The Road to Revolution

1
The Road to Revolution (1763-1776)
2
Objective 1

• Examine the efforts by England to manage the
  economies of its North American colonies through
  mercantilismand examine colonists response to
  these efforts.

3
Objective 2

• Examine the course of English colonial policies
  following the Treaty of Paris, including the
  Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, Declaratory
  Act, Townshend Acts, Quartering Act and
  Intolerable Acts, and the colonists response to
  these policies, as expressed by the Boston Tea
  Party, and at Lexington and Concord.

4
Objective 3

• Examine the philosophical and practical arguments
  for American independence, as expressed by
  members of the Continental Congress including
  John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Hancock
  Thomas Paines Common Sense and Thomas
  Jeffersons Declaration of Independence.

5
Republican and Whig Ideologies

• Republicanism A just society is one in which all
  citizens willingly subordinate their interests
  for the common good
• Against hierarchy and aristocracy
• Whigism The arbitrary power of monarchs and his
  ministers can pose a threat to liberty and
  corruption
• Together Colonists are on alert against any
  threat to their liberties.

6
Mercantilism

• Colonies existed to supply raw materials and
  markets for English manufacturing.
• History of regulating the colonies for benefit of
  England
• Navigation Acts of 1660 and 1663 are examples
• Colonists felt this system stifled their economy
  and gave England advantage
• But, most of these laws were loosely enforced
• There was a history of salutary neglect

7
French and Indian War

• Left England in major debt
• Also have to patrol the frontier against Native
  attacks
• Prime Minister George Grenville strictly enforces
  navigation acts
• Need sources of revenue.

8
Sugar Act (1764)

• Also called Revenue Act of 1764
• Tax on sugar, molasses and other luxuries
• First attempt by Parliament to raise tax revenue
  on colonies for crown
• Actually lowered previous taxes, but more
  strictly enforced
• England set up admirality courts to enforce (no
  juries)
• Virtual representation

9
Currency Act (1764)

• Colonists could not issue paper money
• Colonies had issued paper money during economic
  downturn after war
• Tried to make up for amount of hard currency
  leaving the colonies to England (we bought more
  than we sold)
• It quickly depreciated which could have hurt
  colonial and English economies
• Colonists feel Parliament is overstepping its
  power

10
Stamp Act (1765)

• Already imposed in England
• English taxation rate 25 times higher than rate
  in colonies
• First direct tax on colonies
• Was to help pay for military in colonies
• Virginia House of Burgesses formally protests the
  tax
• Tried in Admiralty Courts

11
Sons (and Daughters) of Liberty

• Led protests in NY and Rhode Island to protest
  taxes
• Some violence (tar and feathering, raiding of
  homes, etc.)
• Stamp Act Congress delegates from 9 colonies
  decide to protest tax collectively
• Boycott British goods
• Nonimportation agreements united American people
• Stamp Act repealed in 1766

12
More Taxes

• Declaratory Act (1766) Parliament has the power
  to enact laws as they see fit
• In response to American defiance to Stamp Act
• Townshend Acts (1767) Indirect duties (paid at
  American ports) on colonial imports, including
  tea, glass, paper, paint, etc.
• Specifically to pay for British officials in
  colonies
• More colonial boycotts (nonimportation)
• Increase in colonial smuggling
• Townshend Acts actually cost England money
• British troops sent to enforce the Acts and
  search for smuggled goods
• Repealed in 1770 (except tax on tea)--same day as
  Boston Massacre

13
The Boston Massacre (March 5,1770)
14
Committees of Correspondence

• Organized in Boston by Samuel Adams in 1772
• Purpose ? warn neighboring colonies
  about incidents with Britain ? broaden
  the resistance movement.
• By 1773, each colony had a committee
• Virginias committee was actually a standing
  committee in the House of Burgesses.

15
Tea Act (1773)

• British East India Co.
• Monopoly on Br. tea imports in colonies to help
  it fend off bankruptcy.
• Many members of Parliament held shares.
• Permitted the Co. to sell tea directly to
  colonies without English middlemen (cheaper
  tea!)
• Britain would still get tax from Townshend duties
• Assumed colonists would choose
  cheaper tea.

16
Boston Tea Party

• Colonists refuse to allow ships on shore
• Governor Hutchinson refused to allow ships to
  return to Britain
• Colonists board ships and dump tea in Boston
  Harbor

17
Tar and Feathering
18
The Coercive or IntolerableActs (1774)

• Closed harbor until tea paid for (Boston Port
  Act)
• Limits put on Town Meetings (Massachusetts
  Government Act)
• British troops immune to colonial law
• Changed power of local assemblies
• Quartering Act

Lord North
19
The Quebec Act (1774)
20
First Continental Congress (1774)
55 delegates from 12 colonies (no GA)
Agenda ? How to respond to the Coercive Acts
the Quebec Act?
1 vote per colony represented.
21
Continental Congress Continued

• Said if Intolerable Acts were not repealed by end
  of 1774, English goods would be boycotted
• Created The Association nonimportation,
  nonexportation, nonconsumption of British goods
• Parliament rejected
• Militias and illegal local governments formed
• Agreed to meet again in May, 1775 if colonial
  grievances were not redressed
• Bostonian movement spreads across the colonies

22
The Final Rupture

• Thomas Gage had 4000 Red Coats in Boston
• April 1775, he sent 700 troops to seize arms and
  munitions in Concord, Mass.
• Also arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock

23
The British Are Coming . . .
Paul Revere William Dawes make their midnight
ride to warn the Minutemen of approaching British
soldiers.
24
The Shot Heard Round the World!
Lexington Concord April 18,1775