The American Revolution Was Caused by a Simple Tax Increase. Seriously? (Zoom)

The American Revolution Was Caused by a Simple Tax Increase. Seriously? (Zoom)

Fall (3 to 6.5 hours) | Registration opens 8/13/2026 12:00 AM EDT

Online Meeting, NH n/a United States
Online Meeting
10/19/2026-10/26/2026
2:00 PM-4:00 PM EDT on Mon
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$50.00

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The American Revolution Was Caused by a Simple Tax Increase. Seriously? (Zoom)

Fall (3 to 6.5 hours) | Registration opens 8/13/2026 12:00 AM EDT

Short answer: yes. Long answer: take the course. But in the meantime, this course explains why British taxes produced such a profound crisis in the American colonies, convincing them that a revolution against the world’s most powerful military was economically unavoidable. This tax shock, indeed, was the decisive impetus for the colonists’ apparently nobler protest against Britain’s violation of their rights, the traditional explanation for the Revolution. The course also explores how the Revolution was funded despite this anti-tax mindset. Overall, colonial America offers important insights into how money and taxes are linked to one another. This course is only offered every 250 years.

This course will combine lecture with class discussions.


  • There are no required books for this course.


Grafstein, Robert
Robert Grafstein

Robert Grafstein is the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia. He also was the associate dean and interim dean of the School of Public and International Affairs. He received his BA from the University of Pennsylvania and his MA and PhD from the University of Chicago. Specializing in political economy, he is the author of two books, co-editor of one, and author of numerous articles in leading political science journals.