The Road to Revolution
By: AMANDA GLOVER
Roots of Revolution
 Colonists felt physically and
spiritually separated from
Europe.
 Colonists in America, without
influence from superiors, felt
that they were fundamentally
different from England, and
more independent.
 Many began to think of
themselves as Americans, and
that they were on the cutting
edge of the British empire.
 Salutary Neglect
Mercantilism in the Colonies
– Country’s economic wealth could be
measured by the amount of gold or silver in
its treasury.
– A country had to export more than it
imported
– a favorable balance of trade.
– Countries with colonies were at an
advantage, because the colonies could
supply the mother country with raw
materials, wealth, supplies, a
market for selling manufactured goods
etc…
Results of Mercantilism



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
Smuggling
Early on, the laws were
only loosely enforced,
which encouraged greater
independence in the
colonies
Burdened the colonists
Evoked anger and
resentment
Stifled economic
improvement and imposed
dependence
Laws that Upset Colonists




Navigation Acts: restricted trade
with any nation but England;
loosely enforced
Grenville Acts: enforced the
Sugar Act, imposed the Stamp
Act and the Quartering Act
Townsend Acts: taxes on
common goods, including the
Tea Act
All these were enforced in
Admiralty Courts.
Results of the Navigation Acts

Period of neglect
 Colonists gained independence
 Colonies began acting like an
independent country and ignored
the English laws
 Barter system
 “enumerated products”
Results of the Grenville Acts

Reinforced the Navigation Acts
 Angered the colonists

The Stamp Act brought the first acts of
rebellion

Organized the Stamp Act Congress in 1765
and started non-importation agreements
against British goods

More rebellious groups formed

Formed intercolonial unity
Stamp Act

Imposed a tax on all printed goods
 Effort to raise revenues for the military
 Grenville thought he was being fair, as the
British in England had a far worse Stamp
tax
 The colonists were angry and thought their
liberties were at risk
Stamp Act, cont.
Rebellious Groups
Slogan: “no taxation without
representation”
 Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty

– They would terrorize the stamp agents and
unpopular officials
– Used methods of tar and feathers and
ransacking homes
– Enforced nonimportation agreements
The Townsend Acts – 1767-1770
“Champagne Charley” imposed taxes
on manufactured goods coming into the
colonies – a violation of basic
mercantilist principles
 Duties on glass, paper, paint, lead, tea
and other commodities led to increased
hostility from colonists

Colonial protests began at the
grassroots level
John Dickinson sent a circular letter
titled “A Letter form a Farmer in
Pennsylvania to the Inhabitants of the
British Colonies” agruing against what
he felt were illegal taxes.
 Non-importation Agreements were
renewed

Boston Massacre

On March 5, 1770, a
crowd of 60
townspeople attacked
10 redcoats and the
redcoats opened fired
on the civilians,
killing/wounding 11 of
them.
 The massacre was
known as the Boston
Massacre.
 Crispus Attacks was
the 1st to be killed.
Samuel Adams
Had the “Green
Dragon” tavern
 Hosted rebels and
provoked rebellious
thoughts
 formed the first local
committee of
correspondence in
Massachusetts in
1772 (Sons of
Liberty).

Rebellious Groups

Mob attacking a
excise man who
collected the stamp
tax making people
not want to become
tax collectors.
 Tarring and
feathering was a
popular punishment.
Tea Act

The act forced colonists
to only buy tea products
from the East India
Trading Co.
 Although cheaper than
other tea, the colonists
felt angry, and again felt
that their liberties were
being compromised
 The result: The Boston
Tea Party
Boston Tea Party

A drunken mob,
dressed as Indians
pushed tons of tea
into the Boston
Harbor
 All of Boston was
considered
responsible
 The intolerable acts
were imposed upon
the Bostonians
Intolerable Acts

Result of the Boston Tea Party
 Series of Acts to subdue Bostonians
 Quartering Act, Boston Port Act, lack
of money, and taxes, prohibition of
town meetings and no jury with court
hearings
Quebec Act

Occurred at the same time as the intolerable
acts
 French could expand into the Ohio Valley
and retain customs and language
Quebec Act, cont.

Expanded Quebec to
encompass Ohio River
Valley
 nullified many of the
Western claims of the
coast colonies by
extending the
boundaries of the
province of Quebec to
the Ohio River on the
south and to the
Mississippi River on
the west.
st
1
Continental Congress
Sept-Oct 1774

Met in Philadelphia to
respond to Intolerable
Acts
 Suffolk Resolves
 Declaration of Rights and
Grievances
 Continental Association
The Association

Created from Continental Congress
 Complete boycott of British goods
 Sought to repeal the offensive legislation
 Rejected by Parliament
 nonimportation, nonexportation, and
nonconsumption.
Lexington and Concord –
April 18, 1775

British tried to break rumors of colonial
resistance
 Sent to Lexington and Concord to capture
John Hancock and Samuel Adams
 Paul Revere and others warned the colonists
about the British march
 Colonials sent British on a 16 mile long
retreat back to Boston
Paul Revere, William Dawes, and
Samuel Prescott

Warned Lexington and
Concord about the
British plans
 Americans were able
to prepare and caught
the British off guard in
both villages.
Strengths

Britain:
– Large population
– Professional army
– Money
– Supplies
Weaknesses

Britain:
– Ireland oppression and
rebellion
– France wanted
revenge form past
issues
– Lack of support
– Incompetent generals
and badly treated
soldiers
– Far from home
– No central target to
conquer
Colonial Strengths
– Outstanding leadership
– Hopes for foreign aid
– Defensive fighting
– Strong motivation
– More logical fighting
styles
Colonial Weaknesses
– Bad organization
– Lacking unity
– Jealousy
– Economic difficulties/lack of money and
inflation
– Lack of supplies
– Badly trained soldiers
– Disorganized government
- No foreign support

Marquis de
Lafayette: a
valuable French
military officer who
aided the Americans
Blacks during the Revolution

Someought for the
Crown in the hope
of freedom
 Initially prevented
from militia
 Some earned
freedom
 Many went back
into slavery.
THE END