After Your Test

• When your done with your test grab a textbook from the wall and start reading pages 386-to 393

Chapter 5: A Country in the Making

Seven Years War

• A series of wars are fought between Britain and France. The First Between William the Third and Louis the XIV.

• The Second part known as Queens Anne’s war also found a front in the colonies.

• The Third King George’s War.• During this period the colonists had some role

in each particularly King George’s War.

The America’s in the war• The Seven Years war takes form in the Americas as the French and

Indian War.• During this period we see a military stalemate between Britain and

France.• William Pitt who is a minister to King George takes point on the

war.• Pitt who was confident in his opinions in the war felt that the war

front should shift from Europe to the colonies• Pitt but a lot of risky maneuvers but the key point to remember is

that Pitt built up a large debt over the course of the war.• By 1759 with the cutting of a prominent Canadian supply line we

see victory come to Britain

Perception of the war in the Americas

• Many colonists took pride in their actions during the war.

• Drew them closer to the mother country making them feel they were apart of the mother country.

• It moves your average colonist far from home to explore the vastness of America

• It lead to the training of many Americas well known officers.

Slight tension Post War

• At the end of the war cracks can be seen in the British colonial Alliance

• British officials felt the colonists showed a lack of gratitude.

• The crown had provided a lot of money and man power in the war.

• Britain's argument centers around the idea that the colonies never pay for the aid they receive.

American Society Post War

• Looking at the culture of the Americas at this time it clear they are in touch with the mother country:

• Consumer goods • Intellectual Ideas• Religious revivals• Wars

Colonial Structure

• The post war years was a period of great optimism.• 2.5 million people lived in the Britain’s thirteen

mainland colonies.• Demographically the population was young sixty-one

percent were around age 21.• Material living was not that far removed from Britain.• Though less suffer financially wealth was still

distributed amongst the colony. Southern Colonies being the more prosperous.

Who’s to Blame For the Loss of the Colonies?

George the Third

• George the Third takes the crown in 1760.

• Upon taking the throne he was in heavy competition with the major political body the Whigs.

• Georg selects Earl of Bute as chief minister a man with no ties to the Whigs. With a tense relations with the Whigs he leaves office in 1763.

• From this point on ministers suffer from instability.

• The king this time pays very little attention to the colonies

Communication

• Not many British officials ever took the four week journey to see colonies.

• The correspondences took time to get to the colony.

• With lack of strong communication romors were sometimes assumed the truth in the colonies.

Parliamentary Sovereignty

• There was a misunderstanding between the colonists and Parliament over the role Parliament.

• Parliament viewed itself as the dominant element within the constitution, and they protected the people from the Monarchy

• Americans did not see the point in giving Parliament so much power and had more interest in their own political culture

Provincial Assemblies

• The people of the colonies believed in provincial assemblies.

• Overtime the assemblies began to take on more of the responsibilities with in the colonies.

• The Assemblies mirrored the look of Parliament but in the colonies.

The debate over representation

• Much of the date between Britain revolved around the idea of virtual representation.

• Virtual representation was based on the idea that the colonists had representation in parliament, though they did not elect anyone to the position.

• Of course colonists disagreed believing a representative should reflect their ideas.

Back To Locke

• Part of the America’s belief in representation comes from the enlightenment period. Specifically John Locke.

• Locke pointed out that people have basic rights that they need to keep, and that those rights are the basis for a thriving society.

• With this idea in mind many discussions centered around the Americas being a much more virtuous place than Britain.

Back In England

• George the third insist on having the largest peacetime military. Partially to maintain order in the newly acquired French territories. Certain problems come with this.

1.To supply a military so far from home costs money2. The Average British tax payer is already hard

pressed when it comes to money.3.Citizens in doubt of whether or not the army is

worth it.

The Native Scenario

• The British were having trouble with maintaining the new territories.

• This was due to two reasons the first being colonists encroached on Native land. Which lead to Natives striking back.

• Britain puts forth the Proclamation of 1763 which prohibited certain colonization.

Grenville and the first act

• George Grenville took over for the earl of Bute and insisted that the colonies start paying off the debt for the army.

• The First act to come about is the Revenue act of 1764 or the Sugar Act.

• The point of the act was to stop smuggling.• Smuggling had appeared because the Navigation

acts made trade in the colonies almost exclusively with Britain.

The Stamp Act

• Following with belief that the colonies should pay what they owe Grenville released another act upon the colonies.

• The Stamp Act required Americans to purchase special seals or stamps to validate legal documents.

• Grenville was warned by members of Parliament that this could cause an uproar.

