Overview of the Causes
It was not any one event but a series of events that led to the Revolutionary War
Causes of the Revolutionary War
The following events represent the major events along the way to war. There is no one event that singularly led to the Revolution. The Americans believed that they were entitled to the full democratic rights of Englishmen. The British believed that the American colonies were just colonies, to be used and exploited in whatever way best suited Great Britain. These two conflicting views made war inevitable.
overview of the causes
1754
French and Indian Wars
It was the arguably the consequences of the French and Indian War that began the series of events leading to war
1764
British Impose New Taxes
The British thought the Colonist should help pay for their own defense
1765
Quatering Act
One of the actions that most angered the Americans, The idea of being force to open your homes to soldiers
1765
Stamp Tax Act
Paying for everything you do was what the British tried to do with this tax that was hated
1765
Sons of Liberty Formed
The Britisih Actioins convinced some Colonist that they needed to take action in Defense of Liberty
1765
Stamp Act Congress
The first time members of different Colonies organized as one group on any topic
1766
Stamp Tax Repealed
The British realized that they had gone to far and repealed the stamp tax but it was too latte
1767
Colonist Respond with Boycott
The colonist responded to the British actions with a boycott against British goods hoping that would convinve the British
1768
British Troops Land in Boston
To enforce their acts the British decided to bring troops to Boston the most oppositional of all the colonies
1770
Townshend Act Repealed
The britisn knew things were getting out of hand, but it was too little too late
1772
Cutter Gaspee Burned
The Colonist took matters into their own hands when they burned a reveue cutter
1773
Boston Tea Party
One of the most famous acts in early Ameican history the colonist made clear they were not going to be subdueds
1774
Coercive Acts Imposed
The British responded to the colonists actions by imposing the Coercive acts
1774
First Continental Congress
Once the First Continental Congress met it was clear the colonist were heading down a path that there was no turning back
Economic Causes of the War
While the causes of the war are complex here we look at some of the economic causes of the war