The War for Independence Chapter 4. The Stirrings of Rebellion Chapter 4 Section 1.

The War for The War for IndependenceIndependence

Chapter 4Chapter 4

The Stirrings of The Stirrings of RebellionRebellion

Chapter 4 Section 1Chapter 4 Section 1

The Colonies Organize to The Colonies Organize to Resist BritainResist Britain

In order to In order to finance debts finance debts from the from the French and French and Indian War, as Indian War, as well as from well as from European wars, European wars, Parliament had Parliament had turned hungry turned hungry eyes on eyes on colonies colonies resources.resources.

The Stamp ActThe Stamp Act

The seeds of The seeds of increased increased tensions were tensions were sown in March sown in March 1765 when 1765 when Parliament, Parliament, persuaded by persuaded by Prime Minister Prime Minister George Grenville, George Grenville, passed the Stamp passed the Stamp Act.Act.

The The Stamp Stamp ActAct

The The Stamp Act Stamp Act required required colonists to colonists to purchase purchase special special stamped paper stamped paper for every for every legal legal document, document, license, license, newspaper, newspaper, pamphlet, and pamphlet, and almanac.almanac.

It imposed It imposed special special “stamp “stamp duties” on duties” on packages of packages of playing cards playing cards and dice.and dice.

The Stamp ActThe Stamp Act

The tax reached The tax reached into every into every colonial pocket.colonial pocket.

Colonists who Colonists who disobeyed the law disobeyed the law were to be tried were to be tried in the vice in the vice admiralty courts, admiralty courts, where convictions where convictions were probable.were probable.

Stamp Act ProtestsStamp Act Protests

When word of the When word of the Stamp Act reached Stamp Act reached the colonies in May the colonies in May of 1765, the of 1765, the colonists united in colonists united in their defiance.their defiance.

Boston shopkeepers, Boston shopkeepers, artisans, and artisans, and laborers organizedlaborers organized a secret a secret resistance resistance groupgroup called the called the Sons of LibertySons of Liberty..

Stamp Act ProtestsStamp Act Protests

One of its founders One of its founders was Harvard was Harvard Educated Samuel Educated Samuel Adams.Adams.

He was an He was an unsuccessful unsuccessful businessman and was businessman and was deeply in debt, but deeply in debt, but proved to be a proved to be a powerful and powerful and influential influential political activist.political activist.

Stamp Act ProtestsStamp Act Protests

During 1765 and During 1765 and 1766, the 1766, the individual colonial individual colonial assemblies assemblies confronted the confronted the Stamp Act measure.Stamp Act measure.

VirginiaVirginia’s Lower ’s Lower House House adopted adopted several resolutions several resolutions put forth by a 29 put forth by a 29 year old lawyer year old lawyer named Patrick named Patrick Henry.Henry.

Stamp Act ProtestsStamp Act Protests

These resolutions These resolutions stated that stated that Virginians could Virginians could be taxed only by be taxed only by the Virginia the Virginia AssemblyAssembly- that is - that is only by their own only by their own representatives.representatives.

Other assemblies Other assemblies passed similar passed similar resolutions.resolutions.

Stamp Act ProtestsStamp Act Protests The colonial assembles The colonial assembles

also made a strong also made a strong protest.protest.

In October 1765, In October 1765, delegates from nine delegates from nine colonies met in New York colonies met in New York city.city.

This This Stamp Act Congress issued a issued a Declaration of Rights and Grievances, , which stated that which stated that Parliament lacked the Parliament lacked the power to impose taxes on power to impose taxes on colonies because the colonies because the colonists were not colonists were not represented in represented in Parliament.Parliament.

Stamp Act ProtestsStamp Act Protests

More than 10 years More than 10 years earlier, the colonies earlier, the colonies had rejected Benjamin had rejected Benjamin Franklin’s Albany Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union, which Plan of Union, which called for a joint called for a joint colonial council to colonial council to address defense address defense issues.issues.

