* 1. Mercantilism * Policy of encouraging exports and discouraging imports – pushes imperialism * Navigation Acts – would not allow Americans to ship things to other nations which would ensure a British monopoly over colonies

* British Action: * Designed to crack down on colonial smuggling * Search warrants that allowed British officials to search any place, seize anything at any time * Colonial Response: * Outraged the merchants of Boston

* British Action: * Designed to keep trade in England and support mercantilism * Colonists could only trade goods with England * All colonial ships must stop in a British harbor before going to another country * Colonial Response: * Ignored them (profitable to trade with other countries) * Salutary Neglect (relaxed enforcement for continued loyalty)

* 2. Taxes * Used to pay war debts from the French & Indian War * 1765 Stamp Act – tax on virtually everything paper (newspapers, wills, cards, etc) * Virtual Representation – colonists had no representation in parliament so argued “no taxation without representation” – British government argued the colonies were a part of the British empire and parliament made laws for the good of the empire therefore the colonists were virtually represented

* Colonists began boycotting goods under the Stamp Act until repealed * Townshend Acts – 1767 – a tax on all imports * “Boston Massacre” in 1770 * Tea Act 1773 – led to the Boston Tea Party * After the Boston Tea Party, King George III enacted the Coercive Acts – 1774 * Colonists called these The Intolerable Acts * Restricted colonists rights including fair trial by jury * Allowed soldiers to search homes * Allowed quartering of soldiers

Class Discussion: Why would quartering soldiers make colonists angry?

* Using 40 words or less take one of the acts discussed in class today and create a small newspaper article about the act. You can be either for or against the act. * The writing should be in column form. There should be a catchy heading to grab the attention of the reader.

What side is this cartoon supporting? How are the colonists being treated according to the political cartoon?

* Colonists response to the Coercive Acts * September 1774 – 12 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia * Georgia did not – governor was loyal to the King & colonists wanted support of British soldiers to fight Creeks * Sent a letter to King George III demanding restoration of their rights. * Representatives voted a ban on all trade with England till the Intolerable Acts were repealed. Also, colonies to start training soldiers. * This is the 1st time colonies acted together

Site of the 1 st Continental Congress

* British response – sent more soldiers which set off the Revolutionary War * Parliament also did not repeal the Intolerable Acts, but added more restrictions * Colonist began to get ready to fight and formed militias. * Militias- an army of ordinary citizens. * Colonial militias were called Minutemen because they needed to be ready to fight in a minute’s notice. * Patrick Henry’s famous speech “Give me liberty, or give me death!”

* Colonists started a spy network to get information on the British. * English spies found out that Minutemen were hiding guns and ammo at Concord and headed there on April 18, 1775 * Paul Revere and his Midnight Ride warned the Minutemen that the British are coming. * Revere was captured in Lexington, but let go without his horse thus ending his ride.

* Regarded as the first battles of the Revolutionary War * Lexington – 70 minutemen waited for 750 British – resulting in 18 American casualties and 1 British casualty * Concord – minutemen began firing on the British – 250 British casualties & 100 American casualties * Shot heard around the world! * British retreated to Boston and the Revolutionary War began April 19, * Americans divided on two sides. * Loyalists- colonists who supported the British (Tories) * Patriots- colonists who supported freedom from British rule

* May 1775 – Philadelphia – deliberated on next steps * January 1776 – Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense – influenced many colonists to join the side for independence * It is only common sense that we be independent * Taxation without representation * Ability to self rule – Self Determination * Economically hurt colonies – Mercantilism & Navigation Acts * King George III is 3000 miles away – Salutary Neglect * Revolutionary propaganda – ideas spread deliberately to help a cause * By 1776, more than half of the members of Cont. Congress agreed with Paine on breaking away from England * Halifax Resolves – April 12, North Carolina becomes the first colony to call for independence (pg. 783 in book)

Site of the 2 nd Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention

* Thomas Jefferson wrote the document * Influenced by Thomas Paine – reasons for independence * Influenced by John Locke – Natural Rights * Influenced by Jean Jacques Rousseau – All men are created equal * 4 parts * Preamble – Introduction * Declaration of Rights – explained rights that all people should have * List of Grievances – all that King George III did to the colonists * Formal Declaration of Independence * Approved on July 4, 1776 * A nation is born with war to follow

Break Up Letter You are a colonist and are writing a break up letter to King George III. Using the causes of the Revolution you just learned about, tell George why your relationship isn’t working out. 1. Give at least 3 reasons 2. Explain why those reasons are leading you to make this decision 3. Your letter should demonstrate that you understand why the colonists declared independence from Great Britain.

* Revolution was unavoidable * 1 st Battles – NY & NJ * British plan – separate the New England states * Well led troops, well equipped & well trained * Enough money * Large Navy & extra help through German mercenaries - Hessians * Americans – defending their homes * No navy * Little experience, not equipped * Well led – General George Washington * No clothing/uniforms/food

* Colonists – surprise attacks & ambushes * British – wait for supplies & unpopular war * Valley Forge – tough winter before the French joined * Turning Point of war – Battle of Saratoga * Surrender of 6,000 British soldiers * More importantly was that the French joined the American effort

* 1/3 of Americans supported the war * 1/3 were indifferent * 1/3 were Loyalists * African Americans – controversial to allow them to fight – slaves were recruited in the end * Native Americans – urged to attack settlers by the British * Women – while active in the war, could not participate politically in the new nation.

* British couldn’t win the loyalty of Southerners * Spain entered the war on American side * Surrender at Yorktown, Virginia in October 1781YorktownVirginia * Treaty of Paris, 1783 – Officially ended the American Revolution