1763-1783 AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Assemblies had great independence: “Salutary neglect” Distant from Colonies
Differing views: Assemblies thought
themselves equal to Parliament in domestic affairs; left foreign affairs to Parliament Parliament thought itself
superior to colonial assemblies British claimed Americans
had a duty to pay taxes for war effort
Americans felt they had contributed enough
Proclamation of 1763
COLONIAL ASSEMBLIES & PARLIAMENT
1763 – Became Prime minister Ended “salutary neglect”
Trade and Navigation Acts New customs duties Smuggling Vice-admiralty courts John Hancock John Adams
GEORGE GRENVILLE ENDS SALUTARY NEGLECT
1764: Tax on raw sugar and molasses
Merchants accused of smuggling presumed guilty
“Writs of Assistance” general search warrant that
gave British officials permission to search civilian property Enforce Navigation acts Aid British officials in America
Colonists outraged James Otis: “No Taxation
without representation!” According to Britain, colonies
did not have actual representation but virtual representation
SUGAR ACT
Why would the colonists be so angry that warrants were no longer required before
the regulars could search ships, businesses, and homes?
WARMUP
1. Describe the details of the image.
2. How do you think this relates to what we already know about the rising tension between colonists & officers?
WARMUP
Colonial money had become inflated (money lost value over time) To get out of debt, VA print
more $ British ban the printing of
colonial money Colonies used bills of exchange Forced colonists to pay in
specie – hard money Alleviate British creditors'
fears of being paid in the depreciated currency of the colonists Hurt debtors
CURRENCY ACT (1764)
A tax in the form of required stamps to be purchased and fixed to all printed material $0.005 - $6.00 Newspapers, pamphlets,
wills, mortgages, licenses, diplomas, playing cards, etc.
First direct tax on colonies Paid directly to the govt Not used to benefit colonies
Other taxes had been indirect taxes Put on goods before they
reach the consumer
STAMP ACT (1765)
Virginia Resolves: Patrick Henry persuades VA H.O.Burg. to take on several resolutions that denied Parliament's right to tax the colonies Many other colonial assemblies
followed Sons of Liberty: led by John
Hancock and Sam Adams Protest anger over Stamp Act Mobs attack stamp collectors homes
Stamp Act Congress October 1765 – Delegates from 9
colonies met in New York Declaration of Rights and Grievances
sent to King George III Only colonial assemblies had the right to
tax
PROTEST TO THE STAMP ACT
Merchants made agreements to stop doing business with English until Stamp Act was repealed Home production instead
Non-importation agreement 200 NY merchants Very damaging to British
commerce 1766 – Stamp Act
repealed Declaratory Act:
parl iament had right to make laws w/o colonial consent
COLONIAL BOYCOTT
Parliament increased presence of British soldiers in colonies “Protect from Native Am attacks”
Deploying troops need shelter If soldiers provide for colonies,
colonists should provide for soldiers Legislation required colonial
assemblies to provide for the basic needs of soldiers stationed within its borders bedding, cooking utensils, firewood,
beer, candles Cost efficient for Britain Reaction Fear of standing armies (preferred
militia units) Cost (colonists spending $ on soldiers) Soldiers only present to address non-
compliance of tax programs
QUARTERING ACT (1765)
Charles Townshend: in control of the British ministry
Persuaded Parliament in 1767 to pass the Townshend Acts Small import tax on glass, white lead,
paint, paper, and tea Used to pay salaries of officials in
colonies Declared Writs of assistance officially
legal Nonimportation agreements in
Boston, NYC, and Philadelphia Boycott aimed at limiting
British imports Would not benefit the colonies
MA writes a circular letter to compromise with Parliament Asking for separate legislative body in
colonies (subordinate to Parliament) MA assembly disbanded for refusing
to withdraw letter
THE TOWNSHEND REVENUE ACT (1767)
Were the British justified to fire at colonists in the Boston Massacre?
