the road to independence: (1770-1776) chapter 4

Causes of War• The greed for territory produced by mercantilism also meant that

nations ended up fighting over land and resources. • As British colonists pushed further west, they found themselves

fighting French settlers and Native Americans over territory. • In 1754, this tension btwn the Brits and French culminated in the

French and Indian War. It was called this b/c Britian fought the war against France and its Native American allies.

• Who won? The British. Winning!! Duh! (But they almost lost.)• After 9 years of fighting, France, Great Britain, and Spain (Fr ally)

signed the Treaty of Paris of 1763. In it, France gave up its claims in Canada and all lands east of the Mississippi.

• Also, Spain ceded Florida to the Brits as well. • Great Britain now stood alone as the one, true colonial power in

eastern N. America. (100 years war in Europe).

Chapter 4, Section 1

Is this an effective method of fighting?

Soon after the French & Indian War, relations btwn. England and its colonies deteriorated.

Many colonists lost respect for the British military. They thought it was ill-prepared and unsuited for fighting on American terrain

Weakened Loyalty to Britain

• Meanwhile, Britain was in a heap of debt after fighting to defend its colonies and felt that the Americans should help pay for the expense.

• It also gained new territories and felt that it needed to find a way to control them (rewind to salutary neglect. Do you think tightened control went over well with the colonists?)

• Britain began taking steps the colonists found offensive. • The 1st was the king’s Proclamation of 1763. It forbade colonists

from settling west of the Appalacians and put the territory under British military control.

• While the proclamation was intended to manage Britain’s new territories, colonists resented the king’s restrictions and many ignored the proclamation.


The French and Indian War-Assessment

What was significant about the French and Indian War?A) It was the 1st major war btwn French settlers and Native Americans. B) It settled the issue of which European nation would dominate eastern N. America. C) It left the colonies deeply in debt and begging Britain to pass new taxes. D) It was the fist war the British ever lost, thereby giving the colonists hope that they could

also defeat the king’s army.

How did the French and Indian War strain relations between the British and the American colonists?

(A) The British believed that the colonists did not provide enough support.(B) The colonists felt a loss of respect for the British military. (C) The colonists wanted to expand and prosper on their own without the help of the

British.(D) All of the above


Britain’s Financial Problems• The costs of governing and defending Britain’s vast empire made the

British people the most heavily taxed people in the world.• While Britain struggled with its heavy debts and taxes, its colonies in

America were prospering.• The British government decided that the colonists should begin to pay

some of the costs of their own government and defense. • The passage of the Sugar Act in 1764 marked the start of a new

British policy designed to raise more income from the colonies.• The Quartering Act of 1765 required colonists to provide housing and

supplies for British troops in America.• Colonists complained that the changes violated their rights as British

subjects, but mostly they went along with them. Opposition to the next step was much stronger, however.


The Stamp Act Crisis• In March 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp

Act. Under this law, the British govt taxed nearly all printed materials by requiring that it bear a govt stamp.

• The colonists’ reaction to the Stamp Act was widespread and extreme. In October 1765, delegates from nine colonies met in New York for a gathering that became known as the Stamp Act Congress. James Otis, a lawyer from Massachusetts, argued that Britain had no right to force laws on the colonies because the colonists had no representatives in the British Parliament. This argument called for “no taxation without representation.”

• American merchants organized a boycott of British goods. A boycott is a refusal to buy certain products or use certain services as an act of protest.


The Stamp Act Crisis• Groups, known as the Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty,

sprang up to enforce the boycott and organize other ways of resisting British policies.

• The Sons of Liberty often used violence to intimidate any merchant or royal official who might otherwise use the stamps. Go to John Adams scene (pause 1:40, resume 2:40).

• The Daughters of Liberty wove cloth and other products that were usually bought from Britain.

• Of all the colonies, only GA ever issued any of the stamps, prompting SC to threaten the invasion of Savannah.

• The boycotts, and violent responses prompted Britain to repeal the law.

• But the same day they repealed the Stamp Act, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, which stated that Parliament had the authority to impose laws on the colonies. Thus, Britain was telling the colonies that it expected them to comply with British laws whether they felt represented or not.


Rising Tensions in the Colonies• This did not sit well with the colonists. • Many colonies organized groups dedicated to organizing

resistance to British laws, called committees of correspondence. These groups made sure that colonists remained discontent with British rule.

• British troops were sent to Boston, Massachusetts, to put down violent resistance to the Townshend Acts (tax on glass & tea). In March 1770, a small crowd threatened the British soldiers. In what became known as the Boston Massacre, the soldiers opened fire and killed five colonists. Soon after the Boston Massacre, Parliament canceled all the Townshend taxes, except for the duty on tea. (John Adams, 8:00).

• But the plot thickens….


Rising Tensions in the Colonies• In May 1773, the Parliament passed the Tea Act, which allowed

British traders to gain an unfair advantage in the trade of tea. In protest, Massachusetts’s committee of correspondence led a group of radicals who dressed as Mohawk Indians in raiding ships hauling British tea. They threw the crates of tea overboard into Boston harbor. This incident became known as the Boston Tea Party. John Adams- 54:00

• In response, Parliament passed the Coercive Acts (the colonists called them the Intolerable Acts) to punish the colonists.

