Colonial Reactions From Navigation Acts to the Declaration of Independence

1650 Navigation Acts / British Acts of Trade – Restricted use of foreign shipping – Reinforced idea of mercantilism

1763 Proclamation of 1763 – From Britain’s Point of View More debt if continued defending colonists from natives in Ohio Valley Costs to have troops in forts Now needed gifts to natives to preserve peace with natives Now had to purchase lands from natives Britain needed revenue (incoming money)

1763 Writs of Assistance – Could raise revenue if stopped smugglers – The writs are laws that sent smugglers to British vice-admiralty courts which were run by officers and had no jury. – Eventually the writs allow custom officials to enter warehouses or private homes without a court order to look for smuggled goods.

1764 Sugar ActColonists react: 1.Non-importation agreements (boycott purchase of certain goods) 2.James Otis resigns from Boston’s court. His slogan drives the Revolution.

1765 Stamp ActSam Adams / Sons of Liberty Quartering ActEffigies burned Patrick Henry persuades Stamp Act Congress British merchants beg Parliament to repeal Non-importation agreements intensify

1766 Stamp Act RepealedColonists stop boycott On same day as repeal, Parliament passes the Declaratory Act 

1767 Townshend Acts Non - importation agreements back & bigger (tax on imported goods not produced in the colonies; tax Daughters of Liberty paid at port of entry) John Dickinson's Letters Britain suspends Assembly New York Assembly refuses to fund Quartering Act

1768 Massachusetts Circular Letter by Otis & S. Adams Britain reacts by dissolving Mass. legislature Two regiments of British soldiers sent to Boston after Liberty event. Custom officials tell King that Mass. Is in state of insurrection.

1769 Virginia’s House of Burgesses passes a resolution condemning Britain’s actions in Mass. Britain reacts by dissolving Virginia legislature

1770 Boston MassacreSam Adams, Paul Revere & John Adams Parliament repeals Townshend Acts Colonists end boycott Parliament keeps tax on tea Colonists boycott tea

1772 Committees of Correspondence – Sam Adams calls a Boston town meeting to set up this line of communication to tell other colonies Boston’s position; other colonies copy idea

1773 Tea ActColonists vow to stop company ships from unloading. Boston Tea Party Tea party reactions

1774 Coercive ActsIntolerable Acts Port of Boston closed. Local officials no longer elected, but appointed. Only 1 town mtg. a year Other colonies support with clothes, food, $$$$ Bostonians forced to shelter soldiers in homes

st Continental Congress – 56 delegates from 12 colonies / Met in Philadelphia / Denounced Intolerable Acts / Declare 13 Acts of Parliament unconstitutional / Point out 10 rights of colonists / Boycott Trade |||| Patrick Henry Britain reacts by fortifying Boston / seize ammo The Minutemen prepare for resistance.

1775 April 18, Gen. Gage ordered to take leaders & weapons Paul Revere’s Ride April 19, 1775 – “shot heard ‘round the world” Loyalists/ ToriesPatriots May – 2 nd Continental Congress King rejects Olive Branch Petition

1776 Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Colonists siege Boston because of British troops March – British evacuate Boston June – Richard Henry Lee proposes independence July 2 – vote on Lee’s resolution July 4 – After some changes, approved Declaration of Independence

Dates Revolutionary War Lexington & Concord April 19, 1775 Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776 Battle of Saratoga Oct. 17, 1777 Surrender at Yorktown Oct. 19, 1781 Treaty of Paris Sept. 3, 1783

Unique War No desperation No hunger King George unjust – not oppressive Colonists tied to England as English citizens. Geography separated them.

Results Boundary – from Atlantic west to Mississippi 1300 battles 25,000 killed / 6,000 in action Debt - $11.7 million + Government is trying to work under the Articles of Confederation 5,000 blacks served in Rev. / England promised freedom to slaves if fought for English