#BostonMassacre

[whencyclopedia]

Causes of the American Revolution

The American Revolution (c. 1765-1789) was a definitive event in Western history that saw the emergence of the United States and helped spawn additional waves of revolutions and societal upheavals on both sides of the Atlantic. Though the causes of the revolution are often presented simply – 'no taxation without representation' – its true origins were much more complex.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America

Charles Édouard Armand-Dumaresq (Public Domain)

There were many different causes of the American Revolution, and although historians still argue over the degree of importance that should be accorded to each one, it is generally thought that the main causes were:

Creation of an American identity, separate but closely entwined with that of Britain

Parliament's policy of salutary neglect and its eventual abandonment of it

A century of colonial wars

Restriction of westward expansion

'Unjust' taxes

A series of escalating conflicts between American 'Patriots' and British officials, including the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and Intolerable Acts

Certainly, there were many more causes, both major and minor, that should be considered, but these factors will hopefully give the reader a clearer understanding of why the American Revolution took place.

The American Identity

Perhaps no issue was more central to the origins of the American Revolution than that of the American identity. As late as 1775, on the eve of independence, many American colonists still considered themselves to be Englishmen, good and loyal subjects to the king – indeed, just before the Battle of Bunker Hill (17 June 1775), regiments of American rebels reported for duty by announcing that they were “in his Majesty's service” (Boatner, 539). It was, in fact, the belief in their own Englishness that led the colonists to value their liberty so fiercely.

Since at least the Glorious Revolution of 1689, the English prided themselves as the freest people in the world; compared to the absolutist monarchies, the constitutional monarchy of Britain was certainly more limited, with Parliament claiming the role as the voice of the king's subjects in matters such as taxation. According to the various legal documents that comprised Britain's abstract constitution – the Magna Carta (1215), for instance, and the Bill of Rights of 1689 – Britons were guaranteed certain rights such as self-taxation and representative government, which were exercised through the election of Parliament. Those who did not meet the property qualifications to take an active part in politics were considered virtually represented in Parliament.

When the first English settlers came to North America, they still considered themselves Englishmen – they spoke the same language, shared the same history, and owed allegiance to the same king. These colonists believed that they were still entitled to the 'rights of Englishmen', rights that were soon enshrined within their own colonial charters. Representative government, for example, was of great importance to the colonists; most colonies saw the establishment of legislative assemblies that were, at times, more powerful than the royally appointed governor. These assemblies were often responsible for the levying of taxes and the implementation of other policies, and, so long as these policies did not conflict with the interests of Britain, Parliament did not interfere.

So, as generations passed and the colonists became used to governing themselves, they began to develop separate identities underlying their Englishness. The Puritanical culture of New England, for instance, developed quite differently from the tobacco-based society of Virginia or the Dutch origins of New York. But despite all this, the colonists' 'rights of Englishmen' remained as cherished as ever, leaving the colonies in for a rude awakening should their perception of their own Englishness be challenged.

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[biographiness]

On March 5, history was made in different ways. Some events were tragic, like the Boston Massacre and Stalin’s death FDR’s bank holiday and KSTAR’s nuclear fusion breakthrough.

Follow👉 @biographiness

[pasthistoricalevents]

One Day, Five Nations: How December 12th Reshaped the World Map #shorts

[effortlessinfo]

Boston Massacre

The anniversary of the Boston Massacre is celebrated annually in Boston. #BostonMassacre #Anniversary

Prelude to the Boston Massacre The seeds for the Boston Massacre were sown in the mid-18th century when Britain imposed heavy taxes on its American colonies. This move resulted in widespread unrest and discontent among colonists. Many felt that as they didn’t have representatives in the British Parliament, these taxes were unjust and an example of “taxation without representation”. This tension…

[real1776project]

#BostonMassacre On March 5th, 1770, British soldiers killed Crispus Attucks, Patrick Carr, Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick & James Caldwell. Top lawyer, John Adams, defended the British while setting a milestone for American Jurisprudence & against tyranny!

https://www.loc.gov/collections/john-adams-and-the-boston-massacre-trial-of-1770/about-this-collection/

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

https://t.co/qTt1BPINeabostonmassacre.net

[sneepmemoryscreen]

@pjladd in #bostonmassacre #2004 📼✨ #coliseumskateshop #pjladd #memoryscreen 💎✨ (bij Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgxdtRWqRcV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[librarycompany]

Today marks the 251st anniversary of the Boston Massacre, a bloody brawl between colonists and British soldiers which paved the way for the American Revolution. 

