The Road to Revolution

 What drove the colonists to declare Independence from Great Britain?

TIGHTER BRITISH CONTROL

Westward Expansion Restricted 1. Proclamation of 1763 – forbidden to settle west of Appalachians 2. Quartering Act - colonists house British soldiers

 Britain had debts from French & Indian War  1764 – Sugar Act - sugar, molasses, etc shipped to colonies  1765 – Stamp Act – all legal & commercial document (wills, newspapers, etc)  COLONISTS ANGRY – Parliament no right to tax colonists & no tax created without colonists consent!!

 Patrick Henry – member of Virginia House of Burgesses –  “If this is treason, make the most of it!”  1765 – Colonists organize – Stamp Act Congress  Wrote petition to King Protesting Stamp Act  Sons of Liberty – secret society – attacked

 Boycott – widespread refusal to buy British goods  British merchants lost sales – colonists hoped they influence Parliament  It worked!  Parliament repealed Stamp Act in 1766  Parliament passed DECLARATORY ACT – Parliament had Supreme Authority to govern Colonists