1763 American Independence 1763 Analysis

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By 1763 American colonies were feeling independent and were slowly dividing themselves from Britain. Between the years of 1763 and 1776, Britain began to enforce new policies which intensified colonial resistance and created the want to become independent. Over the period of these thirteen years, colonists began to create new values due to the revenue taxes being implemented. The French and Indian War left Britain in massive debt and forced them to find a way to generate more revenue. The assignment to relieve Britain of its debt fell to George Grenville who thought that the colonies should share a cost of the war and that Britain should tighten its control over the colonial economies. The Sugar Act, as well as other future acts that were passed, created a colonial displeasure toward the British. The Sugar Act placed taxes on sugar, molasses, and other imports. Unlike other …show more content…
In protest of the taxes on imports many resistance groups, such as the Sons of Liberty, boycotted British goods and harassed loyal merchants. In 1770, the Governor requested military support which angered the colonists because the British soldiers were competing for jobs alongside them. On March 1, 1770, some workers confronted soldiers and begin to taunt and throw snowballs at them. One nervous soldier shot into the crowd and once the smoke cleared five colonists were dead. During 1772, there was a ship called the Gaspee patrolling Rhode Island for smugglers when it was boarded by colonial rebels who were infuriated with the enforcement of Navigation Acts and it was set on fire. Britain passed the Tea Act of 1777 in an attempt to the save the British East India Company and keep their monopoly on tea. Outraged, the Sons of Liberty dressed up as Native Americans and dumped three ships worth of tea into the ocean. These events only deepened the divide between Britain and the colonies, and set the foundation for a fight for

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