Prelude to Revolution:
Changing Attitudes
US History
Libertyville HS
Changing Attitudes after 1763

British view
• We’re the most
powerful country in
the world!
• These colonists love
us!
• That war was
expensive –
especially in colonies
Changing Attitudes after 1763




Britain had bad
recession
British Parliament
began enforcing laws,
taxes against colonists
British permanently
stationed troops in
colonies
Colonists free of
French, Indian threat
Count Vergennes, Oracle

Count Vergennes –
French negotiator of
treaty ending F & I
(7 yrs) War
“Delivered from a neighbor they have always
feared, your other colonies will soon discover they
stand no longer in need of your protection. You
will call on them to contribute toward supporting
the burden which they have helped to bring on
you; they will answer by shaking off all
dependence.” (1763, to British negotiator)
Changing Attitudes after 1763

Three most important
changes:
• “Salutary Neglect”
stopped
• Proclamation Line of
1763 established
• British permanently
station troops in
America
Changing Attitudes: “Salutary
Neglect”
Policy whereby British Government did
not enforce existing laws or taxes
against colonists until after 1763
Why?!
Because economic
times were good!
Changing Attitudes: Salutary
Neglect

Example of salutary
neglect
• Navigation Acts of
1650



Laws of commerce
within British Empire
Included taxes that
colonists were to pay
on imports and exports
Salutary Neglect:
NEVER ENFORCED BY
PARLIAMENT b/c Brits
were making money
off the trade itself
Changing Attitudes: Salutary
Neglect

1763 – British
began enforcing
Navigation Acts
• Colonists reaction:
new and unjust tax
• British reaction:
you are spoiled!
• Strict enforcement
= mistake (why?)
Changing Attitudes: Cause of
Salutary Neglect

British Generosity!
• Salutary neglect –
British didn’t
enforce taxes on
books for
100+years
• Home Rule –
British gave
colonists incredible
freedom to make
rules for selves
• Once gone =
resentment!
Changing Attitudes: Proclamation
Line




Imaginary line drawn
along Appalachian
Mountains
British government tells
colonists that Indians
are to stay to the West
of the Line and Colonists
to the East
British government also
requires any trading
across line to be
submitted to them
British erect line of forts
along Line to enforce
law
Changing Attitudes: Stationing
Troops



Tarring &
Feathering

British permanently
station 20,000 troops
in America
Message = ???
Mission
• Protect tax collectors
• Enforce Proclamation
Line
• Protect colonists from
Indians (and visa versa)
Troops’ presence
angers colonists
Changing Attitudes: British
Taxation

External Taxes
•
•
•
•

Sugar cane field
workers
Internal Taxes
•
•
•
•

Import tax
Paid by merchants
Example: Sugar tax
Most popular tax
Similar to sales tax
Paid by everyone
Example: Stamp tax
Least popular tax
British Monopolies
• Only Brits could sell these
goods
• Example: Clothing, tea
Changing Attitudes: So what’s the
Big Deal?

Changing attitude of
American colonists
• Pre F & I War: We want
rights that all
Englishmen are
guaranteed
• Post F & I War: We
want rights that are
guaranteed to all MEN

This is HUGE!:
American identification
shifting away from
Brits
“Free Born Englishman” – political
cartoon
Changing Attitudes: So what’s the
Big Deal?


Protesting the Stamp Act, 1765
Revolution is not
about money
Colonists upset about
loss of real (or
perceived) rights and
freedoms
•
•
•
•
•
•
Home Rule
Tax enforcement
Troops quartered
Limits on trade
Limits on expansion
LIMITS!!!!!
Quartering of troops
Leading to War
Sugar Act of 1764
Stamp Act of 1765
Declaratory Act
Townsend Duties of 1767
Boston Massacre
Boston Tea Party
Coercive (“Intolerable”) Acts