The Road to The Road to RevolutionRevolution1744-17761744-1776

Was it really a revolution they were looking for?

What is REVOLUTION?What is REVOLUTION?

• Take a few minutes and jot down your thoughts

– What is a revolution?

– When should a group of people revolt?

– Do revolutions always involve force?

Two ViewsTwo Views• “In this period, the Colonies rebelled against the British Empire

and entered into the American Revolutionary War, also referred to (especially in Britain) as the American War of Independence, between 1775 and 1783. This culminated in an American Declaration of Independence in 1776, and victory on the battlefield in 1781” – Wikipedia

• Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the hearts and the minds of the people…This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affectations of the people was the real American Revolution.– John Adams, 1818

• "A salient feature of our Revolution was that its animating purpose was deeply conservative. The colonials revolted against British rule in order to keep things the way they were, not to initiate a new era." – Modern Historian

What to Walk Away WithWhat to Walk Away With

• How & why did the Seven Years’ War (French & Indian War) sow the seeds for the American Revolution?

• What were the differences between the mother country and the Americans concerning the role & status of the colonies in the British Empire?

• In what ways did the protests against Britain affect social and political relations within the colonies?

• How did American protest leaders manage to unite thirteen diverse colonies?

British North AmericaBritish North America• 1750 – 1754: French & British vie for

dominance in North America– Skirmishes in Ohio Valley

• 21 yr. old Washington shows up

– Matches escalation in other parts of the world– 1754: Albany Plan of Union

• “United we stand” plan devised largely by Ben Franklin• Failed colonial leg. Didn’t want to lose autonomy (esp.

over taxation)• BUT, gave voice to an idea that the colonies should unite

and stand together NOT the common view at the time

Ben Franklin’s PaperBen Franklin’s Paper

French & Indian WarFrench & Indian War1754-17601754-1760

• aka The Seven Years’ War• Really driven by events elsewhere

– Becomes major clash between French & British in N. America

• Braddock (Br. General)– Thinks poorly of both colonists & Indians– Loses 900 at Ft. Dusquense– French were able to halt colonial expansion into Ohio R.V. and

prevent much aid to the British regulars

• Most Nat. Am. threw in with the French– WHY? WHY? WHY?

• Several key defeats– By 1757, Britain looked like it would lose war ON ALL FRONTS!

The Tide Turns…The Tide Turns…

• 2 Key Developments– Iroquois & most Ohio Indians withdraw

support from French troops– William Pitt takes over military stuff in

Parliament• “I know that I can save this country and that no

one else can.”• Mobilized colonial support HOW?• Immediate impact

– War is over by 1760– Washington is a war hero!

Bye, Bye France, 1760-1763!Bye, Bye France, 1760-1763!

• 7 Years’ War not over elsewhere until 1763• Treaty of Paris, 1763

– Fr. Gives up all land east of Mississippi R. except New Orleans

– Cuba goes to Spain, Florida goes to Britain– Louisiana goes to Spain (WHY?)

• Fr. Left with little (fishing off Newfoundland, several sugar producing islands in West Indies

• 5% of Canada’s Fr. Pop. Deported to British colonies• Anti-French, anti-Catholic prejudice

– Arcadians move to Louisiana (become Cajuns)

Parliament ActsParliament Acts• End of “salutary neglect”

• Reign of George III (1760-1820)– & his new Prime Minister, Lord George Grenville

• Become more active to– Raise revenue (pay for wars, pay for empire)– Force colonists to buy more British goods– End smuggling & violation of laws– End acts of defiance & protest

• Creates a huge swell of resentment within the colonies

The Proclamation of 1763The Proclamation of 1763

• In response to “Pontiac’s Rebellion”

• Asserts the “DIRECT CONTROL” of the crown over all non-natives west of the Appalachian Mtns.

• Slow pace of expansion & make more organized

• Prevent some hostilities with Nat. Am.

• Justifies leaving 10,000 troops in Colonies

• Recognizes a whole bunch of Nat. Am. territorial claims

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Unhappy & defiant

• Many simply ignored it and moved west anyway

• Generally more upset on frontier than on coast

• Limited response mostly general dissatisfaction

The Sugar Act (1764)The Sugar Act (1764)aka Revenue Act of 1764aka Revenue Act of 1764

• Placed duties (taxes) on foreign sugar & some luxury items

• Main purpose: raise revenue for the crown

• Also, allowed stricter enforcement of Navigation Acts

• People accused of smuggling could be tried in admiralty courts king-appointed judges w/no juries

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Weak response overall

• Burden fell mostly on MA, PA, NY

• Highlighted & raised awareness of new directions in Parliament

The Quartering Act (1765)The Quartering Act (1765)

• Required colonists to provide food & living quarters for British soldiers stationed in colonies

• Think about it they are here for your protection, you need to kick in some support!

