Reasons 1) Rising hostilities between the French and the English in the “New World” 2) Global war amongst all the colonial powers for control of trade and raw materials 3) French and English wanted control of the Ohio River Valley Each actively recruited Indian tribes 4) Each side promised that they would not expand their colonial holdings farther inland Both were lying 5) In the end, the British were able to recruit roughly 25% of available tribes; the French successfully recruited the other 75% 6) The English were able to use the American colonists and actively utilized them; The English would eventually defeat the French which gained them control of most of North America

The French and Indian War was very costly for Britain The war was sparked by the American colonists and Britain sent troops to protect its interests In order to help pay for the costs of the war, Britain raised taxes on the American colonists Important to note: British citizens paid significantly more in taxes than the American colonists! American colonists, however, did not want to pay anything more to the British crown, especially since the American colonies were not represented in parliament! No taxation without representation!

Proclamation of 1763 Forbid the American colonists from settling West of the Appalachian Mountains An attempt to settle disputes with the Native American tribes Keep in mind, the British didn’t care about preserving the lands of the natives; they were just attempting to avoid more costly conflicts!

The Currency Act and the Sugar Act (1764) The Currency Act allowed for the British Parliament to assume control of the colonial currency system The Sugar Act actually reduced the tax on sugar, but actually enforced the duties to be paid The Stamp Act and Quartering Act (1765) The Stamp Act provided that all paper goods carry a royal stamp (receipt of taxes paid) The Quartering Act allowed for the quartering of British soldiers on private property without permission or compensation The Declaratory Act (1766) Deemed all colonial laws or legislation to be void without royal permission The Townshend Acts Increased the tax rate on all commodities in the colonies

The Boston Massacre (1770) British troops fire on an angry crowd in Boston killing 5 civilians The Gaspee Affair (1772) The British ship Gaspee was looted and burned by the “Sons of Liberty” The Tea Act (1773) Final spark to the Revolutionary War; tax imposed on tea to help the East India Company The Boston Tea Party (1773) Response to the Tea Act; Sons of Liberty boarded three British “tea” ships and dumped the cargo into the harbor The Intolerable Acts (1774) Passed in retaliation to the Boston Tea Party; closed the port of Boston and ordered that British troops accused of crimes be sent to England to stand trial, British commander was named governor of Massachusetts, and town meeting were banned

Met in Philadelphia in response to the Intolerable Acts All the colonies, except Georgia, sent representatives First time that the colonies worked together on a united front to stand up to Britain Declaration and Resolves established the course of the congress, as a statement of principles common to all of the colonies. Congress voted to meet again the following year if these grievances were not attended to by England. This was a pact for nonimportation of English goods, to establish mechanisms throughout the colonies to enforce and regulate the resistance to Great Britain, and to keep the channels of communication open Goal was to force Britain to rescind the Intolerable Acts

Paul Revere’s Ride Paul Revere was tasked with warning Sam Adams and John Hancock should the British arrive in Boston to arrest them Lexington and Concord – The Shot Heard Round the World The British march on these towns seeking to destroy arms and to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock Bunker Hill During the siege of Boston, British troops planned to take the unoccupied hills surrounding Boston to better fortify their position but met with resistance from colonial troops Ultimately, the British were victorious but suffered heavy casualties Demonstrated that colonial forces were willing to stand up to British troops