Fanning the Flames of

Colonial Resentment

I. French and Indian War

A. French were no longer a threat to British dominance

B. Colonists had gained loyalty and respect for the Crown.

C. Colonies had gained self-confidence as a united body

Albany Congress

• 1754, Ben Franklin suggests the colonies unite

• Modeled after Five Nations of the Iroguois• Plan for a central government with

representative legislature– To handle defense– To levy taxes– To develop cross-colony communication

• “Join or Die” cartoon• Plan rejected

II. Proclamation Line of 1763

A. As a result of the French and Indian War, there was passage to the Ohio Valley.

i. Even before the end of the war, colonists began using this road.

ii. Colonists saw opportunities to settle further west.

B. British Crown saw this as a possible conflict with native Americans.

Proclamation Line of 1763

C. The Proclamation Line forbade any white colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains.

i. Not designed to be permanentii. Designed to maintain stability within the colonies

and avoid more war.

D. Many settlers defied the Proclamation Line, and crossed the mountains anyway.

i. The native American response was, indeed, violent.

E. This became a cause of friction between the British and the frontier settler

Taxation without Representation!

• Seven Years War was very expensive• The English had build up a huge debt• It was felt that the colonies should help pay for

the cost of the war.Parliament passed many “acts”, or laws

whichwould raise money so that the British could

payOff debt.• Some of these laws required colonists to pay

taxes on a number of items that were imported to or used by the colonies.

• Some of the acts were considered unfair and caused hardship for the colonies.

The Sugar Act (1764)

• Heavy taxes on sugar and molasses

Currency Act (1764)

• Required gold coins for all purchases (no paper money)

• This would require dependence on England for a very long time.

Navigation Acts

• Passed in 1650, but not put into effect until 1764

• Taxed ships traveling to or from the colonies

• This discouraged trade with the colonies

Anger

• At a town meeting in Boston, colonists began using the phrase, “ No taxation without representation!”– Colonists were outraged from being taxed

heavily without being able to participate in parliament.

– Resentment grew throughout the colonies.– Colonists began boycotting (not buying)

English goods.

Quartering Act (1765)

• Required colonial governments to supply barracks for British troops.

• Eventually, this act was extended to requiring inns, taverns, and even private homes to host British soldiers.

The Stamp Act (1765)

• Every paper document had to have a royal colonial stamp.– Newspapers, deeds, playing cards

• Violations were tried in courts without juries.

• This was seen as tyranny• This united the colonies in their

opposition.

Reaction

• Colonists reacted by forming many secret societies that protested the treatment of the colonies.– Sons of Liberty– Stamp Act Congress– Declaration of Rights

Townshend Acts (1767)

• A bundle of acts created by Charles Townshend

• Taxes on glass (windows), lead, paint, paper, and tea

• Allowed the search of any home• Colonial anger grew and grew

Colonial Anger

• Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty began sending letters to other colonies to unite

• 1768-1769, nearly all colonies boycotted English goods

• Virginia Association of the House of Burgesses, led by Patrick Henry, enforced the southern colonial boycott.

• Soon, English dissolved House of Burgesses– Only flamed the anti-British passion.

April 1770

• Parliament bowed to some of the Colonial pressure

• Repealed all the Townshend Acts all accept for the tax on:

• TEA