Causes of the American Revolution

A series of British tax and regulatory policies after the French and Indian War, combined with Enlightenment ideas about rights and representation, fueled colonial resistance.

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Overview

Policies like the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, paired with the principle of 'no taxation without representation,' escalated colonial grievances into organized resistance and eventually armed revolution — Enlightenment ideas provided the ideological justification.

Practice Quiz

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What colonial grievance is most directly summarized by the phrase 'no taxation without representation'?