Chapter 7 The road to Revolution

The deep roots of Revolution American revolution Relation of distance to independence Colonists similarities & differences Began to see own parliaments as authority

Mercantilism Purpose Positives and negatives of mercantilism for colonies Laws for trade only with Britain European goods to America had to stop in Britain Impact of Mercantilism: no currency: impact on gold and silver

More mercantilism Laws on trade seldom enforced Americans didn’t have to support an army Could not make certain goods Americans could not make what was most profitable Southern colonies favored more than north Virginia planters: forced to sell tobacco in Virginia

Taxes, Taxes everywhere and yes they really stink Britain had no interest in asking U.S. to pay for seven years’ war Tax passed to support small army Prime Minister George Greenville Began enforcing stamp act, passed sugar act (1764), Quartering act(1765), Stamp Tax (1765) people who violated taxes faced admiralty courts (guilty until proven other)

No taxation without representation Regulate trade all you want Only American parliaments could tax Did Americans want Representation??? British claim can’t separate taxing and Leg. Americans begin to stop paying attention Non importation agreements and Sons and Daughters of liberty Parliament repeals stamp act in 1765

Townshend Tea Tax (1767) Import tax on tea, lead, paper, paint Tax was to pay governors, judges in Amer British send troops to control smuggling Boston citizens surround 10 troops

Committees of Correspondence Tax continued on tea Samuel Adams sets up Local committees of Correspondence in Massachusetts Committee set up to spread propaganda Intercolonial committees set up

The parties at Boston and elsewhere By 1773, Americans enjoy cheap tea British East India given a monopoly over American tea Company ready to sell the tea at a cheap price Americans fearful of purpose of cheap tea Annapolis and Boston tea was burnt and dumped Port of Boston closed to outside trade

Continental congress 1st Continental congress: philadelphia:1774 Called for a boycott of all British goods Created a list of grievances: if parliament solves problems, everything taken care of Parliament rejects grievances British commander in Boston sends troops to take gunpowder in Lexington and Concord Lexington guarded by militia

British strengths and Weaknesses Professional army, navy 30,000 Hessians hired 50,000 loyalists, Indians British ready to fight French, Irish Troops not treated well by officers 3000 miles away and lots of territory

American strengths and W’s Great Leadership: Washington, Lafayette Defensive war, believed in their cause Badly organized for the war Unity between colonies money