Roads to Revolution

1
Roads to Revolution

• 1750-1776

2
The Triumph of the British Empire

• 1750-1763

3
A Fragile Peace, 1750-1754

• During the 17th and early 18th centuries,
  Britain, Spain, and France jockey for domination
  of North America.

4
Map 4.3 French and Spanish Occupation of North
America, to 1750
5
King Georges War

• 1739 Britain launches war against Spain
• James Oglethorpe leads massive assault on Spanish
  St. Augustine
• Fails to take fort but in 1742 successfully
  defends against a Spanish counter-attack
• Only one major engagement in America
• 1745 4000 New Englanders besiege and capture
  French Louisburg (head of St. Lawrence River)

6
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle

• 1748 Exchange of Louisburg for British outpost
  in India that France seized
• Returned to status-quo-ante

7
Ohio Valley

• Several Claimants to land
• Virginia
• Pennsylvania
• France
• Six Nation Iroquois
• Indian tribes who lived there

8

• 1753 - France begins building chain of forts
• Virginia retaliates by sending 21 year old George
  Washington
• French drive Washington and troops back

9
Map 5.1 The Seven Years War in America
10
Seven Years War in America, 1754-1760

• Washingtons clash creates virtual state of war
  between France and British Colonies
• Britain dispatches Edward Braddock and 1000
  troops to seize Fort Duquesne (dyu-kane) at the
  head of the Ohio
• Braddocks arrogance leads to disaster
• 900 troops died including Braddock

11
French arm Indian tribes

• Halts westward expansion
• Prevents colonies from joining war against French
• French and Indian allies capture several British
  forts and threaten New York and western New
  England

12
Two developments turn the tide

• Indians abandon their French allies
• William Pitt took control of military affair in
  British cabinet
• Halted sending fresh troops to America
• Encouraged colonists to fight the French

13
Impact was Immediate

• General Jeffery Amherst and American troops
  capture Fort Duquesne and Louisburg by 1758
• Drove French from New York
• 1759 Quebec Fell
• 1760 Montreal surrenders

14
End of French North America,1760-1763

• Treaty of Paris (1763) officially ends the Seven
  Years War
• France cedes all land east of Mississippi to
  Britain (except New Orleans)
• Spain cedes Florida to Britain receives Cuba
• France cedes Louisiana to Spain
• Map
• French colonials now British subjects
• Acadians move to New Orleans
• Become known as Cajuns

15
Imperial Revenues and Reorganization,

• 1760-1766

16
Rise of American Nationalism

• Colonial Identity
• Self-interest and resentment cause loyalties to
  side with America
• Us/Them mentality

17
Friction Among Allies, 1760-1763

• Seven Years War produced alliance between
  Britain and America
• Alliance unravels as Britain attempts to tax
  colonies stations standing armies
• British War Debt soars to 132 million paid by
  English subjects through land tax and excise
  taxes on beer, tea, salt, bread

18
English Indian Alliance unravels

• Cut expenses by refusing to supply Indians
• Colonists continued encroaching on Indian land

19
Pontiac Rebellion

• Uprising against British led by Pontiac
• 1763 Indians sacked 8 British forts near Great
  Lakes, besieged those at Pittsburgh and Detroit

20
Failure of Uprising

• Shortage of Food and Ammo
• Smallpox epidemic started from infected blankets
• Recognition that French would not return

21
Proclamation of 1763

• George III asserts direct control of land
  transactions, settlement, trade, and other
  activities of non-Indians west of the Appalachian
  crest
• Creating additional tension between Great Britain
  and American colonies

22
Map 5.2 European Powers in North America 1763
23
Standing Army

• 10,000 British soldiers stationed in North
  America
• Occupy new territory and intimidate Indians,
  French, Spanish
• Britain assumed colonists would help offset the
  cost 500,000 / year colonists disagreed
• Standing armies threat to liberty

24
Writs of Assistance, 1760-1761

• General search warrant that permitted customs
  officials to enter any ships or buildings where
  smuggled good might be hidden
• Merchants hire James Otis to challenge the
  constitutionality of warrants

25
Constitution

• British constitution not a written document but a
  collection of customs and accepted principles
  that guaranteed certain rights to all citizens
• Acts of Parliament are part of the constitution ?
• Acts of Parliament cannot violate traditional
  rights of Englishmen ?

26
British Interference in the Colonies

• Sugar Act, 1764
• Stamp Act, 1765
• Resistance
• Declaratory Act, 1766
• Quartering Act
• Townshend Duties

27
The Deepening Crisis,

• 1770-1774

28
The Boston Massacre, 1770

• Atmosphere of an occupied city
• Deep-seated resentment against all who upheld
  British authority
• Us/Them mentality contributes to American
  Nationalism
• Customs informer shot into a crowd killing an 11
  year-old boy

29

• Army played no part in death, became a natural
  target for popular anger
• Angry mob led by Crispus Attucks assault guard
  post
• Soldiers fire hit 11 person, killing 5 including
  Attucks

30

• Parliament repeals Townshends Duties, but
  retains tax on tea
• Non-importation movement collapses people
  voluntarily stop drinking tea or drink smuggled
  tea

31
East India Company

• Imperial arm of England
• Almost bankrupt
• Attemp to allow East India Company a monopoly
• Eliminated import duties on tea entering England
• Allowed company to sell direct rather than
  through wholesalers
• Tea price now below smuggled competition

32
Boston Tea Party

• Nov. 28, 1773 ship loaded with Tea docks at
  Boston harbor
• Dec 16 50 men disguised as Mohawk Indians
  boarded ship and threw tea over board
• Why Indians?
• No violence and no damage to property

33
British Government Responds

• Boston Port Bill
• Massachusetts Government Act
• Administration of Justice Ace (Murder Act)
• Quartering Act

34
Brink of Rebellion

• Known as Intolerable Act, repeal becomes
  non-negotiable
• Sept 5, 1774. Every colony sends delegates to 1st
  Continental Congress

35
1st Continental Congress