Causes of the American Revolution

The American Revolution was principally driven by Great Britain suddenly thrusting its imperial power into the New World during the 1760s after the Seven Years’ War. No single event constituted the “Casus Belli”. Rather it was a combination of taxes imposed through a series of acts; the fact that Americans had no representation in British parliament; the presence of unnecessary British troops in colonies; and the resistance to the British Imperial Program.

The American Revolution became a justification of American life as it had developed. “Americans suddenly saw themselves as a new society ideally equipped for a republican future.” John Adams summarized this in one statement: “The revolution was effected before the war commenced.”

British Imperial Program

After the Seven Years’ War ending in 1763 the British had three enormous tasks on their hands. The first being controlling the huge area of North America. The second lying in keeping peace on the frontier of the colonies. The third being paying off its huge imperial debt. This was attempted with the passing of the British Imperial Program.

Proclamation Line

Instead of fighting a series of Indian Wars, the British created a Proclamation line over the Appalachians. The Proclamation was intended to keep the British and Native Indians apart. Colonists saw wealth and land to the west and basically ignored the boundaries created by the British.

Troops

Keeping peace in the colonies was attempted through the use of planting ten-thousand permanent troops in the colonies. There had been too much death and too much money spent to lose the land to Indians, French or Spanish. This only seemed logical to the British. The colonists saw it differently.

The troops, in the end were used to the advantage of the colonial cause.

On the 5th of March 1770 an angry mob of colonists bombarded a group of Redcoats with rocks and snowballs. The frightened troops reciprocated and fired at the colonists, killing two, and leaving three mortally wounded. This event was depicted as the “Boston Massacre” and sold as propaganda to unite the 13 colonies and show them that Boston’s fate would soon be its own.

By the 18th of April in 1775 American resentment towards the British had grown. A group of 1500 Redcoats were sent to march to Concorde, seize a stockpile of gunpowder and return to Boston. On the 17th of June 1775, they were bombarded by colonists who besieged the city of Boston in the Battle of Bunker Hill; the colonists caused over 1000 casualties or deaths to the Imperial troops; this event marked the true beginning of the American War of Independence.

Imperial Debt

After the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) British Parliament had nearly doubled its debt from £75,000,000 to £137,000,000. The British Empire was being heavily taxed but the North American Colonies were spared of these burdens.

Paying off the Imperial debt was assisted by re-enforcing the Navigation Acts which had not been in place since the beginning of the 7 y war. The Navigation Acts taxed the colonists on imported items but were soon repealed because they cost more than they raised revenue.

Prime Minister George Grenville then passed a series of acts taxing the colonists who had absolutely no representation in British Parliament. The colonists felt that they were being used as a source of revenue to pay the Imperial debt and resented it.