The Road to Independence
Unit two:
Chapter Four
A graphic illustration of how tensions b/c
England and its American colonies
intensified from 1619 to 1763.
Elected
Assemblies
Great
Migration
Proclamation
Cost of
of 1763
French
French
and
and
Appointed
Indian
Indian
War
Navigation Governors War
Acts
England
Stations
Permanent
Army
F & I war ends:
• Strained Colonial Relations:
• British felt that Colonists didn’t pull
their weight.
• Americans were shocked at how bad the
British military tactics were.
• Americans strong beliefs:
• Loss of respect of the British military.
• Did not believe the British shared the same
values as the Americans and did not treat
them with the respect they deserved as
British subjects.
Salutary Neglect Ends
• Mercantilism
• Government’s
policy to be
richer, stronger,
and larger than
any other nation
through trade
and commerce.
• Colonies
important in
this:
• Supplied raw
materials
• Had few
industries of
their own
• What does this
mean for GB?
• Ready market for
GB goods
Trade and taxes
• Colonies were
part of the
Triangular Trade
Route
• Took rum from
the colonies
from Africa,
slaves from
Africa to West
Indies, &
molasses from
West Indies to
America.
• 2 types of taxes
GB imposed on
America:
• Direct
• Tax levied
directly on
individuals by the
gov’t
• Indirect
• Tax hidden in
price of item
Why did GB tax the
Colonies so much???
• 1 - GB had huge war debt.
• 2 - Many in GB felt colonists
should be responsible for much
of the debt b/c the war was
fought to protect them.
Reasons why, cont.
• 3 - GB felt they needed to
exercise stricter control over
the “upstart” colonies.
• 4 - GB wanted to insure own
market, while ending
competition in the colonies from
other European nations.
So how else can we
show them we are boss?
• Tax the heck out of them!!!!
How might the new policies upset
the colonists?
Are taxes the only thing that are
bothering the colonists???
Taxes and Tensions:
Mercantile Laws
Provisions
Results
• Restricted colonial
export of a certain
manufactured
good.
• Banned
immigration of
skilled GB workers
to colonies.
• None since they
were not really
enforced
Taxes and Tensions:
Navigation Acts
Provisions Results
• Began list of
enumerated
commodities
(made in Amer,
shipped only to GB)
• Tobacco, cotton,
indigo & sugar
• Goods had to be
carried on GB or
colonial built ships
• Rarely enforced
• GB attempted to
create monopoly
• no competition
from colonists or
other countries.
Taxes and Tensions:
Molasses Act
Provisions
Results
• Heavy tax on
sugar to
colonies from
anywhere
except British
West Indies
• Needed
molasses for rum
production!
• Rarely enforced
• Some smuggled
in from France
Taxes and Tensions:
Proclamation of 1863
Provisions
Results
• Ended all
settlement west
of Appalachian
Mts.
• Sent troops to
enforce.
• Protests
• “We” fought for
the land.
• Pontiac’s
Rebellion
• Ohio Valley
• Indians attack
encroaching
colonists
Issues behind the Revolution
The Road to Revolution
1765
British Pass the Stamp Act
Colonists protest, boycott British goods.
1766 - 1767
British repeal Stamp Act
British pass Townshend Act, a new
series of taxes on imports.
1770
In Boston Massacre, British soldiers
fire on American protesters, killing five
1773
British pass Tea Act, placing new tax on tea.
In protest, Boston Tea Party held.
1774
British pass Intolerable Acts to punish Bostonians.
Colonial leaders meet at Firtst Continental Congress.
Colonial militias begin storing weapons.
1775
Revolutionary War begins with batles at
Lexington and Concord.
