American Revolution Flashcards
Wha were the long-term causes of the American Revolution? (8)
- (1700s)Britain had control of 13 colonies (after wars with France)in North America- 2.5 million inhabitants
- Britain used colonies for goods e.g cotton
- Trade of slaves for farming land
- Britain taxed people who lived in colonies to they bought British goods
- Colonists felt American not British
- Americans taxes for British army- ‘protecting them’
- Navigation Acts
- Boundaries stopped colonists accessing good farmland
What did the Navigation Acts mean for the American colonists?
Only British goods imported to America, no trading with other countries
What were the short term causes of the American revolution? (5)
- American ruled directly from Britain but had no representation in Parliament- underrepresented
- ‘No taxation without representation!’
- Boston Massacre 1770
- Boston Tea Party
- Lexington Incident
What happened at the Boston Massacre in 1770?
What did this lead to?
Anti-British colonists threw snowballs at British army on March 5th, army opened fired
This led to unrest in Boston- unhappy they were forced to pay for heavily taxed tea so boarded a ship and tipped sea into Harbour (Boston Tea Party)
What two things happened as a consequence of the Boston Tea Party in 1770?
British closed Boston Port
Act of defiance scared them
What and when was the Lexington Incident?
1775, British army tried to seize supply of Gunpowder they were fired on by 20,000 minutemen
This is known as the Lexington Incident and marked start of revolution against British
When was the Declaration of Independence made?
What did it say?
-1776 when Congress met in Philadelphia
It said all 13 colonies were free
How did the Americans defeat the British at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781?
- Battle took place in forest British didn’t know
- Americans reinforced with 3000 extra men and French support
- British needed supplies from the water which Americans had control of
- British went onto a peninsula (supplies) George Washington and army attacked- British forced to surrender
What were the short term consequences of the American Revolution? (3)
- Declaration of Independence (1776) - echoed Magna Carta ‘all men are created equal’
- War of Independence won by colonies- inspiration
- Colonies began to trade with India and Canada- industrial revolution and population boom
What were the long term consequences of the American Revolution?
- First time colony rejected rule by European power - radicals in Britain inspired
- Idea of people having rights grew- French government thrown over in French Revolution
- British worried about same problems rebellions dealt with harshly
When did the American defeat the British?
Battle of Yorktown in 1781
