Colonial Times & The American Revolution

After Christopher Columbus discovered what is now the United States in the late fifteenth

century, many other European navigators began exploring the country. Soon thereafter European countries began claiming land in North America

and people began to move and settle on this land. European settlers soon established

successful colonies along the Atlantic Coast. A colony is an area or place that is ruled by a

distant country.

Aboard the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus and his crew discovered

America in 1492.

Why Come To The New World?

Europeans began moving to the colonies for a number of different reasons. The first reason was they were in search of money, which they could gain through natural resources. Wood, gold, silver, tobacco, and animal furs were some of

the many natural resources people were after.

The second reason why European settlers came to live in North America was they wanted to own land. Not everyone was wealthy enough to own property, and coming to the New World gave settlers a good

chance to do so.

The final reason people began moving to the colonies was to escape religious persecution, or

being mistreated because of the religion you believed. At this time in Europe, many people were

treated unfairly because of the religion they practiced. A lot of people chose to leave Europe so they could safely practice the religion they wanted

to.

Settlers from all over Europe came to the New World in search of a better life.

Arriving in the New World

When the European settlers first arrived in the New World, they had to adapt to a new land with its own geography, history, and culture. There were already

people living on this new land, the Native Americans. It was through their interactions with the Native

Americans that the colonists learned how to adjust to a living in a new and very different place.

Influencing Each Other

When the European settlers first arrived in the New World, they and the Native Americans were

able to get along pretty well. The Native Americans helped teach the colonists where to

hunt and fish and how to grow crops and tobacco. The Native Americans also taught the colonists how to prepare food so it would not spoil and showed them what plants could be used as

medicines.

The colonists also influenced the Native Americans with their interactions. They introduced them to useful animals such as horses, cattle, and sheep. The Native Americans also began to trade furs with the settlers for metal items such as knives, kettles, and axes. They also started to use the goods they got from the Europeans, such as cloth for clothing and glass beads for decoration.

The Native Americans influenced the European settlers in many different ways.

Indentured Servants

People that wanted to leave Europe to settle in the New World but could not afford the long and

expensive trip across the Atlantic Ocean would often become indentured servants. An

indentured servant was a person that agreed to work for an amount of time in exchange for

housing, food, and the cost of the voyage to North America.

Thousands of people made the long and perilous journey across the Atlantic Ocean to begin their lives in the New

World.

The Thirteen Colonies

The colonists lived along the Atlantic Coast of North America. There were thirteen colonies, and

each colony had distinctive characteristics. Colonies that were geographically close to one

another, however, had similar climates and resources. As a result, three main colonial regions developed in the New World. They were the New England Colonies, the Middle Colonies, and the

Southern colonies.

The original thirteen colonies stretched all the way from New Hampshire to Georgia.

The New England Colonies

The New England Colonies were made up of what are now Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The colonists who

settled here found rocky soil, cold winters, and short summers. Because of this, most farmers in New England learned to be self-sufficient, or to rely only on themselves for food. Farmers learned

important farming techniques, such as how to grow corn from the Native Americans.

Colonists living in the New England Colonies also used the regions natural resources to meet their needs. Colonists fished, grew crops in the spring

and summer months, raised livestock, and cut lumber from trees to build homes and make tools.

The many forests in the area also supplied plenty of wood to build ships. Boat building and trading

became important industries that helped grow the economy.

The New England Colonies included Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

The Middle Colonies

The Middle Colonies were made up of what are now Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and

Pennsylvania. Unlike the colonies to the north, the Middle Colonies had very fertile soil and a warmer

climate. As a result, the Middle Colonies were often called the “breadbasket” colonies because

they supplied the New England and Southern Colonies with grains such as wheat, barley, and

oats.

