Can you smell a Revolution We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang...
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Transcript of Can you smell a Revolution We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang...
Can you smell a Revolution
Can you smell a Revolution
• We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
• Benjamin Franklin
The Price of War
• FIW is expensive• Struggle to convince
colonists to shoulder the cost.
• At the time, most colonialists are reluctant revolutionaries, want to secure rights as Englishmen
Roots of Revolution
• Old world- people rarely move
• Stagnant lifestyle encourages people to conform to social norms.
Roots of Revolution • 1. Republicanism- from
Greek and Romans• Citizens willingly
subordinated their private, selfish interest to the common good.
• Social stability and government authority relies on citizenship
• Fundamentally opposed to aristocracy and monarchy
Roots of Revolution
• 2. Comes from British Radical Whigs
• Fear of monarch (and representatives) posing threats to liberty
• Be on guard against corruption
Roots of Revolution
• Geography matters!• No dukes or princes in
colonies• But colonies have
property ownership and self government.
• Distance = barrier to enforce control
Mercantilism and the Colonies
• Georgia- only colony formally planted by Brit. Government.
• Others- trading companies, religious groups, land speculators.
Mercantilism • Wealth = power• Wealth is measure by
amount of gold and silver in treasury
• To amass gold, countries need to export more than they export
• Colonies- supply raw materials to mother country ( reducing need for foreign imports) and provide guaranteed market for exports.
Mercantilism and the Colonies
• Brits view of the colonies• Seen as tenants• Furnish goods to England• Buy imported
manufactured goods only made in England.
• Don’t become self sufficient, don’t even think about self government.
Mercantilism and the Colonies • How to regulate
Mercantilism system?• Navigation Law of 1650• All goods must be in
British ships• Any goods to America,
must first be brought to Britain
• Certain “enumerated” products (tobacco) must exclusively go to Britain, despite getting better offers from other
Mercantilism and the Colonies
• Causes money shortage in colonies
• Colonists forced to use butter nails, pitch, for exchange
• Colonists issue paper money, which kills value of British Currency
• British outlaw colonists from creating currency
Mercantilism, the Good
• Prior to 1763 Navigation laws aren’t enforced (salutary neglect) colonial smuggling rises
• Colonial ship makers chosen over local companies
• Tobacco monopoly • Protection by world’s
greatest navy
Mercantilism, the Bad
• Kills economic initiative and makes colonists dependent on Brit. Creditors and agents
• Colonists feel as being kept in perpetual state of economic adolescence.
• We have an old mother that peevish is grown
• She snubs us like children that scare walk alone.
• She forgets we’re grown up and have a sense of our own.BF
Trampling our Rights
• British debt after FIW- 140 million pounds
• Prime Minister- George Grenville– Start enforcing Nav. Acts
– Sugar Act- 1764- eventually lowered
– Quartering Act- 1765- colonists must give food and shelter to troops
Trampling our Rights
• 1765- Stamp Act- first direct tax imposed on the people.– The British had far
larger stamp tax on people for 20 years.
Trampling our Rights
• Sugar and Stamp acts set up Admiralty courts
• No juries • Guilty until proven
innocent • Judges salaries determined
by fines imposed• Location: Nova Scotia
Trampling our Rights
• Radical Whig influence apparent
• “No taxation without representation”
• Ironic- Coastal colonists have denied back country colonists representation
• Do the colonists want representation in Parliament?
View of the colonists
• Difference between legislation and taxation
• Parliament can legislate matters that affected the whole empire (regulation of trade)
• Parliament cannot tax colonists cause no representative.
• Only colonial legislatures have the right to tax the colonists
View of Grenville
• Virtual Representation- every member of parliament represents its subjects, even those in Americans that haven’t voted.
• Parliament cannot be divided like the colonists wished.
• This forces the colonists to deny authority of parliament, and start to consider their own political independence
Stamp Act Congress 1765
• 27 delegates of nine colonies
• Send statements of rights and grievances to King and Parliament
• Very little effect• But seeds of colonial
unity are forming
Nonimportation Agreements
• Stop importing British goods
• Woolen garments are encouraged, stop eating lamb chops
• More colonial unity• Now those who didn’t
take a side, are joining consumer boycotts
• Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty
• “Liberty, Property, No Stamps”
• Sometimes violent• Non Imp works- British
merchants and manufactures hit hard, convince parliament to repeal stamp act.
Declaratory Act
• 1766- stamp act repealed, Declaratory act passed
• England has absolute and unqualified sovereignty over its North American colonies.
1767 Townshend Acts
• Charles Townshend
• Light import duties on glass, white lead, paper, paint, tea.
• Indirect customs duty payable at American ports.
• Money generated- goes to royal governors and judges.
• Why is this problematic?
• 1767- NY legislature shut down for failure to comply with Quartering act.
• Non importation agreements restart- but less effective mainly because tax is light and indirect.
• Smuggling in Massachusetts really takes off as colonists enjoy cheaper prices.
