The American Revolution was one of the key events that took place in America during the second phase of the eighteenth century. In 1607, the British brought many drastic changes in the American society that interfered with their civilization. During this time, Britain was much preoccupied with advancing its economy. In this regard, Britain enacted colonial policies that would favor its maximum exploitation of its colonies. This paper discusses the road to American Revolution.
The revolution started in 1763 when the ‘French and Indian war’ ended. The British Proclamation of 1763 was meant to help them create governments for the new colonies, forester peace among vanquishers, and facilitate British commercial interests in the colonies (Allison 2-17). The British government had incurred many expenses during the war and it was keen on regaining its lost resources through taxing its colonial subjects.
Accordingly, many taxation measures were implemented in order to generate revenue for the British army in America. The Sugar Act was implemented in 1764 and it was meant to reduce tariffs charged on non-British merchandise sourced from West Indies. It was also supposed to facilitate the collection of those goods. This act was followed by the first Stamp Act, which was implemented from 1765 in order to provide income for the army (Brinkley 23-105).
Soon after the enforcement of this act, the Quartering Act was also put in place in 1765, and it was intended to enable the British army to have access to social amenities. More taxes were levied on goods that were imported through the enforcement of the Townshend Act that was introduced in 1767. The British also implemented the Navigation Acts, which further strained the economy of the Americans.
The Americans resisted the new taxes imposed on them through various methods. For example, they refused to buy goods imported from Britain. The harsh economic policies led to serious economic disillusionment, which sparked off violence in various parts of America. In March 1770, a serious picketing incident in Boston led to the gruesome massacre of five Americans by the British troops.
This was followed by the burning and sinking of a British mercantile vessel in Rhode Island in 1772. “On 16 December 1773, some colonialists destroyed many tons of tea in Boston and the event was termed the Boston Tea Party” (Middlekauff 56-89). In reaction to the spate of violence, the British government immediately responded by imposing more punitive measures on its subjects.
In mid 1774, the Boston Port Act was sanctioned and it led to the cordoning of the Boston Port, which later resumed its operations after the compensation of the East Indian Company. “The British Congress further proclaimed Quartering Act, Administration of Justice Act and Massachusetts Government Act in the same year” (Guevara 78-109).
The Americans argued that these Coercive Acts were arbitrary infringement on their prerogatives. Consequently, in late 1774, the colonists organized a demonstration during the First Continental Congress.
As the hostility escalated, many colonists engaged in chaotic protests that culminated to American Revolution in 1775. Independence was finally granted to the American colonies in 1776. From 1777, the Americans started making constitutional changes that would enable them develop their country. The struggle for independence was very difficult for the Americans. However, through a concerted effort they managed to dislodge the British from their territory.
Works Cited
Allison, Robert. The American Revolution: A Concise History, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.
Brinkley, Alan. American History: A Survey, New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hil, 2009. Print.
Guevara, Che. The Economics of Revolution, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print.
Middlekauff, Robert. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789, New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.