The Road to Revolution 1.Tighter British Control 2.Colonial Resistance Grows 3.The Road to Lexington and Concord 4.Declaring Independence

After the French & Indian War After the war, Britain wanted to have more uniformed control over the colonies and land it gained from the war. How is this opposite of what they had been doing? (clue: Salutary neglect) What is one thing that we already know angered the colonists after the F & I war? King George wanted to enforce the Proclamation of so he kept 10,000 soldiers in the colonies. Can you think of any problems that could develop out of this scenario? Quartering Act- Colonists had to quarter, or house British soldiers and provide them with supplies. This will still cost Britain $$--How will they generate more revenue?

Generating Revenue Sugar Act (1764)- This law placed a tax on sugar, molasses, and other products shipped to the colonies; It also called for a strict enforcement of the act and a harsh punishment for smugglers.

“Taxation without representation is tyranny!” Colonial leaders like James Otis claimed that Parliament couldn’t tax the colonies since the colonies weren’t represented in Parliament. British leaders disagreed because they believed that colonists were subjects of Britain and enjoyed the protection of its laws—therefore they were subject to taxation. James Otis

The Taxing Continues Stamp Act (1765)- This law required all legal and commercial documents to carry an official stamp (seal) to show that a tax had been paid. Diplomas, contracts, wills, published newspapers, marriage certificates This was a new kind of tax for the colonies—the sugar act mainly impacted merchants---this affected everyone in the colonies. Even worse, this tax had to be paid in silver coin—a scarce item in the colonies.

A Call for Resistance Colonial leaders like Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams called for resistance/protest of the tax. Colonial assemblies and newspapers took up the slogan “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!” They drew up a petition to send to the king They boycotted British goods (refused to buy) They formed secret societies to oppose British policies. Patrick Henry Samuel Adams

Sons of Liberty SOL were the most famous secret society that formed to protest British policies. They were lawyers, merchants, and craftspeople—all people affected by the Stamp Act. They staged protests—and not all of them were peaceful. Burned stamped paper, attacked customs officials English merchants thought that their business with the colonies would be hurt and in 1766 Parliament repealed the Stamp Act.

Townshend Acts Although they repealed the Stamp Act, Britain still needed to raise money. Charles Townshend, the king’s finance minister, had a way to generate revenue. The Townshend Acts are passed in 1767 Suspended New York’s assembly until they agreed to house troops Duties/taxes placed on various goods brought into the colonies: glass, paper, paint, tea. They thought the duty being placed on the goods before they entered the colonies would not anger the colonists as much as the direct tax like the Stamp Act. What problem might these duties create?

Writs of Assistance Writs of assistance were used to enforce the Townshend Acts. These were search warrants to enter homes and businesses to search for smuggled goods.

Boston Massacre In the fall of 1768, 1,000 British soldiers arrived in Boston under the command of General Thomas Gage. Their arrival brought more tension to the streets of Boston. The soldiers hired themselves out as works because they didn’t make much as soldiers. Americans resented them for taking jobs Both groups insulted each other Colonists called Yankees Soldiers called lobsters or lobster backs

Boston Massacre By 1770 a group of youths and dockworkers got into a fight and shots were fired. 5 people were killed. The Sons of Liberty called the shooting the Boston Massacre—and said that those that died gave their lives for freedom. The incident became a tool for anti-British propaganda in newspaper articles, pamphlets, and posters.

John Adams Defends Soldiers The soldiers who fired the shots were arrested for murder John Adams, a lawyer and cousin of Samuel, defended them in court. He was criticized for taking the case. He explained that although he promoted the colonial cause, he wanted to show that colonists followed the rule of law. He argued that the soldiers acted in self-defense and the jury agreed. John Adams

Tea Act Parliament repealed all of the taxes from the Townshend Acts, except for the tax on tea—they wanted to show that they still had the power to tax the colonists. (Tea Act) Samuel Adams started the committees of correspondence to send letters between the colonies to communicate things that were going on. The Tea Act gave the British East India Company control over the American tea trade. (Enraged colonial merchants and shippers in the colonies). Protests against the Tea Act began.

Boston Tea Party On December 16, 1773, the Boston Sons of Liberty organized a protest that became known as the Boston Tea Party. They snuck onto ships in the Boston harbor and dumped 342 chests of into the water. Many thought that now Britain would take the colonies seriously, but it just angered them.