DEBATE
British troops unwelcome in Boston March 5, 1770 "patriot" mob of about 50 citizens throwing
snowballs/stones/sticks vs. squad of British soldiers
Mob attacks a British officer Capt. Preston called additional soldiers who were
then attacked Soldiers fired into the mob: 11 victims: 3 dead, 2 fatally wounded, 6 wounded Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, James Caldwell
Town meeting demanding removal of the British and trial of Capt. Preston and his men for murder British soldiers defended by John Adams 6 acquitted, 2 guilty of manslaughter
EFFECT: Royal Governor evacuating the occupying army
from the town of Boston Paul Revere retells events through propaganda,
demonizing British
BOSTON MASSACRE (1770)
British officers strictly enforcing the customs laws Confiscating ships/ goods without charge
June 1772: Brit . of ficer patroll ing RI on HMS Gaspee Mob of 55 men attack ship, capture crew Abandon crew ashore loot & burn Gaspee
Local courts sympathize with colonists Officer arrested for illegally seizing goods Parliament = outraged
Committees of Correspondence: to communicate opposition to Brit . laws 1773: Thomas Jefferson proposes that each
colony should have a committee for intercolonial communication
GASPEE AFFAIR (1772)
May 1773: Law designed to help East India Company (8 million lbs of unsold tea) Made tea cheaper 4/5 of tax go back to company
Colonists upset: British trying to encourage tax payment by lowering cost PA & NY: force ships to turn around
and head back to Britain SC: cargo left out to rot on docks MD: burned ship w/ cargo Boston: Royal Governor held the
ships in port Colonists wouldn’t allow them to unload ships were stalled
TEA ACT (1773)
Radical townspeople stormed ships & tossed 342 chests of tea into harbor Disguised as Nat. Am,
offenders could not be identified
Damage = over $750,000
Not a single British East India Company chest of tea bound for the 13 colonies reached its destination
BOSTON TEA PARTY
Spring 1774 – Coercive Acts Boston Port Act closed the port of Boston until
damages from the Boston Tea Party were paid
Massachusetts Government Act restricted Massachusetts; democratic
town meetings and turned the governor's council into an appointed body
The Administration of Justice Act made British officials immune to
criminal prosecution in Massachusetts Quartering Act required colonists to house and quarter
British troops on demand, including in their private homes as a last resort
Punishment for MA actions Restricted colonists' rights
INTOLERABLE ACTS (1774)
Gave Catholic French Canadians religious freedom allowed to serve office
Extended the province of Quebec into the land of the colonies
Was viewed as an Intolerable Act by colonists
QUEBEC ACT (1774)
Organized in Philadelphia to determine how the colonies should react the violation of their rights and liberties
No talk of secession from England Continue protest parliamentary acts Restore relationship with Brit
55 delegates representing 12 colonies Expressed loyalty to the King Condemned the Coercive Acts
Not all colonies ready to restore relationship with Brit Massachusetts (governed by Brit) John Hancock – MA “governor” Militia – “Minutemen” – ready to go
Patrick Henry: “Give me liberty or give me death.”
FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS (1774)
2.5 million people in colonies at time of Revolution
British soldiers Redcoats / Lobsterbacks
Loyalists (Tories) Americans who remained loyal to
Britain Patriots (Whigs) Americans who believed that the
British were tyrants Neutral Those who favored neither side,
but would support the winner
OPINIONS WITHIN COLONIES
1775: Brit. Gen. Gage = MA Govnr. Heard Pats had secret weapons in
Concord & that John Hancock & Samuel Adams waiting in Lexington Gage sent 700 British soldiers to find
the weapons and arrest the two Patriot leaders
April 18 – troops set out “One if by land, two if by sea” Light signal: 1 = longer land route, 2 =
shorter route by water, less time for patriots to react TWO LANTERNS: BRIT TROOPS CROSS
CHARLES “SEA” Colonial messengers set out to
alert patriot leaders Paul Revere, William Dawes, Dr.
Samuel Prescott
MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE
LEXINGTON & CONCORD
April 19: British arrived in Lex 77 Minutemen waiting @ town common
w/ muskets (outnumbered by Brit) Brit fired & charged at MM w/ bayonets 8 MM killed, 10 wounded, rest escaped
Brit soldiers marched to Conc Expected secret weapon supply, but
MM had moved them Brit soldiers leave Conc Shot at by MM hiding in the
woods/fields 4,000 MM involved in Lex&Conc British casualties = 273, American =
95 Shots fired at Lex&Conc marked
the beginning of the Am Rev “Heard ‘round the world“ b/c first fight
for self-government.
Benedict Arnold: CT rider arms himself and Minutemen Set off for upstate New York to
search for much needed artiellery Steal a cannon from Fort
Ticonderoga Ethan Allen & the Green
Mountain Boys also wanted to capture Fort Ticonderoga
Two worked together & surprised the poorly manned British fort Fort's commander was asleep
& surrendered in his pajamas!
