Causes of the
American
Revolution
September 3, 2014
Standard: SS8H3 – The student will analyze the role of Georgia in the
American Revolution
Remember…
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Georgia was now a royal colony, subject to
the rule of the King of England (Great
Britain)
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George II had passed away, so his son, George
III, was now king.
Anti-British sentiment was growing among
some people in Georgia and the rest of the
British colonies
The French and Indian War
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The war started as a result of disputes that had
been brewing between the French and British for
over 50 years
The 2 main causes of the war were greed for the
most land in the New World and the fear that one
country would gain more power than the other
Both had alliances with many Native American
tribes in North America
Beginnings of the French and Indian
War
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The tension between the
two countries increased
when both claimed the
Ohio River Valley
In 1753, a young George
Washington was sent to
warn the French to stop
building forts there
When those demands
were ignored, Washington
went again with troops
The Siege of Fort Duquesne
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Washington went to Fort Duquesne, a French fort
near present-day Pittsburgh
He built his own fort called Fort Necessity
Washington’s men attacked Fort Duquesne and
the French surrendered
Later, the French attacked Fort Necessity
Washington was out-numbered and had to
surrender
The war had begun, and spread to Europe, where
it was known as the Seven Years’ War
The War in America
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The British suffered several big losses in the
colonies and in Europe
However, in 1757, the British were able to capture
the French cities of Quebec and Montreal (in
present-day Canada)
Washington attacked Fort Duquesne again in
1758, and won
The Ohio River Valley came under total British
control
The Treaty of Paris of 1763
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The Treaty of Paris of 1763 officially ended the
French and Indian War
As a result of the treaty, Georgia’s boundary was
extended west to the Mississippi River
The British gained control of Canada (previously
French)
All lands east of the Mississippi River were
opened to settlement
Florida became a British colony
The Proclamation of 1763
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Even though the Treaty of Paris of 1763 opened up all lands
east of the Mississippi River for colonization, King George III
issued the Proclamation of 1763
It stated that colonists could not move any farther west than
the Appalachian Mountains
It also moved Georgia’s southern border to the St. Mary’s
River
Many colonists began moving to Georgia because of the
larger area
However, others in the colonies were not happy with the ban
on open land past the Appalachians
Taxation by the British
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As a result of the French and Indian War,
the British were left with a huge war debt
They decided to tax the American colonists
to cover those expenses
Stamp Act
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In 1765, the British passed the Stamp Act
This placed a tax on newspapers, legal
documents, and licenses
The colonists were not happy with this
A Congress met in Boston to speak against the
Stamp Act
Colonists in Georgia also came to together to
speak against the Act
It was repealed a year later
Intolerable Acts
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To punish the colonies for the Boston Tea Party
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Among other things, the Acts closed the Port of Boston,
which affected Massachusetts’ economy
They were aimed at Massachusetts, but affected
all colonies
In 1774, a Continental Congress was organized to
protest the Acts
The Congress agreed to boycott Great Britain and
stop all trade with them
Anti-British Sentiment in Georgia
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Georgia did not send a representative to the
Continental Congress because the colony was
still dependent on Britain for money
However, in 1774, a group of Georgians met to
discuss their reaction to the Intolerable Acts
They decided to send a letter to Britain to demand
the same rights as people living in Britain (after
all, they still considered themselves British)
In 1775, a group met in Savannah to discuss
unhappiness with Britain, but not much got done
The American Revolution Begins
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In 1775, British soldiers tried to capture Colonial
Generals and seize gunpowder from the colonists
The Colonists were warned, however, by the
famous ride of Paul Revere
As the British soldiers arrived in Lexington,
Massachusetts, they were met by colonial militias
A shot was fired, “the shot heard ‘round the
world”, and the Revolutionary War had started
Loyalists and Patriots
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During the Revolution, there were 2 groups
of people in the colonies
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Loyalists (Tories, British Royalists, or King’s
Friends) were loyal to King George III and Britain
Patriots (Whigs, Liberty Boys, Colonials) were
those who were ready to cut ties with the King
and Britain
Declaration of Independence
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Shortly after the war started, a group called
the Second Continental Congress met and
wrote the Declaration of Independence
It was approved on July 4, 1776
It was mainly written by Thomas Jefferson,
and divided into 3 parts
It meant that the colonies were now one
nation, separate from the rule of Great
Britain
The 3 Parts of the Declaration
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Part One: The Preamble (Introduction)
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Part Two: Grievances (Complaints)
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Stated how the colonists felt about democracy
27 complaints against King George III and his
government that led to the fight for independence
Part Three: Conclusion
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Declared the colonies to be an independent
nation for now and the future
Reaction in Georgia
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When the Declaration of Independence
was read in Georgia, many were excited
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Many who were still loyal to King George III
decided to return to Britain
Georgians began to prepare for war by
sending food and ammunition to the
Continental Army
Questions:
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1) What are the 2 main causes of
the French and Indian War?
2) What area was disputed during
the French and Indian War?
3) What was the name given to
the war in Europe?
4) Which 2 cities did the British
capture that signaled the end of
the war?
5) What did the Treaty of Paris of
1763 do to Georgia’s boundary?
6) How did the British decide to
deal with their war debt?
7) What was taxed under the
Stamp Act?
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8) Why were the Intolerable Acts
passed?
9) What did Georgians decide to
do in response to the Intolerable
Acts?
10) Where was the “shot heard
‘round the world” fired?
11) What is the difference
between a Loyalist and a Patriot?
12) Who wrote the Declaration of
Independence?
13) Describe the 3 parts of the
Declaration of Independence.
14) How did Georgians react to
the Declaration of Independence?