Name:
Subject: History
Grade: 7 Section:
Roll No:
2022-23
History Topic 1 : The American Revolution
After the Crusades, there was a very great demand for Asian goods such as spices, silk, porcelain, muslin, indigo etc from
countries like India and China. Unfortunately, the Crusades also blocked the trade routes to Asia as many hostile Arab
countries separated the European countries and the countries of the Far East that the Europeans wanted to trade with.
After reading ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’
Christopher Columbus, an Italian sailor
believed that the Earth was round and
that if he continued travelling west he
would definitely reach India, which was
on the other side of the globe.
He was right in his assumptions but did
not consider the continents of North and
South America as he was completely
unaware of them. But it was not that all
the Europeans were unaware of the
existence of America. The Vikings would
regularly visit the eastern coasts of
North America [Modern day Canada]
and a few even tried to settle there but
were chased out by the Native
Americans.
When Christopher Columbus reached the coast of North America in 1492 CE he actually thought he had reached India and
mistakenly called the Native Americans as Indians. It was not until 1507 that people began to realise that what Columbus
had discovered was not a new route to India, but instead was a completely new world. The first person to suggest that this
was the case was an Italian explorer by the name of Amerigo Vespucci and therefore his name was honoured by naming
the continents of America after him.
Until then, The American continents were called ‘The New World’ as nobody knew much about it only that it was a very
huge land, with infinite natural resources and a very sparse population consisting of nomadic tribes whom the Europeans
considered as savages. For many centuries colonists began migrating from Europe to the Americas in search of economic
opportunities, and religious freedom. These colonies were established under the authority of the monarchs of Europe,
and as a result, owed their loyalty to those monarchs.
Life was difficult for the first settlers who came to the Americas. When they arrived,
they found no cities, no paved streets, and no markets. All they found was the
wilderness. These first settlers built cities from scratch, and paved the way for later
immigrants bringing civilization to these wild lands. As civilization advanced in the new
world, and began to resemble life in Europe, the lives of the people became easier, and
more comfortable. This allowed them to spend more time pursuing hobbies, and in the
service of their communities. New schools were established in the colonies, and the
education level among colonists began to increase.
The English eventually established the Thirteen Colonies on the western coast of
Northern America in 1776. As time went by more and more people started settling in
these colonies. English traders settled there to carry on trade in profitable items.
English Puritans (a member of a 16th and 17th century Protestant group in England and New
England opposing formal customs of the Church of England) settled there because they were
being harassed in England for their religious beliefs and practices. In a nutshell, in the
middle of the seventeenth century these colonies were inhabited by thousands of people. Many of these colonies had
been around for well over 100 years including the first colony of Virginia which was founded in 1607.
What is a colony? A colony is a region of land that is under the political control of another country. Usually the controlling
country is physically far away from the colony, as was the case with England and the American colonies. Colonies are
typically founded and settled by people from the home country, however, there may also be settlers from other countries.
This was especially true of the American colonies which had settlers from all over Europe.
Why were the colonies established?
Queen Elizabeth wanted to establish colonies in the
Americas in order to grow the British Empire and to
counter the Spanish. The English hoped to find
wealth, create new jobs, and establish trade ports
along the coast of the Americas.
Each colony, however, has its own unique history on
how it was founded. Many of the colonies were
founded by religious leaders or groups looking for
religious freedom. These colonies included
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode
Island, and Connecticut. Other colonies were
founded purely in hopes of creating new trade
opportunities and profits for investors.
The colonies are often divided up into three regions
including the New England Colonies, the Middle
Colonies, and the Southern Colonies.
New England Colonies
● Connecticut
● Massachusetts Bay
● New Hampshire
● Rhode Island
Middle Colonies
● Delaware
● New Jersey
● New York
● Pennsylvania
Southern Colonies
● Georgia
● Maryland
● North Carolina
● South Carolina
● Virginia
The Composition of the Colonies (Religious and Political reasons)
● The people who had left England to settle in the colonies did not have much goodwill for England in the first place
as they had left England because they felt they would never be able to live a successful and peaceful life in Britain.
The group of English colonists who settled in North America and later were known as the Pilgrim Fathers were
forced to leave England because of persecution as they refused to follow the Church of England. They disapproved
of several of the rituals and practices of the Church of England that had been established by parliament at the
beginning of Elizabeth I’s reign.
