American Revolutionary WarWord下载.docx

American Revolutionary WarWord下载.docx

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sking,GeorgeIII,whohadsucceededtothethronein1760,wasdeterminedtoplayanactiveroleingoverningthenation.Duetotheking'

sineptitude,however,theresultwaspoliticalinstabilityandalackofdirectioninnationalaffairsatthesametimethatBritain'

scrisiswithitsAmericancoloniesdeveloped.

CausesoftheRevolution

TheDeclarationofIndependence

Britain'

sking,GeorgeIII,whohadsucceededtothethronein1760,wasdeterminedtoplayanactiveroleingoverningthenation.Duetotheking'

KingGeorgeIII

PhotoCredit:

TheNationalArchives

TheStampAct

TheSevenYears'

WarrevealedtoBritishofficialstheAmericans'

disregardfortheNavigationActsandimperialauthority.Duringtheconflict,colonialmerchantscontinuedtotradewiththeenemyandsmugglegoods,whilecolonialassembliesrepeatedlyrefusedtoprovideBritishmilitaryofficialswithmenandsupplies.

ThewarleftGreatBritainwithaconsiderabledebtandexpensiveresponsibilitiestoadministernewlyacquiredterritoryinNorthAmerica.BelievingthattheNavigationActsshouldbeenforcedstrictlyandthatthelightlytaxedcolonistsshouldpayashareoftheempire'

sdefensecosts,ParliamentinMarch1765passedtheStampActtoraiserevenue.Thisactrequiredthecoloniststopurchaseandusespeciallystamped（watermarked）paperforallofficialdocuments,deeds,mortgages,newspapers,andpamphlets.Violatorswouldbeprosecutedinvice-admiraltycourts,withoutjuries.Revenuesderivedfromtheactwereintendedtopaypartofthecostofmaintainingapermanentforceof10,000BritishtroopstopreventhostilitiesbetweenthecolonistsandtheIndiansofthewesternfrontiers.

TheStampActprovokedalmostunanimousoppositionamongthecolonists,whoregardeditasaviolationoftheirrights.TheybelievedinafederaltheoryofempirethatdividedauthoritybetweenthecoloniesandGreatBritain.Fromtheirbeginnings,thecolonialassemblieshadmodeledthemselvesonParliamentandhadlegislatedinternalmatters,includingraisingtaxesandarmies,andoverseeingthejudiciary.Inpractice,Britainwasresponsibleforexternalmatterssuchasdeclaringwarandpeace,presidingoverforeignaffairs,andregulatingtrade,Indianaffairs,andthepostoffice.Tothecolonists,theStampActviolatedtherightofEnglishsubjectsnottobetaxedwithoutrepresentation;

itunderminedtheindependenceoftheircolonialassemblies;

anditappearedtobeonestepinaplottodeprivethemoftheirliberty.

OnthesegroundsastormofprotestaroseagainsttheStampAct.InthemonthsbeforeNovember1765,whentheactwastogointoeffect,riotsorganizedbytheSonsofLibertybrokeoutincolonialportcitiesandpreventedBritish-appointedstampdistributorsfromassumingtheirposts.ColonialassembliespassedresolvesdenouncingtheStampActandpetitionedParliamentrequestingitsrepeal.Toaddstrengthtotheformalprotest,Americanmerchantsbandedtogetherinnonimportationagreements,pledgingnottobuyBritishgoods.ThiscolonialboycottwassoeffectivethatcommercebetweenGreatBritainandAmericacametoastandstill.InOctober1765delegatesfromninecoloniesmetinNewYorkCityintheStampActCongressandpetitionedParliamentandthekingconcerningcolonialgrievances.ParliamentrepealedtheStampActinMarch1766,yieldingnottothecolonists'

constitutionalobjectionstotaxation,buttothedemandsofeconomicallydepressedBritishmerchants.

TheTownshendActs

RepealoftheStampActleftBritain'

sfinancialproblemsunresolved.Parliamenthadnotgivenuptherighttotaxthecoloniesandin1767,attheurgingofchancelloroftheExchequerCharlesTownshend（1725-67）,itpassedtheTownshendActs,whichimposedtaxesonlead,glass,tea,paint,andpaperthatAmericansimportedfromBritain.Inanefforttostrengthenitsownauthorityandthepowerofroyalcolonialofficials,Parliament,atTownshend'

srequest,alsocreatedtheAmericanBoardofCustomsCommissionerswhosememberswouldstrictlyenforcetheNavigationActs.Revenueraisedbythenewtariffswouldbeusedtofreeroyalofficialsfromfinancialdependenceoncolonialassemblies,thusfurtherencroachingoncolonialautonomy.

