By: Andrew Scott

•King James II took over the crown in 1685

•He was a vigorous man of powerful convictions

•He attempted to reduce New England to obedience.

•James consolidated the eight northern colonies-(all five in New England, New York, East and West Jersey). This was called the Dominion.

•James raised taxes and put men, that were loyal to him, in charge of government in the Dominion.

•New Vice-Admiralty court condemned at least six merchant ships in 1686. This really hurt the port’s business.

King James II

•April 18th, 1689 rebel leaders with two thousand militiamen filled the Boston streets.

•Rebels arrested Andros and forced Dominion soldiers and sailors to surrender the harbor fort and warship.

•They put twenty-five Dominion officials, including Andros, into prison.

•May of 1689 rebel commander, Jacob Leisler, assumed the title and the powers of governor of New York City without any bloodshed.

•On August 1st 1689 the rebels took over Maryland by intimidating the loyal militia, of Governor Joseph, by mustering seven hundred armed men.

Gov. Andros going to jail in Boston.

Gov. Edmund Andros

•Before the Revolutionary War in 1775, few colonists aspired to national independence.

•Colonists resisted the new taxes from the Empire in hopes that they would back down.

•Postwar immigration to the colonies increased from 1.5 million in 1754 to 2.5 million in 1775.

•The population increase pushed the colonial leaders to believe they deserved greater respect from Parliament.

•The motherland (England) denied the respect, many (but not all) mainland colonists felt a new capacity to reject British rule.

Sources:

Taylor, Alan. American Colonies. USA: Penguin Group. 2001.