Causes of the American Revolutionary War

             The American colonists were justified in waging war and breaking away from Britain because of unjust laws and a tyrannical king. All of these things outraged the colonists in different ways, leading them to unite together and rebel against Britain, hence leading to the Revolutionary War.
             First off, Parliament imposed many unjust laws. According to Document 2, the colonists believed that Britain had the right to impose laws to regulate trade, however, on the contrast, the introduction of the Stamp Act was pure to gain revenue. The Stamp Act particularly affected lawyers, merchants, and editors, as well as the general public. Document 5 reads "Parliament can 'of right make laws to bind us in all cases whatsoever.'" This can lead someone to argue that Parliament felt it had complete control over the colonies and that it could pass numerous laws to keep that control. For instance, once the Sons of Liberty used mob violence to force all stamp agents to resign and the Stamp Act was repealed, Parliament asserted its rights with the Declaratory Act. Document 5 also infers that the unfair laws and taxes imposed on the colonists were enforced by the "tyranny of irritated [British officials]." The colonists argued that they were unfairly being taxed without representation, this being the first time that the colonies began to unite and rebel against the British government.
             Secondly, a cruel and intolerable king oppressed the colonists. Document 6 blames the King of England for the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, and refers to him as "the hardened, sullen-tempered [King of England]." This document excerpted from Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense," convinced many Americans that independence was the only resolve to the conflicts between America and England. Accusations in Document 7 also suggest that the king had "a history of repeated injuries and usurpation," and that his overall character could describe a "tyrant"...

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Causes of the American Revolutionary War. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 10:41, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/25364.html