TICONDEROGA (1775)
May 1775 British surround Boston June 1775: Colonists take Breed’s
Hil l on Charlestown peninsula, overlooking Boston
Brit. Gen. Gage launches frontal attack with over 2,000 soldiers Colonists wait until Brit are close, & fire Colonists low on ammo hand-to-hand
fighting British “win”: control Boston after
third attempt 1,054/2,300 either killed or wounded Colonists = 400 casualties morale-
boosting experience the new Continental Army
EFFECT: Continental Army needs more support encourage milit ia enlistment
BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL (1775)
May 1775: 2nd Cont. Cong. in Philly Issue: Colonist military lacks morale SOLUTION: Form Continental Army – Washington
would serve as commander W/O PAY Issue: Lack of $ & supplies SOLUTION: Congress allows printing of money
Issue: Foreign support SOLUTION: Foreign relations committee to
communicate in case colonies need help Cont. Cong. = real governing body Majority of delegates still not seeking
independence Sent Olive Branch Petition Ask Brit. for peace /declared loyalty to king King declared colonies in a state of rebellion
orders 30,000 Hessian mercenaries
SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS (1775)
A citizens moral/political obligations are dependent upon an agreement among them to form the society in which they live
Thomas Hobbes (1651) “Original State of Nature” =
“Solitary, poor, and short.” Govt protects life and safety
John Locke (1690) Govt protects life, liberty, &
property, provides stability “Worth giving up some
freedom to keep most of it” Govt derived from “the consent
of the governed” If govt breaks its end of the
contract, the people have a right to revolt
SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY
1776: Thomas Paine published the pamphlet Common Sense which argued: Colonists should free themselves
from British rule Establish independent govt based
on Enlightenment ideals Govt should protect man's natural
rights
Pamphlet = 46 pgs long! Over half a million copies sold in
colonies SIGNIFICANCE: Responsible for
discrediting Loyalist opinion to stay with Brit.
COMMON SENSE
Congress passes Lee Resolution: colonies are/have the right to be free & independent states
Committee of Five to draft: J Adams (MA), B Franklin (PA), R
Sherman (CT), R Livingston (NY), T Jefferson (VA) – primary draftsman
July 2, 1776: Congress votes unanimously for independence
July 4, 1776: Members begin to sign their names
SIGNIFICANCE: formalized the colonies' separation from Brit. Expressed natural rights upon
which the revolution was based
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
“All men are created equal” All free citizens were
political equals Three “unalienable”
rights Life, liberty, pursuit of
happiness Purpose of government To protect & secure
people’s natural rights Government gets power
from the consent of the governed People can abolish
government if government stops protecting their rights
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Britain America
WARM UP
What advantages did the British have over the Americans in the war? What advantages did the Americans have?
Advantages Fighting on home ground Generally good military
leadership Highly motivated French alliance
Disadvantages Untrained soldiers; small
army Food and ammunition
shortages Weak and divided
national government Underfinanced
Advantages Well-trained, well-
supplied army and navy Wealth of resources Strong central
government Disadvantages Fighting in unfamiliar,
hostile territory Fighting far away from
Britain and resources Troops indifferent; half-
hearted support at home Poor military tactics
BRITAIN COLONIES
1/3 of the colonists were in favor of war (Patriots)
State/colony loyalties War is risky, staying at home is safe
Congress couldn’t tax to raise money for the Continental Army British still controlled all of colonies
revenue Few supplies & resources
Poor training Until arrival of Baron von Steuben
WASHINGTON’S PROBLEMS
Continental Army Attrition British had a long supply
line Guerilla tactics Fight an insurgent war Don’t have to win the
battle, just wear British down
Make an alliance with one of Britain’s enemies
British Break the colonies in
half by getting between the North and South
Blockade the ports prevent the flow of
goods and supplies from an ally
“Divide & Conquer” Use the Loyalists
MILITARY STRATEGIES
Boston: Washington seizes Dorchester Used artillery from Ft Ticonderoga British forced
to evacuate Boston New York: General Howe sent troops/fleets
to NY/Long Island & push colonial forces out NY becomes the British HQ
Trenton: Washington plans assault on Hessians, crossed DE River & marched 19 miles in bl izzard 1,400 exhausted Hessians -- never able to establish
a defensive perimeter, quickly surrendered British: 22 killed, 92 wounded, 918 captured Colonist: 2 frozen to death, 5 wounded
Valley Forge: Continental Army Base, Harsh Winter, Poor Conditions
Saratoga: Americans surround British, Brit ish agree to the first large-scale surrender News reaches France: King Louis XVI agreed to
recognize the independence of the United States Begin providing formal French aid to the Patriot cause
NORTHERN CAMPAIGN
Strategy: more Loyalists in the South, resources more valuable
Cowpens: American victory by Daniel Morgan, ambushed British who had split in two groups
King’s Mountain: Frontier militia loyal to USA defeated Loyalist militia
Yorktown: British base in Yorktown Trap the British on two fronts:
Cont. Army & French block by land, French navy block by sea Cornwallis surrenders – ends
fighting in colonies
SOUTHERN CAMPAIGN