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End of French and Indian War
The French and Indian war was from 1754-1763, a world war fought between the French and British. The British turned the tide on the French by increasing the war fund, this allowed the British to win, and in 1763 the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the war. Though because of the war England had a large war debt, to repay this they increased taxes the colonies and ended salutary neglect. They began to strictly enforce tax collection as well as a series of acts the colonist protested. -
Sugar Act
The sugar act was the first of many acts with the goal of paying off the war debt from the 7 years war. It was an indirect tax, that actually lowered the original tax from the molasses act, with the goal of decreasing smuggling. Though the American were upset with this for two reasons, one it allowed British to search their property without a warrant and it forced them to pay full taxes, something up until now they had never done before in the current generations life time. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp act was the second act created to pay the war debt it was a direct tax on all printed goods. The colonist felt their rights were being violated and they began to resist. This led the sons and daughters of liberty to create the stamp congress which organized boycotts on the act. Though some colonist went to far with this using violent and illegal methods. Though their methods were effective, the stamp act was repealed. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend act replaced the stamp act, it taxed glass, paint, tea, and more. Profit was used to fund troops in the colonies, though it was repealed in 1770. Again colonist were outraged they had to fully pay taxes, and by the troops there taxes were funding.Previously British troops were only in the colonies to help fight whatever the current war was but now the troops were in the colonies in times of peace. This led the mostly self-governed colonies to feel feel powerless. -
Quarting Act
The Quartering act required that Americans house and feed British troops, at first the Americans were not upset with this act as it only affected taverns and Inns, though later on it was forced onto families. This outraged the colonist because a) it was there taxes funding the soldiers that were in there homes and business for free and b) it was as if they had to pay extra taxes to feed and house these soldiers they never wanted to stay. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was not quite a massacre, only five people died, though it was powerful. This massacre was caused by the growing unrest in the colonize do the the rise in taxes and England strict enforcement of there collection. Though the massacre did force Britain to back off the colonies, time heals all wounds, though later on the colonist use this event as propaganda hence the title massacre. Though it is also note worthy that the soldier responsible did have a fair trial in America. -
Tea Act
Once the heat from the Boston massacre cooled down England created another act to pay the war debt they still had. The tea act taxed tea and provided a monopoly on tea in the colonize for the British East Indian tea company. The sons of liberty band together and react, their idea, the Boston tea party. they destroyed an estimated $1-3 million in cargo, This enrages King George he send more troops to the colonies as a way to force dependence on Britain. -
Intolerable Acts
In reaction to the Tea party Britain released the intolerable acts. This closed Boston ports, shut down all Mass. governments, sent British soldiers to England for trials, created the 2nd quartering act, and gave Quebec to the French. These acts enraged ever level of colonist, if punished all of them for the acts of few. These acts only created more sons and daughters of liberty and began to band the colonies together, though for some colonist this was not enough and they remained loyal. -
Olive Branch petition
The Olive Branch petition was written by John Dickinson and was essentially an apology to the King in hopes the King would forgive them and take them back. Unfortunately, the King saw this petition as a joke and declares all the colonies to be in an open state of rebellion, this leads to Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" which together make more colonist open to the idea of independence. -
Declaration of Independence
After the failure that was the Olive Branch petition, the colonist took a different route. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Deceleration of Independence, which was basically a break up letter, that listed all their grievances and officially declared Independence from Britain.It listed out their god given rights, not crown given, and was sent to every super power of that time. This became the final straw for Britain and officially stated the war which everyone believed to be an easy win for England.