The Spirit of Independence

THINK ABOUT THIS? The King of England started to tax the colonists for different reasons. The colonists didn’t want to pay the taxes WHAT IS A TAX? –A fee imposed by the government people MUST pay.

The Colonies & Britain Grow Apart During the French & Indian War, colonies & Britain fought side by side. Proclamation of 1763 –no colonists could settle west of the Appalachian Mountains Proclamation Line ORV

King George III King George III, the British King during the Revolutionary War –wanted to enforce the Proclamation so he sent 10,000 British troops into the colonies.

Sugar Act & Quartering Act 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act –This put a tax on sugar & molasses brought into America (used to cook) 1765 Parliament passed the Quartering Act –This required colonist to house, feed, & provide supplies for British soldiers WHY? –Britain had a large debt from the French & Indian War and needed $$$$.

Taxation Without Representation Many colonists claimed Parliament (British government) had no right to tax the colonists without asking permission. –Colonists were not represented in Parliament. “No Taxation Without Representation!”

Stamp Act 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act –all legal & commercial documents must have an official stamp showing a tax had been paid on the document Ex: newspapers, diplomas, contracts, playing cards Colonial merchants organized a boycott of British goods as a result of the Stamp Act. –Boycott is a refusal to buy goods

Many colonists formed secret societies to oppose British rule. –Sons of Liberty staged protests against the acts Samuel Adams was their leader 1767 the Townshend Acts passed –placed taxes on goods the colonists used daily glass, paper, paint, lead and tea glass, paper, paint, lead and tea Sons of Liberty / Townshend Acts

Boston Massacre In 1770 –British soldiers and colonists began shouting insults, then throwing snowballs at each other –A fight broke out and British soldiers fired –5 Americans died –Crispus Attucks

The Boston Massacre Crispus Attucks?

Tea Act 1773 Parliament passed Tea Act –A tax put on tea brought into the colonies Samuel Adams began to form committees of correspondence –groups who exchanged letters and information on colonial affairs

Boston Tea Party As a result of the Tea Act, colonists dressed up to look like Mohawk Indians – –They boarded British ships carrying goods into the Boston Harbor – –dumped only the tea from the ships into the Boston Harbor – 342 chests of tea (about 1 million dollars worth in today’s money)

The tea party is an example of civil disobedience The rioters underlined their “pure” political motives by punishing those who sought personal gain; a Son of Liberty who stole some of the tea was “stripped of his booty and his clothes together, and sent home naked.”

The Boston Tea Party

Other Acts of Disobedience Is this an example of “civil disobedience”?

Intolerable Acts A series of laws passed by Parliament in 1774 Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts) –Closed the port of Boston –Made town meetings illegal –Had to house British troops –British officials could go to Britain to go on trial

Chamber pots with figures in them. (Napolean)

First Continental Congress Delegates (members) from all colonies met in Philadelphia, PA First Continental Congress –Agreed to begin training troops for war –Wanted to fight for colonists rights & independence –Banned trade with Britain

TO ARMS!! By the end of 1774, colonists began to prepare for a war –Militia – force of armed civilians ready to fight for their country. –Minutemen – civilian men ready to act at a minute’s warning act at a minute’s warning –Redcoats – nickname for British soldiers soldiers

Paul Revere –rode to Lexington and Concord (Massachusetts) –British troops were going to attack militia and steal artillery were going to attack militia and steal artillery wanted to capture Hancock and Adams “The British are coming, the British are coming!!”

Paul Revere’s Ride

Lexington and Concord British troops found about 70 minutemen waiting. Shots were fired…the war had begun – ‘the shot heard round the world’ – the first battles of the Revolutionary War

Patriots and Loyalists Those who supported the British in the war were called Loyalists. Those who supported the colonists (rebels) in the war were called Patriots.

The Continental Army The Continental Army began to form –army of colonists fighting for independence –Over 20,000 militiamen showed up in Boston George Washington –Commanding General

Battle of Bunker Hill British soldiers forced the militia off the hill in a very bloody battle –1,000 British killed or wounded –400 militiamen killed British redcoats won this battle “Don’t fire ‘til you see the whites of their eyes!”

Thomas Paine Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet called Common Sense – –a complete break away from England was necessary – –sold 120,000 in 3 months “Every thing that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'tis time to part.”

Opposition to Separation “ America is far from being yet in a desperate situation. I am confident she may obtain honourable and advantageous terms from Great Britain” - Charles Inglis

Let’s Declare Independence! At the Second Continental Congress a group was chosen to draft a document called the Declaration of Independence On July 4, 1776 (Independence Day) Congress adopted –Thomas Jefferson wrote in 17 days

Declaration of Independence What’s in the Declaration? –unalienable rights –Reasons for separating from Britain –Declared colonies to be free and independent states

Unalienable Rights Unalienable right –a right that cannot be taken away “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.”

Debate Over Independence Not all were in favor of Independence (video links)

The Road to the Revolution The Proclamation of 1763 Revolutionary War begins 1775 Stamp Act 1765 Townshend Acts 1767 Boston Massacre 1770 Tea Act 1773 Boston Tea Party 1773 Intolerable Acts 1774 First Continental Congress 1774 Battles of Lexington & Concord 1775 Declaration of Independence written 1776