Chapter 8 The Road to War

Britain Taxes the Colonies Britain decides to tax the new colonies Britain needs money to help pay for defending the colonies First tax was the Stamp Act The law placed a tax on printed materials in the colonies, such as legal documents, newspapers, and even playing cards When items were purchased, people had to place a stamp on the material to show they paid the tax.

Colonists Protest Patrick Henry was first colonist to speak out against the Stamp Act He spoke to the House of Burgesses Because of these taxes, colonists began to boycott British goods and formed a group called The Sons of Liberty Sons of Liberty were groups that led protests against the new tax

Colonist Protests continued… Daughters of Liberty Women began making their own tea out of berries and herbs Began weaving cloth instead of using British wool Because of these taxes, colonists started to unite as Americans

Committees of Correspondence Samuel Adams felt it took too long for news to travel from one colony to the next. He formed the Committee of Correspondence in Boston This committee soon was forming in towns all over the colonies These committees used fast horses to deliver news of local events to different colonies.

Boston Tea Party and the Tea Act After the Townshend Acts were repealed, Britain realized the only tax they would have was the tea tax. This was to show the colonists that Britain still had a right to tax them The tea act stated only one British company would be able to sell tea to the colonies. Two goals for the Tea Act 1- help the struggling East India Company 2- get colonists to pay taxes to Britain

Boston Tea Party and Tea Act continued… Colonists were not happy with the new tax They decided that ships bringing British tea would not be allowed to unload in any colonial port One night, members of the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawks and secretly boarded British ships. They chopped open the barrels of tea and dumped them in the Boston harbor. Britain was furious about this action and felt that Boston needed to be punished.

Britain punishes Boston Because of the Boston Tea Party, Britain punishes Boston by: Colonists were forced to feed and house British soldiers Massachusetts was put under control of British general named Thomas Gage The port of Boston was closed. No ships could come or go until they paid for the tea they destroyed. The colonists called these new laws Intolerable Acts

British punishment/Intolerable Acts continued… The Intolerable Acts also had another effect It forced many colonists to take sides in the conflict between Britain and Boston Patriots were people who opposed British rule Loyalists were people who remained loyal, or supported British rule

No Taxation… “No Taxation without representation” was a protest cry by the colonists The colonists had been self governed for years. Since the colonists did not vote in Britain, they had no representation there. The colonists believed that the British had no right to tax them.

Continental Congress George Washington was ready to lead men into battle to relieve Boston He fought for Britain in the French/Indian War and now was ready to fight against them This congress met to vote on what actions the colonists would take against Britain until the Intolerable Acts were repealed Agreed to stop all trade with Britain Agreed that each colony should begin training a militia, volunteer armies Agreed to meet in one year if situation has not improved

The Revolution Begins British soldiers begin their march toward Concord Patriots militias stored weapons in Concord British wanted their march to be secret Paul Revere had learned of their secret plans, and he rode on his horse shouting the news that the British are coming

Shot Heard Around the World The first battle was in Lexington Lexington minutemen gathered to “stand up” against the British British soldiers marched into Lexington and surrounded the Lexington minutemen When surrounded, someone fired a shot (no one is sure who) and British soldiers opened fire killing eight minutemen Because of this, the battle was known as “the shot heard around the world”

Battle of Concord Militia from nearby towns began pouring into Concord to help Suddenly the Patriots had an advantage over the British British began a long retreat back to Boston

Battle of Bunker Hill William Prescott led 1200 men up the hills of Charleston If the Patriots control Bunker and Breed Hill, they could bring up their cannons and fire on British in Boston. Their goal was to force the British to leave Boston It did not work British won the Battle of Bunker Hill, but more then 1,000 soldiers were killed or wounded