American Revolution Research Paper The reason I chose the American Revolution as my topic was mainly because to me I thought it was very relevant subject to speak upon and not many of us have knowledge of how we even became the United States of America. Basically the American Revolution was one of many steps taken to develop our democracy type of government that we do have today. Also it tells about how the original thirteen broke away from the British harsh government taxes. To be honest I chose this topic simply because it was and I’ve done a report on this back in grade school.
These are the causes that led up to the war (not the signing because its already prior knowledge) Proclamation of 1763 “On October 7, 1763, King George III issued a royal proclamation which forbade American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. This was intended to stabilize relations with the Native American population, most of which had sided with France in the recent conflict, as well as reduce the cost of colonial defense. In America, the proclamation was met with outrage as many colonists had either purchased land west of mountains or had received land grants for services in the war.Immediately, settlers began ignoring the “Proclamation Line” and colonial leaders began lobbying London to move the line further west. The lobbying efforts met with some success and the line was adjusted through treaties in 1768 and 1770.
” (1) New Taxes & Boycotts “As the British government assessed methods for generating funds it was decided to levy new taxes on the colonies with the goal of offsetting some of the cost for their defense. Passed on April 5, 1764, the Sugar Act and Molasses Act, the new Sugar Act called for active enforcement and struck the colonies during an economic downturn.The passage of the Sugar Act led to outcries from colonial leaders claimed “taxation without representation,” as they had no members of parliament to represent their interests. ” (1) “Their economic situation was made worse later that year with the implantation of the Currency Act which prohibited the colonies from printing paper money. As many American businesses engaged in credit sales with Britain, they were crippled when several financial crises gripped London in the 1760’s and 1770’s.
These forced Britain merchants to call in their debts.Unable to generate any liquid form of currency, American businesses were frequently ruined and the colonial economy damaged. Outraged by these new laws and the Quartering Act which required colonial citizens to house and feed British troops, the American colonies began to systematically boycott British goods. ”(1) “The Revenue Act of 1764 did not bring in enough money to help pay the cost of defending the colonies.
The British looked for additional sources of taxation. Prime Minister Grenville supported the imposition of a stamp tax.Colonial representatives tried to convince Grenville that the tax was a bad idea. Grenville insisted in having the new taxes imposed and presented to the parliament. The parliament approved the tax in February 1765.
The colonies responded with outrage. It was considered a “shocking act”. (2) The colonist considered the act unconstitutional, a tax had been imposed and they had no need to heed the taxes. The Virginia House of Burgesses was nearing the end of its session when word of the Stamp Act reached it.A young delegate named Patrick Henry introduced a Resolution which stated: “That the general assembly of the colony, together with his majesty or his substitute have their representative capacity the only exclusive right and power to levy taxes and impositions on the inhabitants of this colony and that every attempt to vest such a power in any person or persons whatsoever other than the general assembly aforesaid is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust ,and has a manifest tendency to destroy British, as well as American freedom. This was the beginning of a united colonial opposition to the British Act.
”(2) Boston Tea Party The colonists were not fooled by Parliament’s ploy. When the East India Company sent shipments of tea to Philadelphia and New York the ships were not allowed to land. In Charleston the tea-laden ships were permitted to dock but their cargo was consigned to a warehouse where it remain until it sold by patriots in order to help fiance the revolution. In Boston, the arrival of three tea ships ignited a furious reaction. ” (3)The crisis came to head on December 16, 1773 when as many as 7,000 agitated locals milled out about the wharf where the ships should leave the harbor without the payment of any duty.
Stalemate, the committee reported back to the mass meeting and a howl erupted from the meeting hall. It was early evening and about 200 men, some disguised as Indians, assembled on a near-by hill. Whopping war chants, the crowd marched two-by two to the wharf, descended upon the three ships and dumped their offending cargos of tea into the harbor waters. (3) Most colonists applauded the action while the reaction in London was swift and vehement. In March 1774 Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts which among other measures closed the Port of Boston. The fuse that led directly to the explosion of the American independence was lit.
” (3) Battle of Lexington and Concord “(April 19,1775) Initial skirmishes between British Soldiers and American colonist that marked the beginning of the American Revolution. En route from Boston to seize colonists’ military stores at Concord, Mass. the British force of 700 was met at Lexington by 77 local minutemen alerted by Paul Revere. ” (1) Which side fired the first shot was unclear, and resistance soon ended. The British moved on to nearby Concord, where they were met by more than 300 American patriots and were forced to withdraw. On their march back to Boston, they were continually harried by colonist firing from behind barns, tress and roadside walls.
Death totaled 273 British and 95 Americans who died for our freedom today. (1)
