Western History 120: What events lead directly to the American Revolutionary War?

The British Parliament doubled down with rigour against the colonial resistance shown at the Boston Massacre and Tea Party. What followed were the Intolerable (or Coercive Acts) of 1773-1774. The port of Boston was closed pending compensation for the lost tea as a consequence of the Boston Port Act.

A new administration loyal to the crown was established for the Quebec territory captured in the French and Indian War. French Civil law was guaranteed in the territory and American colonial involvement in the profitable fur trade was restricted.  Territory between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers was ceded to the Quebec Administration.

The Massachusetts Government Act effectively removed much of the colony’s independent status reducing it to a crown colony. Military governors were granted more authority, large meetings were forbidden and British officials secured an added level of protection via the Administration of Justice Act.   In addition the hated Quartering Act which had for all intent of purpose expired in 1770 was renewed.  Unoccupied buildings throughout the American colonies could be taken over by British troops.

Meeting of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia source nationalgeographic.com

On the 5^th of September 1774 the First Continental Congress was called by the Committees of Correspondence (the colonial leadership) met in Philadelphia . Fifty six delegates representing all of the thirteen colonies other than Georgia were present. Their first task was to plan a coordinated response to the Intolerable Acts.

By Match 1775 it looked like war with great Britain was inevitable prompting one delegate, the Virginian Patrick Henry, to give his famed “Give me liberty or give me death speech.” He demanded that the Virginia militia be supplied.

Patrick Henry source: history.com

On April 18^th, 1775, the British marched from Boston to Concord to seize the colonial armory at Concord. It was this event that was associated with the ride of Paul Revere (an episode that was later immortalized in a ballad written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). The ride warned of the British troop march and so facilitated a colonial response. A  77 local minutemen (colonial militia who could be called to act within a minute’s notice) was organized. They met the British at Lexington Green.  A fight ensued. What is still up for debate here though is who fired the first shot?  What we do know is that  in this initial skirmish the lives of eight Americans were lost.

Ride of Paul Revere source: biography.com

Soon afterward at Concord the British were met with a stronger force of minutemen. American snipers took a large toll on the British forcing the troops of the crown to retreat. In total 273 British and 90 American lives were lost in the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Minutemen militia facing the British source: sites.google.com