Boston Massacre • To cut down on
smuggling and restore order British send two regiment to Boston.
• March 5, 1770• Citizens throwing
rocks and snowballs• British- shots fired• 11 dead or wounded
• Both sides are at fault• John Adams, one of
leaders of Son’s of liberty, defends soldiers
King George III
• Wants to restore royal power
• Gives jobs to “yes men”• Prime Minister= Lord
North • Townshend acts- don’t
raise money, plus nonimporation agreements force England to repeal all aspects of Act but tax on tea
• Kept tea tax to show parliament still has the right to tax colonies
Samuel Adams
• Poor, not impressive physical stature, but loved politics, especially infractions on colonial rights.
• Helps form Committees of Correspondence
Committees of Correspondence
• Purpose- keep opposition to British alive through letters and conferences
• Soon became intercolonial committees
• Soon each colony has a CofC
Tea Time
• 1773- nonimporation weakening, colonists are buying tea.
• England bails out British India Tea Co.- gives them monopoly to colonies.
• Tea is even cheaper, colonists feel like Brits are tricking them to accept the detested tax.
Tea Time
• NYC, Philly- mass protests force ships back
• Annapolis- burnt ship and cargo, banner – “Liberty and Independence or death in the pursuit of it”
• Charleston, confiscates tea- later sells tea to raise money for revolution
• Boston– Mass Gov= Thomas
Hutchinson
– Orders ships to stay until cargo is unloaded
– Enemies publish private letter which Hutchinson said violating some English Rights are necessary to preserve colonies.
Tea Time• Dec 16 1773• Boston Tea Party• Dumped tea dressed as
Indians • Colonists have mixed
reactions– Half applaud it, called tea a
“badge of slavery”– Conservatives- broke laws,
can lead to anarchy and break down in society
• Hutchinson- retreats to England
England Strikes back
• Intolerable acts• Meant to punish Boston• Closes Boston port, until
damages are paid• No more town meetings• Brits who kill colonists,
now face trial in London• Even stronger quartering
act- now soldiers can be placed in private homes.
England Strikes Back
• 1774 Quebec Acts• Not apart of
Intolerable acts• French can retain
cultural aspects of life (Catholics)
• Old Quebec boundaries extended to Ohio River Valley
The Quebec Act
• Intolerable mainly hurt Boston, QA hits larger audience
• French Canada- no trial by jury or representative government
• Land speculators- good lands are gone
• Anti Catholics- angry that Roman Catholics are nearing on lands destined for Protestantism.
Response to IA
• Colonists rally to Boston’s aid
• Flags at half mass, ships bring in food
Response to IA
• 1774- 1st continental congress
• Georgia, not there• 55 delegates• Not a legislative body,
but consultative body• Send declaration of
Rights to King
• The Association- takes nonimportation agreements step further, complete boycott of all British goods.
• Not asking for independence
Shot heard around the world
• British want to round up and control all ammunition posts.
• Lexington and Concord 1775
• Colonists massacred at Lexington, but forced British retreat in Concord
American Revolution Fight Card• England• Pros • 7.5 million• Wealthiest nation• Most powerful navy• Professionally trained
army• 30,000 Hessian
Mercenaries • 50,000 American
Loyalists• Native American
assistance
• Cons• Ireland is in turmoil,
British troops must go there
• Government- inept, no strong leadership
• Logistical issues• Distance• Geography- America is
vast, no true urban centers, thus British have to attack and make every city submit
American Revolution Fight Card• Colonies
• Pros
• Great leadership– General= Washington
– Diplomat= BF
• Many Europeans reset England and join cause– Marquis De LaFayette
• Defensive War- do not have to win
• Moral Advantage- everybody beliefs in the cause
• Agriculture - Colonies are self sustaining
• Cons• No national government
– Disorganized, not truly united
• States are sovereign and don’t take congress serious
• Sectional Differences over General selections
• Colonial Currency= “not worth a Continental”, States eventually make their own money as well
Where are the Guns?
• Towns have some weapons- but widespread militias create shortages
• Desperate need for guns and Ammo (France)
Colonial Soldiers
• No established uniform
• Most are lucky to have clothing
• No shoes • Rhode Island Unit-
“Ragged, Lousy, Naked Regiment”
• Food• Valley Forge- 3
straight days with no food
Colonial Soldiers
• Very unreliable • 7 to 8 thousand
regulars at the end of war– German Baron Von
Stuebon
• African Americans eventually fight in the war, most are Freed Blacks of the North
British and African Americans
• Vir. Governor Lord Dunmore- offers freedom to slaves to who join British
• “Lord Dunmore’s Ethiopian Unit”
• British stayed somewhat true to their word, Black Loyalists sent to Nova Scotia, Jamaica
American at the Eve of War
• Profiteers get rich- sell anything and everything to the British because the British actually have money (gold and silver)
• Small minority only truly dedicated to the cause of Independence
•