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Royal Proclamation
This Proclamation barred settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains and required fur traders to obtain permission before entering the territory. The British hoped that separating settlers and Indians would end fighting on the frontier. Colonists were angry and resented the measure. The Royal Proclamation was a cause of the Revolution because colonists became angry with the British because they wanted to expand westward as they thought it was their destiny to settle the rest of the continent. -
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Causes of the American Revolution
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Sugar Act
The Act imposed a duty on foreign sugar, molasses, and several other items entering the colonies to raise needed revenue. British inspectors searched homes, ships, and warehouses for smuggled goods. Business decreased for colonial businessmen who profited from foreign trade and smuggling. They formed committees to protest and refused to cooperate with officers who entered the ports. This Act moved the colonists to action because they did not like that they were being taxed for England’s profit. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act placed a tax on printed matter of all kinds. Colonists disagreed with the taxes because they were being taxed without representation in Parliament. Merchants signed non-importation agreements promising not to buy/import British goods. Because of pressure from American and British merchants, Parliament repealed the Act in March 1766. This Act moved the colonists to action because they were angry that they were being taxed without representation in Parliament. -
Declaratory Act
This Act asserted the full power and authority of Parliament to make laws to bind the colonies and people of America in all cases whatsoever. Most colonists took little notice in the law being passed because they were focused on the repeal of the Stamp Act. This Act was a cause of the Revolution because colonists still did not fully agree that British should be allowed to force any law/tax upon them without representation in Parliament. -
Townsend Act
The Act placed import duties on common items like glass and dyes. Special warrants called writs of assistance gave officers the ability to search anything on the mere suspicion that it contained smuggled goods. Colonial courts refused to issue the writs and citizens refused to open their homes to soldiers. People boycotted British goods. Colonists moved to action because they were angry that British controlled every aspect of their lives and did not like how officials could search anything. -
Boston Massacre
An angry crowd of colonists gathered outside a customs house in Boston where there was a small group of British soldiers. They insulted and threw things at the soldiers. A soldier slipped, his gun went off and then the soldiers opened fire at the crowd. Five people died. This incident pushed the colonists to action because they did not like that the British had been so aggressive with them and had fired at an unarmed crowd. They no longer wanted to be pushed around by the British. -
Tea Act
It was passed to help the British East Indian Company that was almost bankrupt. The law excused it from paying certain duties and permitted it to sell tea directly to American agencies. Colonists opposed this and refused to buy tea. They thought it might develop a monopoly of the tea trade. A group of colonists dressed as Indians dumped 342 chests of tea from ships into the Boston Harbor. The Act moved colonists to action because they resented the British for being severely controlling. -
Quebec Act
The Act extended Quebec’s boundary south of the Ohio River, overriding the claims of CT, MA, and VA to the western lands. The law granted full religious freedom to French Roman Catholics which angered the Protestant colonists. The Act angered colonists because they had to give up some of their land. The colonists were moved to action by the Act because they did not think it was right that they had been forced to give some of their land to Quebec after fighting a war against the French. -
Intolerable Acts
The Acts were a series of 4 laws designed to punish the colonists for their violent opposition of British laws and to strengthen British control of the colonies. Colonists were angry because they could no longer use the Boston Harbor and because they had to open their homes to British soldiers. The colonists were moved to action by the Acts because they saw them as threats to colonial liberty. British wanted more power over the colonies and the colonists did not want to give them more control.
