Toward Independence: RoadtotheRevolution

TowardIndependence:RoadtoRevolution

•  Thestorybeginsinthe1750s,whenBritainandthecoloniesfoughtawaragainsttheFrenchandtheirIndianallies.ThewarleftBritainwithhugedebts,andavastnewempiretoprotect.TheBritishgovernmentpassedlawsplacingtightercontrolsandnewtaxesonthecolonists.Colonistswereangeredasthey,forthemostpart,hadbeenabletomaketheirownlawsanddeterminetheirowntaxes.

•  Patriots(alsocalledWhigs)wereAmericanswhobelievedthecolonieshadtherighttogovernthemselves.

•  Loyalists(alsocalledTories)werecolonistswhowereloyaltoBritainandfaithfulsubjectstotheking.

•  Neutralistswerecolonistswhodidnotwishtotakesides.

TowardIndependence:RoadtotheRevolution

Analyzethefollowingimage.• Whatdoesthesnakeappeartorepresent?• Whatdothelettersunderthesnakerepresent?• Whatdoyouthinkwasthemessageofthecreatorofthecartoon?

•  Whatdoesthesnakeappeartorepresent?•  Whatdothelettersunderthesnakerepresent?•  Whatdoyouthinkwasthemessageofthecreatorofthecartoon?

•  Whatdoesthesnakeappeartorepresent?•  Whatdothelettersunderthesnakerepresent?•  Whatdoyouthinkwasthemessageofthecreatorofthecartoon?

•  TheimagefirstappearedintheMay9,1754,atthebeginningoftheFrenchandIndianWarinanissueofBenFranklin’sPennsylvaniaGazette.FranklinconsideredtheAmericancoloniestobedangerouslyfragmented(notunited)and,throughthiscartoon,hopedtoconvincetheAmericancoloniesthattheywouldhavegreatpoweriftheyunitedagainstthethreatofFrenchexpansioninNorthAmerica.

•  WiththeonsetoftheAmericanRevolution,patriotsfromacrossthecoloniesusedFranklin's"JoinorDie"cartoontopromotethecauseofindependence.Theslogancouldregularlybeseeninthewindowsofshops,onflags,andinnewspapersinordertohelpswaypublicopinion.

TowardIndependence:RoadtotheRevolution

•  TheimagefirstappearedintheMay9,1754,issueofBenFranklin’sPennsylvaniaGazette.Bythe1750s,FranceandGreatBritainhadbeenarguingforyearsovertheextentoneanother’slandholdingsintheAmericas.FranklinconsideredtheAmericancoloniestobedangerouslyfragmentedand,throughthiscartoonanditsaccompanyingarticle,hopedtoconvincetheAmericancoloniesthattheywouldhavegreatpoweriftheyunitedagainstthethreatofFrenchexpansioninNorthAmerica.

• WiththeonsetoftheAmericanRevolution,patriotsfromacrossthecoloniesusedFranklin's"JoinorDie"cartoontopromotethecauseofindependence.Theslogancouldregularlybeseeninthewindowsofshops,onflags,andinnewspapers.

RoadtotheRevolutionDirections:foreachofthefollowingevents,brieflyexplaintheeventanditseffect(s):

1.   StampAct1765(p.91)

2.   QuarteringAct1765(p.92)

3.   TownshendActs1767(p.92)

4.   BostonMassacre1770(p.93)

5.   TeaAct1773(p.95-96)

6.   BostonTeaParty1773(p.95-96)

7.   IntolerableActs1774(p.97)

8.   FirstContinentalCongress1774(p.98)

9.   LexingtonandConcord1775(pgs.99-101)

RoadtotheRevolution1.   StampAct(1765)

Explanation:•  ThisBritishimposedactrequiredcoloniststopayforanofficialstamp(oraseal)whenevertheyboughtpaperitems,suchasnewspapers,legaldocuments,andevenplayingcards.

Effects:•  ColonistssentmessagestoParliament,refusedtobuystamps,andtheSonsofLibertyattackedtaxcollectors.TheBritishgovernmentrepealedtheStampAct.

RoadtotheRevolution

2.QuarteringAct(1765)Explanation:•  Colonialassemblieshadtoprovidehousing,food,andsuppliesforBritishtroops;tofurnishsoldierswithcandles,bedding,cookingutensils,salt,vinegar,beerandcider.

Effects:•  NewYork’sassemblyrefusedtogivefundsforsomesupplies.•  TheBritishgovernmentrefusedtoallowtheNewYorkassemblytomeetuntilitcompliedwiththelaw.