• These acts closed Boston Harbor and placed Massachusetts under military rule. Also suspended town meetings.


Tar and Feathering

Boston Tea Party (1773)

You Say You Want a Revolution?

• To deal with the developing crisis, representatives from nearly every colony (except GA), gathered for the 1st Continental Congress in Sept, 1774.

• In a statement to the king (Olive Branch Petition), the Congress state their grievances to the king. They wrote that the colonists had a right to be represented in their govt.

• Since the colonists weren’t represented in Parliament, they argued, they were entitled to govern themselves.

• Then in Aril 1775, all hope of a peaceful resolution was lost. Fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord. As British troops were on their way to seize arms and ammo stored by colonists at Concord, Mass, they were met at Lexington by colonial militia (volunteer army).

• It was there that someone fired the “shot heard round the world,” that started the American Revolution.

• Lexington & Concord = 1st Battle of the American Revolution

First Continental Congress (1774)

55 delegates from 12 coloniesAgenda How to respond to the Coercive Acts & the Quebec Act?

1 vote per colony represented.

The British Are Coming . . .

Paul Revere & William Dawes make their midnight ride to warn the Minutemen of approaching British

soldiers.

The Shot Heard ’Round the World!

Lexington & Concord – April 18,1775

AssessmentA colonist wanting to settle new land taken from the French after 1763 would have been most upset about which of the following?

a) The Proclamation of 1763

b) The Stamp Act

c) The Boston Tea Party

d) The Intolerable Acts

Which battles sparked the Revolutionary War? (A) The battles against the Intolerable and Tea Acts(B) The Battles of Lexington and Concord(C) The Boston Massacres(D) The Battles of Lexington and Townshend


Assessment

• Who were the Sons and Daughters of Liberty? How did they contribute to the Revolution?

Common Sense• After the Lexington & Concord, the 2nd Continental

congress met to discuss how to deal with the situation. • Soon after, Common Sense, a pamphlet written by

Thomas Paine, was published. Paine wrote about the importance of armed struggle against the British Empire and about the ideological importance of American independence.

• The pamphlet, written in a simple, direct style, appealed to the American people. Common Sense convinced many readers, including many who had favored a peaceful settlement with the British government, to support a complete—and likely violent—break with Britain.


Thomas Paine: Common Sense

Assessment

• What was Common Sense, and how did it affect the colonists?

Ideology of the American Revolution

• In the 1600s, Europe experienced an Enlightenment- a time characterized by revolutionary ideas in philosophy & political thought.

• Enlightenment thinkers introduced concepts that later helped form American ideas about govt.

• England’s John Locke and France’s Montesquieu were two of the most influential figures of this period.

• John Locke challenged the old view that monarchs possess a God-given right to rule with citizens obligated to obey. He believed that people were born with natural rights, that man was entitled to by birth.

• Natural rights = life, liberty, & property• He also advocated the social contract theory. According to this philosophy,

there is an implied contract between govt and citizens. Citizens have an obligation to submit themselves to laws and govts to serve the common good, but govts have an obligation to rule with the consent of the governed.

• He taught that citizens have a right to overthrow any government that fails to serve the public good. Barbie explains the social contract theory.

http://youtu.be/fOawkqTr2QQ

Ideology of the American Revolution

• Montesquieu believed that the best form of govt was one that featured separation of powers.

• He advocated 3 branches of govt, each with some degree of power over others.

• Each branch of power should have the authority to “check” and “balance” the powers of the others in order to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power. Checks & balances.

• It's a 3-Ring Circus, ya'll! • Leaders in the American Revolution, and the framers of the

Constitution adopted both Locke’s and Montesquieu’s ideas. • Now you read the Declaration of Independence.

http://youtu.be/gLQg7G3hkGY

T.J. is my homeboy• In June 1776, the delegates of the 2nd Continental Congress decided to

declare independence from Great Britain. • John Adam’s promoted the nomination of Thomas Jefferson to prepare a

statement outlining the reasons for separation. • Strongly influenced by Enlightenment ideas, Thomas Jefferson asserted

that all men are created equal and are entitled to inalienable rights (natural rights)- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

• This document became known as the Declaration of Independence. • Delegates of the Continental Congress signed the Dec. of Ind. On July 4,

1776. • T.J. echoed Locke’s idea that all men are entitled to natural rights, and that

governments must derive their power from the consent of the governed, and that if the govt fails to do so, its people have the right to overthrow it.

• The document also listed colonial grievances- how England failed to rule properly.

• It concludes with a formal declaration of independence and signatures of the delegates.

