The colonists declared their independence from Britain due to a series of events that increased tensions between them and the British government. First, the French and Indian War (1754-1763) left Britain with a massive debt, leading them to impose taxes on the colonies to help pay for their expenses. The Stamp Act of 1765 was one of the first direct taxes, requiring colonists to pay for official stamps on documents, which angered many and sparked protests like the famous slogan "No taxation without representation." In response to the growing unrest, the British repealed the Stamp Act, but they still imposed other taxes, such as the Townshend Acts of 1767, which led to boycotts of British goods. Tensions escalated even further with incidents like the Boston Massacre in 1770, where British soldiers shot and killed five colonists during a confrontation, fueling anti-British sentiment. Finally, the Intolerable Acts of 1774, meant to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party, unified the colonies against Britain, leading to the first shots of the Revolutionary War at the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, as colonists took up arms to defend their rights and freedoms.
Based on your research, why did the colonists end up
declaring their independence from Britain? Trace the
series of events, from the French and Indian War to the
Battles of Lexington and Concord. Include details of at
least four events in a paragraph of six sentences for a 9th grader
1 answer
1 answer