Issues Behind the Revolution
• British Pass Proclamation of 1763
• protest the closure of lands, some ignore, send troops to
patrol lands
• British Pass Sugar Act 1764
• written protests, occasional boycotts, repealed in 1766, “No
Taxation Without Representation”
• British pass Stamp Act 1765
• protests turn violent, Stamp Act Congress, boycott all British
goods, sons of liberty, nonimportation
• British pass Quartering Act 1765
• colonial legislatures refused to provide for troops
• New York Assembly suspended for refusal
More Issues:
• Declaratory Act 1766
• colonists continued to protest taxation w/o rep.
• Townshend Acts 1767
• “Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania” by John
Dickinson, boycott British goods cutting trade in
Half, repealed in 1770
• British Gov’t removes governors and courts from
colonial control, Committee of Correspondence
• Burning of the Gaspee
• Boston Massacre
• Tea Act 1773
• Boston Tea Party , Things get rough
And More Issues…
• Coercive Acts 1774 (Intolerable Acts)
• The Port Bill
• closed port of Boston until Tea is paid for
• Massachusetts Government Act
• British take over all government function
• not allowed to hold town meetings w/o permission
• Quartering Act (New)
• no more camps, redcoats living in homes
• Administration of Justice Act
• British customs officials and officers could not be
tried in the colonies, General Gage appointed Gov.
Effects of the Intolerables
• Boycotts organized
• EX: Homespun clothes,
not GB wools
• Non-importation
agreements:
• Won’t buy GB goods!
• Songs and Daughters
of Liberty
• Protest with organized
resistance
• Effigies
• Dummies hung from
“liberty trees”
Tar and Feather
Stamp Act Congress
• Oct. 1765
• 9/13 colonial legislatures sent
delegates to NY
• Drew up resolutions
• Organized boycott
Boston Massacre:
• Crowd – 50 or 60
• Threw:
• Sticks, snowballs,
rocks at Redcoats
outside Customs
House.
• Soldiers opened
first
• Killed 5
• Including Crispus
Attucks - slave
March 5, 1770
First Continental
Congress
• Sep. 1774 – Philly
• 56 Delegates, 12
Colonies
• Wrote to King
George demanding:
• 1. Repeal of
Coercive/Intolerab
le Acts
• 2. Rights to life,
liberty and
property
• 3. Rights for
colonial
legislatures
• Agreed to:
• Support each
other
• Carry
on/increase
boycotts
• Est. militias &
stockpile
weapons!
The Shot Heard ‘Round
the World!
• April 19, 1775 …. It starts!
• 700 GB soldiers sent to Concord to
destroy weapons
• Led by: Gage
• Sons of Liberty sent Paul
Revere, Samuel Prescott &
Dawes (40 others) to warn of GB
approach.
The shot heard round
the world!
• Lexington and Concord
• British reached Lexington – met by 70
minutemen
• 8 colonists killed, 10 wounded, 1 GB
soldier wounded.
• Colonists disperse.
• March on Concord
• Find little gunpowder
• On way to Boston, attacked by minutemen.
− 250 GB and 100 Amer killed
Second Continental Congress
• Olive Branch
Petition – Ben
Franklin
• Set up a
United
Defense
• Continental
Army
• Approved
Washington
as
Commander
“Fighting For
Independence”
• British Strengths:
• Well equipped and
disciplined army.
• Strong navy.
• Help from ____________.
• Loyalists
British
Weaknesses:
• Unpopular war.
• Unknown and hostile
land.
• Unfamiliar fighting
tactics.
• American Strengths:
• Home field
advantage.
• Determination
• Guerrilla warfare.
American
Weaknesses:
• Inexperienced and
disorganized
military.
• Needs help from
abroad.
Progression of the
Revolution
Major Battles and their
significance
Fort Ticonderoga,
NY
• May 1775
• Green Mtn. Boys
from Vermont
attacked and
captured fort full
of British
supplies.
