Causes of the American Revolution Notes

• What is meant by "salutary neglect?"

  • Britain had a "hands off" policy with their colonies
  • Used colonies for raw materials but allowed them to handle their own affairs
  • This treatment ended when the French and Indian War (7-Year War) ended
• When did this policy end?

  After the French and Indian War (7-Year War) ended
• Why were the British having financial problems?

  • They won the 7 year war but it actually lasted 10 years and that left them in deep debt
  • They attempted to tax the American colonists to make back the debt
• What did the Proclamation of 1763 state?

  Before trying taxes, Britain ordered that all the land to the West of the Appalachian Mountains be closed off to American settlement colonists.
• Why did the British pass this proclamation?

  • Britain and Native Americans had bad relations
  • Britain feels obligated to protect colonists
  • They prevented Western settlement by sending 10,000 troops to the West.
• How did the colonists feel about the Proclamation?

  • They were upset because it was good farm land and there were beavers.

  - Farmland and beavers = money

  • They felt they earned the right to be there since they fought for it
  • They settled there anyway
• What did the Sugar Act primarily tax?

  • Molasses was being taxed as it had many uses.

  - Used to make liquor, removes rust, and makes ammunition
• How did the Stamp Act work?

  • Required colonists to have a special stamp on essentially any paper product
  • Colonists were charged for the stamp
• Why did the British think the Stamp Act could be more effective than the Sugar Act?

  They cant get out of using paper like they could with molasses
• How did the colonists react? What was their rallying cry?

  • They rioted in larger cities and threw stones at tax collectors
  • Their slogan was "No taxation without representation"
• What items did the Townshend Acts tax?

  • It taxes items such as glass, lead, paint, tea, and plain paper
• Why did the British think the Townshend Act would be effective?


  They're less common objects
• How did a non-importation agreement work?

  • Store owners agreed to not sell or import those products
  • It takes away the personal choice to buy the items as they're just not available
• What did the Quartering Act do? How was it an indirect tax on the colonists?

  • It forced colonists to house the British Soldiers
  • It forced them to feed them as well, so Britain was saving money by not supplying housing or food to their soldiers.
• What event did the Quartering Act ultimately lead to?

  • The colonists realize they're being indirectly taxed, and therefore, violence ensues.
  • This leads to the Boston Massacre.
• What part of the Townshend Acts was not repealed? Why had this tax been somewhat effective?

  • They kept the tax on tea, and it worked because colonists drank a LOT of tea
• Why did the Townshend Acts begin to become less effective?

  • Britain continued increasing the tax, but colonists stopped buying the items it affected (tea).
  • Colonists were then sent a surplus of tea
• Who were the Sons of Liberty?

  • Sam Adams, John Adams, and Paul Revere
  • They were against the Tea Act (Anti-British)
• What event did they orchestrate? What happened?

  The Boston Tea Party. They threw crates and crates of tea into the harbor ($1 million in today's money).
• How did the British respond to the Boston Tea Party?

  • They pass the Intolerable Acts
  • Boston Harbor is shut down
  • Colonists weren't allowed to have town meetings without permission
  • Quartering Act expanded, more colonists housing and feeding British soldiers
  • British Officers were not charged with crimes