Tar and Feathering

Mercantilism

• British economic system of 17th & 18th centuries

• Power = wealth• Goal: Export more than import and a self-

sufficient nation• Colonies supplement but not compete with

Mother country• Colonies needed to provide:

– 1. raw materials and – 2. markets

Navigation Acts

• Required colonists to use British or colonial ships with crews that were ¾ British or Colonials

• All colonial imports except wine and salt had to pass through England for taxation

• “enumerated list” restricted the sale of specified items from the colonies to GB alone

• Tobacco, sugar, indigo, rice, molasses, naval stores, pig iron, hides, etc…

Woolen Act

• Forbid export of wool and wool products from one colony to another

• Or, to another country

Molasses Act

• High duties on:

• Rum, sugar & molasses

• Imported into the colonies from NON British West Indies

Hat Act

• Forbid the export of hats

• Limited each hatmaker to one apprentice

Iron Act

• Forbid building of ironworking establishments to finish iron products

• Removed duties on colonial pig iron and bar iron shipped to GBritain

Result of trade restrictions

• Illegal Trade Routes

• Smuggling

Proclamation of 1763

• Prevents colonials from moving into Northwest Territory

• British do not want to defend Colonials

• FIRST restriction post French & Indian War

The Boston Massacre The Boston Massacre ((March 5,1770March 5,1770))

Crispus Attucks one of five people killed in the Boston Massacrefirst martyr of the American Revolution

John Adams defended the Redcoats:Even Redcoats deserve a fair trial.

The Gaspee The Gaspee IncidentIncident (1772)(1772)

Providence, RI coastProvidence, RI coast

Committees Committees of Correspondenceof Correspondence

PurposePurpose warn neighboring warn neighboring coloniescolonies about incidents with about incidents with BritishBritish

broaden the resistance broaden the resistance movement. movement.

Samuel Adams

• John Adam’s cousin• Founded first

Committee of Correspondence

• First to suggest Continental Congress

• Attended first Continental Congress

• Signed Declaration of Independence

Currency Act

• Required colonists to pay British merchants in silver and gold

• No colonial paper money [inflated]

• Mercantilism created trade deficit in colonies

• Impossible for colonists to pay in silver or gold

Stamp Act

• First attempt to impose a DIRECT tax

• on printed materials

• Colonists: no taxation without representation in Parliament

• Parliament: “virtual” representation

Stamp Act Congress 1765• New York City

• nine colonies in attendance• 14-point Declaration of Rights and Grievances, written by John

Dickinson of Pennsylvania• echoed resolves of the Virginia House of Burgesses• argued that colonial taxation could only be carried on by their

own assemblies• singled out the Stamp Act and the use of the vice admiralty

courts for special criticism• ended with a pledge of loyalty to the king.

• Stamp Act repealed March 1766 • Parliament affirmed its power to tax the colonies “in all cases

whatsoever” by also passing the Declaratory Act

Quartering Act 1765

• Required colonists to help provide for their own protection

• 1765: pay to house British troops

• Later: house troops in homes

• Colonists saw as indirect taxation without representation

Townshend duties• new duties external in nature• on paint, paper, glass, lead and tea

imported into the colonies [not produced in any quantity in the colonies at that time, but the capability to manufacture them in America was apparent.]

• intent to raise revenue for payment of salaries of royal officials in the colonies

• bypassing assemblies• Colonists once accepted indirect taxes

but now opposed direct and indirect

Tea Act Tea Act (1773)(1773) British East India Co.:British East India Co.:

§ Monopoly on Br. tea Monopoly on Br. tea imports.imports.

§ Many members of Many members of Parl. held shares.Parl. held shares.

§ Permitted the Co. to Permitted the Co. to sell tea directly to sell tea directly to cols. without col. cols. without col. middlemen middlemen North expected the North expected the cols. to eagerly choose cols. to eagerly choose the cheaper tea.the cheaper tea.

The Coercive or The Coercive or IntolerableIntolerableActs Acts (1774)(1774)

Lord NorthLord North

1.1. Port Bill Port Bill

2.2. Government Government ActAct

4.4. Administration Administration ofof Justice Act Justice Act

3.3. New Quartering New Quartering Act Act

The Quebec Act The Quebec Act (1774)(1774)

Passed with Intolerable Acts

Allowed Catholicism in Quebec

Resented by Colonists

First Continental First Continental Congress Congress (1774)(1774)

55 delegates from 12 55 delegates from 12 coloniescolonies

AgendaAgenda How How to respond to to respond to the Coercive the Coercive Acts & the Acts & the Quebec Act?Quebec Act?

1 vote per colony 1 vote per colony represented.represented.

Boston Tea Party Boston Tea Party (1775)(1775)

The British Are The British Are Coming Coming . . .. . .

Paul ReverePaul Revere & & William DawesWilliam Dawes make make their midnight ride to warn the their midnight ride to warn the

MinutemenMinutemen of approaching British of approaching British soldiers.soldiers.

The Shot Heard The Shot Heard ’’Round the WorldRound the World!!

LexingtonLexington & & ConcordConcord – April – April 18,177518,1775

The Second The Second Continental Continental

CongressCongress(1775)(1775)

Olive Branch Olive Branch PetitionPetition

Thomas PaineThomas Paine: : Common SenseCommon Sense

Declaration of Declaration of Independence Independence

(1776)(1776)

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

Independence HallIndependence Hall

New New National National SymbolsSymbols