Chapter 5 : The Spirit of Independence

Lesson 1:No taxation without Representation

• After the French and Indian War, Great Britain issued the

Proclamation of 1763: this prohibited colonists moving west

into Native lands and kept the colonists close in the east

coast colonies & better controlled.

• British Government begins charging taxes in the colonies –

to repay the cost of the war. However, to avoid taxes some

colonists smuggled goods.

• The new Prime Minister, George Grenville, along with the

British Parliament enacted laws in order to control

smuggling.

• The Sugar Act of 1764 lowered the tax on molasses.

• The Stamp Act of 1765 put a tax on all printed materials.

• The Stamp Act Congress was a gathering of colonists that

sent a letter to the King detailing their issues with taxes. In

Boston, Massachusetts Samuel Adams helped start a group

protesting British rule, The Sons of Liberty.

• Boycotts became common protests throughout the

colonies. Eventually, because of boycotts the Stamp

Act is repealed in 1766.

• In 1766 Parliament passed the Declaratory Act,

enforcing British law and taxes “in all cases”.

• In 1767, the Townshend Acts began to tax imported

goods and required payment when the goods arrived

at port.

• Boycotts continue following the Townshend Acts,

Colonists began protesting British law openly

throughout the colonies – Most of all in

Massachusetts.

• Groups of colonial women named themselves Daughters of Liberty as they continued to aid in the struggle against the British.

Why did the colonists appose taxes from the British Parliament?

Lesson 2• By 1768, tensions with British rule in the colonies had risen

and protests were common practice. Parliament sent more troops to occupy Boston and other Colonial cities.

• On March 5, 1770 conflict escalated between a group of colonists and British soldiers. The British soldiers fired into the crowd killing 5 people, known as the Boston Massacre, 1770.

• Colonial leaders in Boston, like Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty, used the killings as propaganda to build support against the British.

• Samuel Adams revived groups called Committees of Correspondence, which promoted protest throughout the colonies.

• Colonists boycotted tea, a major British import, to the point that the British East India Company was in financial trouble. Parliament passed the Tea Act of 1773, lowering the tax on tea to pacify colonists.

• In response, a group led by Samuel Adams raided the Tea shipments in Boston and threw all the tea supply into Boston Harbor – this is known as the Boston Tea Party, 1773.

• King George III realized they needed a stronger hand with the Colonies.

• After the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed the Coercive Acts, 1774. They included new laws to keep the colonists under control. For example,- Took away the Massachusetts Charter, putting it

under direct British rule & restricting town meetings in the colony. - Closed Boston Harbor to all shipments until the

‘lost’ tea was paid back. - Colonists were also required to house British

soldiers in their homes.- the Quebec Act created a new government for

Canada and ignored the claims colonists to any territory west of the 13 Colonies.

• Colonists called these laws the Intolerable Acts because of their many restrictions and violations of basic rights.

Lesson 3: A Call to Arms

• The 1st Continental Congress in Philadelphia, 1774, was a meeting of colonial leaders. Georgia did NOT attend. 55 Delegates from all the colonies called for the repeal of the acts of Parliament & for colonists to gather militias/supplies.

Massachusetts: John & Samuel Adams

New York: John Jay

Virginia: George Washington, Richard Henry Lee, & Patrick Henry

• Suffolk Resolves were resolutions passed in Boston that declared the Coercive Acts illegal, the Continental Congress supported this.

• Colonists began to gather militias and prepare supplies like arms and bullets. Militias were already a part of regular life in the colonies, now they gathered against a common enemy –Britain.

• Minutemen were militias gathered around Boston, known for being ready to fight at ‘any moment’.

• In April 1775, Thomas Gage ordered British soldiers to take all weapons from the Boston militia and arrest leaders. He also sent troops to Concord to capture supplies held there.

• That night, Paul Revere, William Dawes, & Samuel Prescott ride from Boston to warn that “the British are coming!”

• In 1775, the first conflicts between the British and colonists took place at Lexington and Concord – the 1st battle of the Revolutionary War.

• After those clashes, armed conflict spread quickly.

• Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen took Fort Ticonderoga from the British with a militia.

• The Battle of Bunker Hill took place in Boston. The British won but suffered heavy losses thanks to militia led by William Prescott.

• Colonists were now divided into Patriots and Loyalists. The Patriots wanted to be free from Britain. The Loyalists remained loyal to King George III.

Lesson 4Declaring Independence

• The 2nd Continental Congress met on May 10, 1775.

• Along with a few new members, Benjamin Franklin was a delegate for Pennsylvania in the 2nd Continental Congress.

• The Congress authorized the printing of money and set up a post office – managed by Benjamin Franklin.

• It also created the 1st formal Continental Army, they chose George Washington as commander.

• The delegates sent a petition to King George III to give Britain one last chance for peace – But it did not workout. Britain contracted 30,000 German troops to begin war with the colonies.

• Washington went on training the new troops in Boston and making them into Soldiers.

• In March, Washington’s troops marched toward the city of Boston. In fear of defeat, British General Howe left the city with his troops on March 17, 1776. Washington and his army marched proudly into Boston!

• Writer Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense, that urged complete separation from Britain.

• In June 1776, the 2nd Continental Congress began debating whether or not to declare independence – many still needed convincing.

• Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed declaring independence from England to congress.

• A committee that included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson drafted a Declaration of Independence.

• On July 2, the Continental Congress voted for independence. On July 4, delegates approved the Declaration of Independence – only New York did not vote.

• The Declaration states that all people have certain basic rights and that government exists to protect those rights.

• It also states that when a government fails to protect those rights, the people can change or get rid of the government.

• Finally, the Declaration announces that America is a new and independent nation!