Chapter 2: Revolution and the Early Republic

Section 1: Colonial Resistance

and Rebellion P. 46

Colonies Organize to Resist Britain

Proclamation of 1763 Sought to halt expansion of

colonies west of the Appalachian Mts.

Colonists believed Britain did not care about their needs

French and Indian War brought on a financial crisis for Britain Britain brought about new

laws that only reinforced the colonists’ opinions

Sugar Act

King George III Succeeded grandfather in

1760 Hoped to lower debt

Hired George Grenville as prime minister

Smuggling Many colonial merchants

were smuggling goods to and from French territories without paying import and export duties to Britain

Sugar Act

Grenville prompted Parliament to pass the Sugar Act in 1764 Cut the duty on foreign-made

molasses in half Hoped colonists would pay

the cheaper duty instead of risking arrest by smuggling

Placed duties on other goods that did not previously have a duty

Violators would be tried in a court with a single judge, rather than a court with a colonist-sympathetic jury

Sugar Act

Impact: Little impact on most

colonists, only traders and merchants

Hurt profits of traders and merchants

Resented being forced to pay taxes when they were unable to elect members to the Parliament

Stamp Act

Passed in 1765 Taxed documents and

printed items, such as wills, newspapers, and playing cards

A stamp would signify that the tax had been paid

First tax directly levied on colonists Other taxes were indirect

paid on imports

Stamp Act

Sons of Liberty Secret resistance group

Composed of shopkeepers, artisans, and laborers

Protested the Stamp Act Colonial Assembly

Declared Parliament had no right to impose taxes on the colonists because the colonists lacked representation in Parliament

“No taxation without representation!”

Boycott

October 1765 Merchants in New York,

Boston, and Philadelphia agreed to boycott British goods until tax was repealed

Success! Parliament repealed tax in March 1766

Parliament replaced the Stamp Act with other taxes and laws

Parliament Passes New Laws

Townshend Acts Taxed goods that were

imported into the colony from Britain

Lead, glass, and paper Tea most popular drink

in the colonies

Samuel Adams One of the founders of the

Sons of Liberty Again boycotted the

British Tensions continued to rise

Boston Massacre

March 5, 1770 Mob gathers and taunts

British soldiers guarding the Boston Customs House

British soldiers open fire and kill five unarmed colonists, including Crispus Attucks

See p. 46 Colonists label the

confrontation, “The Boston Massacre”

Frederick North

Replaced Grenville as Prime Minister Repealed the

Townshend Acts except the tax on tea

Lost more $ than they brought in

Too expensive to send British troops to Boston

Boston Tea Party

Tea Act Intended to save the nearly

bankrupt British East India Company

Company could sell tea to the colonies tax free

Taxes would be levied on the colonial tea sellers

Boston Tea Party December 16, 1773

Boston rebels, dressed as Native Americans, boarded three East India Company ships and dumped 18,000 lbs of tea into the Boston Harbor

The Intolerable Acts

King George III was infuriated Passed a series of laws

Shut down Boston Harbor Quartering Act

Allowed British soldiers to be housed in vacant private homes or businesses

Martial Law in Boston Rule imposed by military

forces

Thirteen Colonies

By this time, the colonies had formed buzzing communication networks Allowed them to

communicate information quickly

September 1774 Committees of

correspondence assembled the First Continental Congress

First Continental Congress

56 delegates met in Philadelphia

Drew up a declaration of colonial rights Defended the colonies’

right to run their own affairs Stated that the colonies

would fight back if the British used force against them

Minutemen

Eastern New England colonies quietly made military preparations Stockpiled firearms and

gunpowder Minutemen- civilian soldiers

who pledged to be ready to fight in a minute’s notice

British General Thomas Gage Ordered troops to march

from Boston to Concorde and size illegal weapons

The British Are Coming!

April 18, 1775 Paul Revere, William

Dawes, and Samuel Prescott spread the word that 700 “redcoats” were coming

Church bells, gunshots, and signals spread from town to town

Fighting at Lexington and Concord

Read the final two paragraphs on p. 50 Do you think the British underestimated the colonists?

Why or why not?

The Second Continental Congress

May of 1775 Colonial leaders gathered

in Philadelphia to debate their next move

They agreed to recognize the colonial militia as the Continental Army

Appointed George Washington as the commander

Loyalists vs. Patriots Whose side do you agree

with?

Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill)

British General Gage sent 2,400 troops up the hill Colonists waited until the

last minute before striking Colonist casualties = 450 British casualties = over

1,000 Deadliest battle of the

war Mistakenly named the

Battle of Bunker Hill

Preparing for War

Colonies readied for a full-scale war But still hoped for peace Felt deep loyalty to King George

and blamed the bloodshed on the king’s ministers

Olive Branch Petition Congress sent to King George

III hoping to return to the former harmony

The King rejected the offer Urged Parliament to order a

naval blockade on a line of ships heading for America

Public Opinion Shifts Independence

Due in large part to Enlightenment ideas John Locke argued that all

people have a right to life, liberty, and property

People should choose to obey the government as long as the government safeguards their natural rights

If violated, the people have a natural right to resist

Public Opinion Shifts Independence

Other reasons Religious traditions

Supported liberty

Magna Carter Read 3rd paragraph on

p. 52

What basic rights of Englishmen did the British violate according to the Magna Carta?

Common Sense

Written by Thomas Paine Attacked King George and

the monarchy Read “A Personal Voice”

on p. 52 Refers to the battles of

Lexington and Concord Benefits of independence:

Freedom of trade Better society: free from

tyranny Equal social and

economic opportunities for all

Declaring Independence

Colonies urged to create their own government

Thomas Jefferson was chosen to prepare the Declaration of Independence Read p. 53

HW

Create a political cartoon based on an event described in Section 1 Ex. Battles or

congressional meetings..etc.

Should make an argument that you believe in

Not all political cartoons have to be humorous

Movie

Full class period American History:

Road to Revolution