1. Chapter 7
The road to Revolution

2. The deep roots of Revolution
American revolution
Relation of distance to independence
Colonists similarities & differences
Began to see own parliaments as authority

3. Mercantilism
Purpose
Positives and negatives of mercantilism for colonies
Laws for trade only with Britain
European goods to America had to stop in Britain
Impact of Mercantilism: no currency: impact on gold and silver

4. More mercantilism Laws on trade seldom enforced
Americans didn’t have to support an army
Could not make certain goods
Americans could not make what was most profitable
Southern colonies favored more than north
Virginia planters: forced to sell tobacco in Virginia

5. Taxes, Taxes everywhere and yes they really stink
Britain had no interest in asking U.S. to pay for seven years’ war
Tax passed to support small army
Prime Minister George Greenville
Began enforcing stamp act, passed sugar act (1764), Quartering act(1765), Stamp Tax (1765)
people who violated taxes faced admiralty courts (guilty until proven other)

6. No taxation without representation
Regulate trade all you want
Only American parliaments could tax
Did Americans want Representation???
British claim can’t separate taxing and Leg.
Americans begin to stop paying attention
Non importation agreements and Sons and Daughters of liberty
Parliament repeals stamp act in 1765

7. Townshend Tea Tax (1767) Import tax on tea, lead, paper, paint
Tax was to pay governors, judges in Amer
British send troops to control smuggling
Boston citizens surround 10 troops

8. Committees of Correspondence
Tax continued on tea
Samuel Adams sets up Local committees of Correspondence in Massachusetts
Committee set up to spread propaganda
Intercolonial committees set up

9. The parties at Boston and elsewhere
By 1773, Americans enjoy cheap tea
British East India given a monopoly over American tea
Company ready to sell the tea at a cheap price
Americans fearful of purpose of cheap tea
Annapolis and Boston tea was burnt and dumped
Port of Boston closed to outside trade

10. Continental congress 1st Continental congress: philadelphia:1774
Called for a boycott of all British goods
Created a list of grievances: if parliament solves problems, everything taken care of
Parliament rejects grievances
British commander in Boston sends troops to take gunpowder in Lexington and Concord
Lexington guarded by militia

11. British strengths and Weaknesses
Professional army, navy
30,000 Hessians hired
50,000 loyalists, Indians
British ready to fight French, Irish
Troops not treated well by officers
3000 miles away and lots of territory

12. American strengths and W’s
Great Leadership: Washington, Lafayette
Defensive war, believed in their cause
Badly organized for the war
Unity between colonies
money