The Road to Revolution

Salutary Neglect- England’s policy of leaving the colonies to fend for themselves ~Led to Self-Governance ~Economic Prosperity Old Policy

New Policy Britain’s Policies Toward the Colonies Mercantilism ~Forced the colonies to buy most of their goods from the mother country ~Required colonists to sell certain goods only to England

French and Indian War  England defeats France  Long border with the Indian Territory - - Too vast to defend the entire area  Colonists angry -- felt they fought for that land

2. Taxation Without Representation Post war of , England had a huge debt to pay

a. Sugar Act- Tariff on sugar, coffee, & wine- Indirect Tax James Otis ~ “Everyone should be free from all taxes but what he consents to in person or by his representative.”

Stamp Act  Tax on almost all printed materials *A Direct Tax on the Colonists

John Dickenson  “Those who are taxed without their own consent, expressed by themselves or their representatives, are slaves. We are taxed without our consent, without representation. We are, therefore -- Slaves!” What is the Paradigm?

Protest Break Out  Sons of Liberty lead the protests  Colonists refused to buy the stamps, burned them, harassed stamp distributors, and rioted

Stamp Act Repealed -- March 18, 1766  The Repeal, or the Funeral of Miss Anne Stamp  Benjamin Wilson  March 18, 1766

Townshend Acts  Charles Townshend  enacted on June 29, 1767  The key statute levied import duties on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. Its purpose was to provide salaries for some colonial officials so that the provincial assemblies could not coerce them by withholding wages

Samuel Adams  Led radicals in urging a renewed boycott of British goods  Provided an issue to unify American sentiment

Boston Massacre  March 5, 1770, a platoon of British soldiers fired on some Americans who had been harassing them, killing five

1770  All duties except that on tea were repealed  Tea tax was seen as symbolic of Parliament’s supremacy

The Move Toward Independence ( )  Key Factor #1: Constitutional factor- colonists demanded the right to examine the purpose for each law passed, refusing to obey those that raised revenue.

 Upper class colonists welcomed protest support from lower classes at 1st, but became alarmed w/ mob violence. The Move Toward Independence ( )  Lower class discontent resulted from limited franchise, established churches, inheritance laws Social Conflicts -- Factor #2

Tea Act (1773)  In an attempt to support the East India Tea Company, parliament removed the tax on tea & allowed it to be sold in the colonies through its own agents, not American retailers. British tea was cheaper, but to buy it = pay a Townshend duty

Boston Tea Party

Parliament responded w/ Coercive Acts which…  Closed Boston Harbor  Removed trials involving royal officials out of New England  Allowed for quartering of troops in colonists’ homes  Extended Quebec’s boundaries south, liberty threatened Lord North

First Continental Congress  Radical delegates favored active resistance while moderates argued for conciliation  Declaration of Rights & grievances condemned Coercive Acts, denied Parliament’s right to tax colonies, but promised obedience to the king

The British Are Coming... Paul Revere & William Dawes make their midnight ride to warn the Minutemen of approaching British soldiers.

Battle of Lexington & Concord  April 19, 1775  Fighting soon spread and the English were forced to retreat to Boston with heavy losses

English Actions  Blockade Colonial Ports  Hire German mercenary troops  Urge slaves to take up arms against their masters

The Second Continental Congress (1775) Olive Branch Petition

Colonial Responses  Thomas Paine writes Common Sense, urging Americans to cut their ties to England

Declaration of Independence