1. The Road to Revolution 1763-1775
American Pageant Chapter 7

2. Roots of Revolution
Over time colonists had come to believe in Republicanism
A just society for the common good
Colonists also were wary of government corruption
Americans were used to running their own affairs by this time
Felt they didn’t need England’s help

3. Mercantilism A country’s power was based on its wealth
Great to have colonies
Provide raw materials and a market for your goods
Colonies were meant to bolster England’s power, not become their own country
Navigation laws
England held a veto power of colonial legislation if laws passed in colonies hurt the mercantile system
Hardly ever used
Americans hated the fact that it existed

4. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Mercantilism
Mercantilism seems bad at first glance, but was it?
Most navigation laws were ignored
Fortunes made smuggling
England would pay American producers
Colonists had a monopoly on tobacco
Colonies protected by best navy and the English army
All this without paying taxes
Americans didn’t care about the benefits, they didn’t want someone telling them what to do

5. Taxes England had a massive debt from the French and Indian War
140 million pounds
Britain's Prime Minister George Grenville ordered strict enforcement of the Navigation Acts in 1763
Had Parliament pass the Sugar Act of 1764
Increased taxes paid on imported sugar.
Some protests, taxes lowered

6. Quartering Act of 1765 passed
Colonists required to provide food and shelter to Red Coats
Stamp Act passed in 1765
Meant to raise money to pay for troops
Had to put a stamp on all paper
Playing cards, newspapers, marriage license
Grenville thought it was only fair for colonists to help pay for their protection
British people had a stamp tax for a long time already

7. Americans Respond Americans very upset by these acts
Felt liberties were threatened
Did not always comply with acts
Felt they were not being treated like Englishmen
Sugar and Stamp Act took away trail by jury
Guilty until proven innocent
Americans wondered why the British Army was still needed in colonies
No more French
Americans smelled a conspiracy

8. “No taxation without representation”
Only elected colonial legislatures should have the power to tax
No Americans were in Parliament
Grenville said Americans were represented
Virtual Representation
Members represent ALL British subjects
Americans didn’t buy it

9. Good Bye Stamp Act Stamp Act Congress met in 1765
27 delegates from 9 colonies met in New York
Sent a statement to Parliament and King George
It was ignored
Another step towards colonial unity
Americans began to boycott British goods
Wore homespun clothes
Sons and Daughters of Liberty made sure boycotts were followed
Tarred and feathered people
Stamp agents ran out of town

10. England was hit very hard economically
Merchants pressed Parliament to repeal Stamp Act
1766 Stamp Act was repealed, Declaratory Act passed
Reaffirmed England’s absolute control over colonies

11. Townshend Act Townshend came to power in the British government
1767 passed the Townshend Acts
Indirect tax on many things, most notably tea
Tea was very popular in colonies
Revenues would pay royal governors and judges
American’s couldn’t control them then with money (power of the purse)
Parliament suspended New York legislature in 1767 for not complying with Quartering Act

12. Boycotts were ineffective England had to stop this illegal activity
People started smuggling tea
England had to stop this illegal activity
Landed two regiments of Red Coats in Boston in 1768
Poor, drunk soldiers
March 5, 1770
Boston Massacre
5 killed/6 injured
Crispus Attucks first killed
Ex-slave

13. Committees of Correspondence
1770 England was ruled by King George III and Prime Minister Lord North
North got Parliament to repeal Townshend Acts, but left the tax on tea
Samuel Adams of Boston
Loved politics
Created a committee of correspondence in Massachusetts in 1772
Soon each colony had one
They spread the spirit of resistance by exchanging letters and news
Very effective at disseminating info and uniting colonies

14. Lets Have a Tea Party Tea Act 1773
1773 East India Company on verge on collapse
Parliament gave them a monopoly on tea in America
Colonists would now get better tea for cheaper prices
They didn’t care
Riots erupted all over the colonies not letting tea be unloaded from the ships

15. Boston Tea Party December 16, 1773
Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson ordered tea unloaded
Bostonians dressed as Indians boarded the ships and dumped all the tea into Boston Harbor
Hutchinson fled to England

16. Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)
Passed in 1774 to punish Boston and Massachusetts
Shut down Boston Harbor
Cancelled assemblies
British officials would be tried in England
Sent more troops to Boston
Quebec Act
Passed at the same time as Intolerable Acts
Dealt with the French left in Canada
Let them keep Catholic religion
Allowed to retain traditions
Quebec extended to Ohio River

17. Made colonists angry No trial by jury or assemblies in Quebec
Given way too much land that Americans wanted
Americans anti-Catholics

18. Continental Congress Colonies rallied to help Massachusetts
Continental Congress called in 1774
12 colonies sent 55 delegates
Meet for seven weeks to discuss options
Created the Association
Complete boycott of ALL British goods
Parliament didn’t listen to Congress
Colonial militia started to train
Minute Men formed

19. April 1775 Red Coats marched to Lexington and Concord to seize colonial weapons and capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock
Paul Revere’s ride
Battle of Lexington and Concord
“Shot heard round the world”

20. Colonies vs. British Empire
England had a population of 7.5 million
Colonies had 2.5 million
England had an experience army and the best navy
Colonies had no army and no navy
England had money to hire mercenaries, loyalists, and Indians
Colonies had great leadership
George Washington
Ben Franklin

21. Colonies still could not unite Colonies economy in shambles
Congress always fought and argued
Colonies economy in shambles
Forced to print money
Afraid to levy taxes

22. Are you Ready for a War? NO!!!!!
Colonies had:
No gun/cannon manufactures
Very little gun powder
No stores of clothes and shoes for an army
No army
Slaves started to join British because they were promised freedom
Not everyone wanted Independence
Large part of society were loyalists, or undecided