The American Revolution

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The American Revolution
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The American Revolution

• The Revolution more than the War of
  Independence
• A revolution in thought
• Colonists begin to see themselves as distinct
  from Britain
• Begin to question the need for monarchy
• A long process that is accelerated by the events
  of 1763-1776

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Causes of the American Revolution

• A combination of ideas, issues, and events.
• There is no one cause.

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• 1763-1776 -- Change in British policy towards the
  colonies.
• No more salutary neglect after F I War
• Reasons
• Debt
• Large territory to govern / protect
• George Grenville
• Proclamation of 1763
• Sugar Act of 1764
• Stamp Act of 1765

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Stamp Act

• A revenue-seeking tax to support the cost of
  keeping the military in the colonies.
• Taxes a wide range of items legal documents,
  cards, dice, newspaper, etc.
• First direct tax in the colonies

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Reaction to the Stamp Act

• Colonists see the act as an attack on their
  liberties.
• Drains money from pockets (tax must be paid in
  gold or silver), creating hardships
• Standing Armies bad!
• Only locally elected legislatures can tax
  colonistsnot a distant government with no
  representatives. (TAXATION W/O REPRESENTATION)

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Response to Stamp Act

• Political Protests
• Stamp Act Congress
• 9 colonies send delegates
• Issues petition to England calling for repeal.
• First step towards inter-colonial unity.

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Response to Stamp Act

• Popular Protests
• Sons of Liberty formed by Samuel Adams in
  Boston
• Use intimidation and violence to force Stamp
  agents to resign.

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Response to Stamp Act

• Economic Protests
• Boycott of British goods
• Colonies purchase ¼ of all goods out of
  Englandso a boycott hurts.
• Enforced in communities by the Sons of Liberty.
• Womens role the homespun movement

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Repeal of the Stamp Act

• Economic pressure and ineffectiveness of the Act
  (no is ever collected) prompt Britain to repeal
  it in 1766.
• Parliament passes the Declaratory Act
• Claims absolute authority over the colonies and
  the right to pass any laws.
• Thus, crisis passes, but the issue of power
  remains.

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More Taxes

• Townshend Duties
• Import duties indirect tax
• On glass, paint, lead, and tea
• Colonists upset by
• Tax on tea
• 1 million tea drinkers in the colonies!
• Duties will pay salaries of royal officials
• Takes away the power of the purse
  legislatures paid governors and judges, therefore
  had power over them.
• Reaction
• Non-importation (boycott)
• Smuggled tea is common
• Britain sends troops to Boston

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• Boston Massacre -- March 1770
• Mob of 60 colonists v. 10 soldiers
• 11 colonists killed and wounded
• Paul Reveres engraving -- propaganda
• John Adams defense attorney for soldiers
• Repeal of Townshend Duties
• Collects 295 but costs 170,000 to administrate
• Repeal all duties except tea tax.

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Uniting the Colonies

• Committees of Correspondence
• Committees that encourage communication between
  the colonies.
• Started by Samuel Adams in 1772
• Called the penman of the revolution
• British call him the foulest, subtlest, and most
  venomous serpent ever issued from the egg of
  sedition.
• Keeps colonies informed and response unified.

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The Final Steps Towards Rebellion

• Tea Act, 1773
• An attempt to save the British East India Co.
  from bankruptcy.
• Allows BEICO to import tea directly to the
  colonies.
• Merchants protest with tea parties.
• Boston Tea Party, Dec. 1773
• British Response
• The Coercive Acts (aka the Intolerable Acts)
• Close Boston Harbor
• Suspends the Massachusetts legislature
• Establishes martial law under General Gates
• An overreaction miscalculation
• An attempt to isolate Massachusetts, but instead
  unites the colonies.