Explain the causes of the American Revolution. Why did most Americans come to believe by 1776 that they needed to break with the British Empire and with the institution of monarchy, even though they had long seemed happy under the rule of both? Why did the American Revolution succeed? (Among the issues you should discuss are: the advantages – and lack thereof – of being part of the Empire; how Americans’ freedom was threatened by taxation without representation; Americans’ understanding of the meaning of the repressive legislation that Parliament passed against the colonies; and how Americans overcame their disunity and differences. Make sure that you keep your narrative of the events leading up to the revolution to a minimum.)