There were fewer towns in the Middle Colonies than in the New England Colonies because of the large

amount of space needed for farming. This area had excellent iron and coal resources and a strong fur-trading industry. The Middle Colonies also became

important for shipping because of all the nearby ports and access to many rivers and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Middle Colonies consisted of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The Southern Colonies

The warm climate and rich soil of the Southern Colonies were suited for agriculture, or farming. Settlers in what are now Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia established farms and plantations, or large farms with many workers who lived on the land they worked. On

plantations, farmers grew cash crops such as rice, indigo, and tobacco. Cash crops are crops grown

to be sold for a profit.

The Southern Colonies included Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Slavery

Small farms and plantations made up the largest part of the economy in the Southern Colonies.

Working on the southern plantations were mostly slaves. Slavery was the practice of owning people and forcing them to work against their will without

pay. Most of the enslaved people were brought from the present day countries of Ghana and

Nigeria in West Africa. The growth of plantations required many people to work in the fields to

produce crops.

Enslaved African Americans faced many hardships. Hardships are anything that causes human

suffering. African Americans were forced to board ships against their will and were brought across the

Atlantic Ocean where they would then be sold at auctions. An auction is a public sale in which

something is sold to the person who offers the most money.

Slaves were not viewed as people. They were seen as property and they were treated as such. Most slaves were treated extremely poorly and they belonged to their owners. Sadly, slaves had no

rights. Therefore, if the slave owner wanted to move or sell the slave to somebody else, there was nothing the slave could say or do to stop it.

Slavery was unfortunately a huge part of life in the Southern Colonies.

Tensions Mount

After settling in the New World, the European colonists and the Native Americans often

cooperated, influenced, and learned from each other. Eventually, however, the two sides began to have many disagreements and conflicts. The Europeans

settlers were after land, the same land that the Native Americans had been using, relying on, and

living on for hundreds of years.

In the 1700’s, not only were European nations fighting with the Native Americans over land, but they were also quarreling with each other. Both

France and England wanted control of the land that is now in the Ohio River Valley. Both wanted access this area because it offered fertile lands for farming, a central location for trade, and access to the Ohio River. In 1754, the French and Indian War began as a result of the two sides fighting over control of

this land.

The French and Indian War

At the start of the French and Indian War, the British were losing the war because the French had made

an alliance with the Native Americans. Even though the natives traded with both the British and the

French, they feared that the English colonists would want to continue to take their land. To help gain an

advantage, the British also teamed with a Native American group, the Iroquois Indians, and sent

more soldiers from England.

The French and Indian War was fought over the land in the Ohio River Valley.

The Treaty of Paris

After seven years of fighting, in 1761 the British finally won the French and Indian War. The two sides then signed the Treaty of Paris in 1763, and France gave almost all of its land in North America to Britain.

The Proclamation of 1763

Winning the French and Indian War gave England control of all of the land west of the Appalachian

Mountains, and more and more settlers soon began moving onto Britain’s new western lands. The British government and lawmaking assembly, Parliament, could not easily control the settlers who lived far from the colonies and did not want

people moving west.

The king of England soon ruled that colonists were no longer allowed to settle on land west of the Appalachian Mountains. This was called the Proclamation of 1763. The Proclamation of 1763 angered the colonists, as they

wondered why they could not move to the land their helped successfully fight for in the French and Indian

War.

The Sugar Act of 1764

England had gone to war to protect the colonies, so British leaders felt it was fair to have the colonies pay part of the debt the country suffered from the French and Indian War. The king of England at the time, King George III, soon enacted The Sugar Act

of 1764. It said colonists must pay a tariff on goods such as molasses and sugar. A tariff is a tax

on imported goods or products that come from another country.

The Sugar Act of 1764 was created to help the British pay for the costs of the French and Indian War.

The Stamp Act of 1765

The Stamp Act of 1765 followed the Sugar Act. This act placed a tax on all printed materials, such

as newspapers, stamps, and legal documents. What infuriated the colonists was not only that they had to now pay expensive taxes on these items, but they also had no say in the matter. Many colonists did not think it was fair to force

them to pay taxes that had been passed without their consent or their approval.

