6.1 Tighter 6.1 Tighter British British ControlControl

North America, 1763

King George III

When the French and Indian War ended in North America Britain had two big problems

1. War debt-they need more revenue out of the colonies

2. Indian unrest on the frontier

When the French and Indian War ended Britain imposed new laws and

restrictions on the colonies

Salutary Neglect-

The colonies had been allowed to develop largely on their own

Pontiac’s rebellion-In the summer of 1763 Native groups attacked British settlers

and forts in the west

King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763 which forbade the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian mountains

The British Parliament passed the

Quartering Act as a cost saving

measure..

It required the colonies to house, or quarter, British soldiers and provide them with supplies

To keep peace with the Native Britain decided to keep 10,000 soldiers in the colonies

In 1764 the Parliament passed the Sugar Act which taxed sugar, molasses and other products shipped to the colonies

In the past the king had asked the colonial assemblies to pass taxes to support military actions in the colonies

This time Parliament taxed colonial trade directly to raise money for the war debt

Colonists angry because:

1. Did not think they should be taxed to pay Britain’s debt

2. Strict enforcement of import duties would cost colonial merchants a lot of money (smuggling was more profitable)

3. “No taxation without representation!” - Colonial leaders, such as James Otis, claimed that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies because the colonies were not represented in Parliament

In 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act. It required all legal and commercial

documents to carry an official stamp showing that a tax had been paid

The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting held in New York City in October, 1765

Colonial leaders met to discuss their concerns

First time the colonies met to consider acting together in protest

The colonies protested the Stamp Act

The Stamp Act Congress drew up a petition to the king which declared that the right to tax the colonies belonged to the colonial assemblies

Colonial merchants organized a boycott (refusal to buy) of British goods

Some colonists formed secret societies to oppose British policies such as the Sons of Liberty

Tarring and Feathering a Tory

group of agitators

Not all of their protests were peaceful

Sam Adams was the leader of the Sons of Liberty.

The Stamp Act was repealed (taken back) in 1766 due to pressure on

Parliament by British merchants hurt by the boycott

At the same time Parliament repealed the Stamp Act they passed the Declaratory

Act stating that they had supreme authority to govern the colonies.

The colonists celebrated the repeal of the Stamp Act and ignored the Declaratory Act

The great tug of war between Parliament and the colonies had begun

6.2 Colonial Resistance Grows6.2 Colonial Resistance Grows

The Townshend Acts, 17671. Suspended New York’s

assembly until New Yorkers agreed to provide housing for troops, to comply with the Quartering Act

2. Placed duties (import taxes) on imports such as glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea

Parliament hoped that a tax on trade, collected before goods entered the colonies, might anger colonists less than the direct tax of the Stamp Act

Charles TownshendChancellor of the Exchequer

(Treasurer)

Writs of Assistance would be used to enforce the new tax

laws. They were blank search warrants to

enter homes and businesses to search for smuggled goods

Many felt the writs violated natural rights

James Otis - “A man’s home is his castle”

To protest the Townshend Acts.. Sons of Liberty announce another boycott -

Colonial merchants under “pressure” from the Sons sign non-importation agreements

The Daughters of Liberty, a woman’s group, organizes to support the boycott by making “American” products

The Massachusetts assembly sends a circular letter to other assemblies asking for suggestions of ways to oppose the Townshend Acts

Fearing loss of control the British move 4,000 armed troops into Boston and tension fills the streets

The tension explodes when 5 people are killed in the Boston

Massacre.

John Adams defended the redcoats that were arrested.

Wanted to show that the colonists followed the rule of law

On the same day of the Boston Massacre Parliament had

proposed the repeal of all the Townshend Acts except for the

tax on tea.

Crisis began to die down Boycott of British tea continues

Sam Adams establishes the Committees of Correspondence

to exchange letters about colonial affairs and issues.

He wanted to make sure people did not forget the cause of liberty

Parliament passed the Tea Act (1773) which cut the tax on imported tea and gave the British East India company a monopoly on the American tea trade.

Tea would arrive in the colonies only on their ships and be sold by its merchants directly to colonists without paying the taxes colonial merchants had to pay

Bad for the patriots because..1. It lowered the price of tea even below the cost of

smuggled tea and that would break the boycott.2. It would have cost the colonial tea merchants

(smugglers) a lot of money.

Protests against Tea Act are taking place all over the colonies.

The Sons of Liberty are sending shiploads of tea back to Britain with threats.

In Boston Governor Hutchinson refuses to send the tea back

The Sons of Liberty organized the Boston Tea Party.

After the Tea Party Britain wanted..

Repayment The men who destroyed the tea to be

brought to trial