The Beginning

The American Revolution was caused by the colonists’ sometimes violent reaction to the British government trying to tighten its control over the colonies following the French and Indian War.

 British ends up $140 million in debt and needs the colonists to help pay it off  Colonists realized the British army isn’t invincible  Colonists had seen the army defeated several times and become disillusioned with the army British army didn’t recognize colonial rank, lowest British soldier was higher than the highest colonial British army discipline was too harsh Army was seen as vile, used foul language, etc

 Royal Proclamation of 1763  Forbad the colonists from settling over the Appalachian Mountains  King feared a repeat of Pontiac’s Rebellion  Troops were too expensive to keep on frontier  Upset the colonists because they helped fight the war and in their mind the war was only being fought over the right to the Ohio River Valley

 Prime Minister Grenville and King George III order strict enforcement of the Navigation Acts using Writs of Assistance (open ended search warrants)  They want the colonists to help pay off the national debt  Sugar Act 1764  Lowered taxes on sugar to convince colonists to pay the taxes instead of smuggle  Cost more to enforce than they collected from it

 Quartering Act 1765  Tax on the colonists to provide food and shelter for the British soldiers in the colonies  Why were there soldiers in the colonies? War with France was over. French were no longer in control of any part of North America Pontiac’s War was over Soldiers were helping enforce the navigations acts and subduing the colonists

 Required a stamp on bills of sale, commercial, and all legal documents, playing cards, pamphlets, newspapers, diplomas, marriage licenses, etc  Britain had one for decades  Colonists were appalled at such a direct tax without their consent

 Stamp Act Congress 1765  The Loyal 9, nine colonies sent representatives, Boston was at the forefront  Step toward inter colonial Unity  Back in Virginia: Patrick Henry “give me liberty or give me death  Non-importation Agreements  Agreed not to import British goods, especially woolen goods  Step toward inter colonial unity Everyone involved: men, women, children, spinning bees, homemade textiles, and manufactured goods.

 Stamp Collectors are forced to resign by the colonists  Parliament is forced to repeal the Stamp Act  At the same time they pass the Declaratory Act in 1766  Declaratory Act stated that Parliament still had power to legislate over the colonists even thought they repealed the Stamp Act

 No juries  Burden of proof was on defense  Courts were either in England or in Canada  Judges were paid based on 5% of the cargo he ordered confiscated