American Revolution



"What do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people... This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution." - John Adams

Though often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the American War of Independence and the accompanying revolution of ideas. As John Adams stated, a great shift in political thinking and public opinion proceeded the actual fighting and it is the former which this wiki chooses to explore.

The Rejection of Governor Andros
Royal Governor Ambrose was the governor of the Dominion of New England, a short-lived attempt to place the colonies under a single jurisdiction. Andros' harsh military rule and his disdain toward colonial customs angered the colonists and sparked a miniature revolt in which Andros was deposed and sent back to England.

End of the Seven Years War
The end of the Seven Years War, or French and Indian War, had a number of impacts on British administration of the colonies and reduced the colonists dependence on Britain for defense.

The Writs of Assistance Case
The legal case regarding the writs of assistance was not only an anticipation of the 4th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, it was also one of the first times that the limits of Parliamentary power were called into question.

New Taxes
Beginning with the Sugar Act of 1764, parliament tried countless methods to collect revenue from the colonies after the war. Many of these taxes sought to be palatable to the colonists, but all of them ultimately failed. The limits of Parliament's power were again questioned as the colonists complained of taxation without representation.