French and Indian War France and England were fighting over colonists settling in the Ohio River Valley. Fighting started in 1755. Britain sent 1,400 troops to the colonies. War lasted 7 years. War ended in 1763. England got all of Canada and lands east of the Mississippi.

The Proclamation of 1763 King George III said for the settlers to stay East of the mountains and the Indians West. The proclamation was too late, settlers were already going over the mountains. To keep peace, Britain increased troops to 7,500 in the colonies.

The Stamp Act Britain needed money and the colonies were the most lightly taxed people in the British Empire. 1765 law passed. Colonists had to pay tax on every piece of paper they used. Colonists were willing to pay taxes passed by their own assemblies, but they had no representatives in Parliament. “No taxation without representation” The “Sons of Liberty” attacked British tax collectors.

The Quartering Act Passed by Parliament in 1765 It ordered colonial assemblies to provide British troops with housing and things such as: Candles, firing, bedding, cooking utensils, salt, vinegar, and beer or cider.

The Townshend Acts Passed in 1767 Laws placed a duty or tax on certain goods imported to the colonies from Britain. Items such as glass, paint, paper, and tea. Colonist boycotted British goods in response. It worked. In 1770, Lord North repealed all of the Townshend duties, except for one—the tax on tea.

The Boston Massacre On the same day Parliament repealed most of the Townshend duties (March 5, 1770), a brawl started between soldiers and colonists in Boston. Five Bostonians were killed and ten were injured. Patriots called this the “Boston Massacre” The Truth: People had gathered outside the Boston Customs House and were throwing ice balls at soldiers, calling them “lobsterbacks”. Trouble had been brewing for months in Boston. This teasing of soldiers brought the tensions to a head.

The Boston Tea Party There had been a tax on tea since 1767 (Townshend Acts), but colonists had just gotten used to it. They could get cheaper tea by buying smuggled Dutch tea that was brought into the colonies. The Tea Act (1773) allowed the British East India Company sell their tea at a lower price. This in effect gave the company a total monopoly on the tea market in the colonies. The colonists felt that Britain was once again trying to tell them what they could and couldn’t buy. They were mad, even though they could get tea cheaper now!

Colonists began to boycott British tea and wouldn’t let the ships unload it. December 16,1773, 50 of the Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawk Indians dumped 90,000 lbs of tea into the harbor.

The Intolerable Acts Passed 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party The 1st law closed Boston Harbor to all shipping until the ruined tea was paid for. The 2nd law placed the government of Massachusetts firmly under British control. They couldn’t hold even a town meeting without the governor’s permission. The 3rd law said that British soldiers who were accused of murder would be tried in England, not in the colonies. Finally, more troops were sent in to enforce the laws.

The First Continental Congress September 1774, 50 leaders, from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia. They were united by their love of liberty and hatred of tyranny. Delegates sent a message to King George to hear their complaints and recognize their rights. They called for a new boycott on British goods. Incase the boycott didn’t work, town and cities began forming militias.

Lexington & Concord A spy told British General Gage that colonists were hiding a large supply of weapons at Concord. April 18, 1775, 700 troops were sent 20 miles from Boston to get it. Paul Revere and William Dawes rode through the night to warn the Patriots. Soldiers reached Lexington first and 8 colonist were killed.

At Concord, the Minutemen forced the British to retreat At Concord, the Minutemen forced the British to retreat. Along the roads back to Boston 4,000 Minutemen fired at every Redcoat they saw. 74 British soldiers died and over 200 were wounded 49 colonists had been killed and 41 were wounded.