AMERICA’S ROAD TO

REVOLUTION

HOW DOES ALL THIS START???

• ENGLAND IN HEAVY DEBT

• French and Indian War– Colonies very expensive to maintain– Don’t like colonists: “spoiled children”

• 2 GOALS -- Collect tax revenue -- Show colonies England still

boss

King George III

NAVAGATION ACTS - 1660NAVAGATION ACTS - 1660

► MERCANTILISMMERCANTILISM► Require colonies to sell only to BritainRequire colonies to sell only to Britain

Less markets = Less $ to be madeLess markets = Less $ to be made► Require colonies to Require colonies to buy only from Britainbuy only from Britain

Anything imported to America must come Anything imported to America must come from from BritainBritain

Goods cost more – “middleman”Goods cost more – “middleman”

► Originally passed in 1660 to control Originally passed in 1660 to control colonial colonial trade – not really enforced trade – not really enforced

► Salutary Neglect = look the other waySalutary Neglect = look the other way

COLONIAL RESPONSE TO COLONIAL RESPONSE TO NAVAGATION ACTSNAVAGATION ACTS

►Heavy SMUGGLING Heavy SMUGGLING Bring in goods illegallyBring in goods illegally Customs Officials BribedCustoms Officials Bribed No taxes on goods paid / collectedNo taxes on goods paid / collected

►Smuggling made England FuriousSmuggling made England Furious Used Navy Warships to catch Used Navy Warships to catch

smugglerssmugglers Sent Tax Collectors to every Port City Sent Tax Collectors to every Port City

to collect taxesto collect taxes

AMERICAN RESENTMENT OF AMERICAN RESENTMENT OF BRITISH GROWSBRITISH GROWS

►NATIONALISMNATIONALISM——►Feelings of pride Feelings of pride towards one’s towards one’s

countrycountry; identity; identity

►Colonies had beenColonies had been SELF-GOVERNINGSELF-GOVERNING►War brought many British officials to War brought many British officials to

colonies – America wants them out colonies – America wants them out ►Colonists don’t need England???Colonists don’t need England???

Box 1: PROCLAMATION LINE of Box 1: PROCLAMATION LINE of 17631763

Forbids colonial settlement West of Forbids colonial settlement West of Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains

Colonial governments can’t even survey Colonial governments can’t even survey landland

Cuts off fertile land & fur trade $Cuts off fertile land & fur trade $

COLONISTS FURIOUS AT COLONISTS FURIOUS AT PROCLAMATIONPROCLAMATION

Fuels Nationalist FireFuels Nationalist Fire

Colonists defy England, Colonists defy England, move West move West anywaysanyways

PROCLAMATION LINE of 1763PROCLAMATION LINE of 1763

Box 2: SUGAR ACT -- 1764Box 2: SUGAR ACT -- 1764 Already a tax on Molasses, but so Already a tax on Molasses, but so

high it was ridiculous – no one high it was ridiculous – no one paid / enforced itpaid / enforced it

So So existing molasses tax (duty) cut existing molasses tax (duty) cut in in halfhalf Hope to end smugglingHope to end smuggling temptation temptation England will enforce this oneEngland will enforce this one

Also put new taxes on textiles, Also put new taxes on textiles, wineswines

2. Colonists Reaction to Sugar 2. Colonists Reaction to Sugar ActAct

Smuggling continuesSmuggling continues

Protested the lawProtested the law

Boycott British SugarBoycott British Sugar

Box 3: STAMP ACT – Box 3: STAMP ACT – 17651765

(What Act DID…)(What Act DID…) Most hated of all “Acts”Most hated of all “Acts”

Revenue stamps put on printed Revenue stamps put on printed items boughtitems bought (prove you paid tax) (prove you paid tax)Paper materials & documents -- Paper materials & documents -- “Petty Purchases”“Petty Purchases”Newspapers, licenses, deeds, Newspapers, licenses, deeds, cards, dicecards, dice

Stamp Act “Stamps”

STAMP ACT PROTEST

STAMP ACT PROTEST

STAMP ACT REACTION = PROTESTS!!!!

• “SONS OF LIBERTY” FORM • Underground Protest Group

– Secret Society Led by Samuel Adams

– Printed Newspaper articles, led marches, organized demonstrations, burned stamps

– “No Taxation Without Representation”

– Threatened Tax Collectors

TAR and FEATHERING

COLONIAL TERRORISM!!!!

STAMP ACT REPEALED -- 1766STAMP ACT REPEALED -- 1766

England could not realistically England could not realistically enforce the Stamp Actenforce the Stamp Act

Colonial Boycott hurts English trade Colonial Boycott hurts English trade and profitsand profits

Box 4: QUARTERING ACT -- 1765 Forced colonists to give British soldiers

housing and food

10,000 British soldiers (REDCOATS) in America

Colonists feel soldiers there to police them

Colonists Reaction to Quartering Act Angry and More Protests Resentment and tensions grow

Clashes with Soldiers!!!

