The American The American RevolutionRevolution

By By

Lynne PierceLynne Pierce

Pontiac’s Pontiac’s RebellionRebellion

Indians realized the defeat of the French left them open to the English

Proclamation of Proclamation of 17631763

• Colonists could not cross the mountains

• Those who had were told to move back

• English saw it as peace keeping

RepresentatioRepresentationn• Colonists

resented not being represented in Parliament

• British insisted on virtual representation

Law after LawLaw after Law• Sugar Act (1764) – interfered

with courts• Quartering Act (1765) –

colonists would have to pay for the troops stationed there

• Writs of assistance – British used blank search warrants to look for illegal trade goods

“no illegal search and seizure”

Stamp Act (1765)Stamp Act (1765)• 1st external tax• Required stamp

on every product made of paper

• Led to the first boycott

Tarring and feathering a tax collector

OppositionOpposition

• Henry disrupts the House of Burgesses

• Adams founds the Sons of Liberty

• “no taxation without representation”

• Act revoked• Declaratory Act

(1766)

Patrick Henry - VA

Sam Adams - Mass

Supporters in Supporters in ParliamentParliament

Warned Parliament not to push Americans too far

Boston Massacre Boston Massacre (1770)(1770)

Crispus Attucks

First example propaganda; created by Sam Adams and Paul Revere

John Adams defends soldiers at trial

Committees of Committees of CorrespondenceCorrespondence

Used to keep the colonies informed about what was happening in other colonies

Paul Revere

Boston Tea Party Boston Tea Party (1773)(1773)

Led by Sons of Liberty; warned by Virginia

Intolerable Acts Intolerable Acts (1774)(1774)

• Closed Boston harbor; closed colonial assembly and presses; no gathering in groups; soldiers in homes

• Other colonies responded with aid for Boston

First Continental First Continental CongressCongress

Send a petition to the king for help against Parliament; will meet again in 1 year

George III

Suffolk ResolvesSuffolk Resolves

Every colony should create a militia; store shot

Lexington & Lexington & ConcordConcord

• Massachusetts storing gunpowder in Concord

• Sam Adams and John Hancock hiding in Lexington

The Midnight Ride The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere????of Paul Revere????

April 19, 1775April 19, 1775

“The shot heard round the world”

Second Continental Second Continental CongressCongress

• Not intended to be a government

• Not good at decisions

• Not efficient or effective

Independence Hall Philadelphia

Where did Where did Americans stand?Americans stand?

• Conservative – a person who supports the traditional ways; old ways best

• Loyalist, Tory William Franklin, Ben’s son, Royal Gov of New JerseyToday

dislike “big” or activist government

George W. Bush

Where did Where did Americans stand?Americans stand?

• Liberal – a person who supports active government; change represents new answers

• Patriot

John Adams

Barack Obama

Today they support social programs

Where did Where did Americans stand?Americans stand?

• Moderate – a person who supports some of the old ways and some of the new; gradual change

Today – welfare with limits• Radical – a person who goes to

extremes in beliefs – liberal or conservative; will do anything to achieve goals

Today – terrorists or people who think it’s OK to kill abortion doctors

Where did Where did Americans stand?Americans stand?

• Democracy – most radical idea possible in 1700’s; no country had such a system; even most of the Founding Fathers didn’t support it totally

Alexander Hamilton

British British AdvantagesAdvantages

• Large empire• More and better trained

soldiers• More weapons• More money• Navy• Loyalists – Tories

American American AdvantagesAdvantages

• Distance from Britain• Large area, know territory• Citizen-soldiers• Fighting for a cause• Pro-Am in Parliament• Time• Foreign help – France

Foreign aide

Franklin – Amb to France

Lafayette

Baron von Steuben

John Paul Jones - navy Casimir Pulaski

Bunker Hill Bunker Hill (Breed’s)(Breed’s)

“Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”

British casualties 1,054

(226 dead, 828 wounded

American casualties 450

(140 dead, 310 wounded)

Congress makes Congress makes decisionsdecisions

• “Not worth a continental”• Why Washington?• Olive Branch Petition

Thomas Paine – Thomas Paine – Common SenseCommon Sense

Explained to the common people why they were fighting; republic – representative government

Motion for Motion for IndependenceIndependence

• VA moved for independence

• Needed a document stating their purpose and reasons

• All 13 had to approve it

Richard Henry Lee of VA

The committeeThe committeeFranklin – PA

J. Adams - MA

Robert Livingston - NY

Roger Sherman - CT

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson - VA- VA

The Declaration of The Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

• Borrowed from John Locke• “life, liberty and the

pursuit of happiness”• “We hold these truths to

be self evident that all men are created equal.”

• Originally no mention of God

• Tried to end slavery

Abigail AdamsAbigail Adams• "I desire you would

remember the ladies” • "Remember, all men

would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”

• "That your sex are naturally tyrannical is a truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute.”

July 4, 1776July 4, 1776Forced Am to choose a side

“The Spirit of ’76”

Betsy Ross – 1st flag ??

Still losingStill losingValley Forge

Sir Henry Clinton’s army was comfortable in NY

Trenton & Trenton & PrincetonPrinceton

Am needed a victory; broke the rules

Hessians - mercenaries

Saratoga Saratoga

Burgoyne

Greene

French enter war

TreasonTreason

John Andre

Benedict Arnold – 1st hero & 1st traitor

Southern WarSouthern War• Thought South

was more loyal• Thought it

would be easier to fight war in South

• Major victory at Charleston

• Guerrilla warCharles

Cornwallis

VA transitionsVA transitionsLord Dunmore, last royal gov

Patrick Henry, 1st gov

French French CommandersCommanders

Admiral De Grasse General Rochambeau

Yorktown Yorktown Oct. 19, 1781Oct. 19, 1781

“The World Turned Upside Down”

Treaty of Paris of Treaty of Paris of 17831783

• Franklin, J. Adams, John Jay• Independence• Territory• Loyalists not punished• Am has to pay debts to Britain