American Revolution

Fight for Independence

Events that lead to the Revolution

French and Indian War (Seven Year War)- Britain fought the French and the Indians

over land. The war lasted for seven years and Britain won. However, this war put Britain in a lot of debt. To help ease their debt, the British Parliament started taxing the colonists. Also, in the treaty ending the war, Georgia’s western boundary was changed to the Mississippi River.

Proclamation of 1763

• This proclamation reserved all lands west of the Appalachian Mountains for the Indians. This upset many colonists who wanted to move west.

• Because people could not move west, many moved south to Georgia.

• This proclamation also changed Georgia’s southern boundary from the Altamaha River to the St. Mary’s River.

Sugar Act

• Sugar Act (1764)- Placed a stricter tax on sugar and molasses imported from the Caribbean

• Made it harder for colonists to smuggle sugar and molasses

• Threatened the sale of Georgia timber to the Caribbean because the Caribbean people might not buy timber if their sugar did not sale.

Stamp Act

• Stamp Act(1765)-All legal and commercial documents had to have the official stamp of the king to show that taxes had been paid.

• Colonists began asking how Parliament could impose taxes when the colonists were not Represented in Parliament (Taxation without Representation)

Stamp Act Con’t

• Georgia was the only colony

where the stamps were

bought- some colonists

protested and threatened to destroy the stamps.

Stamp

Townshend Act of 1767

• Placed tax on tea, paper, lead, glass and paint brought into the colonies

• Colonists protested

• Sons of Liberty encouraged merchants not to sale these items and for colonists to only use items made in the colonies.

Townshend Act con’t

• Georgia colonists began considering independence and urged others to manufacture more of the things they needed instead of buying them from England, hoping England would relax the taxes.

Boston Massacre

• On March 5, 1770, a group of young colonists began insulting a group of British soldiers in front of the Customs House. A group of 50 colonists surrounded one soldier, other soldiers came to his aid, and eventually opened fire on the colonists. Five colonists were killed.

Boston Massacre con’t

Boston Massacre con’t

• The people of Boston were outraged, and they called for the soldiers to be tried for murder and other British soldiers to be removed from Boston.

• In Georgia, the Royal Governor, James Wright, was maintaining firm control of the colony.

Committees of Correspondence 1772

• Samuel Adams proposed forming committees in towns throughout Massachusetts to spread the news about protests and communicate with other colonies.

• Committees were developed in Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, South Carolina, but not in Georgia.

Tea Act

• This act gave a monopoly on

tea to the British East India

Tea Company and required

colonists to pay a tax on tea.

Sons of Liberty refused to buy the tea and organized a big protest.

Georgians continue to disapprove of new taxes without specific actions.

Boston Tea Party

• The Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians. They boarded three ships that were owned by the East India Tea Company and dumped most of the tea into the Boston Harbor.

• Other colonies also held protests, including South Carolina.

• People in Georgia were just as angry, but no tea had been shipped to Georgia.

Boston Tea Party con’t

Intolerable Acts 1774

• As punishment for the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed acts closing Boston Harbor, outlawing groups such as the Sons of Liberty and committees of correspondence, forbidding people of Massachusetts to elect their own officials or hold town meetings, and required colonists to feed and house British soldiers.

Intolerable Acts con’t

• Colonists called for a meeting of colonial representatives to discuss how they should respond to the intolerable acts.

• In Georgia, the Committee of Thirty met to discuss how to keep good relations with the British while protecting their trade with the Creek and Cherokee Indians. They also voted to reject the Intolerable Acts and to reject sending delegates to the First Continental Congress.

First Continental Congress

• September 1774• Delegates met in Carpenters’ Hall in

Philadelphia and passed a series of resolutions known as the Declaration of Resolves that included boycotting all trade with Britain until the Intolerable Acts were repealed, urged people of Massachusetts to form a government to collect taxes and hold those taxes until the repeal, and encouraged people in all colonies to arm themselves and form militias.

First Continental Congress con’t

• Parliament responded by proposing a harsher bill that would stop colonial trade with all other countries except England.

• Georgia did not send delegates to the 1st Continental Congress

Battle of Lexington and Concord

• April 1775• British General, Thomas Gage, sought

weapons and ammunitions stored by the Massachusetts Militia in Concord. He also wanted to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams in Lexington. Paul Revere and William Dawes wanted to warn the militia. Dr. Samuel Prescott delivered their message and warned the militia.

Battle of Lexington and Concord con’t

• The militia awaited the British and the first shots rang out.

• This first shot was called “shot that was heard around the world”

• Georgia was very slow to join the Revolution.