Next week, we celebrate Independence Day. This is a great time to reflect on how and why the Colonies fought for their independence from England.
The Revolutionary war (1775-1783) was not a sudden decision by the American colonies, but actually started after more than a decade of events.
French and Indian War (1754-1763)
First, the war was not mainly between the French and the Indians. The war was between France and England for the control of settling North America. The British had established many colonies along the east coast. The French had controlled the territory around the Great Lakes, up the Mississippi River, and further inland from the coast.
The French and the British made allies with different Indian tribes. Many French soldiers, British soldiers, and Native Americans died for who would control this land. England won that war. The war was very costly in money, resources, and man power. Since the war was fought for the people in the colonies, England had tried to pass a lot of the cost of the war to the people living in the colonies by raising taxes.
Extreme tensions between the colonies and Britain that developed shortly after the French and Indian War in 1763.
Seven Events
After the French and Indian War, these seven events are recognized as the main causes to the American Revolution:
1. Stamp Act (March 1765): To pay for the massive debt after the French war, Britain implanted broad reaching taxes on the colonies. This act was to repay Britain for protecting the colonists from the Indians.
2. Townshend Acts (June-July 1767): Taxes on goods imported from Britain. Colonies boycotted British goods and began harassing British Customs Commissioners. The Crowne sent troops to stop the resistance.
3. Boston Massacre (March (1770): Over 200 colonists surrounded seven British troops. The troops fired into the crowd killing three and wounding two others. This action was used as a propaganda campaign for the colonists.
4. Boston Tea Party (December 1773): Even though the Crowne withdrew its forces and repealed most of the Townshend Acts, they did retain taxes on tea and enacted the Tea Act, in an attempt to prop up an unstable British East India Company, giving them favorable treatment under tax regulations. The colonists were upset and a radical group called Sons of Liberty, dressed as Mohawk Indians, boarded three British ships, and dumped over 90,000 pounds of tea into the harbor. The Crowne was furious as many East India Company shareholders lost great wealth.
5. Coercive Acts (March-June 1774): The laws passed in response to the destruction of the tea by the rebels. The laws closed the Boston Harbor until the colonists paid for their damages, replaced the colony’s elected council, and provided broad power to the British military governor, General Tomas Gage. All town meetings were forbidden. The most objectionable law, called the Quartering Act, allowed British military to demand accommodations in unoccupied buildings requiring the colonists to pay for the troops’ expenses and feeding. This provision became one of the major grievances cited in the Declaration of Independence.
6. Lexington and Concord (April 1775): A British General, Thomas Gage, led British soldiers to Lexington with plans to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock, who were labeled radical colonial leaders, then proceed to Concord to seize all gunpowder. The Colonists spies learned of the plans. Paul Revere, and others, spread the word of the British plans. Seventy seven colonist militiamen confronted the British soldiers. Even with seven colonists killed, they stopped the British at Concord forcing troops to retreat to Boston. The British lost 73 soldiers with another 174 wounded. 26 were missing in action. This is recognized as the official the start of the Revolutionary War.
7. British Attacks on Coastal Towns (October 1775-January 1776): Although the war started at Concord, it was not certain the southern colonies would fight with the norther colonies. The southerners were dependent upon the English to purchase their goods. The British bombarded and burnt coastal towns which unified the colonies. The burning of Falmouth, Massachusetts shocked General George Washington, who denounce the barbarity. The burning of Norfolk enraged the southern colonies. The burning of these two towns by British troops, unified the colonies to fight for their independence.
(source) Thanks to the San Antonio Sons of the American Revolution Chapter 4 for this article.