1. American Revolution

2. Prelude to the American Revolution
Great Britain’s Policies Toward the Colonies:
Britain’s Neglect (before 1763 Colonies had self-government)
Effects of the French and Indian War ( )-
Britain won
Reestablished control & made colonies pay for some of the war
Strict control (after 1763)
Enforced Navigation Acts (only export goods to Great Britain, taxed goods shipped)
Fought colonial smugglers
Taxes (tea and sugar; Stamp Act- stamp tax on
printed material)
Prohibited westward migration beyond
the mountains
Quartering of soldiers (living in people’s homes)

3. The Colonists Rebel: Smuggle goods to avoid import taxes
Boycott (refusal to buy) British goods
Organize committees to coordinate anti-British efforts
Spoke and wrote against British policies
Boston Tea Party colonists dumped British tea in Boston Harbor
“No taxation without representation” (in British Parliament)
First Continental Congress recognized Parl. rights to regulate trade, yet the colonies had the right to make their own law
Lexington and Concord colonial minutemen fired upon British troops—start of the American Revolution!!!
Second Continental Congress: (1776) Thomas Jefferson wrote Declaration of Independence

4. Declaration of Independence

6. Grievances Against King George III (As listed in Declaration of Independence)
King’s actions against the colonists were those of an absolute tyrant with unlimited power
King dissolved legislative bodies and called them together in unusual and distant places
King dissolved the representative Houses and refused others to be elected
King deprived them of the right to a trial by jury
King imposed taxes upon them without their consent
King abolished laws and altered forms of government
King made war against the colonies, burned homes, and captured and killed colonial citizens
King kept standing armies in the colonies in times of peace and made the superior to the law

7. Grievances What were the 3 top grievances of the colonists
List 3 top grievances of students at Stratford High School
List 3 grievances of the American people of 2012

8. Important American Revolution Figures
John Adams- spoke out boldly in favor of independence from England (used Enlightenment ideas about government)
Patrick Henry- famous orator in favor of independence; “Give me liberty or give me death”
Samuel Adams- favored independence from Britain; lead the Boston Tea Party
Thomas Paine- (1776) wrote Common Sense—a pamphlet demanding independence from Britain and attacking the monarch

9. Which Document will Rule?
Articles of Confederation
Weak central government
No power to tax
No executive ( president)
No power to control trade
US Constitution
Established 3 branches of government
Executive / Legislative / Judicial
System of checks and balances
Make sure one branch does not become too powerful or tyrannical
Bill of Rights
Protections of individual liberties
Popular Sovereignty
System in which the people are supreme