The causes of the American Revolution

Defence of colonial boundaries against Native American attacks was increasingly important as colonies expanded westward. May 1763 Pontiac’s rebellion destroyed every British port west of Niagra. Native Americans only defeated by British soldiers. Confirmed view in London that colonies needed British troops for defence.

British national debt had doubled between 1755 and 1763, partly caused by the 7 Years’ War. Politicians angry that colonial governments had contributed little to their own defence during the war.

During the Seven Years’ War it had become apparent that smuggling with Europe and West Indies was big business in America

April 1763

To pay off national debt. Interest on national debt in 1763 was £4.4 mil and annual gov. income £8 mil. Increase taxes on America. Americans only paid one shilling in taxes per year while Britons paid 26. Cost of colonial defence had risen from £70,000 I 1748 to £350,000 in 1763
More money needed to maintain 10,000 troops

All land claims west of Appalachians nullified. Intended to be temporary to reduce Native Am. and colonial conflict.
Angered Virginians, frontiersmen and speculators.
Ignored. At least 30,000 Americans settled west of line between 1763 and ‘68.

Customs officials had to reside in colonies. Fine if custom officials take bribes.
Jurisdiction in revenue cases transferred from lenient colonial courts to a vice admiralty court. This challenged the colonial legal system.

Halved duty on Sugar. Previous Act only made £21,000 over 30 years. Stricter enforcement hoped to yield £78,000 in one year.
Affected primarily New England distillers.
Imposed duties to raise revenue with underrepresentation (only five Americans in House of Commons between 1763-83)
1765-9 9 colonial assemblies write in complaint to London. Abuse of power

American Whiggism - resist arbitrary rule - standing army potential threat to liberty.

John Wilkes - British Whig called king’s ministers ‘tools of despotism and corruption’. Imprisoned . American hero
James Otis 1764 The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved. No taxation without consent ‘enslaved’

1764 Granville announces his intent to impose a Stamp duty - one year to prepare
Bill passed in February 1765 to take effect on 1 November 1765
Stamps fixed onto every printed item, but lighter tax than England, to be spent entirely on colonies and only covers 1/4 of the cost of defence.

The Stamp Act applied universally, antagonising the most influential colonists - lawyers, printers and tavern keepers. It was the first direct tax levied by Parliament on the colonies.

When Virginian assembly adopted 5 of Patrick Henry’s resolutions it was printed in many colonial newspapers and portrayed as is Virginia had rejected the Stamp Act and would resist Britain if they tried to impose it. By end of 1765 eight other colonies had passed resolutions condemning the act and denying Parliament’s right to tax the colonies.

October 1765 New York Stamp Act Congress gathered 27 delegates from 9 colonies. Sought the repeal of the Stamp Act, abolition of vice-admiralty courts and of any ‘other late acts for the restriction of American commerce’.

Only proper way to raise money in America was through Assemblies.
Notion that the Stamp Act was evidence of a conspiracy to deprive Americans of their liberties was disseminated. Fear of any government
Fear that a standing army would force oppressive laws on colonists

Common crowd action - common in 18th century - evolved into popular militancy.
Loyal Nine - Boston led by Sam Adams - united with North and South End gangs against supporters of Stamp Act
August 1765 effigies of Oliver and Bute hanged on Liberty Tree. Mob destroyed Oliver’s office, home and Hutchinson’s mansion

Stamp distributors resigned or fled in every colony. Stamp Act nullified by mob action. No governors requested standing army to deal with civil disobedience.
Sons of Liberty (elite and new men) kept political consciousness high
Appealed to the public not to buy British goods until Stamp Act was repealed. This was v effective

New PM July 1765 Marquis of Rockingham more cautious than Grenville
Parliament divided between those who believed colonists were whining and those merchants and manufacturers who feared boycott.
General Thomas Gage, commander-in-chief of colonies informed the PM that the Act could not be enforced without far greater military force than he possessed.
Benjamin Franklin appeared before a Commons Committee to ease fears that the colonies would never pay taxes again. He insisted that the colonies only objected to internal taxes.
The Stamp Act was repealed in March 1766 by 275 votes to 167

Dr L.Tucker

Stamp Act Congress

Only £60,000 per year

£40,000 per year

Eric Robson. “Political ideas, not tea or taxes” were most responsible for American opposition to British rule.

colonists’ liberties

An abandonment of former precedents set during the period of salutary neglect.

If the colonists were willing to accept British acts, "a precedent would be established for making still greater inroads on liberty and property."

Paranoia that it was the beginning of an attempt to undercut all of the trading industries.

it misconstrued British taxes into a threat to colonial liberty, which popularised opposition.

Christie states that "American colonists … regulated their own internal policies."

Only 5% of 8500 colonial measures, thus creating a sense of independence and control within the colonies.

practical power lay with the Colonial Assemblies, which decided the pay rolls of officials.

the Virginia Resolves (1765) following the stamp act, calling for equal rights and representation in British Parliament

The perception of colonial control following a period of salutary neglect, and then sudden change in precedence, created political opposition to British rule.

Change in policy from salutary neglect to an active policy was the main cause of opposition to British rule.

the consequence of inconsistent British colonial policy

Grenville's ministry estimated that £700,000 worth of imports were smuggled into the colonies annually.

Declaratory Act of March 1766, in conjunction with the repeal of the Stamp Act, which reinstated British authority over the colonies "in all cases whatsoever".

"establish the inferiority and dependence of the colonies".

Hutchinson and Galloway

Alan Farmer 'Years of Calm'

their continuation of unexplained law, and reactionary position towards representation of the colonies in Parliament.

"a fallacious dream." - Thomas Paine

failing to act continually either as sovereign or equal, gave the colonists no choice but to react with reasoned confusion and resentment.