Thirteen Colonies:Reasons for Revolution

American Revolution

The Beginnings of the American Revolution

After the “Seven Year War” the British were poor and needed to collect more money. They decided to collect more money from the people living in the “Thirteen (13) Colonies”. This made the people living in the thirteen colonies upset because:The British were increasing the taxes

of people living in the colonies, but they were not seeing any benefit of those taxes.

The people in the thirteen (13) colonies were not represented in British government.

They were not letting people expand westward (Proclamation of 1763)

British and French Conflicts in North America (1689-1763)

The colonial wars between France and Britain were fought in two areas in N. America:1. Control of the Fur Trade2. Struggle to control the

Atlantic (Louisbourg, Halifax, and Acadia)

Struggle to Control the Fur Trade

British System• Established forts on

the Hudson Bay and waited for the natives to come to them and deliver furs.

• HBC was owned by many groups of people; they shared risk and profit. Their main goal was profit.

French System• Using native guides

they explored further and further inland searching for new fur territory.

• Fur trade was owned by the government and colonization not profit was most important. *

France’s Military ActionTaking military action

against the British• The French used military

means to try and take control of the Hudson Bay during the League of Augsburg and Spanish Succession. The French lost these wars and lost all territories in the Hudson bay giving full control to the British.

• The French were forced to travel overland to continue in the fur trade.

France’s Expansion InlandThe French expanded

west and south into the Ohio and Mississippi valleys down to the golf of Mexico. Looking at the map, what advantage did this give the French in the fur trade. (Groups of 2 – 3 mins)

France’s Expansion Inland (Pt.2)• Established trading forts/ports inland,

closer to the Native people. The French came to the natives to collect the furs, instead of the natives going to the Europeans.

• The native people began taking their furs pelts to the inland French forts rather than traveling long distances to the Hudson Bay.

• British fur trade suffered – the HBC sent two fur traders west (Alberta/Saskatchewan) to convince the natives to trade with the Hudson bay, but failed because it was easier for the natives to trade with the French.

War of Spanish Succession

After the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-13) the treaty of Utrecht (1713) gave Newfoundland and Acadia to the British. By this time, Acadia been passed back and forth between the French and English 6 times. The people living in Acadia were French-speaking Catholics.

Different Points of ViewEnglish• Refused to take an Oath

of Allegiance• Population was increasing

dramatically• Were worried the

Acadians would turn against the British

• Britain and France were preparing for war with each other – which side would the Acadians go on?

Acadians• They had never

taken an Oath of Allegiance in the past 40 years.

• They wanted to stay neutral

Deportation of AcadiansThe British asked the Acadians

again to take an Oath of Allegiance to the British or they would be deported. They refused and the British began to deport them from their lands. They were taken to the 13 colonies and Louisiana. There homes were burnt and their property and land was confiscated. Many people died during the deportation.

Seven Year War

The British deported the Acadians because they knew war was approaching with the French (deportation-1755/ Seven Year War-1756).

This war had an enormous effect on the history of N. America.

British & French Military Strategy

British• The British wanted

to defeat the French in N. America.

• They sent 7-8 times more men than the French.

• Planned to attack the French on 3 fronts: Louisbourg, the Ohio Valley, and Quebec

French• The French kept

most of their soldiers in Europe and few soldiers in N. America.

• The French wanted to defeat Britain in Europe.

• They thought a few soldiers would be able to defend New France