The Road to the American Revolution

📜 British colonial policies after the French and Indian War led to the outbreak of the American Revolution.

💰 Britain passed taxes to raise revenue, leading to tension between Britain and the colonies.

🚢 Enforcement of mercantile laws and new imperial policies contributed to increased tension.

🔑 The British implemented various taxes, such as the Sugar Act and Stamp Act, to pay for the expenses of administering the colonies and to reduce the war debt.

🏛️ Policies like the Proclamation Act of 1763 and Quartering Act of 1765 caused resentment among the colonists, as they felt their rights were being infringed upon without direct representation or consent.

💡 Enlightenment ideas and a desire for individual and British subject rights contributed to the resistance and discussions against British colonial policies.

📜 The colonists demanded representation in parliament to avoid being taxed without representation.

💡 Enlightenment thinkers influenced the colonists' belief in natural rights and limited government power.

🌍 The colonists saw themselves as English citizens and believed they should have the same rights as those in London.

🇬🇧 British laws and expectations for the colonies created tensions as their interests diverged.

🗽 Colonists faced difficulties in uniting due to regional differences and lack of shared history.

📜 Steps towards colonial unity emerged through events like the Stamp Act Congress and Committee of Correspondence.

📜 The First Continental Congress was formed in 1774 as a response to the Intolerable Acts, with most colonies participating.

🏛️ The focus of these meetings was on the rights of citizens, the role of government, and enlightenment ideas, not on declaring independence.

🤝 Organizations like the Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty united colonists in resistance through non-importation agreements.

📣 Women participated in economic boycotts and contributed to resistance against British policies.

👥 Some protests in the colonies involved threats, violence, destruction of property, and tar and feathering of British officials.

🔥 The Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre were examples of radical forms of protest against British rule.

🌟 Imperial authority over the colonists united them against British policies.

🔍 The 13 colonies with little in common began working together to challenge British policies.

⏳ The effort for American independence took time to develop and was energized by colonial leaders and political activism.