world.” Casualties: ~273 British, ~93 colonial. Siege of Boston: militias trapped British. Second Continental Congress (May 1775): Washington appointed commander, began war prep.

Significance of Outbreak of War

First armed conflict → start of Revolution. Showed resistance could escalate militarily. United colonies under Continental Army. Point of no return for reconciliation.