Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Causes of the American Revolution
Nonfiction
For ages 8 to 12
OTTN Publishing, 2005 ISBN: 1595560017
When England's seven year war with France was finally over in 1760, England was in financial trouble and the answer to the problem seemed to lie across the ocean in the country for which the war was fought. After all England had fought to defend their North American colonies and therefore those same colonies should help foot the bill in the form of taxes. The American colonists however did not agree with this point of view. Why should they be taxed by a Parliament where they had no voice or vote. This was "taxation without representation" pure and simple, and many Americans were not willing to accept such treatment.
The more forceful the English became about enforcing the taxes and collecting the revenues, the more belligerent the Americans became. What the English did not realize was that they were stirring up a hornets nest and once it was stirred up there was no telling what the consequences were going to be. Certainly England and her posturing king did not expect the Americans to fight, and even more certainly they did not expect the Americans to win this conflict.
Clearly and simply written, this is an excellent account of the events that led up to the American Revolutionary War. It is even possible to see how a conflict might have been avoided if the two sides had been able to talk to one another in a reasonable fashion. It gives the story an interesting aspect when one wonders what life today might have been like if there hadn't been an American Revolution.
