The Spirit of The Spirit of IndependenceIndependence

THINK ABOUT THISTHINK ABOUT THIS??

The King of England started to tax the The King of England started to tax the colonists for different reasons.colonists for different reasons.

The colonists didn’t want to pay the taxes The colonists didn’t want to pay the taxes

WHAT IS A TAX?WHAT IS A TAX?

– A fee imposed by the A fee imposed by the government people MUST pay.government people MUST pay.

The Colonies & Britain Grow The Colonies & Britain Grow ApartApart

During the French & During the French & Indian War, colonies & Indian War, colonies & Britain fought side by Britain fought side by side.side.

Proclamation of 1763Proclamation of 1763 – no colonists could settle no colonists could settle

west of the Appalachian west of the Appalachian MountainsMountains

Proclamation Line

ORV

King George IIIKing George IIIKing George IIIKing George III,, the British King the British King during the Revolutionary Warduring the Revolutionary War– wanted to enforce the Proclamation so wanted to enforce the Proclamation so

he sent 10,000 British troops into the he sent 10,000 British troops into the colonies.colonies.

Sugar Act & Quartering ActSugar Act & Quartering Act1764 Parliament passed the 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar ActSugar Act– This put a tax on sugar & molasses This put a tax on sugar & molasses

brought into America brought into America (used to cook)(used to cook)

1765 Parliament passed the 1765 Parliament passed the Quartering ActQuartering Act– This required colonist to house, feed, & This required colonist to house, feed, &

provide supplies for British soldiersprovide supplies for British soldiers

WHY?WHY? – Britain had a large debt from the French & Britain had a large debt from the French &

Indian War and needed $$$$.Indian War and needed $$$$.

Taxation Without RepresentationTaxation Without Representation

Many colonists claimed Many colonists claimed Parliament (British Parliament (British government) government) had no right to tax the colonists had no right to tax the colonists without asking permission.without asking permission.– Colonists were not represented in Parliament.Colonists were not represented in Parliament.

““No Taxation Without Representation!”No Taxation Without Representation!”

Stamp ActStamp Act1765 Parliament passed the 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp ActStamp Act– all legal & commercial documents must have all legal & commercial documents must have

an official stamp showing a tax had been paid an official stamp showing a tax had been paid on the documenton the document

Ex: newspapers, diplomas, contracts, playing cardsEx: newspapers, diplomas, contracts, playing cards

Colonial merchants organized a Colonial merchants organized a boycottboycott of British goods as a of British goods as a result of the Stamp Act.result of the Stamp Act.– BoycottBoycott is a refusal to buy goods is a refusal to buy goods

Many colonists formed secret societies to Many colonists formed secret societies to oppose British rule.oppose British rule.– Sons of LibertySons of Liberty

staged protests against the actsstaged protests against the acts

Samuel AdamsSamuel Adams was their leader was their leader

1767 the 1767 the Townshend ActsTownshend Acts passed passed– placed taxes on goods the colonists used placed taxes on goods the colonists used

daily daily glass, paper, paint, lead and teaglass, paper, paint, lead and tea

Sons of Liberty / Townshend ActsSons of Liberty / Townshend Acts

Boston MassacreBoston Massacre

In In 17701770– British soldiers and colonists began British soldiers and colonists began

shouting insults, then throwing snowballs shouting insults, then throwing snowballs at each otherat each other

– A fight broke out and British soldiers fired A fight broke out and British soldiers fired

– 5 Americans died5 Americans died

– Crispus AttucksCrispus Attucks

The Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre

Crispus Attucks?Crispus Attucks?

Tea ActTea Act1773 Parliament passed 1773 Parliament passed Tea ActTea Act– A tax put on tea brought into the A tax put on tea brought into the

coloniescolonies

Samuel Adams began to form Samuel Adams began to form committees of correspondencecommittees of correspondence– groups who exchanged letters and groups who exchanged letters and

information on colonial affairsinformation on colonial affairs

Boston Tea PartyBoston Tea Party

As a result of the As a result of the Tea ActTea Act, colonists , colonists dressed up to look like dressed up to look like Mohawk Mohawk IndiansIndians– They boarded British ships carrying goods

into the Boston Harbor

– dumped only the tea from the ships into the Boston Harbor – 342 chests of tea (about 1 million dollars worth in today’s money)

The tea party is an example of The tea party is an example of civil civil disobedience disobedience

The rioters underlined their “pure” political The rioters underlined their “pure” political motives by punishing those who sought motives by punishing those who sought personal gain; a Son of Liberty who stole personal gain; a Son of Liberty who stole some of the tea was “stripped of his booty some of the tea was “stripped of his booty and his clothes together, and sent home and his clothes together, and sent home naked.” naked.”

The Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party

Other Acts of DisobedienceOther Acts of Disobedience

Is this an example of

“civil disobedience”?

