History of Wars Summary 5 - American Revolutionary War 1: Colonial Conflict with Britain

By the mid-18th century, the 13 British colonies in North America had grown economically, but politically, they had no representation in the British Parliament. Tensions escalated, particularly after the Seven Years' War, when Britain imposed new taxes on the colonies to cover its massive war expenses. Acts like the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Acts were implemented, and the colonists argued that it was unjust for a Parliament, in which they had no elected representatives, to levy taxes. The British government viewed the colonies as part of the empire and emphasized Parliament's authority, but resistance spread throughout the colonies under the banner of 'No taxation without representation.' In 1773, when Britain granted the East India Company a monopoly on tea, colonial opposition intensified. The Boston Tea Party occurred the same year, pushing the confrontation between both sides to an irreversible point. Britain enacted strict control policies, and colonial representatives convened the Continental Congress to coordinate a joint response.