Steps Toward the American Revolution

Salutary Neglect vs. Strict Control Before 1763 Self-government Profitable economy Smuggling ignored?! After 1763 Enforcement of ideas of mercantilism  Colonies trade only with mother country No more smuggling  Enforcement of existing taxes Some taxes were actually lower than before?! Creation of new taxes To raise money and regulate trade

Reasons for the change England needed money to recover the costs of the French and Indian War England believed the colonies should pay for the cost of administration England didn’t think enforcement of existing policies was a big deal

Proclamation of 1763 Announced change from Salutary Neglect to Strict Control Prohibited Colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains Cut costs of protecting the colonists Colonists ignored

Writs of Assistance General search warrants used by British officials to search for smuggled goods Colonists protested that their right to privacy was violated Colonists continued to smuggle James Otis’ Case - Protection of a citizen’s private property must be held in higher regard than a parliamentary statute…LOST CASE

Molasses Act Tax on imported (tariff) molasses from Dutch and French Caribbean islands To encourage colonists to use more British molasses Colonists continued to smuggle and bribed the British customs officials

Sugar Act (Revenue Act) Lord Grenville lowered the tax but strictly enforced ALL cargo must be reported on ALL ships Offenders would be tried in Admiralty Courts (no jury, tried by royally appointed judges) Colonists complained about “taxation without representation” and denial of trial by jury of their peers

What was the extent of Parliament’s authority over the colonies?? Absolute or Limited? Virtual Representation - What was the extent of Parliament’s authority over the colonies?? Absolute or Limited? Parliament represents all Englishmen everywhere, not just those who elect them to office (VIRTUAL) VS. Colonists claim that only colonial assemblies can pass laws for the colonists (ACTUAL)

Currency Act 1764; Quartering Act 1765 Stamp Act Tax on legal documents, papers, newspapers, To raise money to pay costs of administering the colonies Colonists complained “taxation without representation”

Reactions to Stamp Act Colonists formed Stamp Act Congress Sons of Liberty organized in NYC – S. Adams Sent letters and petitions to the King and Parliament Organized boycotts of British goods The Virginia Resolves – only elected colonial assemblies can tax colonists – P. Henry Non-Importation Associations Repealed 1766 – Boycotts work; (Grenville replaced)

Declaratory Act After repeal of Stamp Act Parliament re-stated British right to tax colonists Colonists claim only by “actual representation” not “virtual representation” could a government be legitimate (“legal”)

Townshend Acts – 1767 (William Pitt replaces Rockingham…Pitt ill…Townshend takes charge…) British taxed lead, glass, paper, paint and tea To pay salaries of British officials in colonies and cost of troops Colonists boycotted goods until British merchants convinced Parliament to drop the taxes (except for the one on tea) Organized Committees of Inspection to denounce merchants who continued importing… “tar and featherings”, etc. BOSTON MASSACRE – Mar.5,1770 … 10 B.soldiers vs. rowdy crowd…5 rioters killed. (Crispus Attucks – 1 st casuality)

John Dickinson  1768 * Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania. 1. John Dickinson  1768 * Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania  2 nd non-importation movement: * “Daughters of Liberty” * spinning bees  2 nd non-importation movement: * “Daughters of Liberty” * spinning bees Riots against customs agents: * John Hancock’s ship, the Liberty, seized by Br. Officials…thousands of Bostonians riot and attack customs officials (: Tar and Feathering!!) 3. Riots against customs agents: * John Hancock’s ship, the Liberty, seized by Br. Officials…thousands of Bostonians riot and attack customs officials (John Adams: Tar and Feathering!!) * 4000 British troops sent to Boston. * 4000 British troops sent to Boston. Colonial Response to the Townshend Duties

Tea Act Parliament granted a monopoly on the tea trade to the British East India Co. To save the company from bankruptcy and provide the best quality, cheapest tea ever (drive colonial merchants out of tea business!) Colonists objected to “monopoly”

The Boston Tea Party… Sam Adams … Dec. 16, men…90,000 pounds of tea = 10,000 pounds sterling!

Intolerable Acts – 1774 (Coercive Acts) To punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party Closed Boston Harbor  ( Boston Port Act) Shut down Massachusetts Colonial Assembly  (Massachusetts Government Act) British officials accused of crimes would be returned to England for trial  (Administration of Justice Act) Quartering of Troops  (Quartering Act)

Colonial Response… Committees of Correspondence  Established in response to Townshend Acts  Each colony drew up statements of American rights and grievances; distributed…new communications network formed!!! Put to great use now! Call for inter-colonial congress FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS 1774  Philadelphia, PA 55 delegates; 12 colonies (not GA)  IDEAS: Galloway’s Plan (like Albany Plan); Continental Association (stop all trade with Britain)  “middle” course…want Coercive Acts repealed, but would not approve war…yet!