The American Revolution, 1775–87

The Causes of the American Revolution

The Stamp Act of 1765 imposed by the British on American colonies ignited the revolutionary spirit. The Act taxed all paper documents causing discontent and protests.
The Boston Massacre in 1770, where British troops killed 5 civilians, escalated colonial anger towards British rule. This event was leveraged by the demonstrators to spark revolutionary fervour.
The Boston Tea Party in 1773, a protest against taxed British tea, symbolised colonial resistance against unjust British taxation.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, by the Second Continental Congress. It declared the thirteen American colonies as sovereign states, free from British rule.
The Battle of Saratoga in October 1777 was a turning point victory for the American colonists, leading to French recognition and support for America. It greatly boosted the morale of the revolutionists.
The decisive American victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781 effectively ended the war. General Charles Cornwallis surrendered, marking the British defeat.

The Articles of Confederation in 1781 was the first governing document of the United States, but it had many flaws such as lack of power to tax which led to its eventual replacement.
The US Constitution was adopted in 1787 and replaced the Articles of Confederation. It established the three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial.
The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791, were the first ten amendments to the Constitution, safeguarding individual liberties and acknowledged state rights.

Agriculture was the mainstay of the economy during this period. After the Revolution, some regions began to industrialise, giving rise to the era of American industrialization.
Slavery was a contentious issue during this period. The Northwest Ordinance (1787) banned slavery in new territories but it continued in southern states leading to a divide over slavery that would eventually spark the Civil War.
The revolution led to the emergent idea of “republican motherhood”, which tasked women with the responsibility of raising children to uphold the ideals of republicanism, thus making them an integral part of the new nation.