Causes of the American Revolution

EQ: What were the immediate and long-term causes of the American Revolution?

Navigation Acts (1650-1696) Mercantilism It forced colonists to ONLY trade with Great Britain using only British ships Colonists wanted freedom to make or grow whatever they wished and to sell to whomever they pleased (They want free trade!)

French and Indian War (see your notes from last week) Impact on Georgia: Georgia southern boundary became the St. Mary’s River and Georgia’s western boundary became the Mississippi River GA gained new settlers, more water access for shipping, new resources (farmland, forests, timber, naval stores)

Proclamation of 1763 King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763 Forbid colonists of moving west of the Appalachian Mountains (even though they just fought for the right to do so). Many ignore the proclamation

Why taxes? - Britain imposed taxes on the colonists to help pay off the French and Indian War. Sugar Act – tax on sugar, molasses, coffee, indigo, wine (1764)

Stamp Act – requires tax stamp on all printed items and documents (1765) Stamp Act Congress – 9 colonies met to oppose the Stamp Act Georgia was the only colony to sell the stamp (briefly) Liberty Boys (part of the Sons of Liberty) protested the Stamp Act at Tondee’s Tavern in Savannah

Other laws that angered the colonists Quartering Act (1765) – requires colonists to house British soldiers and provide supplies Townshend Act – tax on glass, lead, paper, paints, and tea (1767) Writs of Assistance – search warrant looking for smuggled goods

Boston Massacre 1770 British soldiers were attacked by a crowd. The troops who rescued them got nervous and fired into the crowd killing 5 people. Word of the “Massacre” spread throughout the colonies.

Tea Act (1773) – gave one British company a monopoly on selling tea Tea Act (1773) – gave one British company a monopoly on selling tea. (It actually reduced the price of tea.)

Boston Tea Party 1773 To protest the Tea Act, some members of the Sons of Liberty dressed like Indians, boarded British ships and dumped 15,000 pounds of tea into the Boston harbor.

“Intolerable Acts” (Coercive Acts) Term the colonists used to describe the punishment for the Boston Tea Party 1774 1. closed the port at Boston until the tea was paid for 2. forbid people in Massachusetts from electing officials or holding town meetings 3. required people in all colonies to feed and house British soldiers 4. British troops in colonies who committed a crime were tried back in British courts, not colonial courts.

Reaction to the Intolerable Acts 1st Continental Congress met (12 out of 13 colonies –all but Georgia) Boycott of all British goods Committees of Public Safety (Council of Safety)

How did colonists show their discontent? Protests Sons and Daughters of Liberty Smuggling Boycotting goods Threats and attacks Committees of Correspondence tarring and feathering loyalists hanging effigies of loyalists

Meanwhile in Georgia Georgia legislature elected Noble Wimberley Jones (a patriot) as speaker Governor Wright tried to do away with the legislature.

April 1775 The “shot heard ‘round the world” 1st battle – Battles at Lexington & Concord – fought between minutemen and redcoats Colonial assemblies voted to raise militias to defend themselves In Savannah – patriots raided the gunpowder storehouse (stole 600 lbs of gunpowder), disrupted the King’s birthday celebration (by tampering with the cannon)

May 1775 – July 1776 2nd Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia Georgia is represented this time by Lyman Hall (unofficially) They decide to do 3 things: Organize an army commanded by George Washington Sent King George III a petition (declaration of grievances) declaring loyalty to him but asking him to stop the hostile actions against the colonies. He refuses to read the petition and declares the colonists in a state of rebellion Decide to create a committee to write the Declaration of Independence

Meanwhile back in Georgia (July 1775) “Provincial Congress” meets in Savannah at Tondee’s Tavern These delegates from Georgia’s 8 parishes vote to join other colonies in the boycott of trade with Great Britain Create a ”Council of Safety” to enforce the boycotts

Georgia’s two government 1. Royal – headed by Sir James Wright 2. Whigs (Council of Safety)

1776-1778 Whigs in control of GA A lot of fighting between Whigs and Tories especially in the backcountry near Augusta

January 1776 Council of Safety arrests Governor Wright, but he manages to escape to a British ship (Battle of the Rice Boats). Wright will return in 1779.

April 1776 Georgia’s Provincial congress meets again! adopts “Rules and Regulations” as a temporary constitution (plan for government) Preamble (introduction) – includes the idea of popular sovereignty (government rests on the will of the people)

Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776 Thomas Jefferson - author Ideas in it All men created equal Everyone born with rights the government cannot take away (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) Government gets his power from the people The people can do away with a government they no longer approve of. “these United Colonies are … Free and independent states” State = Nation (Independent country with its own government) Three Georgians are there to sign it. 1. Button Gwinnett 2. Lyman Hall 3. George Walton