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The American
Revolution
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BEFORE 1763:
The American colonies were
thriving, making money for
themselves (and even more for
Britain). They pretty much ruled
themselves (with minimal
interference from England) and
weren’t taxed at all.
French and Indian War (1754-1763):
The British and the colonists fought
and won a war to protect the
colonies from Indian tribes allied with
French settlers in Canada. The costly
conflict caused Parliament to want to
take more direct control over the
colonies and to start taxing them to
help pay for the war.
Parliament passes the Stamp Act (1765):
An example of this change was when
Parliament decided to levy a tax on all
paper products bought and sold in the
colonies with the Stamp Act. Colonial
response to the tax was fierce, ranging
from boycotts and outright acts of
terrorism, such as attacking and killing
Royal tax collectors.
Repeal of the Stamp Act (1766):
English authorities were not prepared for
the colonists’ violent reaction to the tax.
To buy time for them to organize to send
more troops to enforce a similar tax,
Parliament repealed the tax. The
colonists thought they won, but more
taxes would soon be levied, escalating
conflict between England and her prized
colonies.
Parliament passes the Townsend Acts
(1767):
Still saddled with the enormous debt
from the French and Indian War,
Parliament tried to raise revenue from
the colonies with a series of taxes called
the Townsend Acts. Among these taxes
was the infamous tax on tea. Colonial
reaction was even more fierce than the
Stamp Act.
Repeal of most of the Townsend Acts
(1770):
Still unable to enforce their taxes and
stop violent defiance from the colonists,
Parliament again repealed most of the
tax laws, with the exception of the tea
tax. Colonists gained more confidence,
having successful stood up against British
taxation again, crying “no taxation
without representation.”
Boston Massacre (1770):
An unfortunate tragedy happened outside the
Customs House in Boston when British troops
guarding the building fired on an angry mob,
killing five. Colonists were outraged. The
British government tried to demonstrate that
they were taking it seriously, punishing the
troops involved and removing all of the other
troops from Boston to try to calm things
down.
Boston Tea Party (1773):
With not troops in Boston, an extremist group
of colonial revolutionaries called the Sons of
Liberty organized an act of terrorism. They
boarded ships in Boston Harbor and dumped
their cargo overboard. The ships they
targeted carried tea, the good that was still
being taxed.
Intolerable Acts (1774):
Word of the Boston Tea Party got back to
England, the King and Parliament were
furious. They decided that Boston must be
punished for it. The port of Boston was shut
down, the Royal navy blockading it. Martial
law was declared. The British government
wanted to demonstrate their control over the
colonies. Instead, it caused more colonists to
think about trying to break away.
First Continental Congress (1774):
When the Intolerable Acts were announced,
colonial leaders called a meeting in
Philadelphia to discuss what to do about the
deteriorating relationship with England.
Virginian representative at the Congress
Patrick Henry wrote a pamphlet called
“Common Sense” urging the need for
immediate independence. Others thought
the relationship could be repaired. The only
thing they agreed on was to prepare for a
possible war with England.
Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775):
Colonists started stockpiling weapons. British
authorities found out about some outside of
Boston, in the town of Concord, and sent
troops to seize them. To try to stop them, a
group of militia intercepted the British troops
in the town of Lexington, fighting the first
battle between colonists and the “redcoats.”
The British easily won and continued to
Concord. On their march back to base, the
troops were attacked by militia, using guerilla
tactics, inflicting loses on the British.
Second Continental Congress (1775):
After those battles, a second meeting of
leading colonists was called, again in
Philadelphia. Now there was more support
for rebellion and they had Thomas Jefferson
draft the Declaration of Independence, a
letter to King George III and Parliament
stating that the colonies wished to separate
from Britain. Jefferson, using the ideas of the
Enlightenment, explains why the colonies felt
justified in making the break.
Revolutionary War (1776-1783):
The King and Parliament weren’t going to let
their profitable colonies go. The war began as
England tried to regain control of the
colonies. But England—despite having the
strongest military in the world—was unwilling
to commit the resources necessary to crush
the colonists. France also jumped in on the
side of the colonies to avenge their loss in the
Seven Years’/French and Indian Wars. Britain
basically gave up, expecting the colonies to
come crawling back later.