The American Revolution

The American Revolution

The American Revolution consists of many causes. Following these causes, there followed many aftermaths. The people of the American revolution consisted of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, and Benedict Arnold. In the years following the American Revolution, the causes were quite sensible. Post revolution included the Treaty of Paris, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

One cause of the revolution was the acts put in place to restrict colonists from certain things. Sedition acts were a common law offense that is less than treason but that may be preliminary to it. The new law said that citizens could be fined or jailed if they criticized elected officials. The alien act allowed the President to expel any alien or foreigner who he thought was dangerous to the country. Quebec Act set up a government for Canada and protected the rights of French Catholics. The tea act did away with some taxes paid by the colonists.

In the Quartering Act, colonists had to provide housing, candles, bedding, and beverages to British soldiers stationed in the colonies. In the Townsend Acts, tax was put on goods such as glass, paper, silk, lead, and tea. The Sugar Act replaced an earlier tax on molasses that had been in effect for years. The stamp act put tax on licenses, and all official documents. The intolerable acts were to punish the colonists for the Boston tea party.

The Boston Tea Party was a raid by American colonists on British ships in Boston Harbor. It took place on December 16, 1773. A group of citizens disguised as Indians, armed with tomahawks threw the contents of 342 chests of tea into the bay. This occurrence was one of many which encouraged up bad feelings between the colonists and the British Government and soon led to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. The raid of American colonists that attacked the ships all began when the people of Massachusetts were angry over a tax which had been placed by the British Parliament on tea coming into the colonies. Although ships carrying cargoes of tea arrived in Boston Harbor continuously, the colonists called town meetings and came up with resolutions to stop the importation. The resolutions urged Governor Thomas Hutchinson to drive back the ships and his denial led to the Boston Tea Party.

The Boston massacre was no massacre at all, but a Boston mob and a squad of British soldiers. The riot took place on March 5, 1770. A mob of men and boys taunted a sentinel guard standing outside of the city's costume house. When other British soldiers came to the army's support, a free for all shots were fired into the crowd. Many died as well. Capt. Preston and six of his men were arrested for murder, but later were acquitted Later two other soldiers