The American Revolution
Disputes over taxation and rights escalated into a war for independence and the creation of a new nation based on revolutionary ideals.
Taxation without representation
The Stamp Act of 1765 taxed printed materials, provoking protests, boycotts, and the Stamp Act Congress. Colonists argued that only their own elected assemblies could tax them: 'no taxation without representation'. Parliament repealed it in 1766 but asserted its right to legislate for the colonies 'in all cases whatsoever' in the Declaratory Act.
Escalating conflict
The Townshend Acts (1767) taxed imports such as glass, paper, and tea, leading to more boycotts. In the Boston Massacre of 1770, British soldiers killed five colonists. The Tea Act of 1773 led to the Boston Tea Party, when colonists dumped tea into the harbour. Britain responded with the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts of 1774, closing Boston's port.
War begins
The First Continental Congress met in 1774 to coordinate resistance. In April 1775, fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The Second Continental Congress created the Continental Army under George Washington. Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense (January 1776) persuaded many colonists to support full independence.
The Declaration of Independence
On 4 July 1776, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, written mainly by Thomas Jefferson. It declared that 'all men are created equal' with unalienable rights to 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness', that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed, and listed grievances against King George III.
The course of the war
Britain had a professional army and navy; the Americans had home ground, determined leadership, and eventually foreign allies. The American victory at Saratoga in 1777 convinced France to ally with the United States in 1778. Washington's army survived a brutal winter at Valley Forge in 1777-1778.
Victory
In 1781, American and French forces trapped a British army at Yorktown, Virginia, forcing its surrender. The Treaty of Paris of 1783 recognised American independence, with borders stretching to the Mississippi River.
The Revolution's limits and legacies
The Revolution's ideals of liberty and equality inspired later movements but excluded many. Slavery continued, though some northern states began gradual abolition. Women, such as Abigail Adams, who urged her husband to 'remember the ladies', gained little formal power. Native nations, many of which sided with Britain, faced growing pressure on their lands.
Worked example
A Boston artisan in 1765 might have seen himself as a loyal British subject protesting an unfair tax. By 1776, after the Boston Massacre, the Coercive Acts, and fighting at Lexington, reading Common Sense might convince him that independence was the only way to protect his rights. The Revolution grew from a dispute over rights within the empire into a break from it.
Key takeaways
The Stamp Act (1765) sparked 'no taxation without representation'. The Townshend Acts, Boston Massacre (1770), Tea Party (1773), and Coercive Acts (1774) escalated conflict. Fighting began at Lexington and Concord (1775); Common Sense pushed for independence. The Declaration (4 July 1776) proclaimed equality and natural rights. Saratoga (1777) brought French alliance; Yorktown (1781) ended major fighting; the Treaty of Paris (1783) secured independence. Its ideals were not extended to all.
Flashcard
1765 tax on printed materials
Check your understanding
Why was the American victory at Saratoga in 1777 a turning point?