The Stamp Act of 1765 made the colonists quite livid. Some of them decided to protest, or speak

out against it. Others made speeches, sent petitions to Parliament, or boycotted goods. A petition is a document that people sign that asks those in charge to change something. A

boycott is when a person or a group of people refuse to buy goods or services. Due to the

colonists’ resistance, Parliament repealed, or did away with, the Stamp Act in 1766.

The Stamp Act placed a tax on all printed documents, such as newspapers, stamps, and legal documents.

No Taxation Without Representation

The Sugar Act was the first tax that was created solely for the purpose of raising money. Americans

throughout the thirteen colonies cried out “No taxation without representation,” which meant they felt it was unfair for them to be taxed without them

having a say in the matter first.

The Townshend Acts

After the Stamp Act was repealed, King George III insisted that England still had the right to tax the

colonies no matter how the colonists felt or what they said. In 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts. These acts taxed imported goods, such as glass, tea, and paint. This infuriated the colonists

even further and as a result, England sent even more soldiers to the colonies to enforce the new tax laws.

Tarring and Feathering

Tarring and feathering took place during colonial times. It is a form of punishment in which the

victim was painted with hot tar and then covered in feathers which stuck to the tar. To show their displeasure with England’s unfair taxes, many

colonists would tar and feather British loyalists or elected officials.

Tarring and feathering was a form of punishment during colonial times. It was often used to humiliate British

supporters or officials.

The Boston Massacre

During the evening of March 5, 1770 Private Hugh White, a British soldier, was on guard in front of the Customs House on King Street in Boston. A crowd of

people had gathered and began harassing the soldier. His calls for help brought nine soldiers led by

Captain Thomas Preston. The crowd of angry colonists continued to pester the soldiers with insults and began throwing rocks and snowballs at them.

In the commotion, someone yelled, "Fire!" and one of the soldiers began shooting. Three townspeople were killed and eight more were wounded, two of which later died. No one knew who gave the order to fire. After the shooting, the people of Boston were demanding the soldiers be tried and executed for the shootings. This historic event became known as the

Boston Massacre.

Eight British soldiers were put on trial for the events that took place in Boston on March 5, 1770.

The governor ordered Captain Preston and the eight soldiers be put in prison pending a trial. In order to ensure a fair trial, lawyer John Adams was hired to

defend the soldiers. After a lengthy trial, John Adams convinced the jury that the soldiers fired in

self defense. As a result of the trial, Captain Preston and six of the soldiers were set free. The

other two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter. They were branded as convicts and

later released.

The Tea Act

Creating more tension between the colonists and England, in 1773 Parliament passed the Tea Act. This forced the colonists to buy tea only from the British and from no one else. Again, the colonists

protested Parliaments decision but they could not do much else to try and change it.

British soldiers were told by Parliament to make sure the colonists were only buying tea from England.

The Boston Tea Party

To get back at the English government for the Tea Act, several colonists calling themselves the

“Sons of Liberty” disguised themselves as Mohawk Native Americans and boarded three

British ships filled with tea. When on board, they tied up the ships’ workers and then dumped 342

chests of British tea into Boston Harbor! This event became known as the Boston Tea Party.

The Boston Tea Party was yet another event that created hostility between the colonists and England.

Punishing Boston

In 1774, Parliament passed the Coercive Acts as punishment for the Boston Tea Party. The king

ordered the ports of Boston to be closed until the colonists pay for the tea they had dumped into the water. This meant no food or other supplies could

be brought into the Boston area.

The king of England closed the ports of Boston until the colonists agreed to pay for the tea they dumped into the

harbor.

Unifying the Colonies

The Coercive Acts angered many colonists but they also made them more united. Other colonies up and down the Atlantic Coast began sending food,

supplies, and money to Boston. Colonial relationships were strengthened and the colonists

began creating their own volunteer armies, sensing the fighting with England was far from over.

