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The Imperial Crisis and The Imperial Crisis and Resistance to Britain and the Resistance to Britain and the

War for Independence War for Independence

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Proclamation Line of 1763Proclamation Line of 1763 The Treaty of Paris, which ended The Treaty of Paris, which ended

the French and Indian War, ended the French and Indian War, ended French colonization in North French colonization in North America.America.

The British colonies in America The British colonies in America were, at that point, limited to the were, at that point, limited to the Eastern Seaboard. With the war Eastern Seaboard. With the war ended, many colonists wanted to ended, many colonists wanted to move west into the formerly French move west into the formerly French lands in the Ohio River Valley.lands in the Ohio River Valley.

This presented a problem however This presented a problem however as the British wanted to protect the as the British wanted to protect the Native populations from European Native populations from European encroachment.encroachment.

On 7 October 1763, King George On 7 October 1763, King George III issued a royal proclamation III issued a royal proclamation limiting colonial development to limiting colonial development to areas east of the Appalachian areas east of the Appalachian Mountains.Mountains.

This became known as the This became known as the “Proclamation Line” and was a “Proclamation Line” and was a major point of contention between major point of contention between the British government and the the British government and the colonists.colonists. Proclamation Line of 1763Proclamation Line of 1763

3

The Paxton BoysThe Paxton Boys The Paxton Boys were a group of primarily The Paxton Boys were a group of primarily

Scotch and Irish immigrants farming in Western Scotch and Irish immigrants farming in Western Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania.

They believed that the government had become They believed that the government had become too dominated by Eastern trading interests and too dominated by Eastern trading interests and had been too lenient on the Native American had been too lenient on the Native American population.population.

In December 1763, the Paxton Boys took out In December 1763, the Paxton Boys took out their frustrations on a peaceful village of their frustrations on a peaceful village of Conestoga Indians near Lancaster, Conestoga Indians near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania.

An unknown number of Conestoga were killed in An unknown number of Conestoga were killed in the attack and the survivors fled to Philadelphia the attack and the survivors fled to Philadelphia chased by 600-1000 Paxton Boys.chased by 600-1000 Paxton Boys.

As Philadelphia possessed no real military As Philadelphia possessed no real military defenses since the end of the French and Indian defenses since the end of the French and Indian War, it was feared that the Paxton Boys would War, it was feared that the Paxton Boys would take the city.take the city.

Benjamin Franklin met the Paxton Boys on the Benjamin Franklin met the Paxton Boys on the road to Philadelphia and talked them into going road to Philadelphia and talked them into going home.home.

Before leaving, the Paxton Boys outlined their Before leaving, the Paxton Boys outlined their grievances in a document entitled grievances in a document entitled Remonstrances of the Distressed and Bleeding Remonstrances of the Distressed and Bleeding Frontier Frontier which they delivered to the colonial which they delivered to the colonial government in Philadelphia.government in Philadelphia.

Most provocatively, the Paxton Boys demanded Most provocatively, the Paxton Boys demanded the right to drive all Native Americans from the right to drive all Native Americans from Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania.

Citizens of Philadelphia rally to Citizens of Philadelphia rally to defend against Paxton Boys. defend against Paxton Boys.

Engraving circa 1764.Engraving circa 1764.

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The Philosophy of Rebellion: British The Philosophy of Rebellion: British Taxation and American ReactionTaxation and American Reaction

Seven years of war with France had Seven years of war with France had nearly bankrupted England.nearly bankrupted England.

This forced the British to turn to their This forced the British to turn to their American colonies as a means to American colonies as a means to raise revenue.raise revenue.

In 1765, Parliament imposed the In 1765, Parliament imposed the Stamp Act which levied a tax on all Stamp Act which levied a tax on all printed material. printed material.

Americans were furious at the new Americans were furious at the new tax. Riots erupted in Boston and New tax. Riots erupted in Boston and New York. On 14 August 1765, rioters York. On 14 August 1765, rioters destroyed the Boston home of destroyed the Boston home of Massachusetts Governor Thomas Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson.Hutchinson. By the time the tax was to take By the time the tax was to take

effect, violence had forced all of effect, violence had forced all of the Stamp Act commissioners the Stamp Act commissioners to flee the coloniesto flee the colonies

On 7 October 1765, American On 7 October 1765, American colonists met at the Stamp Act colonists met at the Stamp Act Congress to articulate their Congress to articulate their grievances with Great Britain.grievances with Great Britain.

Contemporary engraving of colonist Contemporary engraving of colonist protesting the Stamp Act.protesting the Stamp Act.

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The Boston Massacre or the King Street RiotThe Boston Massacre or the King Street Riot Following the Stamp Act riots, the Following the Stamp Act riots, the

English stationed soldiers in major English stationed soldiers in major American cities to restore calm.American cities to restore calm.

On 5 March 1770 British soldiers On 5 March 1770 British soldiers were involved in an altercation with were involved in an altercation with colonists in Boston. In the resulting colonists in Boston. In the resulting melee, the soldiers fired into the melee, the soldiers fired into the crowd, killing five colonists and crowd, killing five colonists and wounding six.wounding six.