Onceagainthecolonistsprotestedvigorously.InDecember1767,JohnDickinson,aPhiladelphialawyer,published12popularessaysthatreiteratedthecolonists'

denialofParliament'

srighttotaxthemandwarnedofaconspiracybyacorruptBritishministrytoenslaveAmericans.TheSonsofLibertyorganizedprotestsagainstcustomsofficials,merchantsenteredintononimportationagreements,andtheDaughtersofLibertyadvocatedthenonconsumptionofproducts,suchastea,taxedbytheTownshendActs.TheMassachusettslegislaturesenttheothercoloniesacircularlettercondemningtheTownshendActsandcallingforaunitedAmericanresistance.BritishofficialsthenorderedthedissolutionoftheMassachusettsGeneralCourtifitfailedtowithdrawitscircularletter;

thecourtrefused,byavoteof92to17,andwasdismissed.Theothercolonialassemblies,whichwereinitiallyreluctanttoprotesttheacts,nowdefiantlysignedthecircularletter,outragedatBritishinterferencewithacoloniallegislature.

Inotherways,BritishactionsagainunitedAmericanprotest.TheBoardofCustomsCommissionersextortedmoneyfromcolonialmerchantsandusedflimsyexcusestojustifyseizingAmericanvessels.Theseactionsheightenedtensions,whichexplodedonJune21,1768,whencustomsofficialsseizedBostonmerchantJohnHancock'

ssloopLiberty.ThousandsofBostoniansrioted,threateningthecustomscommissioners'

livesandforcingthemtofleethecity.WhennewsoftheLibertyriotreachedLondon,fourregimentsofBritisharmytroops—some4000soldiers—wereorderedtoBostontoprotectthecommissioners.

ThecontemptofBritishtroopsforthecolonists,combinedwiththesoldiers'

moonlightingactivitiesthatdeprivedBostonlaborersofjobs,inevitablyledtoviolence.InMarch1770ariotoccurredbetweenBritishtroopsandBostoncitizens,whojeeredandtauntedthesoldiers.Thetroopsfired,killingfivepeople.Theso-calledBostonMassacrearousedgreatcolonialresentment.Thisangerwassoonincreasedbyfurtherparliamentarylegislation.

TheBostonTeaParty

Bowingtocolonialeconomicboycotts,Parliament,guidedbythenewprimeminister,LordFrederickNorth,repealedtheTownshendActsin1770butretainedthetaxonteatoassertitsrighttotaxthecolonies.InordertorescuetheBritishEastIndiaCompanyfrombankruptcy,ParliamentpassedtheTeaActin1773,reducingthetaxonteashippedtothecoloniessothatthecompanycouldsellitinAmericaatapricelowerthanthatofsmuggledtea.Thecolonists,however,refusedtobuytheEnglishtea.TheyviewedtheTeaActasanotherviolationoftheirconstitutionalrightnottobetaxedwithoutrepresentation.ColonialmerchantsalsofearedthattheactwouldallowtheEastIndiaCompanytomonopolizetheteatradeandputthemoutofbusiness.InPhiladelphiaandNewYorkCitythecolonistswouldnotpermitBritishshipstounloadtea.InBoston,intheso-calledBostonTeaParty,agroupofcitizens,manydisguisedasIndians,swarmedoverBritishshipsintheharboranddumpedthecargoesofteaintothewater.

IntolerableActs

Inretaliation,Parliamentin1774passedaseriesoflawsdesignedtopunishtheprovinceofMassachusettsanddemonstrateParliament'

ssovereignty.TheseweretheCoerciveActs,dubbedbythecoloniestheIntolerableActs.TheBostonPortActclosedthatcity'

sporttotradeuntilitscitizenscompensatedtheEastIndiaCompanyforthedestroyedtea.TheMassachusettsGovernmentActalteredthecolony'

scharterbypermittingtheCrownratherthantheHouseofRepres