How Did The Sparks That Declare A Fire

The Sparks That Ignited a Fire
The American Revolution was not started over one particular issue. Instead, it was the result of many different problems. Beginning in 1763, the British government tried to regulate the American colonies more effectively, starting with the Proclamation of 1763 (America, #119). The American people would not accept being controlled, and thus began the fight for independence.
The Stamp Act and the Quartering Act started very heated debates among Americans. It was limiting freedoms they had become accustomed to. Protestors promised to boycott British imports, and leaders made resolutions against the Stamp Act. It was repealed when Lord Rockingham became prime minister, but was replaced the Declaratory Act. This brought some temporary peace to the colonies.
Unfortunately, the prime ministers changed again. Charles Townshend enacted more legislation, one of which was called the Revenue Act. This taxed imports to the colonies, and caused more boycotts of British products. Americans were upset that they were being repeatedly taxed without representation, and the old resentment started to bubble up again. British troops were sent in, and again, the colonies did not feel like they were being kept safe, but rather subdued and controlled.
The boycotts were effective, and caused problems for England.
The Townshend Acts were changed, right before tensions got too high (America, #126). The presence of soldiers eventually did cause a scuffle, which escalated into a fight, which in turn became what would be called a massacre when several soldiers fired into the crowd. Even though most of the soldiers were acquitted, since they’d been taunted, it still was very sensational. Indeed, it was sensational enough to get rid of the pesky Townshend Acts, except for the tea tax. However, it wasn’t quite enough. The soldiers weren’t in Boston, but they were close by. England wasn’t acting enough for the
Americans.
A British warship, the Gaspee, ran aground and stole animals from the town nearby (America, #127). Angry citizens reacted with violence and destruction, which is well within reason. This disrupted the delicate peace that had been established.
The British government tried to trick the colonies into accepting taxation with cheap tea. This caused the famous Boston Tea Party. Americans, dressed as Mohawks, threw boxes of tea into the harbor. This infuriated British officials, and was indeed the breaking point for the British and the Americans, and began the landslide of events towards the Revolution.
Parliament desperately tried to regain a firm grip with the Coercive Acts. The harbor was closed until the colonies paid back the tea. The commander in chief of British forces in North America became governor of Massachusetts (America, #128). However, everyone was supporting and praying for Boston. Their fight against the British became the “…cause of America.”
At this point in their conflict, the discord between the colony and mother country was too great. There was no resolution in sight, and instead, there was a war on the horizon. The conflict escalated, and on April 19th, 1775, when the British tried to squash the rebels and sorely lost, it was confirmed for most that the war had begun. England couldn’t fix this by changing or temporarily repealing a law, only to enact another method of control in a few years. The Americans were done with tyranny, and wanted to rule themselves.