1. CAUSES OF THE
AMERICAN
REVOLUTION

2. Summary:
Why Colonist Went to War:
"For over two centuries, the occupants of the American
Colonies lived peacefully under the rule of the English
government. But, by 1775 the colonists had grown tired of
being unfairly controlled by King George III and is parliament".
"Colonist wished to be treated like adults, not children. Each
side refused to give in, which led to an all out war and
eventual independence for the colonies".

3. Timeline of Events
Leading up to American Revolution
1763 1765 1765 1767 1770 1773 1774
Boston Intolerable
Proclamation Stamp Act Massacre
Quartering Townshend Boston Tea
Party

4. Proclamation of 1763
•The colonists helped the British win
the French and Indian war.
•The victory gave England the land
west of the Appalachian Mountains,
all the way to the Mississippi River.
•The King made a PROCLAMATION
or an announcement in 1763 that the
colonists could not go past the
Appalachian Mountains.
•This Proclamation angered the
colonists since they also helped fight
for that land!

5. Quartering Act 1765
•King George III sent British soldiers
to the colonies to "protect" the
colonists from the French.
•To pay for the protection that the
colonists were receiving, they were
required to provide supplies and
barracks (housing) for the British
troops.
•The colonist were ordered to
provide housing, food and
5
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6 transportation. This was a way for
t
g Ac the King to put an indirect tax on
r in
rte the colonists.
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6. The Stamp Act-1765
•The Stamp Act was a law passed which
imposed a tax on all American colonists. It
required them to pay a tax on every piece of
printed paper they used.
Examples of a
•The Stamp Act required all legal documents,
stamp showing licenses, commercial contracts, newspapers,
that colonist paid pamphlets and playing cards to carry a tax.
the stamp tax
•The money collected by the Stamp Act was
to be used to help pay the costs of the British
soldiers who were in America protecting the
frontier.
•Colonists boycotted British goods in order to
get the Stamp Act repealed.

7. Townshend Act-1767
•After the Stamp Act was repealed, a man by the name of Charles
Townshend imposed an indirect tax on items such as lead, glass,
paper, and tea.
•Townshend hoped that the colonists would not notice the price
increase.
•This indirect tax was collected at the sea ports before items
reached colonial stores. Therefore, when colonists went to but
these items, that tax was already included in the price. (Unlike the
Act, where the colonists were aware of the added tax)
•The colonists did recognize the indirect tax and once again
boycotted British goods. Colonists were extremely upset with the
unjust form of "Taxation without Representation!"

8. Boston Massacre-1770
•Tensions were growing higher between the
colonists and the British soldiers.
•On march 5, 1770 a crowd of people gathered
in front of the Customs House began harassing
a British soldier.
•The soldier called for helped and nine more
soldiers were sent.
Engraving by Paul Revere
•Insults and snowballs were thrown at the
soldiers and in the commotion someone yelled
"Fire!".
•Many shots were fired and when the smoke
cleared a total of 5 townspeople had been
Click the newspaper to read
killed.
the March 12, 1770 edition of
the Boston Gazette reporting •The people of Boston were furious and
on the Boston Massacre.
demanded that the soldiers be tried and
executed for the killings.

9. Boston Tea Party
1773
• On December 16, 1773 the Sons of Liberty, who were led by Samuel
Adams, dressed up as Mohawk Indians and headed to the Boston Harbor.
•These Radical Patriots quickly and quietly boarded three different ships
arming themselves with axes and hatchets.
•The group disguised as Native Americans threw 342 crates of tea
overboard, destroying the precious British tea.
•This act of defiance made King George III furious and he told the Patriots
would be punished!

10. Intolerable Acts ~ 1774
•Due to Massachusetts constant resistance to parliamentary rule
and as punishment for the Boston Tea party, the King and his
Parliament passed a series of laws to limit political and
geographical freedoms.
These laws were called the Coercive Acts or Intolerable Acts.
5.The Boston Harbor would be closed until the East India Tea
Company was repaid fully for the tea lost a the "Tea Party".
6.Quartering Act was extended to publicly occupied buildings.
7.British Officials could not be tried in colonial courts for their
crimes; instead, they would be sent back to Britain to receive
punishment.
8.Colonial charters, which stated rules and government set up,
were annulled and British Governors were in complete control of
town meetings.
9.The border of Canada was now extended into the western
colonies of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Virginia
KG

11. First Continental Congress
1774
•The American colonists banded together to fight
back after the British enforced the Intolerable
Acts.
•Representatives met in Philadelphia to try to
figure out a compromise that could be made with
England.
•Congress voted to cut off colonial trade with
Great Britain until Parliament abolished the
Intolerable Acts.
•Congress also decided to train men for war,
fearing was with England was inevitable.
•King George III and Parliament did not
acknowledge or respect the requests of the
colonists.

12. BATTLE OF LEXINGTON AND CONCORD-1774
* The British soldiers marched out of Boston to seize the colonists' gunpowder
and firearms on Concord, Massachusetts.
*Paul Revere helped alert the Minutemen that the British were on the move by
hanging lanterns in the church steeple. He also rode through the town to warn
that, "The British are coming!"
*Although the Minutemen were ready for the British in Lexington,
Massachusetts they were out numbered and defeated.
*Messengers were able to warn colonists in Concord, Massachusetts and only
a portion of the supplies were destroyed.

13. •Now that you have read and reviewed the reasons for the
American Revolution, click on the different activities to how
much you have learned!!
The Road to the Revolution
The American Revolution Interactive Quiz
Boston Massacre Secret Agent Case
Interactive Crossword Puzzle
Glencoe: Causes of American Revolution Self Check Quiz

14. The Road To Revolution
" Test your knowledge about the American Revolution,
and see if you navigate your way to independence,
Every correct answer gets you closer to liberty!"
Click on the map to begin your journey to
independence!

15. The American Revolution:
Interactive Quiz
Click on the picture and go to QUIZ for the following lesson topics. Each event
can also be reviewed by clicking LESSON on the website
Lesson 4: Boston Massacre and Boston Tea party
Lesson 5: First Continental Congress
Lesson 6: The Minutemen and The Battle of Lexington and Concord

16. Boston Massacre FILES
You are a secret agent and have been
sent on a mission to find out what
happened on the evening of March 5,
1770.
Click on the detective to begin the investigation!

17. Interactive Crossword Puzzle
Take the crossword puzzle challenge!
oFill out the puzzle using the terms
from the word list. If you need help,
Click the crossword
click on the box labeled
puzzle to begin! "INSTRUCTION".
oWhen you finish, click the "CHECK"
box and see if you met the challenge!

18. Works Cited
American Revolution Interactive Quizzes:
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/revolutionary_war/american_revolution.htm
Boston Gazette Article:
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/winter96/massacre/massacrepage1.htm
Boston Massacre Game: http://www.invivia.com/game/
Glencoe Crossword Puzzle:
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/tutor/ushistory/ahey2001/puzzles/ahey2001_07
Road to Revolution Game: http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road_q1.html