From Empire to Independence

Chapter 6

From Empire to Independence

The Seven Years War in America The Imperial Crisis in British North

America “Save Your Money & Save Your

Country” From Resistance to Rebellion Deciding for Independence

From Empire to Independence

Key Topics: The final struggle among G. Britain, France, and

natives for control of eastern North America American nationalism in the aftermath of the

French- Indian War Great Britain’s changing policy towards its

North American colonies The political assumptions of American

Republicanism The colonies’ efforts to achieve unity

The Seven Years War in AmericaSection 1

THE SEVEN YEAR’S WAR

Also known as the French Indian War from 1754 to 1763.

It was the last north America War between Britain & France.

The war produced native allies on both sides.

The war ended with the French defeat.

The Seven Years War in North America

Cooperation seen among colonial leaders to fight the French and natives for the lands between the Miss River & Appalachian Mts. It also laid the groundwork for conflict between the colonists and the British.

Albany Conference of 1754 Colonial leaders met

with the Iroquois Nation to form an alliance but the natives walked out. The conference adopted Ben Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union, which called for colonial unity regarding native affairs, western settlement,

commerce and communication. British authorities were against it & colonial assemblies voted against it.

Importance- Showed the colonists staring to come together and attempting to form a powerful entity.

European Territories in 1763 Treaty of Paris ended the war & France

gave up all North American claims except New Orleans, which was ceded to Spain.

Spain ceded Florida to Britain in exchange for Caribbean Islands.

European Territories 1763 Britain- Territories in North America

stretched from Hudson Bay to the Caribbean; from the Atlantic to the Miss River.

France- Territory reduced to two small islands.

Spain-Cuba, the Philippines, Louisiana and California.

The Imperial Crisis in British North America, Section 2How did overwhelming British success in the French-Indian’s War lead to an imperial crisis in British North America?

Emergence of American Nationalism

During the Revolution, differences between colonists & the British emerged:

Discipline, name calling, similar experiences, a developing national identity

Imperial Crisis in North America The Press- Weekly

newspapers functioned as am mouthpiece for the gov’t.

Peter Zenger Case- was jailed due to criticizing the governor of NY. The issue of debate was freedom of the press.

Imperial Crisis in North America

Peter Zenger Case- Alexander Hamilton argued that freedom of the press was a right citizens. Zenger was eventually acquitted.

Imperial Crisis in North America

Republicanism- The ideas and values that influenced American political behavior during the 18th and 19th centuries.

ideas: A just society provided the greatest liberty to

citizens. A ruler’s authority should be conditional & not

absolute. The power of people to remove a ruler from office. Private ownership of property & representative

government.

The Sugar & Stamp Acts “…there shall be raised, levied,

collected, and paid, unto His Majesty, his heirs, and successors, for and upon all white or clay sugars of the produce or manufacture of any colony or plantation in America…”

Sugar Act 1764

British Parliament

The Stamp & Sugar Acts Purpose- To raise

revenue in the colonies to help pay for the French- Indian War.

A tax was placed on imported sugar & regulations for ships became stricter.

The movement for nonimportation began in Boston.

The Stamp Act Crisis-

1765

Stamp Act

1765- Law passed by Parliament to raise $ in America. A tax was placed on any legal documents like paper, licenses, legal documents, publications and playing cards.

The Stamp Act Crisis The real issue was not taxes but

colonial representation in Parliament.

The colonists argued they couldn’t be axed because they were not represented in Parliament.

Their rallying cry became, “ NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION !”

Stamp Act Crisis Virtual

Representation- Members of Parliament represent all citizens of the British Empire.

Actual Representation- the practice of having elected representatives that reside in your district and represent local interests in Parliament.

REPEAL OF THE STAMP ACT

In 1766, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act after a growing nonimportation movement in the colonies worried British officials.

Britain also passed the Declaratory Act which stated Parliament had the authority to make laws for the colonists in all areas.

“Save Your Money and Save Your Country”How did political and economic problems in Britain contribute to unrest in the colonies?

