What were two major causes of the American Revolution?

What were two major causes of the American Revolution?

• A. Taxation without representation and the colonies' desire for self-government.
• B. Industrial competition with Britain.
• C. Provisions of the Articles of Confederation.
• D. The signing of the Treaty of Paris.

Answer: (A)

The main idea behind this question is why the colonies moved toward independence: taxation without representation and the push to govern themselves. Taxation without representation meant Parliament was taxing colonists without anyone elected from the colonies having a say in those laws. Policies like the Stamp Act and other taxes stirred anger because the colonists argued they were being treated as subjects who had no voice in how they were ruled. That grievance built a powerful expectation that laws should reflect the consent of the governed. At the same time, many colonists believed they should manage their own affairs through their own legislatures and elected representatives. They valued local self-government and resented efforts by Britain to tighten control over colonial governments. Enlightenment ideas about rights and consent reinforced the belief that they ought to choose how they were governed, not have distant authorities impose measures without regard for colonial interests. These two threads—opposition to taxes imposed without consent and a strong desire for independent self-rule—together pushed the colonies toward seeking full independence. Other options don’t capture the driving forces: industrial competition wasn’t the spark of the revolution, the Articles of Confederation came after independence as a framework for government, and the Treaty of Paris ended the war, not caused it.

The main idea behind this question is why the colonies moved toward independence: taxation without representation and the push to govern themselves. Taxation without representation meant Parliament was taxing colonists without anyone elected from the colonies having a say in those laws. Policies like the Stamp Act and other taxes stirred anger because the colonists argued they were being treated as subjects who had no voice in how they were ruled. That grievance built a powerful expectation that laws should reflect the consent of the governed.

At the same time, many colonists believed they should manage their own affairs through their own legislatures and elected representatives. They valued local self-government and resented efforts by Britain to tighten control over colonial governments. Enlightenment ideas about rights and consent reinforced the belief that they ought to choose how they were governed, not have distant authorities impose measures without regard for colonial interests.

These two threads—opposition to taxes imposed without consent and a strong desire for independent self-rule—together pushed the colonies toward seeking full independence. Other options don’t capture the driving forces: industrial competition wasn’t the spark of the revolution, the Articles of Confederation came after independence as a framework for government, and the Treaty of Paris ended the war, not caused it.