Box 5: Declaratory Act - 1765Box 5: Declaratory Act - 1765

PARLIAMENT passes the DECLATORY PARLIAMENT passes the DECLATORY ACTACT

Parliament has total legal right to Parliament has total legal right to pass laws for the coloniespass laws for the colonies

COLONIST REACTION:COLONIST REACTION: Angry!!!Angry!!! Colonists Colonists think Parliament is Abusing think Parliament is Abusing

PowerPower

Box 6: Townsend Revenue Box 6: Townsend Revenue Acts -- 1767Acts -- 1767

England tries again to England tries again to gain tax money gain tax money on importson imports: : cloth, glass, paper, paint, cloth, glass, paper, paint, teatea

Using Declaratory Acts as justificationUsing Declaratory Acts as justification

Tax Collectors have new powersTax Collectors have new powers:: Free to Search homes and businesses Free to Search homes and businesses

for smugglingfor smuggling (Becomes motivation for 4(Becomes motivation for 4thth

Amendment)Amendment)

COLONIES PROTEST AGAINCOLONIES PROTEST AGAINSons of Liberty (Sons of Liberty (SOLSOL) Organize ) Organize

“Hanging” Demonstration“Hanging” Demonstration►Another Another BoycottBoycott – – Roving Boston gangs Roving Boston gangs

enforce itenforce it

--Threaten “Tory” --Threaten “Tory” (Loyal (Loyal British) British) MerchantsMerchants

►Daughters of LibertyDaughters of Liberty Convince colonists not to buy British Convince colonists not to buy British

goodsgoods ““Drink Coffee”, “Homespun Clothes”Drink Coffee”, “Homespun Clothes”

HANGING AT LIBERTY TREE

DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY

IN BOSTON…IN BOSTON…March 5, 1770March 5, 1770

►More protests in colonies = More soldiersMore protests in colonies = More soldiers

►Colonists and Soldiers rude to each otherColonists and Soldiers rude to each other

TENSIONS BUILDING!!!TENSIONS BUILDING!!!

►Crowd of colonists gathered outside a Crowd of colonists gathered outside a British Courthouse and…British Courthouse and…

ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSIGNMENT!!

• Get a blank piece of paper! TWO Columns!• PIC 1 PIC 2

• Imagine YOU are in Boston Square, watching…

• Look at the next two pictures of the “event” in Boston

• Write 3 words to describe what is happening in each picture.

• 1 minute per picture

PICTURE 1

PICTURE 2

• Now think about the words you wrote…

• Why did choose them???

• Look again, and write a quick summary describing the scene in each PIC.

• What feelings / impressions do you get looking at each picture???

PICTURE 1

PICTURE 2

• Do your interpretations / accounts differ? HOW??? WHY???

• Based on what you saw in PICTURE 1, how would you tell the story of what happened this night in Boston???

• PICTURE 2???

5 Colonists shot DEAD

Crowd provokes soldiers???› Threw snowballs, mud, rocks› Crispus Attucks: “Sons of Liberty”

Member

Soldiers order “FIRE” into the crowd???

Soldiers just defending themselves??? Innocent citizens murdered???

NEWSPAPER AD AFTER BOSTON MASSACRE

BOSTON MASSACRE LANDMARKS

BOSTON MASSACRE GRAVE

BOSTON MASSACRE AFTERMATHBOSTON MASSACRE AFTERMATH

Soldiers removed from Boston to city Soldiers removed from Boston to city outskirtsoutskirts

Soldiers put on trial – Defended by Soldiers put on trial – Defended by John John Adams (2Adams (2ndnd President) President)

Moment of Turning – Revolt InevitableMoment of Turning – Revolt Inevitable

• “COMITTIEES OF CORRESONDANCE”

– Sam Adams / Mercy Warren led in Boston – Keep Fueling Fire

– Write Lists of Rights and Grievances

– Make Sure News is Circulated – Solidify Resistance

TOWNSEND ACTS REPEALED – April, 1770

Prevents Immediate boiling over in colonies

Left tax on Tea only – Parliament saving face again

Radical Colonists want total repeal Sugar Act, Quartering Act still there Nevertheless, Calmer period results for 2

years UNTIL…

BURNING OF THE GASPEE

Box 7: TEA ACT -- 1773

Designed to Save the British East India Tea Company from Bankruptcy

Cutout American Merchants from selling British tea – (cut out the middle man)

Wrecks American Tea Trade

Reaction: BOSTON TEA PARTY

November 30, 1773

• Patriots dressed as Mohawk Indians sneak aboard Tea Ship and S.O.L. Dump 342 Chests of Tea in to Boston Harbor

• Parties Unknown (Sam Adams, John Hancock)

• Majority of People in Colonies Not Impressed with Action

BOSTON TEA PARTY

Disguised as Mohawk Indians

ENGLISH REACTION TO ENGLISH REACTION TO BOSTON TEA PARTYBOSTON TEA PARTY

England Fed Up – Need to Punish BostonEngland Fed Up – Need to Punish Boston

BOX 8: INTOLERABLE ACTS (Colonists) BOX 8: INTOLERABLE ACTS (Colonists) COERCIVE ACTS (British)COERCIVE ACTS (British) – 1774 – 1774

Acts to Punish BostonActs to Punish Boston Closed Boston Harbor to TradeClosed Boston Harbor to Trade and Traffic and Traffic Strip MA Gov’t of PowersStrip MA Gov’t of Powers Quebec Act makes much of Western Lands Part Quebec Act makes much of Western Lands Part

of Canada, Preventing Expansionof Canada, Preventing Expansion

Become Known as “Intolerable Acts”Become Known as “Intolerable Acts” Time for Colonies to do something…Time for Colonies to do something…

MEETING CALLED IN PHILADELPHIA

• Committees of Correspondence Organize• Colonies resent England• Called a “Continental Congress” to discuss

independence

• George Washington would represent VA– “The crisis is arrived when we must assert our rights,

or submit to every imposition, till custom and use shall make us as tame and abject slaves, as the blacks we rule over with such arbitrary sway.” (total authority)