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The American Revolutionary WarLoading...
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(April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783)
The Stamp Act
The British were successful in their war with France, leaving them with all of France's land in North America. They felt it was necessary to create a large army in this area, but lacked the money to do so due to the expensive war they had just fought. This is why on March 22, 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which imposed a tax on all papers and official documents only in the American colonies. They claimed the colonists owed them this, since they protected them from the French. This outraged the colonists.
This video offers a more in depth understanding of The Stamp Act
The Declaratory Act
The Stamp Act was not successful due to colonial resistance such as large mobs turning away British ships filled with stamp acts. As a result of this resistance, it was impossible for England to fully bring the act into effect, so they repealed the Stamp Act and with it released the Declaratory Act in 1766.
In short, The Declaratory Act pretty much stated that the colonists have to do everything they say, as British laws are word and not to be questioned. The major difference between the Stamp Act and the Declaratory Act is that not only papers and documents were taxed, goods like tea, glass, and lead were as well.
The Boston Massacre
Once again the colonists boycotted the British, but this time with the newly instated act, The Declaratory Act. This made the angered King George the lll repeal all taxes except on tea and send over 1,000 British soldiers to take control of the colonists. Not only did the King send these troops over, he made sure the colonists would pay for them. This all caused tensions to rise dramatically.
On December 16, 1773 a group of local patriots known as the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Native Americans marched to Boston Harbor. From there, they boarded a British Merchant ship filled with tea and in front of thousands of witnesses, dumped over 10,000 pounds worth of tea into the harbor.
As a result of the growing tension, a group of local patriots began heckling a British Guard at the customs house. When more soldiers arrived to disband the patriots, they began throwing snowballs at the soldiers. This progressed into rocks, and then oysters.
The soldiers began firing their weapons. There were 5 reported dead civilians, and this event became known as the Boston Massacre.
As a result of The Boston Tea Party, Britain buckled down on the colonies by sending 3,000 more troops to occupy Massachusetts. This lead to the Continental Congress being created, which consisted of 56 delegates from every colony including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams.
The Boston Tea Party
On December 16, 1773 a group of local patriots known as the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Native Americans marched to Boston Harbor. From there, they boarded a British Merchant ship filled with tea and in front of thousands of witnesses, dumped over 10,000 pounds worth of tea into the harbor.
As a result of The Boston Tea Party, Britain buckled down on the colonies by sending 3,000 more troops to occupy Massachusetts. This lead to the Continental Congress being created, which consisted of 56 delegates from every colony including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams.
The Shot Heard Around the World
The initial stance for the colonists was never war, they simply wanted to ask the British to stop their taxing and heavy military. When they were told no, George Washington called for minutemen to be ready for battle in every colony. British General Thomas Gage heard of this and ordered 700 troops from Boston to destroy the colonist's weapons and ammunition.
The famous Paul Revere heard news of this planned British ambush and yelled down the street "The British are coming!" This allowed the colonial army time to meet the British in Lexington, where the first shot was fired by a British soldier. This signified the start of the Revolutionary War.