• It's too late to apologize King George!

http://youtu.be/uZfRaWAtBVg

Declaration of Independence

(1776)

Declaration of Independence

Independence Hall

Ideas Behind the Revolution-Assessment

What was the impact of Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense?(A) Common Sense explained “no taxation without representation” to the

British Parliament. (B) Common Sense helped the colonists understand the ancient Greek

system of democracy.(C) Common Sense provided the inspiration for the Olive Branch Petition. (D) Common Sense convinced many readers to support a break with

Britain.

Which of the following writers influenced the Declaration of Independence?(A) Oliver Cromwell(B) Nicolo Machiavelli (C) John Locke(D) Ernest Hemingway


Assessment

• The Enlightenment is best described as what?– The document declaring US independence– A historical period featuring new thoughts on

government & politics– The moment it became clear that the colonies

should declare independence – The ideas of British philosophers

Assessment

• The document formally adopted on July 4, 1776 that made the colonies’ break with Great Britain official is known as what?

• What are “natural rights” and “social contract theory” according to John Locke?

• What role did Thomas Jefferson play in the Declaration of Independence and in what ways did the Enlightenment influence him?

New National Symbols

Battles of the American Revolution Assignment

• Group 1: Battle of Bunker Hill, p. 127-128• Group 2: Crossing the Delaware- New

York, Trenton, & Princeton, 130-131• Group 3: Saratoga, p. 131-132• Group 4: Valley Forge• Group 5: The West, & South, p. 134-136• Group 6: Yorktown, p. 136

Battles of the American Revolution Assignment

British Strengths

British weaknesses

American Strengths

American weaknesses

Outcome of the battle

Marinate on this

• What would happen if the colonists failed?

War for Independence, 1775-1778


Washington Crossing the Delaware

Washington & Lafayette

Fighting for Independence-Assessment

Loyalists were ______________.(A) people loyal to the Patriots’ cause(B) people loyal to Great Britain(C) people loyal to the Native American nations(D) people loyal to Canadian independence

Which victory brought a foreign power to aid the American cause?(A) The Battle of Saratoga(B) The Battle of Trenton (C) The Battle of Bunker Hill(D) The Siege of Boston


Americans Endure Hardships• Although the British had seized New York, Philadelphia, and almost every

other important colonial city, George Washington knew that the Americans would win the war because they had the determination to outlast their rulers.

• A major source of hardship for Washington’s army was the lack of financial support from the Continental Congress. The Congress had very little real power. Congress could ask the states to provide troops, money, and supplies, but without taxation power, it could not force them to do so.

• The civilians suffered hardships too. During the war, the British navy blockaded, or cut off from outside contact, the Atlantic Coast, which severely disrupted American trade.


The Treaty of Paris• Nearly two years passed between the surrender of Cornwallis and the signing of the

peace treaty that ended the war. Four nations were involved: Great Britain, France, Spain, and the United States.

• The Treaty of Paris (1783) contained these major provisions:– Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States of America.– The northern border between the United States and Canada was set from New

England to the Mississippi River, primarily along the Great Lakes.– The Mississippi River was set as the border between the United States and

Spanish territory to the West. Navigation on the river was open to American and British citizens.

– Florida, which Britain had gained from the Spanish, was returned to Spain.– Britain agreed to withdraw its remaining troops from United States territory.– The Congress pledged to recommend to the states that the rights and property of

American Loyalists be restored and that no future action be taken against them.


The Impact of the Revolution• The Revolution did more than establish American independence. It also

helped inspire Americans’ patriotism. Patriotism is the passion that inspires a person to serve his or her country, either in defending it from invasion, or protecting its rights and maintaining its laws or institutions.

• For women, the Revolution did not produce any immediate gains. However, experiences during the war did challenge some of the traditional ideas about women.

• For African Americans the results of the Revolution were mixed. Most northern states abolished slavery, while southern states made slavery more restrictive.

• For Native Americans the war’s outcome was a disaster. The power of the Iroquois League was destroyed, and Americans justified their attacks on Cherokees, Shawnees, and other Indians by pointing out these nations’ support for the British.

• Perhaps the greatest effect of the Revolution was to spread the idea of liberty, both at home and abroad. Thomas Jefferson’s assertion that “all men are created equal” has provided justification to many groups in their struggles for equal rights.


Winning Independence-Assessment

Who was the Virginian chosen to command the American Continental Army during the Revolutionary War? A) George WashingtonB) Lord CornwallisC) Benjamin FranklinD) Marquis de Lafayette

The peace treaty that ended the war was called ___________________.(A) the Treaty of Yorktown(B) the Treaty of Cornwallis(C) the Treaty of Saratoga(D) the Treaty of Paris


Assessment

• Which of the following battles involved a daring late night crossing of the Delaware River that resulted in a much needed victory for the Continental Army and gave the Americans hope that the war could be won? – A) Saratoga– B) Valley Forge– C) Yorktown– D) Trenton

Assessment

• Describe George Washington as a military leader and discuss some of the challenges faced when building the Continental Army.

• In what ways did the French contribute to the Revolution’s success?

Works Cites

• http://www.pptpalooza.net/: Ms. Susan M. Pojer, Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

• America: Pathways to the Present (2005), Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall

the road to independence: (1770-1776) chapter 4

Documents