Killed in the massacre was Crispus Attucks, a freedman and dockworker, making him the first American killed in the Revolution. 

This engraving by Paul Revere depicts the conflict with 18 lines of verse criticizing the actions of the British and a list of colonists killed or injured printed below. 

Paul Revere. The bloody massacre perpetuated in King Street, Boston, on March 5th, 1770, by a party of the 25th Regt. Boston: Republished at 15 Water St, March 5, 1832.

[photovideosamplesetc]

Boston Massacre Reenactment

[hellogabbiest]

Yikes where it began! #boston #bostonmassacre #bostoassachusetts #massachusetts (at Boston Massacre) https://www.instagram.com/p/CghngUAuetO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[deniserenee24]

🙏🏼♥️👼🏼 #BostonMassacre (at My Happy Place) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdpx9_wOy6QdVevzRUHUWVxJsw7ZmLVzaHyFCs0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[whencyclopedia]

This infographic illustrates the Causes of the American Revolution (1765-1789) rooted in a growing sense of American identity and dissatisfaction with British policies. The colonies, long accustomed to self-governance under the system of salutary neglect, resented Britain's abrupt shift to stricter control following colonial wars that had left Britain heavily in debt. Efforts to recoup these losses...

[furryalligator]

#Repost @nbcnightlynews: The Boston Massacre took place on this day in 1770. Just three weeks after the battle, Patriot leader Paul Revere depicted the fight with this famous engraving, titled “The Bloody Massacre in King-Street.” Revere’s drawing depicts seven British soldiers on the right firing into a crowd of Colonials on the left in what would become one of the most effective pieces of war propaganda in American history. . . . . . #BostonMassacre #AmericanRevolution #soldiers #British #America

[realdjgonzales]

Least we forget, the first person to die in the #americanrevolutionarywar at the #BostonMassacre was #crispusattucks Attucks was mixed race #BIPOC. His body was carried to Faneuil Hall, where it lay in state until March 8, when all five victims were buried in a common grave. Attucks was the only victim of the Boston Massacre whose name was widely remembered. In 1888 the Crispus Attucks monument was unveiled in the Boston Common. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCLLaU4JWdm/?igshid=19zmtv9huahtf

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

I almost forgot to post these beautiful shots of my lovely friends @madamestuckcatman and @lauriakincaid from @revspaces’ day of interpretation around the 250th anniversary of the #BostonMassacre. They portrayed Ame and Elizabeth Cummings, two unmarried sisters who owned and ran a millinery business together. Since they sold things like ribbons, trimmings, and hats that were not being made commercially in the US, they had no choice but to continue importing goods from England after the boycotts. A friend of theirs was tarred and feathered on their doorstep and they were called out in the newspapers. After the war they left for Canada, where many Loyalists rebuilt their lives. They had legitimate, survival-based reasons for not being with the Patriot cause. I had the honor of playing Elizabeth Cummings myself a few years ago, and it definitely enlightened me about how nothing is black and white. (Except supporting fascism, that’s pretty damn black and white). It’s also worth noting that my friends here made everything they’re wearing! Spectacular costumers both! #bostonhistory #historicalfashion #18thcenturyfashion #18thcentury #18thcenturycostume #costuming #historicalcostuming #historicalfashion #fashionhistory #historicalinterpretation #livinghistory #loyalists #cummingssisters #boston #massachusetts #massachusettshistory https://www.instagram.com/p/B9om0F-A52u/?igshid=1fnhiancqqsgd

[effortlessinfo]

Boston Massacre

The event was commemorated by a memorial in the form of a white marble obelisk. #BostonMassacre #Memorial

Prelude to the Boston Massacre The seeds for the Boston Massacre were sown in the mid-18th century when Britain imposed heavy taxes on its American colonies. This move resulted in widespread unrest and discontent among colonists. Many felt that as they didn’t have representatives in the British Parliament, these taxes were unjust and an example of “taxation without representation”. This tension…

[musesrealm]

This is the face of a very tired, very honored, and very happy Massachusetts DAR Daughter. Thank you to all of the visitors, guests, and coordinators who made the commemoration for the 250th anniversary of the Boston Massacre such a memorable event! #darbostonmassacre250 #daughtersoftheamericanrevolution #bostonmassacre https://www.instagram.com/p/B9XVMuEnZMm/?igshid=9z65ynypea10