1. The Revolution is coming…..
Causes of the American Revolution

2. The Colonies
By Mid 1700s, most colonists had been there for 150 years.
Colonists viewed themselves as Virginians, Pennsylvanians, etc.., rather than British
They were still British subjects and had to obey their law, though.
The British racked up a large debt after winning the French and Indian War (1763)

3. Proclamation of 1763
This was done to avoid further conflict with Native Americans
After the end of the French and Indian War, the British wanted to tighten control on the colonies
King George III declared all land west of the Appalachian Divide off limits for the colonists

4. Stamp Act (1765)
Tax from the British Parliament on the colonists - It required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying a revenue stamp
It was the first tax placed directly on the colonists from the British Parliament – They were outraged!

5. Sons of Liberty Secret resistance group to protest the Stamp Act
They harassed customs workers, stamp agents, and royal governors
They were successful in preventing the Stamp Act from continuing
Pouring hot tea down this customs’ agent’s throat 

6. The Stamp Act Congress Meets
Delegates from 9 colonies met and issued the Declaration of Rights & Grievances
Said Parliament couldn’t tax them because the colonists weren’t represented in Parliament – “No Taxation Without Representation!!”
Boycotted – stopped using – British goods
Parliament repealed – revoked – the Stamp Act and the boycott ended
How was this boycott a successful form of protest?

7. The British continue to tax…
Declaratory Act – Gave the British rights to tax and make decisions for the colonies
Townshend Acts – Taxed tea, lead, glass, paper, paint
The colonists were very upset and revolted – formed very well organized resistances
Lord Townshend – His Act was passed in 1767

8. Restarting the Boycott
How they did it?
Colonists didn’t buy English imports and instead made their own clothes, teas, ect..
How did the British respond?
Sent 2,000 Redcoats – British soldiers – to Boston and arrested smugglers to restore their control

9. Boston Massacre
March 5th, 1770 – Crowd of colonists threw snowballs at a guard of the Boston customs house
British officers/soldiers opened fire and 5 colonists were killed
The confrontation was becoming more extreme
British troops moved out of Boston

10. Boston Tea Party
The 1773 Tea Act granted the British East India Company a monopoly to sell tea to the colonists for low prices
Why were they still angry?
They still hated being taxed
Gave British company money instead of colonial merchants

11. Boston Tea Party
When ships arrived to sell the tea, a group of colonists, dressed as Native Americans dumped the tea into the harbor

12. Intolerable Acts (1774) 4 Parts:
Shut down the Boston Harbor to American Merchants
Established Quartering Act – required colonists to house British soldiers
Appointed Thomas Gage, a British military officer, the new governor of Massachusetts
Gage placed Boston under martial law

13. First Continental Congress
Met in September 1774 in Philadelphia – 56 colonial delegated (only Georgia wasn’t there)
Defended colonies’ rights and supported protests in Massachusetts
Stated they should fight back if British use force

14. Lexington and Concord (1775)
British wanted to take the Militia’s weapons which were stored in Concord
70 Minutemen (local militia) met the large force of British troops in Lexington
A shot rang out and the battle began – 8 colonists dead and 10 wounded – The British marched on to Concord

15. Lexington and Concord (1775)
Paul Revere spread the word that “the British were coming”
After not finding weapons, the British set fire to buildings
Minutemen attacked again – “shot heard ‘round the world”
British retreated after suffering 250 casualties – The colonists had fewer than 100

16. Second Continental Congress
Met again in May 1775 to discuss colonies having their own government and independence, and having their own money printed
3 things it accomplished:
Organized the Continental Army – appointed George Washington as commander
Printed paper money to pay troops
Sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George III

17. Olive Branch Petition
Urged King George III to restore “the former harmony” between Britain and the colonies
The King rejected it

18. Enlightenment Thinkers
The Enlightenment- a philosophical movement beginning in France that advocated reason and logic as the basis of authority and all decisions and using reason and logic to solve social problems
Many of the United States' Founding Fathers were heavily influenced by Enlightenment-era ideas:(1600s-1800s)
particularly in the religious sphere - separation of church and state
And in the political sphere - a major influence on the U.S. Bill of Rights

19. Enlightenment Thinkers
Baron Montesquieu – 3 branches of government, separation of powers, checks and balances
John Locke – 3 “natural rights” – life, liberty, and property
Voltaire – right to a fair trial, freedom of religion, very opposed to censorship

20. Common Sense (1776) A very popular pamphlet written by Thomas Paine
He made the argument that the revolution had begun with Lexington and Concord
Urged colonists to take arms and fight for their independence from the British