Events Behind the Revolution

Essential Questions How and why did British policies change in the colonies after 1763? What were the causes and effects of the Stamp Act? How did rising tensions in the colonies lead to fighting at Lexington and Concord? Ch. 4-2 Pp. 109-116

Key Terms Pontiac's Rebellion Proclamation of 1763 Stamp Act Boycott Boston Massacre 1st Continental Congress Battles of Lexington and Concord Revolutionary War

Pontiac's Rebellion With the French out of the way, the American settlers were free to move into the lands west of the Appalachians. With the support of the British army, the colonists pushed the Native Americans farther west.

Pontiac's Rebellion The British stopped trading with the Indians, and used smallpox against them. In response, the Indians worked together to attack English settlements in the region won from France, killing thousands.

Proclamation of 1763 To achieve peace, the British government enacted the Proclamation of 1763. This said that colonists could not cross over the Appalachian Mountains. Although this was the law, many colonists continued to settle there.

New Taxes While England struggled financially, the colonies prospered. In 1763, Britain's new Prime Minister, George Grenville, pushed for new taxes in the colonies.

1764 – Sugar Act and Quartering Act A lower tax was placed on molasses from the Caribbean. Grenville hoped this would encourage colonists to stop smuggling it. Also, Parliament declared that the colonies would have to provide housing for British soldiers who had stayed behind after the French and Indian War.

1765 – The Stamp Act The Stamp Act established a tax on anything printed on paper. This included everything from licenses and contracts to newspapers and playing cards. This effected almost everybody, but especially people who worked with documents – lawyers and publishers.

1765 – The Stamp Act Colonists resisted the Stamp Act, although it had existed in England since 1695. Representatives from the colonies met in New York, led by James Otis, a lawyer from Massachusetts. They wrote a letter of protest to the King and Parliament, saying that they should have the same rights as British subjects. Also, groups threatened and attacked tax collectors and boycotted British goods.

1767 – The Townshend Acts Britain's Finance Minister, Charles Townshend, established new duties – import taxes – on things like glass, lead, paper, and tea. The taxes would pay for the colonies' governments. Colonial leaders asked the colonists to boycott – or refuse to buy – British goods. Also, rebel groups like the Sons of Liberty attacked officials and tax collectors. In response, British troops were sent to Boston to prevent an uprising.

Smuggled from Netherlands 1773 – The Tea Act After the trial, the Townshend Acts were repealed, except for the tax on tea. Britain changed the rules of the tea trade in 1773. Before: Tax Tax Goes by ship to England Goes by ship to America Tea from India Sold to merchants Sold to colonists Smuggled from Netherlands After: Tax Goes by ship to America Tea from India Sold directly to colonists

1773 – The Tea Act The Committees of Correspondence worked together to combat the Tea Act. Many cities refused to allow the British tea ships to dock. In Boston, the tea was thrown into the harbor by rebels disguised as Native Americans.

1774 – The Coercive Acts To punish Boston, Parliament passed laws in 1774 that restricted town meetings to once a year. They closed the port of Boston until the tea was paid for. The Committees of Correspondence agreed to meet in Philadelphia to discuss what to do.

1774 in Worcester In Worcester, close to 5,000 militia gathered to close the King’s courthouse. The judges and other loyalist officials were forced from the building on Main St. and marched south towards city hall. They were made to shout 30 times “I resign my position” as they marched up the street, lined with rebels.

1775 – Lexington and Concord Fighting broke out in 1775 when the British army at Boston marched out to Concord to capture rebel supplies being stored there.