French &
Indian War
• The British and French
began to fight over claims
of the Ohio River Valley due
to its geography and
economic opportunity
•
Natives were angry at
British settlers and French
settlers were settling and
taking their land
• French armed Natives to
fight against the British
Views – French & Indian War
British/Colonist – The
French were invading the
Virginia territory and we
must protect our
settlements
French/Native – The
British were expanding
west and were ruining
the land. We must
protect the land
What
Happened?
• British/Colonist won
• British won all land EAST of
the Mississippi River,
including the Ohio River
Valley and parts of Canada
• French were kicked out of
North America, except for
in the Caribbean
• George Washington’s name
became recognizable
Proclamation of
1763
• To keep colonists and
Native Americans from
fighting with each other
the King George drew a
line down the crest of
the Appalachian
Mountains. Settlers had
to stay east of that line.
Views – Proclamation of 1763
• British/Loyalists• Patriots- Tyranny, The
Defending the frontier
land was already
is to expensive.
settled, and it was the
Colonists would have to
only place farmers
pay for troops
could get new cheap
land
What Happened?
1
Most colonists ignored
the new law and stayed
put or continued to
migrate pass the
mountains.
2
The British army sent
7,500 men to keep
peace on the frontier
Sugar Act
• Reduced tax on molasses
from 6pence to 3pence
• Increased Tax on imports of
foreign (French) processed
sugar.
• Importing foreign rum was
banned
• Additional goods were
being taxed and only
between Britain and its
colonies
View – Sugar Act
• British/Loyalist –
• Patriots- Colonists were
Colonists had been
annoyed by the act
ignoring the rules of
because it marked the
mercantilism by
end of salutary neglect
smuggling foreign sugar
(limited role of British
products. To help pay
Government in the
off the war debt,
colonies).
colonists had to
purchase British
products, not foreign
products
What happened?
1
Colonists openly protested
the British Parliament's
intervention in colonial
affairs. The colonists
believed that Parliament
had absolutely no right to
levy taxes upon them. "No
taxation without
representation"
2
Colonial merchants
boycotted British goods
3
Colonists began to petition
the British government to
repeal the law. Following
the initial letter written by
Samuel Adams, many other
letters were sent from
different committees in
response to the Sugar Act to
get rid of the law.
Stamp Act
• The War debt from
French and Indian War
had to be paid
• The law required all
colonists to buy a
stamp for every piece
of paper they used.
• Wills, licenses, playing
cards, newspapers,
deck of cards, etc.
Views – Stamp Act
• British and Loyalists –
British citizens have
been paying taxes on
everything. The
colonists are taxed the
least, so why shouldn’t
they pay off the debt of
the French and Indian
War
• Patriots – “ No Taxation
without Representation”
Parliament had no right
to pass a tax unless the
colonists had a voice in
Parliament (British
Government). It is a
violation of Rights
What happened?
1
Colonists (Patriots and
Loyalists) protested by
sending petitions and
appeals to Parliament or
refused to buy the stamp
2
3
Sons of Liberty- A secret
society led by Samuel
Adams took violent action.
Tarred & feathered tax
collectors
Stamp Act was repealed,
but Quartering Act was
issued. Colonies must
provide food, shelter, and
supplies to British soldiers.
Was seen as another tax.
Townshend Acts
• Parliament passed a duty on
certain goods the colonies
imported from Britain to pay
British debts. These goods
included glass, paper, lead,
ink, and tea
Views – Townshend Acts
• Loyalist/BritishBelieved that the
colonists bad behavior
made it more
important to keep an
eye on them. Colonists
must pay for the Army
sent there to protect
them
• Patriots – Duties were a
tax in disguise. They
violated colonists
rights. “Taxation
without
Representation”
What Happened?
The Sons of Liberty organized a Boycott (refusal to buy British
products). Boycotts were peaceful, everybody could support.
Women (Daughters of Liberty) used home spun cloth, made tea
from pine needles, and bought only American made products
Duties were repealed because British merchants were losing
money. Only TEA will be taxed
Boston Massacre
• Because of the increase of British
troops in the colonies, tensions
between the troops and colonists rose.
Mob violence eventually breaks out.
Patriots in Boston started throwing
rocks and snowballs at British troops.
British fire on rioters, five die, including
Crispus Attucks
Views – Boston Massacre
• British/ Loyalist – It was • Patriots – used it as
proof more troops were
propaganda to stir up
needed to control
the people. It was proof
Patriot hot heads
that all troops need to
leave colonies
Colonial leaders used
the killings as
propaganda against
the British
What
Happened?
British soldiers were
arrested and tried for
the killings - John
Adams was their
defense attorney
Led colonists to call for
stronger boycotts
against British goods
Parliament repealed
taxes on British
imports, except for the
one on tea
Tea Act
• After the Townshend
Acts were repealed a
tax on tea was left.
British allowed the
East Indian Tea
Company to have a
monopoly on tea in
the colonies.
American merchants
could not set their
own prices.
Views – Tea Act
• British and Loyalists –
The British East Indian
Tea Company needed
to be saved. The
boycotts have put it
close to bankruptcy
• Patriots – If they can
place a monopoly on
tea, what will stop
them from doing it to
other products
What Happened?
