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Table of Contents
The American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence, was a long conflict that spanned more than eight years of fighting between Great Britain and 13 of its North American colonies.
See the fact file below for more information on the Causes of the American Revolution or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Causes of the American Revolution worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
MAJOR CAUSES
- Many of the colonies were founded by people wanting to escape persecution in England. When the British government started to become more involved with the colonies, tension rose and the colonies worried they would once again lose their freedoms and be persecuted by the British.
- The British Parliament taxed the colonies for helping them in the French and Indian War. This war took place between the American colonies and New France. The war lasted from 1754 to 1763 and British troops helped the colonists to fight the war, and also protected them after the war. They weren’t free though and Britain needed to tax the colonies to pay for the troops.
- In 1764, the British started to impose new taxes and laws on the colonies. Before this, the British had left the colonies to govern themselves, but they started to implement a lot of new laws such as the Sugar Act, Currency Act, Quartering Act, and the Stamp Act.
- Colonists started to protest the taxes and formed the Sons of Liberty. They were a group of Patriots formed in 1765 in Boston and the group soon spread across the colonies. One protest led to fighting and several colonists were shot and killed by the British. This became known as the Boston Massacre.
- The British introduced the Tea Act in 1773. The protests against this act saw patriots in Boston throw 342 chests of tea into the water – this was the Boston Tea Party. In today’s money, that tea would have been worth roughly a million dollars.
- The British government punished the colonies for the Boston Tea Party. They did this by passing the Massachusetts Government Act through Parliament. The act was designed to suppress dissent and restore order in Massachusetts.
- The British also enacted the Boston Port Act. The events of the Boston Tea Party had appalled the British, and, in response, this act was made to completely shut down the Boston Harbor until the dumped tea was paid for. This angered people in Boston, but it also angered the other colonies who believed the British might do the same thing to them.
- The laws imposed by the British did not control the colonies as they wanted. Instead, the countless taxes and laws angered the colonies, and lead to them becoming more united against the British rule. Other colonies sent supplies to Boston during the blockade of the harbor. At the same time, the Sons of Liberty was growing across the Americas.
- In 1774, twelve of the thirteen colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress. This was a direct response to the Intolerable Acts imposed by the British and they sent a petition to King George III to repeal the acts. When they didn’t receive a response, they also began to boycott British goods.
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: EVENTS AND OUTCOMES
- Upon the imposition of new taxes by the British Parliament, many colonists resented, especially politicians including Patrick Henry, who gave a momentous speech “Give me liberty or give me death”.
- On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere, a Patriot and founding member of the Sons of Liberty, made his famous midnight night which warned the colonies with the coming of the British troops.
- It is believed that Paul Revere was summoned by Dr. Joseph Warren to ride to Lexington, Massachusetts to warn the advancing British troops.
- A day after, the first shot of the revolution was heard at the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
- On May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress met at the State House in Philadelphia. Unlike the first Congress, the meeting was participated by all delegates from the thirteen colonies, including Georgia.
- The Second Continental Congress was able to accomplish the following; (1) the establishment of the Continental Army became the official militia of the united thirteen colonies, headed by Commanding General George Washington, (2) through the Olive Branch Petition, the colonists tried to make peace and negotiation with King George III, (3) On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was issued, (4) through the Flag Resolution, the flag was officially adopted, and (5) the Articles of Confederation was stipulated.
- In 1783, the Treaty of Paris negotiated by colonists Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay formally ended the American Revolution.
- The battle in Yorktown, Virginia in the fall of 1781, was the last major standoff between the British and American troops.
- Aside from formally recognizing the independence of the thirteen colonies, Britain ceded most of its territory east of the Mississippi River. However, both nations were given navigation rights to the River.
- The newly acquired northwest territories, including present-day Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and parts of Minnesota soon gave way to American westward expansion.
Causes of the American Revolution
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the causes of the American Revolution across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Causes of American Revolution worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence, which was a long conflict that spanned more than eight years of fighting between Great Britain and 13 of its North American colonies.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Causes of the American Revolution Facts
- American Revolution Timeline
- Colonial Mapping
- Cause and Effect
- Missing Pieces
- Founding Fathers
- Sons of Liberty
- Stacking Blocks
- Incident in Boston
- No Taxation Without Representation
- Petition to the King
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