American Revolution?

Question

Which war was the catalyst that sparked the American Revolution and what were the consequences of this war? Thanks.

Answer 1

While the French and Indian War was the closest conflict to the American Revolution, I have always felt the "catalyst that sparked the American Revolution" was The War of Jenkins' Ear.

The War of Jenkins' Ear was a conflict between Great Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748. After 1742 it merged into the larger War of the Austrian Succession. The major consequence of the War of Jenkins' Ear was that Spain secured its control over its American empire until the Napoleonic wars. This loss for England enraged the English people to fight aginst the Austrians.

The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748), also known as King George's War in North America, involved almost all the major European powers. Principly though France, Prussia and Spain vs Britian, Austria, and Russia. The War of Austrian Succession concluded with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748. Maria Theresa and Austria survived status quo ante bellum, sacrificing only the territory of Silesia, which Austria conceded to Prussia. This War led to the Seven Years War.

The Seven Years' War (1754 and 1756–1763), incorporating the Pomeranian War and the French and Indian War, enveloped both European and colonial theatres. The war ended France’s power, both in the Americas and in continental Europe, until the time of the French Revolution. The British-French hostilities were ended in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris, which involved a complex series of land exchanges, the most important being France's cession to Spain of Louisiana, and to Great Britain the rest of New France except for the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. France was given the choice of keeping either New France or its Caribbean island colony Guadeloupe, and chose the latter to retain one of its sources of sugar. This suited the British as well, as their own Caribbean islands already supplied ample sugar, but with the handover of New France they gained control of all lands in North America east of the Mississippi River with the exception of New Orleans. However, the end of the threat from New France to the British American colonies and the subsequent reorganization of those colonies would later become one of the enabling triggers for the American Revolution.

So as can be seen England was basically fighting Wars from 1739-1763, mostly aginst the French. By the Mid 1770's Britian was Master of the New World and Master of the Oceans, but this contol was expensive to maintain so England decided that the Colinies should help pay for these conflicts that England had fought to keep them safe. So they attempted to pass some Taxes,,,and the colonists exploded.

Answer 2

The preceding answer is good, but it should be added that the more proper name for this conflict is the Seven Years War. The war, fought from 1756 to 1763, was a general war involving all the major European powers. The French-Indian War, the campaign that was fought in the American Colonies, was largely a minor campaign in the larger struggle. The war also featured conflicts between French and British forces in India, and can actually be considered the first World War.

A major consequence of the war was that the British Crown was determined to impose taxes on the Colonies to offset the substantial expense of the campaigns which were fought in North America by British regular army troops. This was a major cause of the Stamp Act and various other acts that angered colonists and ultimately led to rebellion.

Answer 3

The French and Indian War. It was a war in which England and France fought, but the French had a slight advantage of using indian allies to guide them on the unfamiliar terrain. The British had the Iroquis as their only allied tribes. Basically, it was not only a colonial war here in America but a worldwide war and the colonials on the outskirts of the colonies took the brunt of the fighting, and George Washington was a general born in the colonies and in the British Army but couldnt get promoted much higher after the war b/c of the fact that he was born in the colonies. Basically, after the war the British had no problem saying publicly that the colonies should pay for ALL the war effort. This begged the question of taxation without representation in the coming years.

Answer 4

French and Indian War

Using trading posts and forts, both the British and the French claimed the vast territory between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, known as the Ohio Country. (English claims resulted from royal grants which had no definite western boundaries. The French laid claim because of La Salle's claim for France of the Mississippi River, which drainage area includes the Ohio River.)
Both European countries ignored Native American claims to the land in order to pursue their beaver pelt economies.
The British colonists feared papal influence in North America (New France was administered by French governors and Roman Catholic hierarchy and missionaries such as Armand de La Richardie were active). For the predominantly Protestant British settlers, French control over North America could have represented a threat to their religious and other freedoms that were provided by English law.
The French feared the anti-Catholicism prevalent among English holdings. In this period, Catholicism was still enduring persecution under English law.
Newfoundland's Grand Banks were fertile fishing grounds and coveted by both sides. The conclusion of this war would see France keeping only the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, allowing them access to the Grand Banks to this day.
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