The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) was a conflict primarily between the Thirteen American Colonies and Great Britain. Several key events and factors led to the colonists' anger and ultimately to the revolutionary movement:
Events Leading to the Revolutionary War
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French and Indian War (1754-1763): This war significantly increased Britain’s debt, leading them to impose taxes on the colonies to help pay for the war and its aftermath.
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Stamp Act (1765): This law required colonists to purchase special stamped paper for legal documents, newspapers, and other publications, leading to widespread anger and protests, as it was viewed as taxation without representation.
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Townshend Acts (1767): These acts imposed duties on imported goods, including tea, glass, and paper. The colonists viewed these taxes as another form of unjust taxation.
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Boston Massacre (1770): Tensions escalated on March 5, 1770, when British soldiers killed five colonists during a confrontation, fueling resentment against British rule.
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Tea Act (1773): This act granted the British East India Company the right to sell tea directly to the colonies, effectively creating a monopoly and keeping the tax intact. This led to the Boston Tea Party.
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Boston Tea Party (1773): In December 1773, colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.
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Intolerable Acts (1774): In response to the Boston Tea Party, Britain enacted punitive measures, including closing Boston Harbor and revoking Massachusetts’ charter, further inflaming colonial anger.
Key Meetings
- First Continental Congress (1774):
- Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Why: The meeting was convened to address colonial grievances and coordinate a collective response to the Intolerable Acts. The Congress sought to assert colonial rights and restore self-governance.
Major Document Created
- Declaration of Independence (1776):
- What it Stated: The Declaration proclaimed the colonies’ independence from Britain. It outlined the philosophical justification for independence, particularly emphasizing the rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and stated that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.
- Year Written: The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776.
These events, meetings, and the Declaration of Independence were pivotal in shaping the revolutionary movement, leading to the eventual breakout of the war in 1775.