Events leading to the American Revolution
When George III became king of England in 1760, no one would have ever thought that within 30 years the original 13 colonies would become a separate nation. What though, could possibly cause a small band of farmers and merchants to take on the most powerful country in the world? Why would a group of people turn against their own country and fight against the people that they loved and cared about? To be more specific, what caused the American Revolution? During the late seventeen hundreds, many chaotic events resulted in Colonial opposition to Great Britain. The rights of the colonists would slowly change as the constriction of Parliament became more and more intolerable. During the Seven Years' War England was not only alarmed by the colonists' insistence on trading with the enemy, but also with Boston merchants hiring James Otis in order to protest the legality of the writs of assistance used to hunt out smuggled goods. He stated "let parliament lay what burdens they please on us, we must, it is our duty to submit and patiently bear them, till they will be pleased to relieve us...(Otis)." This was such a strong dictum, that in 1764, the colonists were of a submissive nature, and were weakly pleading for self-autonomy. This small fire of anger would become a huge inferno as the rights were slowly stolen away. On October 19, 1765 the Stamp Act Congress and Parliamentary Taxation committee's passed laws that attempted to strengthen the grip of the English crown. For example, one was "That His Majesty's subjects in these colonies, owe the same allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain, that is owing from his subjects born within the realm, and all due subordination to that august body, the parliament of Great Britain (Declaration of Rights)." This statement can be used as a summation of the entire document that the Stamp Act Congress had initiated. The statement depicts the colonists has having to be submissive and servile in the view of Great Britain. This policy angered the colonists very much, and was another component of the transition of the colonists' rights and liberties.
When the Declaratory Act was passed in March of 1766, many colonies were attempting to claim that they were seceding from England. "Whereas several of the houses of representatives in his Majesty's colonies and plantations in America, have of late, against law, or to the general assemblies of the same, been given the sole and exclusive right to impose duties and taxes upon his Majesty's subjects in the said colonies.... be it declared.... that the said colonies and plantations in America, have been, are, and of right ought to be, subordinate unto, and dependent upon the imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain;". The Parliament of course denounced the attempt at independence and still assertively passed the following law to show that the colonists were still British subjects. At this time, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Townshend, convinced Parliament to impose new tariffs on things such as lead, paint, paper, and tea. Thus we have the creation of the Townshend Acts. The colonists were infuriated and soon joined in a non importation pact. Within a year, importation of British goods was down by half" and the ministry of London finally took notice. The Townshend duties were repealed soon thereafter and life became somewhat normal in the colonies again. The merchants resumed all trade with the British except for tea and it seemed everyone was happy. This was until the East India Company, which what based in England, began to import tea. The colonists took this somewhat personally and saw it as an attempt to bribe them into buying British tea. To the dismay of the British, the tea act had inadvertently triggered the American resistance once again and this time there was no stopping it.
When George III became king of England in 1760, no one would have ever thought that within 30 years the original 13 colonies would become a separate nation. What though, could possibly cause a small band of farmers and merchants to take on the most powerful country in the world? Why would a group of people turn against their own country and fight against the people that they loved and cared about? To be more specific, what caused the American Revolution? During the late seventeen hundreds, many chaotic events resulted in Colonial opposition to Great Britain. The rights of the colonists would slowly change as the constriction of Parliament became more and more intolerable. During the Seven Years' War England was not only alarmed by the colonists' insistence on trading with the enemy, but also with Boston merchants hiring James Otis in order to protest the legality of the writs of assistance used to hunt out smuggled goods. He stated "let parliament lay what burdens they please on us, we must, it is our duty to submit and patiently bear them, till they will be pleased to relieve us...(Otis)." This was such a strong dictum, that in 1764, the colonists were of a submissive nature, and were weakly pleading for self-autonomy. This small fire of anger would become a huge inferno as the rights were slowly stolen away. On October 19, 1765 the Stamp Act Congress and Parliamentary Taxation committee's passed laws that attempted to strengthen the grip of the English crown. For example, one was "That His Majesty's subjects in these colonies, owe the same allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain, that is owing from his subjects born within the realm, and all due subordination to that august body, the parliament of Great Britain (Declaration of Rights)." This statement can be used as a summation of the entire document that the Stamp Act Congress had initiated. The statement depicts the colonists has having to be submissive and servile in the view of Great Britain. This policy angered the colonists very much, and was another component of the transition of the colonists' rights and liberties.
When the Declaratory Act was passed in March of 1766, many colonies were attempting to claim that they were seceding from England. "Whereas several of the houses of representatives in his Majesty's colonies and plantations in America, have of late, against law, or to the general assemblies of the same, been given the sole and exclusive right to impose duties and taxes upon his Majesty's subjects in the said colonies.... be it declared.... that the said colonies and plantations in America, have been, are, and of right ought to be, subordinate unto, and dependent upon the imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain;". The Parliament of course denounced the attempt at independence and still assertively passed the following law to show that the colonists were still British subjects. At this time, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Townshend, convinced Parliament to impose new tariffs on things such as lead, paint, paper, and tea. Thus we have the creation of the Townshend Acts. The colonists were infuriated and soon joined in a non importation pact. Within a year, importation of British goods was down by half" and the ministry of London finally took notice. The Townshend duties were repealed soon thereafter and life became somewhat normal in the colonies again. The merchants resumed all trade with the British except for tea and it seemed everyone was happy. This was until the East India Company, which what based in England, began to import tea. The colonists took this somewhat personally and saw it as an attempt to bribe them into buying British tea. To the dismay of the British, the tea act had inadvertently triggered the American resistance once again and this time there was no stopping it.