● The Irish Catholics also left for the American colonies in large numbers due to the religious persecution by their
Protestant Irish brethren who were supported, promoted and instigated by the British. They were sick of the
consequences of the Test Act, Corporation Act etc.
● Another category were people who were persecuted because of their political beliefs who left the mother
country to avoid constant opposition. The American colonies were also used as penal settlements where the hard
core criminals were sent to spend the rest of their life isolated from the rest of the society. It is said that during
the 17th century every ship that left the shores of England was thoroughly searched and every effort was made to
see that no good man left England for the colonies.
The result was that these colonies were inhabited by either those people who had their religious grievances or those
persons who had their religious and political grievances or those who were condemned to live away in isolation. The
people of both these categories could not be expected to have any love for England.
Temperamental Differences
The American colonists were much more adventurous and lovers of liberty than the Englishmen were. They had more
democracy and liberty than the Englishmen had in their own country. There were also religious differences between the
two. The outlook of both the parties was absolutely different.
Europe’s View of the Colonies
Europeans viewed the colonies as their property. They existed in order to serve their home nation. The colonies produced
crops and goods that could then be shipped back to their mother country in order to enrich those who lived there. The
colonies also existed, in their view, as a place where goods could be sold. The colonies were expected to remain loyal to
their mother country, and submit to any decisions made on their be- half by their mother country. Colonies were
controlled by governors which were appointed by the crown. These governors had a great deal of authority within the
regions they were responsible for. In this way, the crown maintained their authority in a colony. The governor appointed
all judges, and other offi- cials within the colony. Many colonies also had a legislator which was made up of elected officials. These legislatures made recommendations to the governor, but had no real power.
Colonies’ View of Europe
Many of the inhabitants of the colonies had come to the Americas in order to escape persecution, for their religious or
extreme political views. As a result, there was a higher concentration of
radical thinkers in the Americas than there were in Europe. Many of the
colonists had been born in the Americas, and had never visited Europe.
As a result, they considered themselves Americans, and not Europeans.
Increasingly their loyalty was to the colony, and not to the distant
mother country.
Colonies began to tire of the restrictions placed on them by their
mother countries. These restrictions favoured their parent nations, but
made life more difficult for the colonies. Some of these restrictions did
not allow them to trade with any nations, making it more difficult for
them to sell their goods. Increasingly these colonies viewed themselves
as independent states, separate from their mother country.
Unsatisfactory Governance
The system of the government of the colonies was hardly satisfactory. Colonies were governed by Governors, Captains and
Colonels who were all nominated by the British Government. Although the colonies had their legislatures, the Governors
were not responsible to them. On the contrary, they received instructions from the government of England, which were
against their interests. This was resented by the Colonists.
Problem of Legislation and Taxation
There was also the problem of legislation and taxation of the colonies. The question was frequently raised as to whether
the British Parliament had the right to tax the colonies or to legislate them. Theoretically, such a right did exist but, in
actual practice, the colonies resisted this claim of the British government. The problem was never faced directly and its
solution was always postponed. This created a problem later on and became a very significant cause for the American
Revolution.
Economic Exploitation
The colonists detested their economic exploitation by the British. They were ruled on the principle that ‘The colonies
existed for the mother country’. The industries and trade of the colonies were regulated in the interests of the mother
country.
The English government exploited the colonies in many ways:
1. It wanted the colonies to produce only those goods which could not be produced in England.
2. In return, they would receive the goods that were manufactured in England. It meant that the colonies were not
allowed to manufacture those goods themselves.
3. They were permitted to trade as little as possible with other countries. If at all they traded they had to do it using
English ships only.
To achieve the above objectives the British enacted the Navigation Act of 1651, 1650 and 1689, which put many
restrictions on the trade and production of the colonies. These regulations were very unpopular in America as they
restricted their freedom to manufacture things at will as also their imports and exports.
They also did not like the idea of England making money out of the commodities produced by the Colonists. However,
initially these regulations stood on paper as the British made no efforts to enforce them. The trouble arose when King
George III became the king of England in 1760 and made efforts to enforce them.
Task 1 : On the basis of the reading so far, answer the following questions neatly on a foolscap paper:
Q1. a) Why were the 13 colonies established?
b) What were the three regions that those colonies were divided in?
Q2. Explain in your own words: What is meant by a colony?