RoadtotheRevolution

3.TownshendActs(1767)Explanation:

•  LawspassedtoraisemoneyforGreatBritain’sarmyinthecolonies,theyplacedaduty,ortax,oncertaingoodsthecolonistsimportedfromGreatBritain.

Effects:

•  SamuelAdams,aBostonPatriot,ledtheoppositionandcolonistsboycottedEnglishgoods.LordNorth(PrimeMinister)repealedtheTownshendActsbecausethetaxeswerenotraisingenoughmoneytocoverthelossesduetotheboycott.However,teawasleftoutoftherepeal.

RoadtotheRevolution

4.BostonMassacre(1770)Explanation:

•  NoisymobthrewrocksandiceballsatBritishsoldiers.Someonetauntedthetroopsto“Fire!”Onetroopwasknockeddownandthetroopspanickedandopenedfire.CrispusAttacks,anAfricanAmerican,wasthefirsttodie.Thesoldierswouldbetriedformurder.

Effects:

•  JohnAdams,thoughaPatriot,arguedthetroopsactedinself-defense.Adamsbelievedthateverypersonhadtherighttoafairtrial.

RoadtotheRevolution

5.   TheTeaActof1773Explanation:

•  TeaActloweredthecostofteasoldbyBritishEastIndiaCompany,andwouldkeepthecompanyfromgoingbankrupt.Italsogavethecompanyamonopolyofteasalesinthecolonies.WouldtheBritishtrytocontrolothertrades,puttingAmerican-ownedcompaniesoutofbusiness?

Effects:

•  ProtesterskepttheBritishEastIndiaCompanyfromunloadingtheircargo.TheSonsofLibertyunloadedthetea,butnotinthewaytheBritishhadinmind.

RoadtotheRevolution

5.   BostonTeaParty(1773)

Explanation:

•  RadicalPatriots,theSonsofLiberty,disguisedthemselvesasAmericanIndians,boardedtheship,anddumped342chestsofteaoverboardfromthreeshipsinBostonHarbor.

Effects:

•  BritishauthoritiesclosedBostonHarborandpassedtheIntolerableActs.

RoadtotheRevolution7.   IntolerableActs(1774)

Explanation:

•  KingGeorgewantedtotakecontrolofthecolonies.HeclosedBostonHarbortoshippinguntiltheteawaspaidfor.TheBritishgovernmentnowcontrolledthegovernmentinMassachusetts;aBritishsoldieraccusedofmurderwouldhavehistrialinEngland,notinthecolonies;andmoreBritishsoldiersweresenttoBoston.

Effects:

•  Sailors,dockworkers,andotherslosttheirjobs.However,thecoloniesunited–manysentfood/moneytoBostoncitizens.Virginiacalledforameetingofdelegatesfromeachcolony.

RoadtotheRevolution

8.FirstContinentalCongress(1774)

Explanation:

•  50leadersfrom12colonies(Georgiawasnotpresent)metinPhiladelphiatodiscussapeacefulsolutiontotheconflictswithBritain.PatrickHenrywasaleaderfromVirginiawhourgedcoloniststouniteasAmericans,notascitizensinseparatecolonies.

Effects:

•  ArespectfulmessagetoKingGeorgewassent,urginghimtoconsidertheircomplaintsandrecognizetheirrights.TheycalledforanewboycottofBritishgoodsuntilParliamentrepealedtheIntolerableActs.InNewEnglandlocalmilitiascalledMinutemenwereformed–theycouldbereadytofightin60seconds.TheKingignoredtheirletter.

RoadtotheRevolution

9.   LexingtonandConcord(1775)

•  BritishtroopsleftBostontomarchtoConcord,MAtoseizegunpowderand

weapons.PaulRevereandothersrodetowarncolonistsoftheBritish

approach.Ashotrangout,andtheMinutemenandBritishtroopsexchanged

fireinLexington.BritishtroopscontinuedtoConcord.Britishsoldierssearched

forweaponsandgunpowderinConcord.ColonistsfoughtBritishsoldiersat

Concord’sNorthBridge.Minutemenstoodtheirground,causingBritishsoldiers

toretreat.TheBritishwereattackedbyMinutemenontheirretreattoBoston.

RoadtotheRevolution

9.   LexingtonandConcord(1775)

HowdidtheBritishmiscalculatethecolonists?Whatdidthesebattlesshow?

•  Thecolonistswereuniting.TheBritishmiscalculatedthecolonistsby

underestimatingthem.TheBritishweresurprisedtodiscoverthatordinary

people(farmers,merchants,workers,housewives)wouldfightfortheirrights.

ThesebattlesshowedthatAmericanswerenotonlywillingtofightfortheir

rights,buttheywerealsowillingtodieforthem.