Post on 02-Jan-2016
British Action
Rationale Colonial Reaction
Rationale
Repeal of Stamp Act
and passage of Declaratory Act
rejoicing over repeal; ignoring Declaratory Act
Stamp Act petitions, boycott, violence
Currency Act smoldering resentment
Sugar Act Boston experimented with boycotts
Proclamation of 1763
resentment and failure to comply
PROCLAMATION LINE OF 1763
• Continued hostilities between Native Americans and British made newly acquired land too dangerous
• Would have required too much money and too many resources to control
• British prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains
• Colonists settled there anyway!!!
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Sugar Act
• 1764
• Duty placed on imported sugar
• Intention was to actually enforce
• Money would be used to pay for cost of maintaining 10,000 men army in colonies.
Currency Act
Restricted the use of paper money by the colonies
PROBLEM – too much paper money was issued -> currency depreciated
This inflation was harmful to merchants in Great Britain, who were forced to accept the depreciated currency from colonists for payment of debts
Stamp Act• Required special embossed paper• Revenue measure• Must be paid for in hard money
(silver and gold)NewspapersLegal documentsLicensesShip’s papersPlaying cards
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Repeal of Stamp Act/Passage of Declaratory Act
Nonimportation movement – boycott of English products
Pressure from English merchants1766
• repeal of Stamp Act• reduction of duty of Sugar Act• Declaratory Act passed = PARLIAMENT HAS
FULL AUTHORITY TO MAKE LAWS IN COLONIES
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1. Sugar Act of 1764
2. Stamp Act
3. Declaratory Act of 1766
4. Townshend Acts
5. Tea Act of 1773
6. Coercive Acts
Timeline of Events
Conflict at Lexington and Concord
First Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress
Common Sense Written
Battle at Bunker Hill
Olive Branch Petition
Declaration of Independence Adopted
1774 1775 1776 17831781
British surrender at Yorktown
Treaty of Paris formally ends war
First Continental Congress
• Intolerable Acts – closed Boston Harbor, imposed martial law on Boston
• September, 1774 – 56 delegates met in Philadelphia to discuss colonial rights
• Some colonists stepped up military preparations.
Conflict at Lexington and Concord
• British learn of hidden weapons in Concord – march to get them
• In Lexington, 70 colonists try to stop them
“SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD”
• British march on to Concord – 4000 colonists meet them and best them
Second Continental Congress•Met in Philadelphia on
May 10, 1775
•Not to govern nor to rebel but to join forces on common policies
•Urged colonies to mobilize its militias
•Named George Washington the Commander in Chief of new army
BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL
• June 1775• Fought for control of
Boston Harbor• 1st major battle of war• Gave the colonists great
confidence• Deadliest battle of war as
over 1,000 redcoats and 450 colonists died
• Battle misnamed Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill would have been more accurate)
June 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill
OLIVE BRANCH PETITION• July 1775, the Second
Continental Congress was readying for war, though still hoping for peace
• Most delegates deeply loyal to King George III
• July 8 – Olive Branch Petition sent to King – asked for King to secure peace and protect their rights
• King refuses to read it – declares colonies in rebellion
Common Sense
Pamphlet – published in 1776
Challenged the authority of British Rule
Paine used plain language which spoke to the common man
Arguments
Ridiculous for an island to rule a continent
European wars cause American colonies economies to collapse
Declaration of Independence
June, 1776 = Second Continental Congress created a committee to prepare a
statement with the reasons for their separation with Britain
1. Thomas Jefferson
2. John Adams
3. Benjamin Franklin
4. Robert Livingston
5. Roger Sherman
Declaration of Independence
Main ArgumentsPeople have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness
If government does not protect these rights then people
can form new government. Purpose
To explain the political ideas of the colonists
To list the grievances of the revolutionists
To formally declare their separation from Great Britain.
A. Preamble – Intro. – describes the document as an explanation of why they are becoming independent
B. Declaration of Rights – natural rights (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) have to be protected by a government or else
C. Complaints – reasons why king stinks (he hasn’t treated the colonists as he treated the British in Britain)
D. Resolution – establishes independent states after they tried to make things work and were denied
Declaration of Independence
Who would win?British Americans
British government strongest in world American government did not yet exist
lots of money no money
army strongest in the worldAmerican army made up of citizen-
soldiers who were badly trained
many officers few officers with any experience
British navy ruled the seas no navy
fighting 3000 miles away from home - had to ship men and supplies
fighting at home - English might lose because couldn't get soldiers over quickly
British army had trouble getting soldiers because many people had family members and friends in America.
France helped by sending money and trained officers