1. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution The Road to Revolution A study of acts & events that led up to the American Revolution

2. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1651 - Navigation Acts PurposeColonial Reaction For the British to be able to regulate (control) colonial trade. The colonist ignored the act and smuggled goods in and out of the colonies.

3. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1754 – French & Indian War To gain control of the Ohio River Valley and “protect the colonists”. Some fought with the British and gained experience, others felt France was England's enemy and wanted no part of the war.

4. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1763 – Proclamation of 1763 To keep colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mts., keeping them close to the coast. Angered colonists, they had to pay for additional British troops to enforce it, and many moved west anyway.

5. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1763 – Strict Enforcement of the Navigation Acts Strict control of Colonial trade by collecting taxes on sugar, molasses, and other goods. The colonist became even better at smuggling goods in and out. Between 1651 and 1673, the English Parliament passed four Navigation Acts meant to ensure the proper mercantilist trade balance. The acts declared the following:  Only English or English colonial ships could carry cargo between imperial ports.  Certain goods, including tobacco, rice, and furs, could not be shipped to foreign nations except through England or Scotland.  The English Parliament would pay “bounties” to Americans who produced certain raw goods, while raising protectionist tariffs on the same goods produced in other nations.  Americans could not compete with English manufacturers in large-scale manufacturing. The Navigation Acts severely restricted colonial trade, to the benefit of England.

6. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1764 – Sugar Act Placed a tax on molasses which was a valuable trade item in the triangular trade. Merchants avoided the tax by smuggling it in and often times bribing the tax collectors.

7. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution Placed new duties on legal documents (wills), marriage papers, newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and even dice. All items had to carry a stamp which angered colonists, as they had never had to pay this before. “No Taxation Without Representation” was the cry! 1765 – Stamp Act

8. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1766 – Repeal of the Stamp Act Colonists had boycotted all English goods hurting the merchants. After some political pressure the act was taken away Colonists were only further emboldened as this was a significant victory and showed by banding together they could achieve victory towards a cause.

9. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1766 – Declaratory Act Declared that England could pass any law they wanted regardless of what the colonists thought! Colonists were outraged, this was a slap in the face. They felt they were being treated as second rate citizens.

10. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1767 - Townshend Acts A reaction to those who accused the Townshend of being weak, it taxed goods such as glass, paper, paint, lead, & tea. The taxes however were low. Even though the taxes were low, the colonists still objected on the principle of no taxation without consent (representation).

11. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution What started as childish play ended up in the deaths of five colonists at the hands of British Soldiers. The colonial press got a hold of the story and fanned the flame by calling it a “Massacre”. The colonists were enraged at such an incident. 1770 - Boston Massacre

12. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1773 - Tea Act It was to help the East India Tea company by letting them bypass the tea merchants and sell direct to the colonists. Even though this would have helped most colonist they rejected the tea out of principle. The result was the Boston Tea Party.

13. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1773 - Boston Tea Party England would not budge or compromise on the Tea Act, which had angered the colonists. The colonists dressed up like Indians and dumped all of the tea overboard into the harbor.

14. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution 1774 - Intolerable Acts To scold Massachusetts for their actions in the Boston Tea Party and limit their freedom in order to prevent future disobedient actions. The colonists were outraged and began planning for a revolution. The first continental congress was formed and soon the first shots would be fired at Lexington! 1. Shut down the port of Boston. 2. Forbid Massachusetts colonists to hold town meetings 3. Officials charged with major crimes would be tried in Britain. 4. Passed a new Quartering Act which forced colonists to house British soldiers.

15. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution To set up rules and regulations for Quebec and disassociate it from the rest of the colonies. ANGER!!! The last straw had already been drawn with the intolerable acts and this only served to harden the colonists resolve. 1774 - Quebec Act

16. PurposeColonial Reaction Revolution “On to Lexington Boys, the British are a comin'” The seed of revolution had been planted and grew to be more than just an idea!