Daily Contact Between British Soldiers And Colonists example essay topic

Causes Of The War The following events represent the major events along the way to war. While it would be hard to point to any one event that singularly led to the Revolution, there is no doubt that the American view that they were entitled to the full democratic rights of Englishmen, while the British view that the American colonies were just colonies to be used and exploited in whatever way best suited the Great Britain, insured that war was inevitable. 1754- French and Indian War 1770- Boston Massacre 1764- British Impose New Taxes 1770 Townshend Act Repealed 1765- Stamp Tax Passed 1772- Cutter Gaspee Burned 1766- Sons of Liberty Formed 1773- Boston Tea Party 1767- Townshend Acts Imposed 1774 Coercive Acts Imposed 1767- Colonist Respond With Boycott 1774- First Continental Congress Meets 1768- British Troops Land in Boston In 1764 the British for the first time imposed a series of taxes designed specifically to raise revenue from the colonies. The tax whose official name was the American Revenue Act, became popularly known as the Sugar Act.

On of its major components was the raising of tariff on sugar. The act was combined with a greater attempt to enforce the existing tariffs. In the summer of 1766, King George of England replaced Prime Minister Rockingham with William Pitt. Pitt was popular in the colonies. He opposed the Stamp Act and believed that colonists were entitled to all the rights of English citizens. Pitt suddenly became sick.

Charles Townshend, Chancellor of the Exchequer, took over the effective reins of the government. Unlike his predecessor, Townshend was not concerned with the subtleties of the rights of American colonists. Townshend wanted to strengthen the power of the British parliament which would simultaneously strengthen the power of royal officials. He convinced the Parliament to pass a series of laws imposing new taxes on the colonists.

These laws included special taxes on lead, paint, paper, glass and tea imported by colonists. In addition, the New York legislature was suspended until it agreed to quarter British soldiers. The Acts also insured that colonial officials, including governors and judges, would receive their salaries directly from the Crown. An armed clash between the British and the colonists was almost inevitable from the moment British troops were introduced in Boston. Brawls were constant between the British and the colonists, who were constantly insulting the troops. On March 5, 1770, a crowd of sixty towns people surrounded British sentries guarding the customs house.

They began pelting snowballs at the guards. Suddenly, a shot rang out, followed by several others. Ultimately, 11 colonists were hit. Five were dead, including Crispus Attucks, a former slave. The British were shocked by the destruction of the tea in Boston Harbor and other colonial protests. The British parliament gave its speedy assent to a series of acts that became known as the 'Coercive Acts'; or in the colonies as the 'Intolerable Acts'.

These acts included the closing of the port of Boston, until such time as the East India tea company received compensation for the tea dumped into the harbor. The Royal governor took control over the Massachusetts government and would appoint all officials. Sheriffs would become royal appointees, as would juries. In addition, the British took the right to quarter soldiers anywhere in the colonies. In response to colonial protest and increasing attacks on colonial officials by the Sons of Liberty', Lord Hillsborough, Secretary of State for the Colonies, dispatched tow regiments- (4,000 troops), to restore order in Boston. The daily contact between British soldiers and colonists served to worsen relations..