Road to the American Revolution Chapter 6

While there were many causes of the American Revolution, it was a series of unfortunate events that finally triggered the outbreak of WAR!

Events would lead two very different armies toward each other. Once loyal subjects, the colonies would eventually fight for their independence from England.

KING George III The Antagonist of the story. British King during the American Revolution.

The French and Indian War ( )

Colonists fought against the French thinking Britain would pay for the war. Parliament felt that the British people were already taxed very heavily, so they looked to the colonists as a source of revenue (money). The British felt the wars were fought for the mutual benefit of the Empire and the Colonies.

British National Debt (The French and Indian War)

Proclamation of 1763 The British, heavily in debt, wanted to avoid military conflict wherever possible. Seeking to appease Native Americans, King George III issued the Proclamation of The Proclamation prohibited Americans from settling in the Native American-controlled land west of the Appalachians. King George sent 10,000 soldiers to the colonies to enforce the Proclamation Act of 1763.

Sugar Act (1764) The Sugar Act of 1764 reduced the taxes imposed by the Molasses Act, but at the same time strengthened the collection of the taxes.

Quartering Act (1765)

Required the colonies to provide room and board for British soldiers stationed in North America. The soldiers would serve various purposes, chiefly to enforce the previously passed acts of Parliament.

The Stamp Act (1765)

Sample stamps from the 1765 Stamp Act that placed a British tax on colonial newspapers, legal documents, stationery and other items. Legal Document such as Marriage license, Land titles and Charters.

The Stamp Act The Colonists were not pleased. They sometimes attacked the Tax collectors.

Quick Review 1. Why did the British Parliament pass the Proclamation of 1763? 2. How did the Quartering Act affect the Colonists? 3. Why did the Sugar act make some colonists angry? How was the Stamp Act different from the Sugar Act?

Declaratory Act (1766) Stated that Great Britain retained the power to tax the colonists, even without representation. Meaning Britain could still pass any law they felt like. They did not need Colonial support.

NOOOOOOO!!!!!! NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!!

Townshend Acts (1767) The Acts taxed imports of tea, glass, paint, lead, and even paper. The colonial merchants threatened to boycott the taxed products.

Townshend Acts (1767) A loss in profits persuaded British merchants to petition Parliament to repeal the Townshend Acts. Parliament eventually agreed to repeal much of the Townshend legislation. But Parliament refused to remove the tax on tea.

The Boston Massacre (1770)

On March 5, 1770 violence broke out among the colonists and British soldiers stationed in Boston. 5 men die in the shooting. Including an African American named Crispus Attucks. Colonial Leaders claim the 5 men gave their lives for freedom. Future president John Adams Defended the British Soldiers who killed the 5 colonists.

Tea Act (1773) This law gave a British company, the East India Company, the right to control all trade in tea. The tea would arrive and be sold by the company. Colonists still had to pay the high tax on tea.

The Boston Tea Party (1773) On December 16,1773, a group of colonists dressed as Native Americans boarded 3 ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This event became known as the Boston Tea Party.

The Boston Tea Party! (1773)

Quick Review 1. Why were the Townshend Acts passed? 2. Why were the colonists against the Townshend Acts? 3. What events led to the Boston Massacre? 4. What did the Tea Act say? 5. Why did several colonists dump tea into Boston Harbor?

Intolerable Acts (1774) That was not your Tea! Who is going to pay for that? Not us!

The Intolerable Acts (1774) Parliament reduced the power of the Massachusetts legislature and closed the port of Boston. The Quartering Act was extended to require private individuals to lodge soldiers. Parliament allowed royal officials accused of crimes to be tried by a British, rather than a colonial, jury.

1 st Continental Congress

In order to debate a response to the Intolerable Acts, all American colonies except for Georgia sent delegates to the First Continental Congress at Philadelphia. The Congress, which met in September 1774, issued the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. They agreed to stop all trade with Britain until Parliament canceled the Intolerable Acts.

Between War and Peace

Colonial fighting force Minutemen- Colonial militia who could be ready to fight in a moments notice. Militia- a force of armed civilians who pledged to defend their community.

Dividing the colonists Patriot- Colonists who sided with the rebels. Were labeled traitors and guilty of treason. Loyalists- Colonists who remained loyal to the Crown. Throughout the war, they made up 1/3 of the colonial population.

Paul Revere As a close friend of Samuel Adams, he was involved in the earliest stages of the struggle for liberty. Revere helped organize an intelligence and alarm system to keep watch on the British military.

The Midnight Ride The Sons of Liberty were prepared to spread the news of British movement. Colonial spies warned that the British were on the march to Lexington and Concord. Paul Revere and William Dawes rode out to alert the militia and minutemen. The British are Coming!

Lexington and Concord st Battle of the American Revolution. British soldiers had two objectives: 1.destroy collection of weapons gathered by the colonists. 2. Capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams and other Rebel Patriots Minutemen intercepted and stopped the British troops.

Lexington and Concord

The Long Road Back Militia and Minutemen continue to attack British soldiers as the march back to Boston.

Quick Review 1. Why did Britain pass the Intolerable Acts? 2. What did representatives at the 1 st Continental Congress agree to do? 3.Why did some colonists form militias? 4. What did Revere, Dawes and Prescott do? 5. Why were the battles of Lexington and Concord important?

2 nd Continental Congress

By the time the Second Continental Congress met, the American Revolutionary War had already started with the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, On July 8, 1775, they extended the Olive Branch Petition to the crown as an attempt at reconciliation. King George III refused to receive it.

Delegates included: John and Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Patrick Henry George Washington was unanimously chosen to lead the Continental Army. The Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed.

Declaration of Independence