Unit Four: Road to Revolution

Colonial Tensions

The Intolerable or Coercive Acts of 1774

• In response to the Boston Tea Party and other incidents, Parliament passed the Intolerable or Coercive Acts of 1774 meant to directly punish the colonies especially Boston.

• The Intolerable Acts were actually a series of five laws: Second Quartering Act, Quebec Act ,Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, Boston Port Act.

The Intolerable or Coercive Acts of 1774

• The Intolerable Acts closed Boston Harbor (until tea destroyed was repaid), shutdown the colonial courts in Massachusetts, did not allow any local government or town meetings, forced Bostonians to quarter (house) soldiers, and stretched the Canadian border to the Ohio River.

• All of the other colonies felt for Massachusetts and Boston, which cemented a patriotic feeling among the colonists for “their” fellow colonials.

Take Your Medicine

First Continental Congress • In 1774 to address the growing tensions

between the American Colonies and the British Parliament an Intercolonial meeting was called in Philadelphia at Carpenter’s Hall called the First Continental Congress .

• All the colonies but Georgia sent delegates to the meeting.

• The delegates met to discuss their problems and how to fix them without going to war.

First Continental Congress• The delegates agreed to the Suffolk Resolves

from Massachusetts stating that the Intolerable Acts were illegal, no taxes to be paid to the British, formation and arming of militias (minutemen) and a general boycott of British goods to be run by the Continental Association.

• The Continental Congress added to these that Colonists had the right to natural rights and Parliament had no right to tax, they were compound in the Declaration and Resolves or Declaration of Rights and Grievances. (mostly a list of complaints)

• It was not a declaration of Independence or war, but was a very bold statement to Parliament and George III.

First Continental Congress• The First Continental Congress also debated the

formation of a central government by Joseph Galloway (Galloway Plan) like proposed by the Albany Plan of Union, but was tabled (not discussed anymore).

• The First Continental Congress agreed to meet again a year from then and assess if their complaints had been heard and fixed and if not what steps to take from there.

• After receiving the document from the Colonies, George III stated that “The New England colonies are in a state of rebellion, blows must decide.”

Preparations • The people of Massachusetts chose to

defy the Intolerable Act and formed a Provincial Congress and a Committee of Safety headed by John Hancock to lead the militia.

• Also Virginia discussed the possibilities of War and the creation of a Committee of Safety with Patrick Henry’s Treason Speech as the prime example with his famous statement “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”.

“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

The Revolution Begins • To gain back control over the Massachusetts

colony the Royal Military Governor Thomas Gage sent a unit of 700 soldiers in 1775 to Lexington (to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock) and to Concord (to acquire a small arsenal of arms).

• While the army was marching Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott went on a midnight ride to warn Adams, Hancock, and to raise the minutemen to arms.

• Both Adams and Hancock escaped and a small militia force was alarmed to wait for the British in Lexington.

The Midnight Ride • Revere setup a

signal system in the North Church for one lantern by land or two if by sea to warn the militia, because the British are coming, the British are coming.

Shot Heard Round the World • A unit of seventy minutemen (mostly 17 to

18 year old boys) commanded by Captain John Parker waited for the British on Lexington Common.

• The Minutemen were instructed to “Lay down your arms, you ____ rebels, and disperse”, which the minutemen began to do.

• At that time someone fired a shot known as the “shot heard round the world” starting the Revolutionary War.

Shot Heard Round the World

Chose a Side • At the time of the start of the Revolutionary war

people had to chose a side Patriot or Tory.• A Patriot or Whig was a person fighting for their

independence and the creation of a new nation or was a rebel committing treason against England.

• A Tory or Royalist was a person who aided the hated British or was a Loyalist who was a loyal subject of their country and crown.

• Many people chose to be neutral hoping that the conflict would not bother them at all.

• During the conflict about a 1/3 were Patriots, 1/3 Tory, and 1/3 Neutral, so there was not a general unity over the conflict.

Revolutionary War • From 1775 to 1783 when the war ended

America fought bloody battles to win Independence from England.

• The Revolutionary War was not a war with England, but also a civil war between the colonials who were loyal and not.

• The conflict incorporated many nations, the natives, and colonials making it truly a conflict that affected the history of the Western World.