British Acts on America Lead to Revolution

A mere eight months after signing the Treaty of Paris in 1763, securing its ownership of the territory east of the Mississippi River on the American continent, Britain began to alienate the American colonists by signing the Proclamation Act of 1763. Little did the British know, this act was the first in a series of actions over the next thirteen years that would lead to the American colonists fighting for a nation independent of Great Britain.

Up until the time of the Seven Years War (French-Indian War), the colonies were fairly independent and self-governing. The Proclamation Act of 1763 was one of the first mandates that the British Parliament forced upon the American colonists. The act created an invisible border along the Appalachian Mountains that the American colonists could not cross without having the permission of the British government. The goal was to limit immigration to the west until new agreements could be made with the Native Americans, who Britain wanted to prevent another war with, and to protect business ventures such as the fur trade. This resriction came as a surprise to the American colonists, who felt that they deserved to settle this land after winning the war. To add insult to injury, the British Parliament, which was suffering from a huge amount of debt as a result of fighting the French, decided to tax the colonists to recoup their expense.

The Sugar Act of 1764, also known as the Revenue Act, was the first attempt by the British Parliament to raise revenue from the colonists. This act was basically a tax on trade––items that were brought into the colonies including: sugar, tea, coffee, wine, etc. The Act also allowed British officials, without court approval, to take goods they believed to be smug...

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...osed the “Intolerable” Acts and asserted their Declaration of Rights and Grievances; an exercise that ultimately laid the foundation for the Declaration of Independence.

What started with a number of Acts that may have initially seem reasonable by the British lead to an idea; an idea that America deserved to be a nation independent of outside rule. A small rebellion against taxation and loss of power turned into a full-blown revolution known today as the American Revolution; changing the course of history forever.

Works Cited

Joyce, Appleby, et al. "The American Revolution." The American Vision. New York: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2005. 114-126. Print.

Neumann, Darlene, and Betty Duffy. "American Revolution: Quotes."

Voices of the America Revolution. Sherwin School / Think Quest, n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2011. .