Bunker Hill
• June 1775
• Americans occupied
hill in Boston
• 3 GB attacks up hill
led by Thomas Gage
• “Gentleman’s war”
• Amer lost on 3rd
attack, but still moral
victory
• GB 40% casualties
December 1775…
• George III hires Hessians
• Colonists are divided:
• Patriots, Loyalists, Neutral
But it’s not just about
physical war…
• Common Sense
• Book by Thomas
Paine
• Spread the idea of
breaking away from
England
• It is common sense
that we should rule
ourselves…
instead of being
ruled by a small
Kingdom one whole
ocean away!
The Declaration
of Independence
1. People have a NATURAL RIGHT to life, liberty
and property (pursuit of happiness). John Locke
2. If a government does not respect people’s natural
rights, the people have the right to form a new
government.
3. The British government has repeatedly violated the
American colonists’ natural rights.
4. The American colonies are free and independent
states, no longer ruled by the British government.
More…
• August 1776: NYC
• 32,000 GB soldiers take and hold
NYC for next 7 years
• GB offers pardons to American
army
• Washington refuses and retreats
Dec. 1776 – Trenton, NJ
• Christmas night
• Washington crosses
Delaware River and
attacks 1300 Hessians
• Surprise attack!
Kill/capture 1,000
• Victory boosts Patriots!
• Doctors found note on
Johan Rall (Hessian
leader) warning of
attack – not even
opened!
American problems…
• Congress couldn’t tax
• Wealthy merchants loaned $$
• Lack of soldiers
• Planting season
• Fighting in area only
• Lack of supplies
• Needed aid from French
• Ben Franklin went to smooze
Sep/Oct 1777
Brandywine &
Germantown, PA
• GB victories that
led to capture of
Philly
• 2nd Continental
Congress fled
• GB later evacuated
city to concentrate
on NYC
Oct 1777
Saratoga, NY
• Important American
victory
• GB attempted to
split colonies in half
• Turning point!!!
• Led to French
alliance
• Patriots began to
believe they could
win
Winter 1777/8
Valley Forge, PA
• Winter
encampment of
American Army
• 10,000 soldiers
• ¼ died from:
• Lack of food, cold,
frozen feet
amputated, lack of
shoes, smallpox
• Washington used
time to train
• Unbeatable!
Sep 1780
Capture of
Benedict Arnold
• Trusted general served
under GW
• Wounded at Saratoga
• Milit Gov of Philly
• Tried to give GB fort at
West Point
• Notes intercepted
• Escaped, fled on the
Vulture
• Joined GB, moved back
Oct 1780
Fighting in South
• Gen Cornwallis
switched tactics
and decided to
attack from the
south thru S and
NC
• Support of loyalists
• Planned to march
to VA and meet up
with GB, to split
USA in half.
Oct 1781
Yorktown, VA
• French ships
jeopardized GB
blockade of Amer
ports
• Kept GB from arriving
on coast
• GW attacked
Cornwallis with help
of French led by
Marquis de LaFayette
• GB surrenders!!!
Section #5:
Winning Independence
• American Hardships:
• Financing the War.
• Disruptions in Trade.
• Blockade
• Profiteering
• Inflation
• Treaty of Paris (1783)
• British recognize U.S.A. as an independent
nation
• Land borders
• Return Florida to Spain
Causes and Effects of
the American Revolution
• Causes
• Proclamation of
1763 stops
colonists from
moving west.
• Parliament taxes
colonies to pay
British war
debts.
• Intolerable Acts
set up harsh rule
in
Massachusetts.
• Effects
• Colonies declare
independence.
• British surrender
at Yorktown.
• British recognize
American
independence.
• U.S. borders
extend to Florida
and Mississippi
River.
• United States
Constitution is
adopted.
Effects of the American Revolution
Britain recognizes the
United States as an
independent nation.
The idea of liberty
inspires struggles for
freedom around the
world.
The American Revolution
Traditional ideas about
women's roles in
society are
challenged.
Ideas of freedom and
natujral rights inspire
some people to begin
opposing slavery.
Native Americans are
pushed farther west
and face incresased
attacks from settlers.