Now, for the first Now, for the first time, the separate time, the separate colonies began to act colonies began to act as one.as one.

The Townshend ActsThe Townshend Acts

Within Within a year a year after Parliament after Parliament repealed the Stamp repealed the Stamp Act, Charles Act, Charles TownshendTownshend, the , the leading government leading government minister at the minister at the time, time, decided on a decided on a new method of new method of gaining revenue gaining revenue from the American from the American colonies.colonies.

TheThe Townshend Townshend ActsActs

His proposed His proposed revenue laws, revenue laws, passed by passed by Parliament 1767, Parliament 1767, became known as the became known as the Townshend Acts.Townshend Acts.

These were These were taxes taxes put on imported put on imported materials glass, materials glass, lead, paint, and lead, paint, and paper as they came paper as they came into the colonies into the colonies from Britain.from Britain.

The Townshend ActsThe Townshend Acts

The acts also The acts also imposed a three imposed a three penny tax on penny tax on teatea, the most , the most popular drink in popular drink in the colonies.the colonies.

The Townshend ActsThe Townshend Acts

The colonists The colonists reacted with rage reacted with rage and well organized and well organized resistance.resistance.

Educated Americans Educated Americans spoke out against spoke out against the Townshend the Townshend Acts, protesting Acts, protesting “no taxation “no taxation without without representation”representation”..

The Townshend ActsThe Townshend Acts

Conflict intensified in June 1768, British Conflict intensified in June 1768, British agents in Boston seized the agents in Boston seized the Liberty, a ship a ship belonging to a local merchant belonging to a local merchant John Hancock..

The customs inspector claimed that Hancock had The customs inspector claimed that Hancock had smuggledsmuggled in a shipment of in a shipment of winewine from Madeira and from Madeira and had had failed to pay the customs taxes.failed to pay the customs taxes.

The Townshend ActsThe Townshend Acts

The seizure triggered riots against custom The seizure triggered riots against custom agents.agents.

In response, the In response, the British stationed 2000British stationed 2000 “redcoats” or “redcoats” or British soldiersBritish soldiers, so named for the , so named for the red jackets they wore, red jackets they wore, in Bostonin Boston..

Tensions mount in Tensions mount in MassachusettsMassachusetts

The presence of The presence of British soldiers in British soldiers in Boston’s streets Boston’s streets charged the air with charged the air with hostility.hostility.

The city soon erupted The city soon erupted in clashes between in clashes between British soldiers and British soldiers and colonists and later in colonists and later in a daring tea protest, a daring tea protest, all of which pushed all of which pushed the colonists and the colonists and Britain closer to war.Britain closer to war.

The Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre

One sore point One sore point was the was the competition for competition for jobs between the jobs between the colonists and colonists and poorly paid poorly paid soldiers who soldiers who looked for extra looked for extra work in local work in local shipyards during shipyards during off duty hours.off duty hours.

The The Boston Boston

MassacreMassacre

On the cold afternoon of March 5, 1770, a fist fight broke out over On the cold afternoon of March 5, 1770, a fist fight broke out over jobs.jobs.

That evening a mob gathered in front of the customs House and taunted That evening a mob gathered in front of the customs House and taunted the guards.the guards.

They heckled the British guard on duty, they called him “lobster back”.They heckled the British guard on duty, they called him “lobster back”. When more soldiers arrived the mob threw snowballs and stones at them.When more soldiers arrived the mob threw snowballs and stones at them.

The Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre then Crispus Attucks, then Crispus Attucks, a sailor of African a sailor of African and Native American and Native American ancestry, and several ancestry, and several dock hands appeared dock hands appeared on the scene.on the scene.

When the When the BritishBritish saw saw these additional these additional people joining the people joining the mob, they mob, they opened opened firefire..

Attucks and four Attucks and four others died in the others died in the snow.snow.

