Unit%202:%20The%20American%20Revolution

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Unit 2 The American Revolution

• Lesson 1 Causes of the Revolution

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Bell Ringer- Diagnostic Pre Test
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In 1754, Benjamin Franklin and representatives
from the British colonies met in Albany, New York
with chiefs from the Iroquois Confederation to
discuss a joint defense against the French and
loyal Indian tribes that allied with France.
During these negotiations, Franklin developed a
plan that would unite all the colonies under one
government to help defend the British Empire.
Although this concept, the Albany Plan of Union,
was never passed by the Colonies, it illustrates
the first attempt to strengthen ties between the
colonies by unifying as one unit. To promote
public support for this initiative, Franklin
created this sketch of eight separate snake
pieces and printed it in the Pennsylvania
Gazette. The drawing was based on the popular
superstition that a snake that had been cut in
two would come to life if the pieces were joined
before sunset. This drawing was widely
circulated during the war and was the first
political cartoon in American History.
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Opener

1. The Join or Die cartoon is considered one of
   Americas first political cartoons. What is the
   message of the cartoon?
2. Why do you think some colonists would resist the
   ideas in the message of this cartoon?

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The French and Indian War

• A European war that spread to America in 1754
  British and French began fighting over the Ohio
  River Valley (transportation, farming, and fur)
• The colonists fought with Great Britain
• How does the idea of
• Join or Die relate?

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The French and Indian War

• The British defeated the French in the early
  1760s (officially in 1763)
• France lost land east of the Miss. River
• While Great Britain won land, they were also in
  debt from the war
• To pay for the war the British began taxing the
  American colonies (Stamp Act)
• (How do you think many of the colonist felt
  about the British making them pay for the war?)

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French and Indian War

• The British issued the Proclamation of 1763 which
  prohibited colonists from crossing the
  Appalachian Mountains in an attempt to keep peace
  with western Indian tribes. The British did not
  want to have to put the resources into protecting
  western colonial farmers.
• (Why would this policy upset some colonists?)

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Colonial Response to the British actions

• Stamp Act (1765) a British tax on most printed
  material- was the first direct tax on the
  colonies.
• Sons of Liberty(1765) organized protest meetings
  and intimidated tax collectors -led to the
  formation of the Stamp Act Congress which sent a
  petition to King George
• The British repeal the Stamp Act in 1766

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More responses

• Townshend Acts (1767) tax on certain imported
  goods (indirect tax)
• Most early resistance to the British Actions was
  found in Boston

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British Actions

• Intolerable Acts (1774) Laws intended to punish
  Massachusetts, where the majority of the boycotts
  against the British were taking place
• -Shut down the port of Boston
• -Limited colonial voting rights
• -Limited the power of colonial courts
• -Forced the colony to house British soldiers

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The Colonists Respond

• Committees of Correspondences were formed to help
  communication between colonies helped unify the
  colonies against the British
• -The Daughters of Liberty and the Sons of
  Liberty both organized effective boycotts of
  British goods Daughters of Liberty promoted
  wearing homespun

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The first shots

• The first conflict occurred BEFORE the Colonies
  officially declare their independence
• The shot heard around the world
• School House Rocks http//www.schooltube.com/video
  /66c69ce5b14549058b63/Shot-Heard-Round-the-World

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Exit Ticket!

1. What were some of the major British actions that
   angered the American colonists?
2. What protest groups formed in response to these
   British actions?
3. When did these protest groups form (after what
   event), and who were their leaders?