• Boston Tea Party- The Son’s of Liberty,
led by Samuel Adams, dressed up as
Indians and boarded a tea ship. They
dumped 90,000 lbs. in Boston Harbor
Intolerable Acts
• They were designed to punish
Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party
• More troops sent to Boston
• Used Boston as an example for other
colonies
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were a series of Acts to
punish Boston. It:
1.
Closed the port of Boston – blockade
2.
Took away the elected legislature of
Massachusetts
3.
All criminal trials in the colony were
sent to Great Britain and heard under a
British judge
4.
Forced colonists to quarter British
soldiers
Views – Intolerable Acts
• British and Loyalists- It • Patriots- If the King
is no longer about Taxes
could do this to one
it was about British
colony what will stop
control of her colonies
him from doing it to
others.
What Happened?
• Colonies Unite- Other
colonies support
Massachusetts by sending
aide.
• First Continental CongressDelegates from 12 colonies
met to discuss issues. They
sent a message to the king
and called for another
boycott
First Continental
Congress
• Americans were fed up.
The "Intolerable Acts" were more than
the colonies could stand.
• Patriots throughout the colonies
united and decided to meet to discuss
what to do
• On September 1774, the First
Continental Congress was convened in
Philadelphia.
• George Washington, John Adams,
Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry were all
present
Views – First Continental Congress
Loyalists – right the
wrongs King George put
on the Colonies and
repeal the Intolerable
Acts
Patriots – declare the
rights and liberties of the
Colonies and end the
abuses of King George;
declare independence
A declaration of colonial rights was
drafted and sent to London.
What
happened?
Asked King George to repeal the
Intolerable Acts
Also made the decision to meet in May
1775 if their grievances were not
addressed by the King or British
government
“Give Me Liberty or
Give Me Death”
• King George refused to repeal the
Intolerable Acts
• Virginia Colony met to discuss negotiate
peace with King George
• Patrick Henry, George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson were all present at the
Virginia assembly
Patrick Henry’s Views
• Long opposed the King’s taxes
• At the First Continental Congress he argued the colonies unite and declare
independence
• Henry was convinced war was around the corner and Virginia must defend
themselves militarily against the violations of their rights
• Henry proclaimed in his speech, “The war is actually begun! […] I know not
what others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
What
happened?
Henry’s speech convinced
others at the Virginia
assembly to begin forming a
militia
Lexington & Concord
• Colonies form
militias and begin to
stockpile weapons in
armories
• King George believes
the colonies are in
rebellion and sends
troops to confiscate
armories and
weapons
• Paul Revere warns militias of British
Troops in Boston mobilizing
Events of
Lexington
& Concord
Cont.
• Minutemen gather in Lexington to deter
British
• Gunfire is exchanged, which is forever
known as the “Shot Heard Around the
World”
• Minutemen retreat to Concord
• British go on to Concord. Minutemen
engage and hold their ground. The
British flee and retreat back to Boston.
What happened?
1
Lexington and
Concord is
known as the
first battle
2
Colonists won
and proved
they would
fight for rights
3
American
Revolution
official begins
Second Continental Congress
• Lexington and Concord
had changed everything
• Proved the British were
willing to use force
against the colonists
• Colonial leaders met
May 10, 1775 once
again in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania to decide
what to do about the
British
Views - Second
Continental Congress
• Loyalist – extend an offer of
peace to the King
• Patriot – Benjamin Franklin,
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams,
George Washington, Samuel
Adams all wanted to declare
independence and create a
Continental Army
What Happened?
In 1775 delegates compromised and sent
King George an Olive Branch Petition, and
formed the Continental Army, electing
George Washington to command the army
1775
1776
After increased fighting with the British and
no resolution in sight, the delegates decided
to declare independence in 1776
Olive Branch
Petition
• Adopted at the
Second
Continental
Congress in 1775
• The last attempt
made by the
Colonies to
remain loyal to
King George but
assert they had
rights as British
subjects
What
happened?
• Ultimately the King ignored the
colonists requests and military
battles between the British and
the Colonies continued
Common
Sense
• Ultimately the King ignored
the colonists requests and
military battles between
the British and the Colonies
continued
• Many colonists were still
afraid to jump towards
declaring independence
Thomas Paine’s Views
• Published in January 1776 in Philadelphia, nearly 120,000 copies were in
circulation by April
• He argued for two main points: (1) independence from England and (2) the
creation of a democratic republic.
Common Sense grew the
patriot cause
What
happened?
In July the Second
Continental Congress
would finally declare
independence from Great
Britain
Declaration of
Independence
• Far too much bad blood existed between
the colonial leaders and the crown to
consider a return to the past. More and
more colonists felt deprived by the British
not only of their money and their civil
liberties, but their lives as well. Bloodshed
had begun over a year ago and there
seemed little chance of peace.
Declaration of
Independence
• Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the
declaration
• Benjamin Franklin and John Adams
assisted Jefferson in writing the document
• Declaration included: Unalienable Rights,
Grievances against the King, and an
official declaration of independence
What
happened?
• The British Parliament and King
George essentially refused to
recognize the Colonies
declaration of independence
• War continued to be fought
between the British and its
colonies for 5 more years