AMERICA’S ROAD TO

REVOLUTIONPart 2: Acts

Boston MassacreBoston Tea Party

HOW DOES ALL THIS START???• ENGLAND IN HEAVY DEBT

– French and Indian War– Colonies very expensive to maintain

• King George III employs George Grenville to get $ from the colonies– Doesn’t like colonists: “spoiled children”

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

boss

King George III

GEORGE GRENVILLE

NAVAGATION ACTS - 1660NAVAGATION ACTS - 1660

► 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 – Salutary Neglect – ► look the other waylook 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 Grenville FuriousSmuggling made Grenville 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

PROCLAMATION LINE of 1763PROCLAMATION LINE of 1763

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

Colonists reaction to Sugar 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

Most hated of all “Acts”Most hated of all “Acts”

Revenue stamps needed to be Revenue stamps needed to be put on put on printed items bought printed items bought (prove you (prove you paid tax)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 Reaction-- 1765• Most hated because most direct and

noticeable tax• Goods cost more

• Leads to mass protests in colonies (Sons of Liberty)

• Stamps Stolen and Burned

• Boycott of British Goods (2 more)

STAMP ACT PROTEST

STAMP ACT PROTEST

STAMP ACT PROTEST

STAMP ACT PROTESTS -- 1766• SONS OF LIBERTY formed to protest

Stamp Act– Secret Society Led by Samuel Adams– Printed Newspaper articles, led marches,

organized demonstrations, burned stamps– Threatened Tax Collectors

• STAMP ACT CONGRESS– Sent letters to King demanding repeal of

Stamp and Sugar Act– “No Taxation Without Representation”

Sons of Liberty Organized Protest Mob

COLONIAL TERRORISMTAR and FEATHERING

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 Most supposed to be defending the frontier BUT… Lots stay in Eastern cities (Boston)

Colonists feel soldiers there to police them

Colonists response to Quartering Act NY assembly refused to vote $ to

house soldiers

(Quartering Act required this)

Angry and More Protests Resentment and tensions grow

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

PARLIAMENT passes the DECLATORY ACTPARLIAMENT passes the DECLATORY ACT

Asserts Parliament’s total legal Asserts Parliament’s total legal right right to pass laws for the coloniesto pass 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 gaingain tax (duty) tax (duty) money on importsmoney on imports: : cloth, glass, paper, cloth, glass, paper, paint, teapaint, tea

Using Declaratory Acts as justificationUsing Declaratory Acts as justification

Tax Collectors have new powersTax Collectors have new powers:: Search homes and businesses for Search homes and businesses for

smugglingsmuggling Use “Writs of Assistance” – Broad, Use “Writs of Assistance” – Broad,

Generalized Warrants for searchesGeneralized Warrants for searches (Becomes motivation for 4(Becomes motivation for 4thth Amendment) Amendment)

COLONIES PROTEST AGAINCOLONIES PROTEST AGAINSons of Liberty (SOL) Organize “Hanging” Sons of Liberty (SOL) Organize “Hanging”

DemonstrationDemonstration►Another Another BoycottBoycott – – Roving Boston gangs Roving Boston gangs

enforce itenforce it

--Threaten “Tory” (Loyal --Threaten “Tory” (Loyal British) MerchantsBritish) Merchants

►Patriot = IndependencePatriot = Independence T Tory = Loyal ory = Loyal to to BritishBritish

►Daughters of LibertyDaughters of Liberty Convince colonists not to buy British goodsConvince colonists not to buy British goods ““Drink Coffee”, “Homespun Clothes”Drink Coffee”, “Homespun Clothes”

HANGING AT LIBERTY TREE

DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY

THE BOSTON MASSACREMarch 5, 1770

• More protests in colonies = More soldiers

• Colonists and Soldiers rude to each other

TENSIONS BUILDING

• Crowd gathered outside British Courthouse – mob grew unruly

ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSIGNMENT

• Get a blank piece of paper!• Look at the next two pictures of the Boston

Massacre and describe what is happening in each picture.

• • Consider both sides of the confrontation!!!

• Be as detailed as you can and note what feelings / impressions you get looking at each

• 2 minutes per picture

BOSTON MASSACREPICTURE 1

BOSTON MASSACREPICTURE 2

BOSTON MASSACRE• Crowd provokes soldiers???

– Throw snowballs, mud, rocks– Crispus Attucks: “Sons of Liberty” Member

African

• Soldiers order “FIRE” into the crowd???• 5 shot dead – Attucks becomes martyr

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

NEWSPAPER AD AFTER BOSTON MASSACRE

BOSTON MASSACRE Famous Engraving by Paul Revere

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

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… 1772-1773

• GASPEE INCIDENT– British Ship Patrolling for Smugglers Runs Aground– Crowd Sneaks on Board, Removes Crew, Sets Fire to

Vessel– Commission can’t find Witnesses / Culprits

• “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

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

BOSTON HARBOR TODAY

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 somethingTime for Colonies to do something

MEETING CALLED IN PHILADELPHIA

• Committees of Correspondence Organize• Colonies resent England• Call 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)