Coming Together

In 1772, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin and many other colonial leaders started groups called the

Committees of Correspondence. Adams felt the only way to defeat the strong British army was for

the colonies to unify, or come together. To do this, committees were formed in the colonies by patriots, or people who felt the colonies should separate from

Britain and begin to govern themselves.

Not all people living in the colonies wanted to break free from English rule, however. A loyalist was someone who felt the

colonies should remain loyal to Britain and King George III. There were plenty of loyalists that refused to help the patriots fight for

their independence.

Benjamin Franklin was very important in uniting the thirteen colonies.

The First Continental Congress

In 1774, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Every colony but Georgia sent delegates, or people chosen to represent other people. At the meeting, the

colonists agreed to stop trading with the British until the Coercive Acts were removed. Each colony also

agreed to start training militias to protect itself from the British. A militia is a volunteer army that is

used only in emergencies.

Lexington and Concord

In April of 1775, the colonists learned about secret British plans to destroy weapons that the colonists

had stored in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. On the night of April 18, colonists Paul Revere and William Dawes on horseback went

to warn the townspeople that the British troops were coming to take their weapons.

The warnings fortunately worked. When the British soldiers arrived in Lexington the next morning, a

small group of colonists were waiting to fight them. The British defeated the colonists, however, and

soon made their way to Concord. When the British troops arrived in Concord, however, they were met by a larger group of angry colonists. The colonists

fought very well, causing the British soldiers to retreat, or go back to Boston.

No one knows for sure which side fired the first shot in Lexington, but people later called it “the shot heard ‘round the world.” The American colonies had finally started their fight for independence.

Paul Revere’s ride to warn the townspeople that the British were coming will forever be remembered in

American history.

A Plea To The King

In May of 1775, the Second Continental Congress met once again in Philadelphia. The congress

formed an army, named the Continental Army, and made George Washington its leader. The congress also made one final attempt to prevent war. They

sent a letter to King George III saying that the colonists were still loyal to Britain and war could be

avoided if the colonies were given more freedom and power to govern themselves.

King George III rudely never answered the letter sent by the Continental Congress so the colonists finally decided to declare their independence from

England.

George Washington was chosen as commander of the Continental Army.

Declaring Independence

The patriots felt they had many reasons to declare independence. Although they were British citizens, American colonists did not have the same rights as the people who lived in England. They felt this was

very unfair. In addition, the colonists had asked many different times for the opportunity to govern

themselves, but England had always refused to let them do so.

The Declaration of Independence

In June of 1776, Thomas Jefferson prepared a document stating its goals for independence. This document was

called the Declaration of Independence. In it, Jefferson explained why the colonies wanted freedom

from England. Jefferson wrote that “all men are created equal” and have “unalienable rights” that the

government cannot deny. He also explained that governments exist to protect those rights, and that it

gets its power from the people.

If a government does not protect the rights of its citizens, then the people have the right to change

or get rid of that government Jefferson felt. On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was

approved, which is why every year we celebrate the 4th of July as “Independence Day.”

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in June of 1776.

The Revolutionary War Begins

The Revolutionary War began in 1775. When the fighting started, both American and British leaders

knew they needed allies, or people that help others for a common purpose, to win the war. Native

Americans became important allies for both sides. Both sides also wanted help from enslaved African Americans. Thousands of enslaved Africans were

freed in exchange for fighting.

The Role of Women During the War

During colonial times, women didn’t work. They spent their day raising children and doing

housework such as cooking, cleaning, and sewing. When men went off to fight in the war, however, the

role of women changed. Planters’ wives took charge of farms and plantations. Merchants’ wives

ran their husbands’ businesses.

Other women traveled with the army and did important jobs such as caring for the wounded and

repairing uniforms. Some women acted as messengers and spies for the patriots. Other gallant

women even fought right alongside male troops during the war.

The Revolutionary War Continues

A long, difficult war would take place between 1775 to 1781, which would devastate the colonies. The Continental Army was simply not equipped to fight such a powerful military force. Many times, it

appeared as though the British were just a few steps away from winning the war. However, the

American soldiers would not give up.

European Support

The Continental Congress knew that some countries, such as France, the Netherlands, and Spain had conflicts with England in the past over

land claims and trade. Congress was able to coax these countries that helping the Americans would

hurt England. Without it, the small and inexperienced Continental Army stood very little

chance of defeating the powerful English military.

Spurred on by the excellent leadership of their commander George Washington, the American troops were able to

continue fighting. As the war carried on year after year, the Americans began to win important battles, embarrassing

the British. As this happened, the French, who were upset about the territory they had lost to England, became

convinced that the Americans could win the war and sent ships and supplies to help the colonists. Spain, who had

also lost territory to England in the past, also sent aid to the colonies.

Both France and Spain sent soldiers and supplies to help the Americans win the Revolutionary War.

The End of the War

In August of 1781, the British were forced to surrender in Yorktown, Virginia. The British army

surrendered to George Washington, which marked the end of the Revolutionary War.

Why the Americans Triumphed

The Americans won the Revolutionary War for several different reasons. The first reason why the Americans

were victorious was geography. The British had to send soldiers and supplies to a war that was thousands of

miles from home. They also had to fight an enemy that was spread over a wide area. The Americans knew the

best routes to travel and the best places to fight.

In addition, the assistance the Americans received from other countries was extremely beneficial. It helped them overcome being outnumbered by the British army and gave their inexperienced troops opportunities to battle alongside veteran soldiers

from France, the Netherlands, and Spain.

The Americans’ patriotic spirit and fighting skills were yet another key to winning the Revolutionary War. Despite early setbacks, the patriots battled

on. Gradually, George Washington's inexperienced troops learned how to fight.

The patriotic and fighting spirit of the Americans was a major factor in winning the Revolutionary War.

The final reason why the Americans won the war was George Washington. Washington’s overall

leadership and military strategies and skills helped the Continental Army achieve a victory few thought they would be able to. In 1789, George Washington went on to be the very first president of the United

States.

The Articles of Confederation

After winning independence in 1781, the Continental Congress established the Articles of Confederation. These articles stated that each

colony was now free to act as an independent state, and that each state had the right to pass laws within

their territories.

The Treaty of Paris

After the Revolutionary War, the United States and its allies signed peace treaties with England. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 officially ended the American Revolution. The British finally accepted

the independence of the United States. As a result, England gave the United States a large area of land south of Canada and east of the Mississippi River.

The following are some interesting facts about the Revolutionary War…

217,000 American troops fought for America’s independence from England.

A total of 25,000 Americans died during the Revolutionary War. 8,000 died in battle and 17,000 died of sickness, went missing in action, or died from other

causes.

British soldiers were called “red coats” because of the color of their red uniforms.

There were two Boston Tea Parties! Everyone knows how the "Sons of Liberty," disguised as Mohawk Indians,

protested the British tax on tea by dumping chests of tea into Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773. Fewer

people know that the Improper Bostonians repeated the performance on March 7, 1774. The two tea parties cost

the British around $3,000,000 in money today.

John Adams, the second president of the United States, actually defended the British troops on trial for the

Boston Massacre.

History's first submarine attack took place in New York Harbor in 1776! American Inventor David Bushnell

called his submarine the “Turtle” because it resembled two large tortoise shells of equal size joined together.

American and British soldiers used a wide range of different weapons to fight. These included muskets, pistols, rifles, knives, bayonets, tomahawks, axes,

swords, and cannons.

Only 40 - 45% of Americans living in North America at the time supported gaining independence from England.

At the Battle of Yorktown, the amount of French soldiers outnumbered the number of American soldiers almost three to one!

George Washington didn’t really want to be the first president of the United States, but he took the job anyways. Already a wealthy man he declined the $25,000 a year salary, a very large sum in the late

eighteenth century.

The End