Cause of the Revolution Flow Chart

Year Event Description Effect on Colonies (Economic, Political, Social)

17561763

Effect on England (Economic, Political, Social)

--put England in a huge debt --made it harder to control colonies --disdain for the colonists

How it led to the American Revolution

French and Indian War

--A war of the French and Indians against Britain and colonists that lasted 7 years

--colonies taxed to recover from war --wanted political self-control --indignant of British soldiers

--the taxes imposed on the colonists, lack of political control, and animosity of British generals led colonists to feel resentful

1763

Proclamation of 1763

--A boundary set up by British that restricted colonists from travelling past because of Indian hostility

--colonists angered that their share of "prize" from the French and Indian War was taken away

--annoyed that colonists didn't understand the dangers of violent Native Americans

--bitter feelings evolved from the disagreement about the boundary

1764

Sugar Act

--A modification of the Sugar and Molasses Act (1733), reduced tax but increased taxed products

--colonies paid a lot of money --fueled colonists' anger at Britain's demands --colonists started boycotts

--gave England money to protect colonies --economy suffered from boycotts

--the boycotts helped the colonies in becoming more unified

1765

Stamp Act

--An act that required colonists to pay a tax for bills and documents

--colonists felt they were unnecessarily taxed --formed phrase "no taxation without representation"

--Parliament was denied by Americans the right to tax colonies

--led to the Stamp Act Congress, expressed strong colonial unity --Sons of Liberty formed

1765

Quartering Act

--Required colonies to shelter and feed British soldiers

--colonists thought this was Britain's way to absolute control over the colonies --New York defied this act

--England had to suspend New York legislature in 1767 --British sent to Boston to control colonists

--England met with increasing unified resistance to its rule

1766

Declaratory Act

--Repealed Stamp Act, but gave Britain complete control

--colonists happy with repeal of Stamp Act --maintained Britain's position of authority

--gave England power to basically do whatever it wants with the colonies

--colonists will eventually figure out the restrictions of the Declaratory Act and revolt

1767

Townshend Duties

--Put taxes on tea, paper, lead, oil, and glass

--resentful feelings arose in colonists again --products were smuggled -colonists increasingly violent

--lost power as officials and troops were attacked

--caused colonies to be extremely resistant to British rule, turning to violence to rebel

March 5, 1770

Boston Massacre

--Five killed and six injured when the British shot at an unhappy crowd when the soldiers were reinforcing Parliament law --A Parliament act that reduced the price of tea from British East India Company, even with the tax --Boston colonists dressed up as Indians and climbed aboard a tea cargo ship and dumped the tea into the Atlantic

--much propaganda produced --colonists infuriated by the death of the innocent

--2 of the soldiers charged with manslaughter, nothing else

--already unhappy about Parliament laws, the colonists, especially Boston colonists, were becoming increasingly violent and defiant

1773

Tea Act

--colonists saw it as a way for Britain to trick or convince the colonists to pay the unwanted tax

--British starting to see the more violent effect that the acts had on them

--Colonists are deeply offended by this act and decide to take action

1773

Boston Tea Party

--spread word of the colonists defiant acts --caused more colonists to agree with what the said

--harder to control Boston and other colonies

--The British had to pass laws to punish the colonies, especially Boston, for their acts

1774

Coercive/ Intolerable Acts

--A series of acts that took away the rights of colonists in Massachusetts, particularly Boston

--colonists felt that to take away Bostons rights and the peoples rights to a free trial was unjustified

--British felt it was the --Magnified first tensions only way to control between colonists and the rising colonists British officials

Septe mber 5, 1774

First Continental Congress

--A meeting of representatives from all colonies except Georgia to discuss a list of grievances

--first step towards intercolonial unity

--Britain saw it as colonists possibly calling for change or independence

--Showed the colonies taking steps to unite for a cause

April 19, 1775

Battles of Lexington and Concord

--Attacks on the Continental Army by the British Army; one to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock, the other to seize rebel gunpowder

--first battles of the American Revolution; colonists were stunned by their success

--first battles of the --showed the British the American Revolution; power in numbers and British also stunned cause at the colonists success

May 10, 1775

Second Continental Congress

--A second meeting, this time with representatives from all colonies to further discuss the list of grievances and to raise money and form an army and navy

--gave colonists a sense of unity

--showed British that colonies were on a brink of war

--really got the war started

177576

Publication of Common Sense

--pamphlet writtten by Thomas Paine to urge colonies to unite --Americas official grievances against King, written by Thomas Jefferson

--united the colonists for --A verbal waging of a common cause, to war against England break away from England

--became a symbol of American independence

July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence

--formally broke off from England and became a separate country

--England no longer had the thirteen colonies

--was the final step of the American Revolution