Crispus Attucks, Crispus Attucks, according to one according to one newspaper account, newspaper account, was the first to die.was the first to die.

http://http://www.schooltubewww.schooltube.com/video/.com/video/f58f9d5f85f6e1f58f9d5f85f6e171ed5f/71ed5f/

The Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre

Instantly, Samuel Instantly, Samuel Adams and other Adams and other colonial colonial agitators agitators labeledlabeled this this confrontation confrontation the the Boston MassacreBoston Massacre, , thus thus presenting presenting it as an attack it as an attack on defenseless on defenseless citizenscitizens..

Despite all this drama there Despite all this drama there was relative peace between the was relative peace between the British and American Colonist British and American Colonist for the next 2 years. for the next 2 years.

The Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party

Early in 1773, Lord Early in 1773, Lord Frederick North, Frederick North, the British prime the British prime minister, faced a minister, faced a new problem.new problem.

The British East The British East India Company, India Company, which held an which held an official monopoly official monopoly on tea imports, had on tea imports, had been hit hard by been hit hard by colonial boycotts.colonial boycotts.

With its warehouses bulging with 17 million pounds of tea, With its warehouses bulging with 17 million pounds of tea, the company was nearing bankruptcy.the company was nearing bankruptcy.

To save it, North devised the To save it, North devised the Tea Act, which , which granted the granted the British East India Company the right to sell tea to the British East India Company the right to sell tea to the colonies free on the taxes that colonial tea sellers had to colonies free on the taxes that colonial tea sellers had to pay.pay.

Boston Tea Boston Tea PartyParty

On the moonlit evening On the moonlit evening of December 16, 1773, a of December 16, 1773, a large group of large group of Boston Boston rebels disguised rebels disguised themselves as Native themselves as Native AmericansAmericans and proceeded and proceeded to take action against to take action against three British tea ships three British tea ships anchored in the harbor.anchored in the harbor.

In this incident, known In this incident, known as the as the Boston Tea Party, the “Indians” , the “Indians” dumped 18,000 pounds of dumped 18,000 pounds of the East India the East India Company’s tea into the Company’s tea into the waters of Boston waters of Boston HarborHarbor..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar6cFIfPFW4

The Intolerable ActsThe Intolerable Acts King George III was King George III was infuriated by this infuriated by this organized destruction organized destruction of British property, of British property, and he pressed and he pressed Parliament to act.Parliament to act.

In 1774, Parliament In 1774, Parliament responded by passing responded by passing a series of measures a series of measures that colonists called that colonists called the the Intolerable Acts.

The British called The British called these the Coercive these the Coercive ActsActs

One law One law shut down Boston Harbor shut down Boston Harbor because the because the colonists had refused to pay for the damaged tea.colonists had refused to pay for the damaged tea.

Another, the Another, the Quartering Act, authorized British , authorized British commanders to commanders to house soldiers in vacant private house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildingshomes and other buildings..

In addition to these In addition to these measures, measures, General General Thomas GageThomas Gage, , commander in chief commander in chief of British forces in of British forces in North America, was North America, was appointed the new appointed the new governor of governor of Massachusetts.Massachusetts.

To keep the peace, To keep the peace, he placed Boston he placed Boston under under martial law, , or rule imposed by or rule imposed by military forces.military forces.

The committees of The committees of correspondence correspondence quickly moved into quickly moved into action and action and assembled the assembled the First Continental First Continental Congress.Congress.

In September In September 17741774, , 56 delegates met 56 delegates met in Philadelphia in Philadelphia and and drew up a drew up a declaration of declaration of colonial rights.colonial rights.

They defended They defended the colonies’ the colonies’ right to run right to run their own their own affairs.affairs.

They They supported the supported the protests in protests in MassachusettsMassachusetts, and stated , and stated that if the that if the British used British used force against force against the colonies, the colonies, the colonies the colonies should fight should fight back.back.

They also They also agreed to agreed to reconvene in reconvene in May 1775 if May 1775 if their demands their demands weren't met.weren't met.

