The causes of the American Revolution lie in the policies of the British Government, which led ultimately to the noble reaction against her imperialist laws. We refer to this period as the United States War of Independence.
To complete this question, we must first understand Europe during 1550s to the 1800s. The majority of nations the governments used subsidies, tariffs, taxes, and force to control the nation's economy as one big corporation. An example of this is the British East India Company. The British helped the company thrive by outlawing its competitors and giving it capital to invest. Mercantilism dominated western thinking in this time period (more exports than imports).
Since the idea was to not import large amounts of goods from other countries, competition for goods was fierce. The British began sending colonists to Virginia and the French set up many fur trading centers in North America.
English: British East India Company flag plate in ...
English: British East India Company flag. Image fr...
English: British East India Company flag drawing f...The Puritan colonists, Catholic refugees into Maryland, and those looking for a way to escape the class system in Europe, and you have a large British population in control of most of the East coast.
The colonies failed at the mercantile system. Firstly the colony is supposed to provide England with raw materials so that they can be made into goods for use and trade. Secondly they are supposed to purchase these goods back from England and England only in order that the goods stay within the empire. Tobacco is a perfect example. It became a cash crop in many middle colonies. Rice and silk were also grown in the southern colonies.
The British passed certain laws to regulate trade in the colonies and force the mercantile theory upon the colonists. First, the Navigation Acts passed in 1650. These laws forced competitors, such as the Dutch, out and forced the...