1. The American Revolution-Why We Wanted Our Independence
Great Britain needed revenue to pay for the French and Indian War
Great Britain’s plan was to tax the colonists to pay for their part of the war debt.

2. Writs of Assistance
Allowed British to search colonists homes for smuggled goods
Smuggled goods= no taxes for the British

3. The Sugar Act
Imposed by the British in 1764 to put a duty (import tax) on several products
Included molasses
Gave harsh punishments to smugglers

4. The Stamp Act Imposed a tax on all printed materials requiring a stamp
Included:
1) Newspapers
2) Wills
3) Licenses
4) Insurance policies
5) Land titles
6) Contracts

5. The Stamp Act passed without even consulting the colonial legislatures
“Taxation without representation is tyranny!” -James Otis (Boston lawyer)
The Stamp Act passed without even consulting the colonial legislatures

6. The Boston Massacre
Came about as the result of a “Tea Tax” that the British refused to get rid of
Wanted to demonstrate that Britain could tax the colonists

7. The Boston Massacre…Continued
March 5, 1770 in Boston, an angry mob surrounded the British soldiers
Colonists threw rocks and snowballs at the soldiers
Soldiers fired into the crowd and killed 5 people and wounded 6.
Crispus Attucks, African American sailor. Was among the dead

8. From Protest to Rebellion
A Dispute Over Tea
The duty on tea still remained (colonists were being taxed without their consent every time they drank a cup of tea)
A. The Tea Act
Passed to help the British East India Company
Lowered the price of tea but the East India Company had a “Monopoly” on selling tea to the colonies
3. Monopoly- Total control of a market for a certain product

9. From Protest to Rebellion…Continued
II. The Boston Tea Party
“Sons of Liberty” organized to stop East India Company from delivering tea in port cities
No tea delivered in New York and Philadelphia
1. Tea was unloaded in Boston
2. Governor Hutchinson refused to sign papers so the ships could return to England
3. December 16, 1773, men disguised as Native Americans threw 342 cases of tea into the Boston Harbor (90,000 ponds of tea destroyed)

10. The Intolerable Acts-The Last Straw for the Colonists
New Laws (from King George III)
Closed the Boston Port
Increased powers of the Royal Governor
Abolished Massachusetts Upper House
Strengthened the 1765 Quartering Act

11. America’s Reaction to the Intolerable Acts
Food and supplies were sent from all other colonies into Boston
Committee of Correspondence was formed
First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in September and October of 1774
Delegates from 12 colonies (except Georgia) attended the Congress
Demanded an end to the Intolerable Acts
Colonies could begin training militias to stand up to the British if needed
Congress voted to boycott all British goods

12. The Shot Heard Round the World
In Lexington, 77 minutemen were waiting for the British. The colonists were told to go home but they refused. Someone (no one knows who) fired a shot and it was the first shot fired in the American Revolution. The British opened fire and killed 8 colonists.

13. …And the Fight for Freedom Begins
The Second Continental Congress
1) Many colonists did not favor independence from Great Britain
2) Congress came together in Philadelphia in 1775
a) New England colonies wanted independence
b) Middle Colonies wanted less drastic action
3) George Washington became the leader of the Continental Army
a) Congress printed its own money to pay for the army

14. The Fight for Freedom…Continued
B. Patriots Against Loyalists
1) Patriots-Colonists wanting independence who were willing to fight
2) Loyalists-Colonists remaining loyal to Great Britain and the King
a) included merchants and large landowners
b) feared change in government would = loss of property
3) African Americans sided with the British in hopes of getting their freedom from slavery

15. A Nation Declares Independence
C. Declaration of Independence
Was built on ideas of the Enlightenment period of why colonists want to break away from the British
1) “We hold these truths to be self evident”
2) “Everyone is endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights”
3) From John Locke’s idea about “Natural Rights”

16. Violations of King George III (According to the Colonists)
Trial by Jury
Taxing the Colonists without their consent
All petitions for change were ignored by the King