Intolerable ActsIntolerable Acts

A series of laws passed by Parliament in A series of laws passed by Parliament in 17741774

Intolerable ActsIntolerable Acts (Coercive Acts) (Coercive Acts) – Closed the port of BostonClosed the port of Boston– Made town meetings illegalMade town meetings illegal– Had to house British troopsHad to house British troops– British officials could go to Britain to go on trialBritish officials could go to Britain to go on trial

Chamber pots with figures in them. (Napolean)

First Continental CongressFirst Continental Congress

Delegates (members) from all colonies Delegates (members) from all colonies met in Philadelphia, PAmet in Philadelphia, PA

First Continental CongressFirst Continental Congress– Agreed to begin training troops for warAgreed to begin training troops for war

– Wanted to fight for colonists rights & Wanted to fight for colonists rights & independenceindependence

– Banned trade with BritainBanned trade with Britain

TO ARMS!!TO ARMS!!By the end of 1774, colonists began to By the end of 1774, colonists began to prepare for a warprepare for a war– MilitiaMilitia – force of armed civilians ready to fight – force of armed civilians ready to fight

for their country.for their country.– MinutemenMinutemen – civilian men ready to – civilian men ready to

act at a minute’s warningact at a minute’s warning– RedcoatsRedcoats – nickname for British – nickname for British

soldierssoldiers

Paul ReverePaul Revere

Paul ReverePaul Revere – rode to rode to LexingtonLexington and and ConcordConcord

(Massachusetts) (Massachusetts)

– British troopsBritish troops were going to attack militia and steal were going to attack militia and steal artilleryartillery

wanted to capture Hancock and Adams

““The British are coming, the The British are coming, the British are coming!!”British are coming!!”

Paul Revere’s RidePaul Revere’s Ride

Lexington and ConcordLexington and Concord

British troops found about 70 minutemen British troops found about 70 minutemen waiting.waiting.

Shots were fired…the war had begunShots were fired…the war had begun– ‘‘the shot heard round the world’the shot heard round the world’– the the first battlesfirst battles of the Revolutionary War of the Revolutionary War

Patriots and LoyalistsPatriots and Loyalists

Those who supported the Those who supported the British in the war were British in the war were called called LoyalistsLoyalists..

Those who supported Those who supported the colonists (rebels) in the colonists (rebels) in the war were called the war were called PatriotsPatriots..

The Continental ArmyThe Continental Army

The The Continental ArmyContinental Army began to formbegan to form– army of colonists fighting army of colonists fighting

for independencefor independence– Over 20,000 militiamen Over 20,000 militiamen

showed up in Bostonshowed up in Boston

George WashingtonGeorge Washington– Commanding GeneralCommanding General

Battle of Bunker HillBattle of Bunker Hill

British soldiers forced the militia off British soldiers forced the militia off the hill in a very bloody battlethe hill in a very bloody battle– 1,000 British killed or wounded1,000 British killed or wounded– 400 militiamen killed400 militiamen killed

British redcoats British redcoats won this battle won this battle

“Don’t fire ‘til you see the whites of their eyes!”

Thomas PaineThomas PaineThomas PaineThomas Paine wrote a pamphlet called wrote a pamphlet called Common SenseCommon Sense– a complete break away from England was

necessary– sold 120,000 in 3 months “Every thing

that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'tis time to part.”

Opposition to SeparationOpposition to Separation

“ “ America is far from being yet in a America is far from being yet in a desperate situation. I am confident she may desperate situation. I am confident she may obtain honourable and advantageous terms obtain honourable and advantageous terms from Great Britain” from Great Britain”

- Charles Inglis- Charles Inglis

Let’s Declare Independence!Let’s Declare Independence!

At the Second Continental Congress a group At the Second Continental Congress a group was chosen to draft a document called the was chosen to draft a document called the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence

On On July 4, 1776July 4, 1776 (Independence Day) (Independence Day) Congress adoptedCongress adopted– Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson

wrote in 17 dayswrote in 17 days

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence

What’s in the What’s in the Declaration?Declaration?– unalienable rightsunalienable rights

– Reasons for Reasons for separating from separating from BritainBritain

– Declared colonies Declared colonies to be free and to be free and independent statesindependent states

Unalienable RightsUnalienable Rights

Unalienable right Unalienable right – a right that cannot be taken awaya right that cannot be taken away

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Debate Over IndependenceDebate Over Independence

Not all were in favor of Independence Not all were in favor of Independence (video links)(video links)

The The RoadRoad to the Revolution to the Revolution

The Proclamation

of 1763

Revolutionary War begins

1775

Stamp Act

1765

Townshend Acts

1767

Boston Massacre

1770

Tea Act

1773

Boston Tea Party

1773

Intolerable Acts

1774

First Continental Congress

1774

Battles of Lexington &

Concord

1775

Declaration of Independence

written

1776