American+Revolution

Joanna Cheng
 * Causes of the American Revolution
 * Stemmed from Great Britain’s response to its victory in Seven Years War aka French and Indian War in American colonies
 * American colonies not pleased when British policymakers imposed new taxes to pay expenses British army had amassed during Seven Years War
 * 1765: Stamp Act—attempted to levy new taxes on the colonies but riots quickly led to statue’s repeal
 * Significant difference risen between American and British political worlds
 * Property requirement for voting: voters had to possess property that could be rented for at least forty shillings a year—same standard in both areans
 * Fewer eligible adult makes voting in Britain (1 of 5)
 * Due to different economic climates, 50% of adult males in American colonies voting
 * Representative government:
 * Britain—indirect representation; members of Parliament spoke for entire kingdom, not local interests
 * Colonies—direct representation; representatives expected to reside in and own property in communities electing them and also represent interest of those local districts
 * British envisioned empire as single unity w/ Parliament as supreme authority throughout
 * All people in empire, including American colonies, all represented indirectly by members of Parliament
 * Colonial assemblies only committees that made “temporary by-laws”
 * Americans developed own view of British Empire
 * Empire was composed of self-regulating parts
 * Conceded that as British subjects, they owed allegiance to king and Parliament had right to make laws for peace and prosperity of whole realm
 * BUT! Argued that neither king nor Parliament had right to interfere in the internal affairs of the colonies since they had their own representative assemblies
 * Especially defensive about property and believed strongly that no tax could be levied w/out consent of an assembly whose members actually represented the people
 * 1760s: American colonists developed sense of common identity
 * Not unusual for American travelers to Britain in the 18th century to see British society as old and decadent in sharp contrast to the youthfulness and vitality of their own
 * Sense of superiority made Americans resentful of British actions that seemed to treat them like children—resentment eventually led to desire for independence

Sources: AP Achiever, Wikipedia