Q3. The people wanted to leave Britain and were ready to settle in an unknown land. Why? Explain citing 2 pieces of
evidence from the comprehension above.
Q4. Imagine a situation wherein the climatic conditions on earth have deteriorated severely and hence people are moving
to other planets like the Moon or Mars. What would you do in such a situation? Why? Justify your thoughts in 30-40
words.
Q5. Write a short paragraph on: The factors that led to growing displeasure among the colonists who had moved to the
American soil.
‘The FRENCH and INDIAN War’ (or ‘The Seven years War’)
In the 1800s, Americans viewed the West as a frontier of undiscovered, unoccupied land. What they failed to recognize
was that the land had, in fact, been home to generations of Native American people. So as eager settlers moved into the
new territory, they often found that someone was already in the house.
By the 1860s, most Native American people had been transplanted west of the Mississippi River as a result of the Indian
Removal Act 30 years earlier. But while this might have relieved some people on the east side of the river, it caused
problems for Native American tribes in the West. Whole tribes were forced onto reservations in exchange for promises of
peace, cash payments, and supplies—a lot of which never even reached some tribes due to corruption in the system and
because of oversight caused by the Civil War.
More and more people now depended on less land and fewer resources. White settlers further depleted natural resources
like farmland, water, and game, especially American bison (commonly called buffalo) that were hunted nearly to extinction
for their hides. Millions of Native American people who had depended on the herds for their survival now faced extinction
themselves.
Some Native American nations cooperated with the United States, while others attempted to resist. In many instances,
people on both sides were in the wrong, but it shouldn't be too hard to imagine the frustration felt by many tribes. The
violence spread and escalated throughout the West in a series of conflicts collectively referred to as the ''Indian Wars'' in
the late 1800s, immortalising names and places like Wounded Knee, Geronimo, and Crazy Horse in American folklore.
Fear of the French had been the main bond uniting the Colonists with the English Government. Since the colonies were
not in a position to defend themselves against the Frenchmen in Canada, they depended upon the mother country,
England, for their protection. The defeat of the French in North America ended the dependence of the colonies on
England and her troops. As a result, the attitude of the colonists radically changed after 1760 and they followed a policy of
defiance.
Impact of the War
Pollard has rightly said “The conquest of Canada led to the loss of the Thirteen American Colonies.” This war, which greatly
enlarged the territories of Great Britain, proved to be very costly, and nearly bankrupted the national treasury. King
George III was as a result in desperate need of raising funds to keep his government operating. To do this, he looked to the
colonies in the Americas. As a result of the British victory in the French and Indian War:
1. France was effectively expelled from the New World. They relinquished virtually all of their New World possessions
including all of Canada.
2. They did manage to retain a few small islands off the coast of Canada and in the Caribbean. They also agreed to
stay out of India, which made Great Britain the supreme military power in that part of Asia.
3. In addition, as compensation for Spain's loss of Florida to England, Spain was awarded the Louisiana Territory.
4. The entire face of North America had been dramatically changed.
The Cost of the Defence of the Colonies - Taxes, Laws, and More Taxes
England had spent a lot of money on the defence of her colonies in North America during the Seven Years War. England
faced the danger of national bankruptcy in 1763. Prior to 1764, the British government had pretty much left the colonists
alone to govern themselves.
In 1764, they tried introducing taxes in England but these taxes were very unpopular. Since the money was spent on the
defence of the American colonies, the British statesmen wanted them to make some contribution and help the mother
country in this hour of crisis.
But the colonies refused not only to share her past burdens but were also not prepared to contribute in future also. The
colonists were not happy with the new taxes. They said they should not have to pay British taxes because they had no
representatives in the British Parliament. Their motto became "No Taxation Without Representation."
The REVOLUTION BEGINS - Immediate Causes of the American Revolt
It was the policy of King George III and his Ministers towards colonies that precipitated the matters and thereby provided
the immediate cause for the revolt. The basic cause was the determination of Prime Minister Grenville to give up the
policy of his predecessors and impose duties strictly. Unfortunately for him, the colonies were not prepared to obey the
laws which they had successfully defied for decades.
1. Sugar Act: In an effort to increase the income of Britain, Grenville got the Sugar Bil Act passed in 1764. Duty was
imposed on molasses imported by the colonists. They could no longer buy sugar at economical rates from the French
colonies in the West Indies. The British officials tried to enforce the Act and collect the tax strictly. British ships
patrolled the coast to prevent smuggling of sugar and molasses.