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Not much specific

response• HOWEVER, contributes

to general feeling of government imposing on colonists

• Aroused general suspicion of gov’t

The Stamp Act (1765)The Stamp Act (1765)

• Purpose: raise money to fund British forts in the colonies

• Similar to an act long in use in England

• Required a stamp (proof of tax) on all printed goods

– Incl. newspapers, wills, business docs, pamphlets, advertisements, playing cards, etc

• FIRST DIRECT TAX• Not particularly high

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• 1st WIDESPREAD colonial

reaction!• Stamp Act Congress (New

York, 1765)– Christopher Gadsden

(SC) “There ought to be no New England Man, no New Yorker known on the continent, but all of us Americans”

The Stamp Act (1765)The Stamp Act (1765)Continued…Continued…

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse

• Patrick Henry’s speech to VA House of Burgesses (May 1765)– Resonated outside political elites; sporadic contagious

violence– Boston set pace – Poor economic conditions blamed on

Parl. & Sugar Act• Issue of virtual representation vs. direct

representation• 1st real cooperative effort among the colonies• Parliament repeals Act; issues Declaratory Act

which colonists deliberately interpret differently than intended by House of Commons

• Distinct sense of relief that immediate tension was over – loyalty to “Old England”

The Declaratory Act (1766)The Declaratory Act (1766)

• PM Grenville replaced– Political party change

• Parl. repeals Stamp Act– Not really b/c of the

colonists

• Decl. Act “face-saving measure”– Asserts Parliament’s

right to tax & make laws “in all cases whatsoever”

– i.e. colonial obj. to Stamp Act were baseless

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Widespread rejoicing

about repeal

• Felt like a victory

• Promptly ignored & deliberately misinterpreted the Declaratory Act

The Townshend Acts (1767)The Townshend Acts (1767)

• Charles Townshend– New Chancellor of the

Exchequer– New economic policies to

raise revenue• New duties on imports (like

tea, glass, paper)– Would be used to pay crown

officials in colonies– So what? – Allowed search of

suspected smugglers homes with only a Writ of Assistance (not a warrant)

– Suspended NY Assembly for defiance of Quartering Act

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Initially, little response

– Paid by merchants• Dickenson (PA), S. Adams

(MA) & Otis (MA) stir things up– Argue against new duties– LETTERS FROM A FARMER IN

PENNSYLVANIA (Dickenson)• Argues “No taxation w/o

representation”– MA Circular Letter (Adams &

Otis)• Tries to convince colonies to

petition Parl.• Ordered to retract letter• Prompts a series of boycotts

(esp. in Boston)

• Increase in smuggling

The Townshend Acts (1767)The Townshend Acts (1767)Continued…Continued…

• Back in England…• Another political party

switch– New PM Lord Frederick

North

• 1770 -- Repeals most Townshend taxes– WHY?– Didn’t generate enough

money & hurt trade

• Kept SMALL tax on tea as symbolic of Parliament’s power

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Not directly related,

but…• Boston Massacre

– Already a lot of tension in Boston

• Gaspee Incident– British customs ship

runs aground– Bunch of radical

colonists remove crew, destroy ship

– Suspects brought to Britain for trial

The Tea Act (1773)The Tea Act (1773)

• Already a boycott on British tea from before

• British East India Company struggling

• Parl. Passes law which lowers price of tea below Dutch smuggled tea

• Grants BEIC a monopoly on tea sales

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Colonists not buying…

literally– Even at lower price

• Boston Tea Party– Shipment of tea arrives– No buyers, so sitting in

harbor– SONS OF LIBERTY dress

up as Native Americans & dump 342 crates of tea into harbor

• Some colonists in favor• Some thought

destruction of private property WAY too radical

The Quebec Act (1774)The Quebec Act (1774)

• Law reorganizing Canadian lands gained from France

• Est. Roman Cath. As official rel. of Quebec

• Set up gov. W/O rep. assembly

• Extends boundary to OHIO RIVER

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Generally accepted by

most French-Canadians

• Widely resented in the 13 colonies

• Viewed as a direct attack on the colonies b/c of boundary extension

The Coercive Acts (1774)The Coercive Acts (1774)

• In DIRECT response to Boston Tea Party

• Closes Boston Harbor (Port Act• Reduced power of MA Leg. & incr.

power of Governor (MA Gov’t Act)• Royal officials charged with crimes

to be tried in England (Admin. of Justice Act)

• Expanded Quartering Act to extend to private homes applied to all colonies

• Meant to coerce the colonies into obedience

• Meant to make Boston’s punishment so severe that other colonies would fall into line

Parliament’s Parliament’s ActionsActions

Colonial Colonial ResponseResponse• Called the “Intolerable Acts”

• Many of the colonies passed resolutions supporting Boston & MA

• Pushes many to send delegates to meeting

– Later known as the 1st Continental Congress

– Radicals: P. Henry, J. Adams, S. Adams– Moderates: G. Washington, J. Dickenson– Conservatives: J.Jay, J. Galloway– NOT REPRESENTED: Loyalists

– Suffolk Resolves: Boycotts & build up military reserves

– Declaration of Rights & Grievances (called on the king to redress these issues

– If nothing fixed, new convention to meet in May 1775

King ignores Declaration of Rights & Grievances

Declares MA in a state of rebellion

Early Colonial ReactionsEarly Colonial Reactions

• Sporadic, uncoordinated BUT sets up certain ideals

• For example…– 1761: James Otis challenges the Writs of

Assistance in MA Supreme Court• Loses but raises idea of consitutionality of laws• Parliament can change constitution since it is part of

the process of creating it on a regular basis• Parliament CANNOT change/abridge the “rights of

Englishmen” & we can ignore laws which violate those rights

(Chapter 5)(Chapter 5) Indian-British Indian-British Diplomacy, 1764Diplomacy, 1764

(Chapter 5)(Chapter 5) Edenton Ladies’ Edenton Ladies’ Tea PartyTea Party