The Revolution BeginsCh.3 Sec.2

Massachusetts Defies Britain

• The Gaspee Affair• English customs ships could board any colonial

vessel to look for smuggled goods• The Gaspee was the most famous of these

customs ships, was hated by colonists• In June 1772, the Gaspee ran aground near

Providence, RI• Colonists looted & burned the ship• England wanted those responsible arrested and

sent to England for trial• With support from other colonies, RI refused to

send the men

Massachusetts Defies Britain

• Committees of Correspondence• Suggested by Thomas Jefferson• Each colony would create a group that would

communicate with each other about British activities

• Helped unify the colonies and coordinate strategies to resist the British

Massachusetts defies Britain

• Boston Tea Party• England’s new prime minister decided to pass

The Tea Act • Colonial smugglers feared this would put them

out of business• The Committees of Correspondence decided to

block the tea from landing in the colonies• One night, colonists disguised themselves,

boarded the ships, and threw the tea into the harbor

• Was the last straw for the British govt

The British React• The Coercive Acts

• Laws put on Massachusetts by England to punish them for the Boston Tea Party

• The laws shut down Boston Harbor, placed the Mass. govt under British control, placed all trials under English courts, & required colonists to provide British soldiers w/ housing if needed

• Thousands of British troops were moved to Massachusetts

• Quebec Act

• Gave potential territory in America to territories in Canada• * Both became known as the Intolerable Acts

The Colonies React

• 1st Continental Congress• The other American colonies decided to meet to

decided to meet to help Massachusetts• Colonies agreed to stop selling British goods

and trading with British merchants• All of the colonies also agreed to meet to

discuss their next moves

• Suffolk Resolves• Urged colonists in Massachusetts to disobey the

Coercive Acts, arm themselves, & stop buying British goods

The Revolution Begins

• Massachsetts Rebels• Massachusetts colonists met, formed their own

congress, & elected a new governor• Was in direct defiance of Britain’s control of

Massachusetts• Colonists also formed a militia & began training

for battle (minutemen)• Also began stocking up on ammo & gunpowder