1. American Pageant, 13th ed.
The road to revolution

2. The road to splitsville
America had adopted Old World principles
Republicanism
All citizens give up rights for the “common good”
No monarchies or authoritarian rule
Radical Whig ideology
No monarchies
Don’t let government deny you of rights

3. The road to splitsville
British Mercantilism
Wealth=power, the treasury counts
Colonies provide raw materials & market for exports
No trade with anyone but “Mommy”
Caused a currency shortage in America
America tried to print paper money; had little value
Hurt British merchants

4. The road to splitsville
Mercantilism’s not all bad
British did not enforce Navigation laws (salutary neglect); made Americans money (J. Hancock)
VA had a monopoly on tobacco
Colonies were protected by the world’s strongest Navy
Britain had raised an eager child!

5. The plot thickens…
George Grenville (British Prime Minister) had to figure out how to pay for 7 Years’ War; justified as “defense taxes”
Strict enforcement of Navigation Laws
Sugar Act of 1764: tariff on foreign sugar
Quartering Act of 1765
Stamp Tax of 1765: Required on many printed items, official docs, playing cards…

6. The plot thickens…
Grenville had violators tried in admiralty courts – no juries; guilty until proven innocent
No taxation w/o representation in British Parliament; Americans would pay taxes if legislated in America
Grenville argued virtual representation

7. The plot thickens…Americans “fight” back
Stamp Act Congress (1765): a step toward unity
27 delegates, 9 colonies
Asked King & Parliament to repeal Stamp Act
Non-importation agreements (boycotts)
No British textiles; used colonial wool

8. The plot thickens…Americans “fight” back
Sons of Liberty (Samuel Adams) dealt with violators of non-importation agreements
Britain takes financial hit; Parliament repeals Stamp Act, but passed the Declaratory Act of 1765: “Obey the mother country”

9. The plot thickens…more
“Champagne” Charley Townshend, new British P.M.
Townshend Acts (1767)
Tax on lead, paint, tea, glass and paper
Due at port, earmarked for royal governor
Repealed in 1770 (with exception of tea tax)
Sends more “Red coats” to America

10. The plot thickens…more
Colonists get lippy
Boston Massacre
“Mob” taunts British soldiers; soldiers fire into mob
Crispus Attucks first killed among 5 dead
John Adams defends soldiers, all acquitted but 2

11. The plot thickens…more
Samuel Adams creates Committees of Correspondence (local to each town)
Goal: Spread the word
Turned into colonial committees of correspondence

12. The plot thickens…more & more
British East India Co. awarded monopoly (colonies); could sell tea cheaper, even w/tax
Americans thought it was a trick; protested – tea returned to England unsold EXCEPT in Boston…
Hutchison (MA Gov.) ordered Br. Ships to unload
Colonists did just that…into the Atlantic
Hutchison fled to Britain

13. The plot thickens…more & more
Intolerable Acts or Coercive Acts passed (1774)
Massachusetts Government Act: revoked charter, forbade town meetings w/o consent
Quartering Act
Boston Port Act
“The massacre of American liberty”

14. The plot thickens…more & more
Quebec Act (accidentally mixed in w/Coercive Acts)
French guaranteed Catholic religion
Retained customs/traditions
Made Am. Colonists upset

15. There will be blood Colonies feel bad for MA
1st Continental Congress formed (1774); Met in Philly; 12/13 colonies in attendance, No GA
Created Declaration of Rights, appealed to other Br. Colonies too
Created “The Association” – called for no import/export/consumption of Br. Goods

16. There will be blood Colonists form militias – “Minutemen”
Britain sends troops to Lexington & Concord, MA to seize gunpowder
Lexington Massacre
8 American men killed when colonists got in Britain’s way
British retreat to Boston

17. There will be more blood
Britain was the stronger power, but sent its JV in; Varsity was at home
Britain in “must win” situation; America had the time & space for victory
Americans believed in the cause, but were unorganized w/no money of worth or weapons of “mass destruction”

18. ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE…!?