The soldiers and their commanding The soldiers and their commanding officer were charged with murder officer were charged with murder but, after a vigorous defense by but, after a vigorous defense by John Adams, which focused on John Adams, which focused on inconstancies in the eyewitness inconstancies in the eyewitness testimony, all but two were testimony, all but two were acquitted.acquitted.

Following the incident, Boston Following the incident, Boston silversmith Paul Revere created an silversmith Paul Revere created an engraving heavily stilted toward the engraving heavily stilted toward the American perspective.American perspective. Revere’s Engraving of the Boston MassacreRevere’s Engraving of the Boston Massacre

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Internal vs. External TaxesInternal vs. External Taxes The American colonists had long maintained that England was free to impose The American colonists had long maintained that England was free to impose

external, or indirect taxes, on the colonies but, as Americans did not have external, or indirect taxes, on the colonies but, as Americans did not have representation in Parliament, England could not levy internal, or direct taxes, on the representation in Parliament, England could not levy internal, or direct taxes, on the colonists. In other words, the colonists believed that England could impose taxes colonists. In other words, the colonists believed that England could impose taxes through trade regulation on the entire British Empire but could not directly tax the through trade regulation on the entire British Empire but could not directly tax the colonists or their economic activity.colonists or their economic activity.

Although few in England understood the distinction, in 1767 Parliament acquiesced Although few in England understood the distinction, in 1767 Parliament acquiesced to colonial demands and enacted the Townshend Duties which shifted the form of to colonial demands and enacted the Townshend Duties which shifted the form of colonial taxation to import and export duties.colonial taxation to import and export duties.

The American colonists however were evidently no longer satisfied with this The American colonists however were evidently no longer satisfied with this distinction and reacted to the Townshend Duties with the same sorts of violence that distinction and reacted to the Townshend Duties with the same sorts of violence that surrounded the Stamp Act.surrounded the Stamp Act.

In 1770, British Prime Minister Lord North again gave into the colonists and repealed In 1770, British Prime Minister Lord North again gave into the colonists and repealed all of the Townshend Duties except the tax on tea. Americans responded with a all of the Townshend Duties except the tax on tea. Americans responded with a boycott of English tea.boycott of English tea.

The tea tax was the most profitable of the Townshend Duties and served as a price The tea tax was the most profitable of the Townshend Duties and served as a price support for the British East India Tea Company. Maintaining the tea tax also allowed support for the British East India Tea Company. Maintaining the tea tax also allowed North to claim that he had not given into the colonists entirely.North to claim that he had not given into the colonists entirely.

In 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act which allowed the struggling East India Tea In 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act which allowed the struggling East India Tea Company to sell 18 million pounds of surplus tea at a discount in the colonies.Company to sell 18 million pounds of surplus tea at a discount in the colonies.

American colonists saw the Tea Act as an attempt to break the boycott through American colonists saw the Tea Act as an attempt to break the boycott through offering a steeply discounted price and reacted violently.offering a steeply discounted price and reacted violently.

7

The Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party In December 1773 colonists In December 1773 colonists

prevented British East India prevented British East India Tea Company ships from Tea Company ships from docking in Boston.docking in Boston.

For two weeks Governor For two weeks Governor Hutchinson negotiated Hutchinson negotiated fruitlessly with the colonists to fruitlessly with the colonists to allow the ships to pass.allow the ships to pass.

On the night of 16 December On the night of 16 December 1773, American colonists 1773, American colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the ships and, over boarded the ships and, over the course of three hours, the course of three hours, dumped 342 cases of tea into dumped 342 cases of tea into Boston Harbor.Boston Harbor.

Although British troops were Although British troops were stationed near by, they did stationed near by, they did not intervene for fear of not intervene for fear of provoking a larger incident.provoking a larger incident.

The Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party

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The Intolerable Acts: A Prelude to The Intolerable Acts: A Prelude to WarWar

In 1774, The British responded to the Boston Tea Party In 1774, The British responded to the Boston Tea Party with five pieces of legislation designed to punish the with five pieces of legislation designed to punish the American colonists.American colonists. The Boston Port Act closed the port of Boston to all The Boston Port Act closed the port of Boston to all

commercial shipping and crippled the city’s maritime commercial shipping and crippled the city’s maritime economy. (31 March 1774)economy. (31 March 1774)

The Massachusetts Government Act abolished that colony’s The Massachusetts Government Act abolished that colony’s colonial government. (20 May 1774)colonial government. (20 May 1774)

The Administration of Justice Act exempted British colonial The Administration of Justice Act exempted British colonial officials from colonial courts. (20 May 1774)officials from colonial courts. (20 May 1774)

The Quartering Act required the colonists to pay for the The Quartering Act required the colonists to pay for the upkeep of British soldiers sent to restore calm. (2 June 1774)upkeep of British soldiers sent to restore calm. (2 June 1774)

The Quebec Act allowed the territory recently gained from The Quebec Act allowed the territory recently gained from France to retain its structure of government and its Catholic France to retain its structure of government and its Catholic faith in a Protestant country. (22 June 1774)faith in a Protestant country. (22 June 1774)

These bills were collectively referred to as the These bills were collectively referred to as the Intolerable Acts within the colonies and served as the Intolerable Acts within the colonies and served as the final act before the revolution. final act before the revolution.

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MultimediaMultimedia CitationCitation

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