Chapter III: A New Kind of Revolution Summary and Analysis

The American Revolution was unique in that never before had a colonial people been successful in rebelling against its mother country. The revolution inspired others in France, Spain and Portugal. Also unprecedented was the fact that the revolution did not slow the development of America.

1. Causes Were Consequences

The cost of protecting England's interests in the colonies and other regions of the world became prohibitive. In order to raise revenues, the Parliament began attaching duties to imports and instituted new taxation in the colonies. Some of the more famous laws were the Stamp Act, the Tea Act, the Sugar Act and the Molasses Duty. Americans had grown independent and deeply resented England's renewed attempts to control their country. Britain saw the colonies as part of its Empire while the...