Long-Term and Medium-Term Causes

The American Revolution's origins stemmed from deep-seated colonial grievances against British rule. The Navigation Acts of 1760 restricted colonial trade exclusively to Britain, while Americans resented funding the British military presence in North America. Territorial disputes with Native Americans over sacred lands like the Black Hills conflicted with colonial expansion desires.

Definition: Empire - A political entity where one country or state exercises control over other countries or states.

Highlight: The colonial slogan "No taxation without representation" encapsulated their primary grievance about paying taxes without Parliamentary representation.

Example: The Stamp Tax, levied on all documents including newspapers, exemplified British taxation policies that colonists opposed.

Short-Term Causes and Key Events

The revolution's immediate triggers included several violent confrontations. The 1770 Boston Massacre saw British troops fire upon anti-British protesters, while the 1773 Boston Tea Party demonstrated colonial defiance through the destruction of British tea shipments. The 1775 Lexington Incident, where British soldiers faced colonial resistance while attempting to seize gunpowder, marked the revolution's beginning.

Vocabulary: Congress - America's legislative body, comparable to the British Parliament.

Quote: "All men are created equal" - A fundamental principle stated in the Declaration of Independence, though not fully realized in practice.