Chapter 3 Key Historical Points

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After victory in the French and Indian War, the British attempted to impose new taxes and tighten colonial administration on the colonies in order to pay the expenses of the war and for new troops stationed in newly won territories in America.
After a century of "salutary neglect," the colonies were unwilling to accept these new taxes and regulations, claiming their rights as Englishmen to be taxed only by their elected representatives in the colonial assemblies, captured in the phrase, "No Taxation without Representation."
The colonies and mother country had very different views on the meaning of representation and the nature of external vs. internal taxes.
The Stamp Act Crisis was a turning point in America’s relationship with Britain. After forcing its repeal, relations were never the same.
A cycle of British attempts at regulation, followed by colonial protests, boycotts and violence, followed by more British repression eventually led to the outbreak of war in 1775.
British repression created in America a new sense of union that had heretofore not existed.
Americans did not immediately accept that they were fighting for independence, but Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and ultimately Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence led most Americans to accept this dramatic break.
General George Washington did not win many actual battles, but his leadership and judgment were critical to American victory.
French recognition and aid (negotiated in Paris by Benjamin Franklin) were critical to American success in the revolution.

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