Causes of the American Revolution Study Notes

Republicanism

  • Power comes from the people.
  • People must put private interests aside for the common good.
  • Referenced through Thomas Paine's "Common Sense."

Time and Distance

  • Distance made it difficult for Britain to control the colonies.
  • Radical Whigs supported the Americans, viewing them as champions of liberty.
  • Some in Parliament wanted to cut the colonies loose, viewing them as a burden.

Mercantilism and Control

  • Mercantilism: wealth equals power.
  • Britain sought to control the colonies through acts and taxes.

Taxes and Debt

  • Debt from the French and Indian War led to increased taxes on the colonies.
  • The British promised to cover war expenses but later imposed taxes on the Americans.
  • Taxes included:
    • Sugar Act
    • Quartering Act: Colonists were required to house and supply British soldiers.
      • Led to the Third Amendment.
    • Stamp Act: Tax on printed materials, either through affixed stamps or watermarked paper.
  • Colonists protested "taxation without representation."
  • British argued that colonists were represented, but colonists wanted to govern themselves.

Colonial Unity

  • Sons of Liberty: A rebellious group that organized boycotts of British goods.
    • Led by Sam Adams.
    • Boycotts were the most effective method of resistance.
    • Evolved from non-importation to non-exportation to non-consumption agreements.

Repeal and Declaratory Act

  • The Stamp Act was eventually repealed.
  • Declaratory Act: Britain asserted its right to control the colonies in all cases.

Patriotism

  • Patriots: Those who opposed British rule.
  • Levels of patriotism existed; some patriots didn't want independence, and didn't resort to violence.

Townshend Acts

  • Imposed duties and taxes, notably on tea.

Boston Massacre (1770)

  • A clash between British soldiers and an angry mob.
  • Sam Adams used the event as propaganda, depicting it as a massacre.
  • Soldiers were not given permission to fire.

First Continental Congress

  • Convened to address grievances against British policies.
  • Developed an intercolonial system of communication.
  • Representatives from each colony met to discuss grievances.

Tea Party

  • The British East India Company was granted a virtual monopoly on tea, angering local vendors.
  • Colonists, led by figures like Sam Adams, protested the tea taxes.
  • Colonists dress up as Native Americans and dump tea.

Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)

  • Instituted martial law and curfews.
  • Restricted town meetings.

Quebec Act

  • Extended the boundary of Quebec into the Ohio River Valley, angering colonists who were prohibited from settling there.
  • Seen as a political and social issue rather than an economic one.

Continental Congress (Continued)

  • Met in Philadelphia.
  • Key outcome of the First Congress: The Association, which called for a boycott of British goods, including no export, no import, and no consumption, especially of tea.
  • King George III largely ignored the Congress, but the boycott hurt the British economy.

Lexington and Concord

  • Marked the beginning of armed conflict.
  • British troops marched to Concord but found nothing, as the clash at Lexington had already occurred.
  • On the way back to Boston, British troops were ambushed.

Thomas Paine and Common Sense

  • Paine argued that reconciliation with Britain was impossible.

War and Advantages

  • British Advantages:
    • Largest army and navy.
    • Hired Hessian soldiers (German mercenaries).
  • American Advantages:
    • Home field advantage: knew the land.
    • Eventual aid from the French.

American Weaknesses

  • Lack of organization and funding.
  • Disease and lack of supplies, especially during events like Valley Forge.
  • The Continental Army was a "hot mess"
  • Low morale

Key Figures

  • Baron von Steuben: German drillmaster who trained the Continental Army.
  • Washington: Ransacked Trenton after crossing the Delaware.
  • Thomas Paine: Wrote "The Crisis" to boost morale.
  • French officer.

Loyalists

  • American colonists who remained loyal to England.
  • Also called Tories.

Valley Forge

  • Symbolized the hardships faced by the Continental Army during the winter.

Howard Zinn's Perspective

  • Zinn, a revisionist historian, argued that the revolution was driven by a minority of powerful and privileged individuals.