Uniting the Colonists

Coach MedfordBuilding History Champions

Objectives

• Describe the causes for the development of conflict between Britain and the colonies

• Explain the consequences of that conflict and how it motivated colonial leaders and others to act

• Draw conclusions about tensions between the colonists and the British that led up to the Boston Massacre

Thoughts

• I think the colonists would unite together if the British ……

• I think the Boston Tea Party was a direct result of the …..

Questions

• How did the American colonists react to the Boston Massacre?

• Who was the first colonist killed by the British.• How did the British government react to the

actions of the colonists?

1768

• Parliament receives word that the colonies are about to rebel – reject British authority

• British Parliament sends additional troops to Boston

• Colonists feel this violates their rights and certain laws have violated their rights

• Redcoats are rude, poor, and compete with Bostonians for jobs

Boston Massacre How does Paul Revere depict the events of the Boston Massacre?

What events would lead the British to fire into a a crowd running away?

What else made Paul Revere famous?

Violence in the Streets

• March 5, 1770 violence erupts in Boston • Fight between Bostonians and soldiers • Colonists throw bottles, snowballs and various

objects at Private White• Private White request back up • Colonists begin to taunt more soldiers yelling

fire – church bells ring which represents a fire in the town, more people take to the streetss

People shout

• “We did not sent for you. We will not have you here. We’ll get rid of you, we’ll drive you away!”

• “Come on, you rascals, you bloody backs, you lobster scoundrels, fire, if you dare.”

• “Are the inhabitants to be knocked down in the streets? Are they to be murdered?”

How would these comments make you feel if they were directed to you?

Boston Massacre

• Eventually the British get nervous and fire• Five colonists killed• First killed was Crispus Attacks, a dockworker

who was part African and part Native American• Colonists call this encounter the Boston

Massacre • John Adams defends the British Soldiers in

court

Boston Massacre Does this engraving accurately depict the events that took place?

This pictures spreads through the colonies. Why would Sam Adams and Paul Revere depict the event this way?

Looking at the picture as a colonist; would you be more or less likely to take up arms against Britain?

Did the picture work?

Spreading the Word

• Colonial leaders use the killings as propaganda – information designed to influence opinion

• Samuel Adams puts up posters describing the Boston Massacre as a slaughter of innocent Americans

• Stronger boycott of British goods results• Parliament repels the Townshend Acts, except

on teaHow does the artists depict the Tea Act?

Committee of Correspondence

• 1772 – Samuel Adams revives the Boston committee of correspondence, a group of protestors

• Other colonies begin their own committees of correspondence

• Colonies begin to unite together as protestors of British measures

Explain how the Boston Massacre affected the relations between the colonists and Britain. Use evidence from the notes.

British East India Company

• Vital to British economy• To help save company, Parliament passes the

Tea Act• Reduces taxes on tea, but forces colonists to

buy tea from the company• Colonists do not want to pay taxes or be told

what to do• Colonists vow to prevent the company from

unloading their ships Boston Harbor – By P. Revere

Rather than parting with freedom. “We’ll part with our tea” – Daughters of Liberty

Boston Tea Party

• East India Company continues to send tea to the colonies

• Colonist in New York and Philadelphia force the ships to turn around

• 1773 – Governor of Boston orders ships to be unloaded

• December 16, at midnight, colonists (mostly the Sons of Liberty) dressed as Native Americans, throw 342 chest of tea overboard

Results of the Tea Party

• Colonists celebrate this as a victory • Most colonists do not speak out against the

British, they still see themselves as British citizens

Explain why you believe that the colonists still saw themselves as British. Where there benefits to being British citizens? Where there drawbacks?

Intolerable Acts

• King George realizes Britain is losing control of the colonies “We must either master them or totally leave them to themselves.”

• 1774 – Parliament passes the Coercive Acts to punish the colonists

• One part of the act allowed British troops to stay in homes of colonists

Massachusetts & the Coercive Acts

• Bans town meetings in Massachusetts• Closed Boston Harbor• Stopped the shipments of foods and goods• Tried to cut Massachusetts of from the other

colonies• It backfired and brought the colonies together• Colonies send food and other goods• Quebec Act – creates a Canadian government and

gives them land in the Ohio River ValleyHow is the Quebec Act a slap in the face of the colonists?

Review Questions

• List the affects of the Coercive Acts on the Citizens of Boston.

• How did Samuel Adams and Paul Revere use propaganda to rally colonists after the Boston Massacre?

• Explain how the British punished the colonists for the Boston Tea Party.

• Why do you think John Adams defended the British troops?

Homework

• Create a picture, pamphlet or newspaper article showing support or reservations of how the acts affect your life as a colonists