The Path to a Rebellion and Its Governance

French and Indian War Results Expensive and costs $$ an increase in the taxes levied on the colonies The British government tried to make Americans pay for British protection in the colonies Stamp Act Sugar Act Quartering Act Townshend Acts

You need to know these! 1. Salutary Neglect Undocumented British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of British laws in the colonies 2. Virtual Representation

Acts and More Acts Sugar Act Consequences Delegates protested in New York The Sons of Liberty threatened tax officials Colonists boycotted British goods. London merchants suffered from a reduction in trade levied taxes aimed at raising revenue rather than regulating trade

Keep on Acting The Townshend Acts provoked The Massachusetts Circular Letter John Dickinson’s Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania Colonial boycotts of British goods

More Action on the Acts Stamp Act Affected lawyers and writers, had eloquent opposition to the Crown Opposition upon colonial resentment of the Sugar and Currency Acts Effective boycott of British goods Those who violated the law were not entitled to a jury trial Tea Act the taxation of the American colonists without their consent Intolerable Acts First Continental Congress

Colonists Complain John Dickinson defended the idea of no taxation without representation To tax people without their consent violated English law Boston Tea Party Parliament’s efforts to improve the profits of the British East India Company American public opinion between January 1774 and July 1776 It changed from a desire for reconciliation to a decision for independence

Let’s Go To War American colonies in the 1770’s before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War Resisted the British government’s efforts to impose new taxes Common Sense Arguments for Independence, 1776 People should not pledge allegiance to a king and a corrupt government the separation of the colonies from England is inevitable and natural

War Ends Treaty of Paris fishing rights off the coast of Canada British recognition of U.S. independence a western boundary on the Mississippi River a peaceful settlement of the Revolutionary War

Articles of Confederation Continental Congress Philosophy It was cautious about giving new government powers in had just denied Parliament One house congress - equal (state) representation results in small state dominance and large state embitterment 9-4 vote to pass legislation results in few bills passing into law/sectionalism stifles legislation Unanimous vote to amend Articles makes needed adjustments impossible No executive branch

Articles of Confederation Dissatisfaction A farmers’ revolt (Shay’s Rebellion) in Massachusetts against the collection of state taxes Showed the national government was too weak States refusing to honor the Treaty of Paris Worthless paper money printed by many states States restricting trade with one another

Articles of Confederation Weaknesses Made it too difficult for the government to raise money through taxes and duties Government did not have the authority to tax Congress could only request money from the states The states did not generally comply with the requests in full, leaving the confederation chronically short of funds. The states and the national congress had both incurred debts during the war, and paying congressional debts became a major issue.

Articles of Confederation Greatest achievements Articles of Confederation provided stability during the American Revolutionary War years. The Treaty of Paris (1783) a system for orderly settlement of the West Land Ordinance of 1785 defined the process by which territories could become states Northwest Ordinance 1787