The American Revolution and War of Independence How the colonies in North America stopped being colonies and became an independent nation (USA) Chapter 6

The French and Indian War Rivalry between the French and British Who will control North America? British, colonists, and Native American allies fought French and Native American allies

Brittan won the war but was broke

To keep the peace with native Americans, Colonist are forbidden to settle west of the Appalachian mountains The King Wants to Control the Colonies Colonists don’t like this because they want more land

Quartering Act troops are left in the colonies for their protection People have to take soldiers in their homes and feed them Colonists don’t like this because they are afraid that the soldiers are placed there to control them

New Taxes are Put in Place Sugar Act; tax on products like sugar, molasses, indigo, rum and wine As a result these products become more expensive Stamp Act: required the colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed

Colonist Protest Colonists attacked tax collectors and wrote angry letters Boycott of British goods was organized Smuggling grew Stamp Act was widely ignored

Join or Die Colonists unite in protest groups called Sons of Liberty These groups organize and arm militia of volunteers, write pamphlets to protests and attack British officials They wanted all the 13 colonies to unite and fight Brittan

Colonies Unite In October of 1765 The Stamp Act Congress gathers 9 representatives of the colonies in New York to write a document stating their objections against The Stamp Act Boycott was successful British repeal Stamp Act Colonists win

New Taxes Townsend Act; These laws placed new taxes on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. Colonial reaction to these taxes was the same as to the Sugar Act and Stamp Act, and Britain eventually repealed all the taxes except the one on tea Colonists deny the right of Brittan to tax them without their consent Only their own colonial assemblies can do this NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION (what does that mean?) England sends more soldiers to Boston

Boston massacre; (1770) soldiers fire on angry crowd of protesters Protest goes violent

Boston Tea Party (1773) A crowd attacks a British ship in Boston harbor and destroys a cargo of tea Protest goes violent

Britain Gets Really Angry Now Intolerable Acts punishment for Massachusetts colony Close Boston port Elected council is replaced by council appointed by the king More power for the governor appointed by the king

Unite and Fight First Continental Congress (1774) representatives of the colonies met in Philadelphia They decide to organize an army George Washington became the commander They hoped a show of force would make England back down

Fighting Starts Battles of Concord and Lexington (1775) fight between British troops and colonial militias near Boston

English retreat to Boston Militia surround the town Fighting Starts