Events leading to the American Revolution

Native Americans Native Americans were unhappy about the results of the French and Indians war and how the territories had changed. The British now controlled the land west of the colonies The British relationship with the Native Americans was bad as a result not paying for the land and raising all of the prices for goods.

Native Americans (cont.) As a result violence began to occur between the Native Americans and the colonists on the western side of the colonies Ultimately, the Native Americans would do just enough for the British government to step in with the Proclamation of 1763 This would lead to major problems with the colonists who began moving west to settle

The Colonies before the French and Indian War

Colonies soon after the French and Indian War

Sons of Liberty Founded by Samuel Adams Organized protests against the acts passed by the British government Organized other groups throughout the colonies to protest, boycott and overall give the British trouble until it would remove all of the taxes placed on the colonies or at least give them representation in Parliament

Major Acts that Taxed or annoyed the Americans Stamp Act Quartering Act Tea Act Sugar Act Coercive (Intolerable) Acts Proclamation of 1763

Stamp Act Congress Met in October 1765 in New York Delegates from nine states drafted a petition to the King and Parliament to repeal the act because only they could tax themselves Resulted in the repeal of the act, but brought about the Declaratory Act of 1766

Boston Massacre March 5, 1770 A group of British soldiers being taunted by colonists open fire on the crowd of Americans Killed five Americans Among the dead was Crispus Attucks, the supposed leader of the crowd

Boston Massacre

Committee of Correspondence Revived in 1772 by Samuel Adams Circulated writings about colonists grievances against Britain Committees began to spring up all along the colonies bringing together the protesters opposed to the British

Boston Tea Party December 16, 1773 When British ships carrying tea from the East India Company docked in Boston, many citizens wanted the tea sent back to England without the payment of taxes The royal governor insisted on payment of all taxes and the ships stayed in the harbor

Boston Tea Party (cont.) This sent the Sons of Liberty into action Disguised as Native Americans, they boarded the ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor This became one of the most popular and dramatic acts of defiance against the British and it rallied the Colonists.

Boston Tea Party

First Continental Congress Sept 4, 1774 Revolutionary political body made up of delegates from most American colonies Some of the important figures George Washington Samuel Adams John Adams John Jay Richard Henry Lee Patrick Henry

First Continental Congress

1st Continental Congress (cont.) Drafted a statement of grievances calling for the repeal of 13 acts passed since 1763 claiming they violated the colonists rights Also voted to boycott British goods and trade Most important decision was to form a militia (group of citizen soldiers)

“Shot Heard ‘Round the World” The American anticipated that if fighting were to break out it would happen in New England The British had sent a great number of troops to the Boston area in the spring of 1775 and the result was the “shot heard ‘round the world”

Lexington and Concord Leaders British – Major John Pitcairn Colonists – Captain John Parker The battle began in Lexington where 70 minutemen had been waiting for the British to arrive The British handled the minutemen easily and headed to Concord to destroy the colonists’ armory

Lexington and Concord

Lexington and Concord

Lexington and Concord

Battle of Lexington and Concord (cont.) After arriving in Concord, the British discovered that the ammunition had already been moved They then began the long walk back to Boston On the way back they were assaulted by minutemen all along their path who would shoot at them from behind trees and rocks Ultimately, the British would claim victory at Lexington, but from Concord back to Boston, the colonist had won

Saratoga Leaders British – Burgoyne Colonist – General Horatio Gates Burgoyne had mistakenly thought that more British troops were headed his way, but they were not and he was surrounded by Colonial forces Burgoyne attempted to fight on October 7th against a force 3 – times his The British failed and surrendered It was a turning point in the war because the plan of the British to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies had failed

Saratoga

Yorktown Leaders British – Lord Cornwallis Colonists – General Washington Cornwallis had taken his troops up to Yorktown, VA to escape the battles he had fought with Gen. Greene who had forced him to retreat Washington planned to have the French navy waiting for Cornwallis outside in the bay to keep him from escaping The plan worked perfectly, the French guarded the bay and Washington and his troops gathered to surround Cornwallis and his troops

Yorktown (cont.) Washington had his 17,000 troops surrounding Cornwallis’ 8,000 troops On Oct 11th the Americans and French started a heavy bombardment British supplies were low and Cornwallis realized the situation was hopeless On Oct 19th, the Patriots won the Battle of Yorktown and claimed victory in the American Revolution

Treaty of Paris Began in April 1782 America was represented by Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay It was ratified by the American Congress on Sept 3rd 1783

Treaty of Paris

Terms of the Treaty Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation New territory extended from the coast to the Mississippi River and from Canada to Spanish Florida and the waters off the coast of Canada British promised to withdraw all troops The US in turn agreed to collect all debts owed by Americans to British merchants Earnestly recommended returning taken loyalist land (most of it was never returned)