Patrick Henry and Protest• Henry puts in five resolutions to

Virginia law.• The most specific stating it was illegal

to collect stamp revenues.• These were quickly pulled out of

Virginian law but the point was made. Especially as papers begin to print Henries resolutions.

• The stamp act became an issue as local bodies from states met to discuss it.

• Most of these meetings were some the first inter colonial meetings

• All discussions based around the idea of “No taxation with out representation”

Public Protest of the stamp act• While political assemblies

met on how to handle the stamp act the colonial public dealt with the act in their own way.

• They protested and burned in effigy tax collectors.

• Due to the fear many tax collectors quit during this period.

Protest continued “Sons of liberty”

• Who Were the sons of liberty?

• Made up of well to do artisans and business owners.

• Protesting group that grew out of Boston.

• They believed they were defending their rights.

• Lead by Sam Adams.

The Boycott• What is a Boycott?• A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying,

or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons.

• Who comes up with the idea of the boycott?• The “Sons of Liberty” were believed to have convinced or

coerced local merchants into boycotting British goods.• What's the affect?• What people were buying became much more of a public affair.

To Buy anything British was to show support for the crown.• Britain continues to loose money in the colonies.

Sum-up thus far

• Passage of the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act• Leads to protest by average citizens in the

colonies• The political bodies were developing ways to

express their anger at the new taxes. As well as starting to find ways to gain representation

• Saw the emergence of the sons of liberty who bring about the boycott.

Back in Britain

• Though it was not known by colonists at the time that the boycott took place Grenville was out of power.

• What is the state of the British ministry at the time?• Grenville is replaced Rockingham, who’s goal is to repeal

the stamp act.• Grenville doesn’t last long and is replaced by William

Pitt who falls ill which leads to Townsend• How do colonists view this?• Colonists show a lack of respect for local colonial

leaders.

Townsend and the colonies

• What is Townsend's plan to deal with the colonies?

• Townsend Acts: Series of taxes on American imports specifically: paper, glass, paint, lead, and tea.

• What does Townsend do differently to ensure his acts work properly?

• Puts strict enforcement in the port cities

Build up to the Massacre• In an attempt to try and save

money and intimidate colonists the British government decided to quarter troops in Boston.

• Colonists believed that the quartering of troops was part of British plan to oppress the colonists

• So much so that they posted pamphlets throughout the streets.

Boston Massacre

• Tensions were already high against British authority, but have the soldiers walking the streets only increased fears and anger.

• March 5, 1770 a small group of boys and street toughs begin to harass soldiers outside of a customs house.

• As the group rises into more of a mob the soldiers panic and fire into the group.

Review

• Give me a few examples of enlightened thinking in the colonies?

• Who were some of the Enlightened thinkers who helped develop these ideas?

After effects of the Boston Massacre

• After the incident there was a trial of the soldiers that fired into the crowd.

• John Adams actually defended the case of one of the soldiers.

• After the massacre tensions subsided for awhile in the colonies.

• Mostly out of fear of the British Presence.• Eventually the Townsend acts were appealed.

John Adam’s and Committee of Correspondence

• What is John Adam’s concerned about?• He was worried about Parliament Passing Tea

Act for revenue.• What is the idea behind the Committee of

Correspondence?• A group that would communicate the

grievances of citizens of Massachusetts.• Other Colonies would also adopt the idea.

The Tea Act

• What was the point of the Tea Act and why did Parliament Pass it?

• Lowered price of tea.• There was also the hope that they could save East

India Trading company that had hit hard times• What was Governor Hutchinson’s reaction to the

Tea Act?• Governor Hutchinson disagreed with the act and

kept the Ships from unloading in the harbor.

The Boston Tea Party • With the harbor filled with ships a plan came to action.

• Whether or not Sam Adams was directly behind it was unknown

• A group of men disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the ships and dumped 360 of tea overboard.

• Strong support for in Boston not the case in England.

British Response

• What is the British Response to the Tea Party?• The Coercive Acts• What are the rules in the colonies under the

Coercive acts?• 1.Closed the port of Boston until debt was paid• 2.Restructured Government• 3. British troops could quarter troops

wherever they thought it was necessary

The First Congress

• Takes place in Philadelphia, Summer of 1774• 55 elected from 12 colonies• Included John Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick

Henry, George Washington• None of the men they had never met but they

knew of each other• Decision to halt commerce with Britain

At the opening of the the war

• Appoint George Washington the leader of the continental army.

• Pain with common sense pushes people to pull their ties from Britain.