2. The Stamp Act: In 1765 a tax was passed by Great Britain known as the stamp act. This law required all colonists to
pay a tax to Great Britain on all of the printed materials that they used
newspapers, magazines, and even playing cards. All of these materials were
required to have a stamp placed on them, in order to show that the tax had
been paid.
Colonists were outraged, and responded by boycotting all British goods. They
also attacked officials who were sent by Great Britain to enforce the stamp act,
and burned the stamps in the street. Many of the colonies sent
representatives to a special meeting in New York, which they called The Stamp
Act Congress, where the colonies voted and declared that Parliament did not
have the right to pass taxes on the colonies be- cause they did not have any
representation in parliament. Many of the colonists began crying “No taxation
without representation” a slogan which was coined by James Pitt. As a result, the British Parliament repealed the
stamp act just one year later in 1766.
3. Declaratory Act: Since the Stamp Act provoked an outbreak among the colonists, this act was repealed. However, in
1766 they passed another act asserting the British Parliament’s right to tax the colonies was passed. This was the
Declaratory Act according to which, the British Parliament had the right to levy both internal and external taxes. The
Americans however, refused to accept this act and continued their protests.
4. Townshend’s duties: The next year the British Parliament passed a number of new taxes including a tax on glass,
lead, paper, tea and painter’s colours. This new set of taxes was called Townshend’s duties.
5. Withdrawal of duties: Lord North who came to power in 1770, tried to pacify the colonists by withdrawing all the
duties imposed by Townshend except the tax on tea. He allowed the British East India Company to send tea directly
from India to America with the objective to provide tea at very economical rates for the Americans even after adding
a small duty of 3 pence per pound on Tea. The main idea behind this entire exercise was to assert the right of the
British Parliament to impose taxes on the Colonies.
6. The Boston Massacre: The colonies were again infuriated at
this new set of taxes, and many refused to pay them. In order
to enforce these new tax laws, British officials requested
military troops to aid them. These military troops outraged
the colonists. In the winter of 1770 a small group of colonists
in Boston were taking out their frustration with the troops by
taunting them, and throwing snowballs at them. The mob
gradually started turning violent and injured a British Soldier,
in retaliation, these soldiers opened fire, killing four of the
Bostonians. This event became known as the Boston
Massacre. The events of the Boston Massacre were spread
quickly by newspapers throughout the colonies, further
angered colonists.
7. The Boston Tea Party: The Colonists looked through the
British plot and refused to accept the British Parliaments claim to tax the American colonies. In order to protest, a
group of individuals dressed up as Native Americans boarded a cargo ship in Boston Harbour, and dumped its entire
load of tea into the harbour waters. This event became known as the Boston tea party. In response to the Boston tea
party the Parliament in Great Britain passed a number of new laws, which completely closed down the Boston
Harbour until colonists paid for the cost of the tea that had been dumped into the harbour. These new laws also
greatly limited the freedoms of the colonists, requiring them to obtain permission from the governor prior to holding
any public meetings, and greatly limiting the power of the legislature. These new laws became known by the colonies
as intolerable acts.
8. The Intolerable Acts: The Intolerable Acts were laws that were really punishments that King George III put on the
colonies. He did this to the Colonists because he wanted to punish them for dumping tea into the harbour at the
Boston Tea Party. The Quakers petitioned King George
to repeal or end the acts, but he said that the colonies
must submit to these English laws. These are the
Intolerable Acts:
❖ One of the Intolerable Acts was the Boston
Port Act which shut down the port of Boston for trade.
British ships blockaded Boston Harbour, punishing
everyone who lived in Boston, both patriots and
loyalists. This angered not only people in Boston, but
also people in other colonies who were afraid the
British would do the same thing to them.
(Left Image - Destruction of Tea at Boston Harbour)
❖ The Quartering Act was established on March
24, 1765. The King sent lots of British troops to Boston.
The colonists had to house and feed the British troops. If the colonists didn't do this for the British troops, they
would get shot.
❖ The Administration of Justice Act became effective May 20, 1774. British Officials could not be tried in colonial
courts for crimes. They would be taken back to Britain and have a trial there. That left the British free to do
whatever they wanted in the colonies and to the Colonists.