Fighting Erupts at Fighting Erupts at LexingtonLexington

After the First After the First Continental Congress, Continental Congress, colonists in many colonists in many eastern New England eastern New England towns stepped up towns stepped up military preparations.military preparations.

Minutemen, or , or civilian civilian soldierssoldiers, began to , began to quietly stock pile quietly stock pile firearms and firearms and gunpowder.gunpowder.

General Gage soon General Gage soon learned about all learned about all these activities and these activities and prepared to strike prepared to strike back.back.

In March, Gage sent In March, Gage sent agents to Concord, a agents to Concord, a town outside of town outside of Boston reported to Boston reported to be the site of the be the site of the stockpiles.stockpiles.

The agents returned The agents returned with maps detailing with maps detailing where arms were where arms were rumored to be stored rumored to be stored in barns, empty in barns, empty buildings, and buildings, and private homes.private homes.

The agents told The agents told him that John him that John Hancock and Samuel Hancock and Samuel Adams, perhaps the Adams, perhaps the two most prominent two most prominent leaders of leaders of resistance to resistance to British Authority, British Authority, were staying in were staying in Lexington, a Lexington, a smaller community smaller community about five miles about five miles east of Concord.east of Concord.

With Hancock and With Hancock and Adams in hiding, much Adams in hiding, much of the leadership of of the leadership of resistance in Boston resistance in Boston fell to a prominent fell to a prominent young physician named young physician named Joseph Warren.Joseph Warren.

Sometime during the Sometime during the afternoon of April afternoon of April 18, Doctor Warren 18, Doctor Warren consulted a consulted a confidential source confidential source close to the British close to the British high command.high command.

The source informed The source informed him that Gage intended him that Gage intended to march on Concord by to march on Concord by way of Lexington, way of Lexington, seize Adams and seize Adams and Hancock, and destroy Hancock, and destroy all hidden munitions.all hidden munitions.

Warren immediately Warren immediately sent for sent for Paul ReverePaul Revere,, a a member of the Sons member of the Sons of Libertyof Liberty,, and told and told him to warn Adams and him to warn Adams and Hancock as well as the Hancock as well as the townspeople along the townspeople along the way.way.

Revere began to Revere began to organize a network of organize a network of riders who would riders who would spread the alarmspread the alarm..

““A Glorious Day for A Glorious Day for America”America”

By the morning of By the morning of April 19, 1775, the April 19, 1775, the king’s troops reached king’s troops reached LexingtonLexington..

As they neared the As they neared the town, they saw town, they saw 70 70 minutemen drawn up in minutemen drawn up in lines on the village lines on the village green.green.

The British commander The British commander ordered the minutemen ordered the minutemen to leave, and the to leave, and the colonists began to colonists began to move out without move out without laying down there laying down there muskets.muskets.

Then someone fired, and the British soldiers sent Then someone fired, and the British soldiers sent a volley of shots into the departing militia.a volley of shots into the departing militia.

8 minutemen 8 minutemen were were killed and 10 more were wounded, killed and 10 more were wounded, but only one British soldier was woundedbut only one British soldier was wounded..

The Battle of Lexington lasted The Battle of Lexington lasted only 15 minutesonly 15 minutes..

The British marched on to The British marched on to ConcordConcord, where , where they found the arsenal empty.they found the arsenal empty.

After a brief skirmish with minutemen, the After a brief skirmish with minutemen, the British soldiers lined up to march back to British soldiers lined up to march back to Boston, but the march became a slaughter.Boston, but the march became a slaughter.

Between Between 3000 and 4000 minutemen had assembled 3000 and 4000 minutemen had assembled by now, by now, and they fired on the marching British and they fired on the marching British troops from behind stone walls and trees.troops from behind stone walls and trees.

British soldiers fell by the dozen.British soldiers fell by the dozen. Bloodied and humiliated, the Bloodied and humiliated, the remaining soldiers remaining soldiers made their way back to Boston.made their way back to Boston.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFLVfBkZPY4