Road to Revolution

New Revenues and RegulationsBy Prime Minister George Grenville

1764 Sugar Act ( Revenue Act)-duties on foreign sugar and certain luxuries

1764 Currency Act- forbade the issue of legal tender by colonies

Enforced Navigation acts to stop smuggling.

Smugglers were tried in admiralty courts by crown appointed judges with no jury in Halifax. Naval vessels could use writs of assistance

1765 Quartering Act- colonists had to provide food and living quarters for British troops

1766 second quartering act required colonies to use taverns and uninhabited houses for troops

1765 Stamp Act-revenue stamp on all legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, and ads

Colonial Response1765 Stamp Act Congress-9 colonies met in NY, resolved only their elected reps had the legal authority to approve taxes

Formation of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty- intimidate tax agents

Boycott of British imports

1766 1766 repeal of Stamp Act 1766 Declaratory Act – Crown and Parliament had right to make “laws” for the colonies in “all cases whatsoever” NY refused to support the British troops and the troops destroyed a “liberty pole”. Aug 11 clash b/t Sons of Liberty and British troops Dec. NY assembly lost its legislative powers

1767 Townshend Acts New duties on tea, glass, lead, paint, & paper Revenues raised used to pay crown officials in the colonies Also could search private homes for smuggled goods with just a writ of assistance rather than a warrant.

Colonial Response Boston non-importation agreement John Dickinson, Samuel Adams, and James Otis argued against the new duties. A form of taxation w/o representation

Massachusetts legislature dissolved British customs commissioners seized John Hancock’s sloop Liberty, rioting in Boston and commissioners fled

Repeal of Townshend Acts except on tea British troops in NY cut down a liberty pole Sons of Liberty led by Isaac Sears staged riot against British troops (Battle of Golden Hill) Boston Massacre- British troops led by Captain Preston fired into a mob of colonists killing 5. Soldiers were defended by John Adams and Josiah Quincy, 6 acquitted and 2 branded and released

1770

Committees of Correspondence 1772 Samuel Adams in Boston and other Massachusetts towns regularly exchanged letters about suspicious or potentially threatening British activities

Gaspee 1772 British customs ship ran aground off coast of RI. Colonists disguised as Indians ordered the crew ashore and set fire to ship

1773 Tea Act-passed to save the East India Company from bankruptcy.

Set up warehouses in Boston, NY, Philly, and Charleston

Colonists, smugglers, and Sons of Liberty united against Tea Act

The ship Dartmouth and 2 others were boarded by Indians, Samuel Adams, and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor

Intolerable Acts 1774 Coercive Acts 1. Boston Port Act closed Boston harbor until tea paid for.

2.Massachusetts Gov Act reduced power of Mass legislature while increasing power of royal governor

3. Adm of Justice Act allowed royal officials accused of crimes to be tried in England not colonies

4. Quartering Act – troops housed in occupied homes

Colonial Response May –Aug 1774 delegates chosen for 1st Continental Congress Virginia House of Burgesses dissolved Sept 1774 1st Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia w/ 55 delegates, none from GA

Actions of Congress Suffolk resolves rejected the Intolerable Acts and called for immediate repeal.

Make military preps and boycott Declaration of Rights and Grievances: a petition to King George urging him to redress colonial grievances and restore colonial rights and recognized Parliament’s authority to regulate commerce

The association urged creation of committees in every town to enforce economic sanctions.

If rights not recognized meet again in May 1775

1775 King George declares Massachusetts in a state of rebellion and sends additional troops

March Patrick Henry’s give me liberty or death speech

April 18, 1775 General Gage sends British troops to seize colonial supplies in Concord

Lexington and Concord Paul Revere and William Dawes spread word British are coming Lt Col Francis Smith and 700 troops at Lexington met the minutemen on the green 8 colonials killed On to Concord destroyed colonial supplies Return march to Boston attacked by colonials 250 killed or wounded . 95 colonials killed or wounded

Second Continental Congress May 1775 adopted Declaration of the Causes and Necessities for Taking Up Arms Voted to raise an army, George Washington appointed commander-in-chief Authorized Benedict Arnold to raid Quebec Olive Branch petition by John Dickinson asked the king to intercede with Parliament to secure peace and protect their rights

King George Claimed the colonies in open rebellion

Bunker HillJune 17, 1775 1,600 colonials led by Col. William Prescott sent to occupy Bunker Hill in Charlestown near Boston (Breed’s Hill) Sir William Howe led 2,200 men. Turned back 2 times. Took hill only after colonials ran out of ammo British lost 1,000 Colonials lost 400

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

January 1776 pamphlet published called for colonies to become independent and break all ties with British monarch Contrary that a large continent be ruled by a small distant island and for people to pledge allegiance to a king whose gov. was corrupt and whose laws were unreasonable

Declaration of Independence

June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee intro a resolution declaring the colonies independent.

5 delegates formed committee to write statement in support of resolution (Ben Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston)

Jefferson wrote the Declaration

Congress adopted Lee’s resolution on July2, 1776

Adopted Jefferson’s Declaration on July 4, 1776