Navigation Acts 1650-1696 Mercantilism – country must have more exports than imports Colonies could only trade with Britain Colonies were taxed on some.

Navigation Acts 1650-1696

Mercantilism – country must have more exports than imports

Colonies could only trade with Britain

Colonies were taxed on some imports from Britain

Colonists smuggled goods to avoid taxes

Colonists saw their rights as Englishmen being taken away

Causes of the Revolution

Proclamation of 1763British attempt to end troubles with Native Americans

Colonists forbidden from settling west of the Appalachian Mts.

10,000 British soldiers on the frontier

Speculators had already bought land

Causes of the Revolution

Sugar Act (1764)To stop smuggling with the French W. Indies

Writs of Assistance used

Lowered tax on molasses

Smugglers would be tried in front of a British judge

Right to trial by jury was taken away

Causes of the Revolution

Stamp Act (1765)Britain faced a huge war debt, needed $

Tax on all printed goods in the colonies

A British stamp had to be applied to all printed items

British Stamps on Printed Material

Causes of the RevolutionStamp Act Protests

Colonists had been taxed without a voice in ParliamentSons of Liberty formed in BostonBurning effigies and boycotts throughout the coloniesStamp Act Congress (9 colonies) claim that only the colonies can tax themselves

Sons of Liberty visit a Tax Collector

Causes of the Revolution

Stamp Act RepealedParliament repeals Stamp Act (1766)

Parliament also passes Declaratory Act• Parliament claims the right to tax the

colonies

Causes of the Revolution

Townshend Acts (1767)British tax on imported goods

Included everyday items (glass, tea, paper)

More boycotts

Daughters of Liberty: “Produce goods at home”

Causes of the Revolution

Boston Massacre (1770)British troops sent to Boston (redcoats)

Arguments between Bostonians & redcoats

Standoff between crowd & soldiers

A soldier is hit by a rock, accidentally fires on crowd

Causes of the Revolution

Boston Massacre (1770)Five colonists were killed, including Crispus Attucks (African American, leader of the group)

Anti-British propaganda spreads (Revere)

John Adams defended the soldiers in court

Boston Massacre Propaganda

Causes of the Revolution

Boston Tea Party (1773)Tea Act: British Tea Company would not pay same tax as colonial merchants

Tea ships arrived in Boston in December

Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawks and dumped the tea into Boston Harbor

Boston Tea Party

Causes of the RevolutionCoercive (Intolerable) Acts (1774)

To punish Boston for the Tea Party

Closed Boston Harbor until tea was paid for

Forced colonists to quarter (house) British soldiers

Other colonies sent food & clothing as aid

Britain prohibited town meetings

The Road to War - Overview

Proclamation of 1763

Britain taxes the colonies to pay for the French and Indian War

Britain interference in the colonies right to self-government

“Taxation without representation is tyranny!” James Otis