The French and Indian War and Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 Unit 1 Celebrate Freedom Week

French & Indian War 1754–1763 ©2012, TESCCC

Who fought and why? France and England They fought for control of the Ohio River Valley and other territories in North America

How did Benjamin Franklin try to help? He created the Albany Plan of the Union, which was his attempt to unite the colonies under one central government. What message was he trying to get across to the Colonies with this drawing? ©2012, TESCCC

Effects of the French & Indian War Treaty of Paris of 1763 - France lost claims to land in North America and made Britain more powerful. The war put England in debt. Because they believed they were helping the colonies against Indian and French attacks, they made the Colonies responsible for paying for the war debt through taxes. ©2012, TESCCC

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765

French & Indian War 1754–1763 Who fought and why? France and England They fought for control of the Ohio River Valley and other territories in North America Who fought and why?

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 British victory in the Seven Years' War (or French and Indian War, 1756–1763) came at a great financial cost. The British national debt nearly doubled. Future expenses were expected to continue to increase due to a decision by the British to keep 10,000 regular soldiers in the American colonies.

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 To control its territory, Great Britain believed stationing troops in the colonies was necessary. The British people were averse to maintaining a standing army at home, so it was necessary to garrison the troops elsewhere.

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 Stationing most of the army in North America made sense because Great Britain had acquired the vast territory of New France in the 1763 peace treaty

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 The British Prime Minister was charged with finding a way to pay for this large peacetime army. He decided that Parliament would raise this revenue by taxing the American colonists. This was something new: it had never before directly taxed the colonies to raise revenue.

Parliament announced when the Sugar Act was passed that they would also consider a stamp tax in the colonies. By requiring an official stamp on most legal documents, the system was almost self­ regulating – a document without the required stamp would be null and void under British law. At the time of the PM made it clear that the right to tax the colonies was not in question, and that additional taxes, including a stamp tax, might follow.

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 Petitions against this, submitted by the colonies, were officially ignored by Parliament. The Stamp Act passed on November 1, 1765. The Stamp Act is an example of an attempt to control territory through economic means. Patrick Henry led the opposition to the Stamp Act.

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 Protests in the streets On August 14, 1765, Andrew Oliver, distributor of stamps for Massachusetts, was hung in effigy "from a giant elm tree" All day the crowd detoured merchants to have their goods symbolically stamped under the elm (the elm tree later became known as the "Liberty Tree"). Throughout the colonies, peasants and middle class members of society formed groups of resistance and soon called themselves the Sons of Liberty.

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 The Stamp Act angered and united the American people like never before. It inspired both political and constitutional forms of literature throughout the colonies, strengthened involvement, and created new forms of organized resistance. These organized groups of resistance quickly learned that they could force royal officials to resign by using violent measures and threats.

Repeal News of the mob violence began to reach England in October. At the same time that resistance in America was building and accelerating, conflicting sentiments were taking hold in Britain. Some wanted to strictly enforce the Stamp Act over colonial resistance, wary of the precedent that would be set by backing down.

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act of 1765 When Parliament reconvened in 1766, repeal of the act was proposed. Petitions from all over the country, complaining of the economic repercussions felt throughout the country, were presented. A resolution to repeal the Stamp Act was introduced and passed by a vote of 276­-168. The King agreed to the repeal on March 17, 1766. Communication between colonial leaders and British Parliament for the purpose of compromise was severely delayed due to the great distance separating the colonies from the "mother country."

Stamp Act – 1765 - required diplomas, contracts, wills, newspapers etc Stamp Act – 1765 - required diplomas, contracts, wills, newspapers etc. have official stamp showing a tax had been paid British used this to raise money to help cover the cost of the French and Indian War

Issues Surrounding the Stamp Act Parliament needed to raise Revenue “Stamp Act” French -Indian War Britain needed to control this New Territory Why was there a war? How did the colonist protest?What was the outcome? Provide details Doubled Debt of England Gained New Territory 10,000 British Soldiers stationed in the colonies Colonists disliked Quartering A way to control Colonies Economy Colonists Protested

British felt it was fair to tax the colonists to help pay the expenses they had run up fighting the French & Indians. The money raised to help pay the debt from the French & Indian War ( Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Tea Act) caused many colonists to resent British rule 1756–1763

- A member of the Virginia House of Burgesses - Spoke against the Stamp Act - He served in the Continental Army