Turmoil Over Taxation George Grenville – Prime Minister – colonists should help pay debt created from French and Indian War. Later on became member of Parliament

Sugar Act of 1764 Sugar Act of 1764 put a tax on molasses which was a valuable item in the triangular trade.

Sugar Act of 1764 Replaced a previous tax that had led to colonial traders bribing tax officials to look the other way. Law made it easier to put smugglers on trial

STAMP ACT OF 1765 Placed new duties on legal documents; taxes newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and dice.

Stamp Act of 1765

REACTION TO STAMP ACT OF 1765 Colonists protested angrily. Colonists coined the slogan “No Taxation Without Representation.” Colonists united. Delegates met in a Stamp Act Congress in NYC.

REACTIONS TO STAMP ACT The Congress drew up a petition, a formal written request to someone in authority, signed by a group of people. Colonists boycotted, or refused to buy, British goods.

British merchants in financial trouble because were not selling goods Parliament repealed, or cancelled, the Stamp Act in 1766.

Stamp Act Repealed

Townshend Acts-1767 Taxed goods such as glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea. Named after British Treasury official Charles Townshend

Reaction to Townshend Acts Colonial merchants (North) and planters (South) signed agreement to stop importing taxed goods. Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty, mock hangings, petitions, boycotts, threats.

Sons and Daughters of Liberty Formed by angry colonists to protest British policies They staged mocked hangings of cloth or straw effigies dressed as British officials (tax collectors) What would you think if you were a British official?

Sons and Daughters of Liberty Women paraded, signed petitions, and organized a boycott of British cloth, they made their own cloth They went further organizing boycotts and threatening people who did not boycott.

New Colonial Leaders emerge in the colonies as the struggle over taxes continues…

Samuel Adams – Mass. He arranged protests and stirred public support. A talented organizer from Massachusetts. Committees of correspondance

John Adams – Mass. Massachusetts lawyer who had a knowledge of British law that earned him respect. Sam’s Cousin

Paul Revere– Mass. Sons of Liberty leader Silversmith. Etching of Boston Massacre

Abigail Adams – Mass. Abigail Adams wrote to spur colonists to action. Friends with Mercy Otis Warren Wanted greater rights for women

Member of Virginia House of Burgesses. Protested the Townshend Acts. George Washington Member of Virginia House of Burgesses. Protested the Townshend Acts.

Patrick Henry Also from Virginia He gave speeches that stirred others to action.

Patrick Henry “Treason… If this be treason, make the most of it”

Thomas Jefferson Also from Virginia was a 22 year old rising law student.

Boston Massacre

Boston Massacre Britain sent soldiers to Boston to protect customs officials. Bostonians saw the British as bullies and insulted or even assaulted the British soldiers.

Boston Massacre On March 5, 1770, Bostonians gathered outside the Boston customs house, shouting insults and throwing things at the British guards.

Boston Massacre Suddenly, panicked soldiers fired into the crowd, killing some colonists. Colonists protested the incident, calling it the Boston Massacre.

Boston Massacre The soldiers were tried, but John Adams defended them and was able to win light sentences for them.

Committee of Correspondence Samuel Adams formed a committee of correspondence, a group that regularly wrote letters and pamphlets reporting to other colonies on events in Massachusetts.

By coincidence, on day of Boston Massacre…Townshend acts repealed. Results… By coincidence, on day of Boston Massacre…Townshend acts repealed. Most taxes were repealed with the exception of…………

The Tax on TEA….

The Tea Tax Explodes in Mass. By 1770, at least one million Americans brewed tea twice a day. People “would rather go without their dinners than without a dish of tea.” according to a visitor to the colonies

Tea Act of 1773 The British East India Company sold tea to colonial tea merchants. The tea merchants sold the tea to the colonists for a higher price.

Tea Act of 1773 When the British East India Company had money troubles, Parliament passed the Tea Act. The act said British East India Company could sell directly to colonists.

Tea Act of 1773 American merchants protested being cut out of the tea trade. Other colonists said it was a trick to force colonists to pay the tax on tea. Colonists boycotted tea.

Boston Tea Party The Boston Sons of Liberty showed their displeasure by staging the Boston Tea Party. Disguised as Indians, they raided three ships and dumped their cargo of tea into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts passed to punish Massachusetts The port of Boston was closed.

Intolerable Acts Massachusetts colonists could not hold town meetings more than once a year without the governor’s permission. In other words, they limited Massachusetts assembly.

Intolerable Acts Customs officers and other officials could be tried in Britain or Canada instead of in Massachusetts so Customs officials to be tried elsewhere. A new Quartering Act said colonists must house British soldiers in their homes.

First Continental Congress Delegates from 12 colonies gathered in Philadelphia. All Colonies represented except Georgia

First Continental Congress Agreed to boycott all British goods and to stop exporting goods to Britain.

First Continental Congress Urged each colony to set up a militia, which is an army of citizens who serve as soldiers in an emergency. Agreed to meet again the next year.