The American Revolution Egad! We Birthed A Nation!

The French Indian War -French areas of colonization -St. Lawrence River Valley, Quebec, Great Lakes, Louisiana -Interest in trading not colonizing -better relationship with Indians -English colonists want to expand -Indians resist and ally with French French Empire

The French Indian War -Old rivalry -multiple wars fought between French and English in past centuries conflict ignites again as French begin building forts near Virginia border -Virginia Gov ’ t sends George Washington led militia against the French England vs. France

The French Indian War -The French and Indian allies won many early battles -Albany Plan of Union colonies debate forming central government -Victory at Quebec gave the British control -turning point of the conflict -Treaty of Paris, France lost all lands in America England vs. France

Problems After The French Indian War Indians in the Ohio Valley revolt against British forts -conflicts were becoming costly for Britain -Proclamation of 1763 stated that colonists could not cross the Appalachian Mtns -Colonists ignored the law and continued to provoke Indians Problems

Salutary Neglect Salutary neglect was an undocumented, though long- standing British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws, meant to keep the American colonies obedient to Great Britain.

Problems After The French Indian War -British heavily in debt b/c of war -standing British Army in the colonies -Trading restrictions established to levy duties (taxes) on certain products -smugglers try to avoid paying taxes Tensions Build

Problems After The French Indian War --writs of assistance -Sugar Act affected merchants and traders protests began against taxation without representation James Otis Tensions Build

Stirrings of Rebellion -Parliament passes Stamp Act -placed a direct tax on the colonists -required stamp on all legal documents, newspapers, license, and cards -affected many colonists rich and poor -Quartering Act, 1765 Stamp Act

Stirrings of Rebellion Sons of Liberty Boston Samuel Adams John Adams -no taxation w/o representation -protests and boycotts were organized -stamp agents were harassed -law eventually repealed Resistance Begins

Stirrings of Rebellion -new tax placed on imports such as tea, glass, paper, paint -colonists again reacted with protests -British reacted by sending more troops Townshend Acts

Stirrings of Rebellion -March protests by colonists -British troops fire on crowd -5 colonists killed Crispus Attucks -Most soldiers found not guilty John Adams served as attorney for the soldiers Boston Massacre

Stirrings of Rebellion -tax on tea still remain in effect -monopoly on tea given to British company -Dec colonists raided Boston harbor and threw the tea overboard and burned the ships Boston Tea Party

Stirrings of Rebellion -Parliament passes Coercive Acts in reaction -Colonist call it the Intolerable Acts -closed Boston Harbor -suspended basic civil rights -housed troops in peoples ’ homes -Committees of Correspondence Intolerable Acts

Stirrings of Rebellion 1st Continental Congress -Committees of Correspondence had been communicating with other colonies -militias begin to form -minutemen -after Intolerable Acts they call for a meeting -late st meeting held in Philadelphia -discussed rights of colonies -agreed to meet again in 1 year

Stirrings of Rebellion Lexington and Concord -April British try to seize weapons stored in Concord -Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott warn colonists -minutemen met British at Lexington -shots fired and colonists killed -colonist conduct guerilla battle along road to Concord

The Revolution Begins -May called for an army and appointed Washington as leader -some talk of compromise and some of independence 2nd Continental Congress

The Revolution Begins -June Colonist take hill overlooking Boston (Breed ’ s Hill) -British charge the hill 3 times until colonists run out of ammo -lots of casualties deadliest battle of war Bunker Hill

The Revolution Begins -July nd Congress send King George a petition to return to the peace of the past -he refuses the petition and urges the rebellion put down Olive Branch

The Revolution Begins -many colonists had loyalties that were strong to Britain -Loyalists -Patriots -Common Sense -written by Thomas Paine -Jan urges independence for the colonies Common Sense

Independence Declared Declaration of Independence -June 1776 Congress was debating Independence Richard Henry Lee -Committee appointed to begin work on formal document -meant to explain the reasons for independence -mostly written by Thomas Jefferson -Congress edited the final draft -Issued July 4, 1776

Independence Declared Key Concepts in the D of I -Jefferson took ideas from many Enlightenment thinkers -Natural Rights and Social Contract from John Locke -All men are created equal -Listed specific reasons for our independence

Revolutionary War Early Defeats -British capture all major colonial cities New York Philadelphia Boston Charleston -Washington ’ s army in retreat and many desert

Revolutionary War Patriot Victories -a few victories helped keep morale up -Dec at Trenton Jan at Princeton

Revolutionary War Turning Point -large British force defeated at Saratoga Oct kept British near the coastline -helped colonists get French help in the war effort -turning point of the war

Revolutionary War Valley Forge -camp site of Washington ’ s army during winter of British forces occupied nearby cities -many soldiers died of cold and starvation -Congress struggled to gain supplies for the army -lack of central gov ’ t

Revolutionary War Civilian Life -inflation -shortage of goods -women took over the work of men -some women helped the military effort

Revolutionary War Foreign Help -foreign military leaders offered professional training for the army -Friedrich von Steuben Prussian officer who trained patriot soldiers -Marquis de Lafayette led volunteer army from France

Revolutionary War Southern Campaign -British strategy changed to splitting the colonies -Charleston captured by Cornwallis -Kings Mtn Patriot -Cowpens Patriot

Revolutionary War War’s End -Guilford Courthouse costly British victory -retreat to Yorktown -surrounded by French and Americans -Cornwallis surrenders Oct, 1781

Revolutionary War Treaty of Paris -Treaty of Paris recognized U.S. independence -set boundaries to the Mississippi -some provisions of the treaty will lead to trouble later

Revolutionary War Symbol to the World -liberty -freedom -equality -opportunity -belief in a greater cause -set a precedent for the American future