The American Revolution

Britain and Its American Colonies Settled along the eastern coast of North America Population – ,000 – ,150,000

Britain and Its American Colonies, cont. Colonists had been living there for nearly 150 years Each of the 13 colonies had its own government Grown very independent from Britain, but were technically still citizens and were expected to obey British law Economically, the colonies thrived on trade with the nations of Europe

Navigation Act This and other trade laws prevented the colonists from selling their most valuable products to any country except Britain Colonists also had to pay high taxes on imported French and Dutch goods

British Policies Benefited both the colonists and the motherland Britain bought American raw materials for low prices and sold manufactured goods to the colonists

French and Indian War War between Britain and France (Indians fought with the French) Britain and France had both colonized parts of North America Britain won and seized nearly all French land in North America

British/Colonist Relations Britain ran up a huge debt to fight the French and Indian War They expected the colonists to help pay off their debt

Stamp Act Tax on the colonists to help pay off war debts Colonists had to pay a tax to have an official stamp on wills, deeds, newspapers, and other printed material This outraged Americans because they had no representation in Parliament –“No taxation without representation”

Boston Tea Party Colonists dumped a large load of tea in Boston Harbor to protest a tax on tea –King George III ordered that the port be closed

Continental Congress First Continental Congress- Representatives from every colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia to protest the treatment of Boston Second Continental Congress- Colonies met again because the king ignored their initial complaints

Battle at Lexington and Concord First gunfire of the war Second Continental Congress raised an army and organized for battle under the command of George Washington

Influence of the Enlightenment Colonial leaders used ideas from the Enlightenment to justify independence Colonists were being denied basic rights by King George III –Locke asserted that people had the right to rebel against an unjust ruler

Influence of the Enlightenment, cont. The Declaration also included a long list of grievances against King George III The document ended by declaring the colonies’ separation from Britain

Declaration of Independence Written in July 1776 by Thomas Jefferson Based on the ideas of John Locke and the Enlightenment –“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Success for the Colonists At first, the colonists looked as though they would be defeated quickly The colonists won their independence for several reasons –1) Their motivation for fighting was much stronger than that of the British (they were defending their homeland)

Success for the Colonists, cont. –2) Overconfident British generals made several mistakes –3) Time was on the side of the Americans For the British, fighting a war 3,000 miles away was very expensive –4) French aid