Save Your Money & Save Your CountryThe Townshend Revenue ActsEngland was suffering from massive unemployment, high prices and national debt.

Parliament passed the Revenue Act, which was a revenue measure that placed a tax on lead, glass, paint, paper and tea.

Colonial Response- Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania.

Nonimportation & nonconsumption associations.

Save Your Money & Save Your Country

The Boston Massacre- The problems began in NY with the Sons of Liberty, radicals, clashing with British soldiers.

In Boston, the relations between soldiers and colonists continued to decline…. Competition for jobs, protests, taunts, rock throwing.

After being attacked by a job of civilians, a British soldier was defended by a larger group of Br. Soldiers and they opened fire upon of a crowd of civilians.

Result- The Townshend Act was repealed.

From Resistance to RebellionWhat were the principal events leading to the beginning of armed conflict at Lexington & Concord?

From Resistance to Rebellion 1773- Parliament

passed the Tea Act permitted the East India Company to sell tea through middlemen & not pay a duty tax, thus reducing the retail price. Other tea companies still had to pay the duty.

From Resistance to Rebellion The Boston Tea

Party-When the governor of MA demanded tea ships to be unloaded & the nonimportation agreements broken, colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

THE BOSTON TEA PARTY Tea Parties followed in NYC, Annapolis, Charleston

The Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)

In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts (1774) which was aimed at weakening Boston radicals & strengthening Britain.

A. Boston Port Bill B. MA Government Act C. Town meetings ended- no more self-rule D. Administration of Justice Act E. Quartering Act F. Quebec Act G. General Thomas Gage replaced the governor

The Intolerable Acts Boston Port Bill-

Prohibited the loading or unloading of any ship in Boston Harbor until the damaged tea & property were paid for, including 3 ships

MA Government Act- annulled the MA colonial charter; all colonial officials were under direct control of the King.

THE INTOLERABLE ACTS

Administration of Justice Act- Protected British officials from colonial courts, encouraged suppression of colonists and any British official/soldier accused of wrong doing would be tried in Britain.

The Intolerable Acts Quartering Act-

Legalized the housing of troops of colonial public expense in private homes, taverns, abandoned buildings

Quebec Act- Parliament appointed a Governor for Canada and became the authority for the entire region…threatened colonial liberty.

The Intolerable Acts General Thomas

Gage, the infamous British General, took control of Boston and imposed martial law.

First Continental Congress Philadelphia 1774- Meeting of colonial

delegates in response to the Intolerable Acts. They endorsed the:

Suffolk Resolves

Lexington & Concord September 1, 1774-

General Gage sent British soldiers to Concord to gain control of the militia’s armories. The Ma militia, minutemen, were sent to meet them by the Committee of Safety.

Lexington & concord

Militiamen met the British at Lexington where shots were fired & 8 Americans were killed. The British marched to Concord where they were outnumbered & attacked by militiamen. The British burned down the armory & marched back to Boston. They were attacked all the way back.

LEXINGTON & CONCORD

British: Dead- 73, wounded-202

Americans: 95 casualties out of 4,000

Deciding for Independence The Second Continental Congress Opened on May 10, 1775 Wrote the Olive Branch Petition, which

asked the king to end hostilities and work to a resolution.

Congress resolved to put their colonies in a state of defense.

George Washington was nominated as Commander-in –Chief of the Continental Army.

Deciding for Independence Second Continental

Congress- Also passed the Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms, which the men promised to fight than remain under the tight control of the King.

No Turning Back

Colonists: 2nd Continental Congress assumed role of new gov’t, they organized an army, declared British ships open to capture and authorized privateering, contacted foreign powers, opened ports to trade with all nations

British: King proclaimed the colonies were in rebellion, mobilize more troops

No Turning Back We fight not to

enslave, but to set a country free, and to make room upon the earth for honest men to live in.

Thomas Paine, The Crisis, no. 4, September 11, 1777

Thomas Paine wrote, Common Sense, a pamphlet defending the colonists’ break from Britain and how “common sense” the decision was. The publication became the most widely read item in 1776.

Declaration of Independence