Causes of the Revolution Chapter 3.2

What do you think John Adams meant by this statement What do you think John Adams meant by this statement? Do you agree or disagree with his ideas? Explain. What do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people. . . . This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution. —John Adams, February 13, 1818

Foundations of Colonial Government British government serves as an example Had 3 branches – Executive power (monarch) and Legislative power (divided between the House of Commons and the House of Lords) Each colony except Pennsylvania set up a two house legislature An elected assembly A council of prominent colonists appointed to life terms

Governors Colonial governors appointed by, represented, and served the King of England Rhode Island and Connecticut elected their own governors

Different Ideas about Representation British Parliament felt they represented every British subject, including colonists Expected colonists to obey Expected colonists to pay taxes Colonists felt their elected representatives were equal to those in British parliament Believed only their elected representatives could levy taxes

New Taxes Create Conflict The Seven Years War nearly doubled Britain’s national debt and expanded its colonial territories Needed revenue to pay debts and pay soldiers to protect colonies

Sugar Act George Grenville new British Prime Minister Wanted to collect duties owed on sugar and wanted to prosecute smugglers Passed the Sugar Act A tax placed on raw sugar and molasses Assigned customs officials to collect duties and prosecute smugglers

Quartering Act - Colonies required to provide housing and supplies for British troops

Currency Act of 1764 Banned the use of printed money because it lost value so quickly

Stamp Act First direct tax imposed within colonies tax on all printed materials Newspapers Books Playing cards Etc.

Taxation without Representation Colonists protested the Stamp Act for 2 reasons 1. Parliament interfered in colonial affairs by taxing colonies directly 2. taxed colonists without their consent

Opposition to taxes strengthen Tax resistance took three forms Intellectual protests Boycotts Violent intimidation

Enlightenment Ideas John Locke Insisted that government existed for the good of the people Colonists argued that they were entitled to life, liberty, and property So according to Locke’s ideals, they had the right to protest a government that did not protect those rights Patrick Henry – a representative of the Virginia House of Burgesses Drafted the Virginia Resolves which stated that only Virginia had the authority to tax Virginians

Patriot Leaders Emerge Samuel Adams Created the Sons of Liberty – protest organization Led mobs that tore down the office and house of a stamp tax collector Tax collectors tarred and feathered Thomas Hutchinson – lieutenant governor of Massachusetts Denounced attacks so a mob destroyed his house End of the year, every tax collector in the colonies had resigned

Colonial Boycotts Threaten the British Economy Merchants signed nonimportation agreements Consumer boycott of all goods imported from Britain Women organized the Daughters of Liberty Made homespun cloth Pledged not to buy manufactured British goods Boycotts lead to Parliament repealing the Stamp Act

Townshend Acts Series of acts passed by Charles Townshend – Chancellor and Exchequer of England Revenue Act of 1767 was one of these acts Taxes on glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea imported by the colonies Allowed officials to seize private property without due process Writs of assistance legalized – allowed customs officials to enter and search any location to look for evidence of smuggling

Boston Massacre Townshend Acts set up a new series of violent protests March 1770, colonists armed with clubs, snowballs, rocks, etc. rioted outside of a customs house British officers fired and killed 5 colonists News spread like wildfire across colonies thanks to silversmith Paul Revere’s picture British repeal all taxes except the one on tea

How can you tell that Revere intended this engraving to be used as propaganda?

How does Revere use the size and placement of ships to convey the force used by the British in Boston?

John Adams Future 2nd president of the United States Defends the British soldiers who were charged with murder John Adams Video Clip

Tea Act Tea Act of 1773 Helped the East India Company out of debt Tea act reduced the tax on tea so more colonists bought it – even cheaper than smuggled tea

Boston Tea Party East India company had shipped 1,235 chests of tea to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charles Town Committees of correspondence – groups in each colony that communicated with other colonies about British activities decided that the tea must not be unloaded Men crept on board the ships and dumped the tea into the harbors

Coercive Acts Issued to punish Boston Shut down the port of Boston until tea had been paid for Increased the power of the governor Transferred trials of British soldiers who had committed crimes to Britain Forced colonists to quarter British troops

Intolerable Acts Quebec Act Extended borders of Canada to cut off lands claimed by colonies The Quebec Act and the 4 Coercive Acts were known as the Intolerable Acts

First Continental Congress Delegates from every colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia, PA in the fall of 1774 Established local committees and provincial congresses to enforce boycotts of British imports Most colonists still wished to belong to the British Empire John Adams knew that they would have to unite to fight

Works Cited Werner-Lepsansky, Emma J., et al. United States History. Pearson Education Inc: United States, 2016. Print.