❖ The Massachusetts Government Act became effective on May 20, 1774. The British Governor was in charge of all
the town meetings in Boston. There would be no more self-government in Boston.
Growing Unity Among the Colonies
The increased laws punishing the colonies did little to control the colonies as the British had hoped, but actually had
the opposite effect. The laws caused the colonies to become more united against the British. Many colonies sent
supplies to help Boston during the blockade. Also, more and more colonists throughout the Americas joined up with
the Sons of Liberty.
9. The First Continental Congress: As a result of the intolerable
acts, which had been passed by the British Parliament,
colonists in the Americas became increasingly convinced that
they needed to take more aggressive steps in order to protect
themselves and their liberty.
(Right Image - The First Continental Congress, 1774)
On September 5, 1774, 56 delegates were sent from each of
the 13 colonies to meet in Philadelphia as representatives of
‘The First Continental Congress’. They sent a petition to King
George III to repeal the Intolerable Acts. They never got a
response. They also established a boycott of British goods.
10. Shot heard around the world: On April 18th, 1775 General
Gage sends British troops to recover colonist weapons at Concord. The Battles of Lexington and Concord signalled the
start of the American Revolutionary war on April 19, 1775. The British Army set out from Boston to capture rebel
leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington as well as to destroy the American store of weapons and
ammunition in Concord. The colonists were warned however by Paul Revere, Dawes, and Prescott that the British
Army was approaching. The gunshot was the first shot of the American Revolution and the start of the war. It was
called the "shot heard around the world" by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his poem Concord Hymn. No one is actually
sure who fired the first shot or if it was an American or British soldier. Americans finally won the war.
11. The Second Continental Congress: May 1775 all meet again in Philadelphia. George Washington was appointed as
Commander of Continental Army. “Olive Branch Petition'' was adopted by Congress on July 5th, 1775 to be sent to
the King as a last attempt to prevent a formal war from being declared. The Americans hoped that a direct appeal
professing their loyalty to King George III would pave the way for ending the fighting and bringing the rebellious
North American colonies back into the British Empire. However, when George III decided to not even read the Olive
Branch Petition, thus insulting the conciliatory Americans who had sent it, this further inflamed public opinion
against Great Britain in North America. So, all it accomplished was to win more converts to the idea of rebelling
against British rule.
Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense pamphlet’ put forth an argument that the colonies should break away from British
rule. Thomas wrote in such a way that the average reader could understand his argument and would be forced to
make a decision. Many people of the time were still undecided. After reading Common Sense, they became
convinced that revolution and independence from Britain was the best direction for the colonies.
12. Declaration of Independence: On June 11, 1776 the Continental
Congress appointed five leaders, called the Committee of Five, to write a
document explaining why they were declaring their independence. The five
members were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger
Sherman, and Thomas Jefferson. The members decided that Thomas
Jefferson should write the first draft. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft
over the next few weeks and, after some changes made by the rest of the
committee, they presented it to Congress on June 28, 1776.
The Declaration of Independence did more than just say the colonies wanted
their freedom. It explained why they wanted their freedom. It listed all the
bad things that the king had done to the colonies and that the colonies had
rights which they felt they should fight for.
Perhaps one of the most famous statements in the history of the United
States is in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty
and the pursuit of Happiness".
13. America Chooses a Flag (June 14, 1777) - The Continental Congress adopts
the "Stars and Stripes" Flag sewn by Betsy Ross.
14. Battles of Saratoga (September 19 - October 17, 1777) - British General John
Burgoyne surrenders his army to the Americans after suffering defeat at the
Battles of Saratoga.
15. Valley Forge (Winter of 1777-1778) - The Continental army under George
Washington spends the winter training at Valley Forge.
16. Alliance with France (Feb. 16, 1778) - France recognized the United States as
an independent country with the Treaty of Alliance.
17. Articles of Confederation (March 2, 1781) - Defined the official government
of the United States.
18. Battle of Yorktown (Oct. 19, 1781) - The last major battle of the American
Revolutionary War. British General Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown was
the unofficial end to the war.
19. Treaty of Paris (Sept. 3, 1783) - Treaty that officially ended the war.
(Right Image - Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776. Thomas Jefferson (right),
Benjamin Franklin (left), and John Adams (centre)
POSITIVE EFFECTS of the War: The Americans had finally achieved freedom! The 13 colonies had become independent
from Britain, but now what? There was a short period of time where the newly independent people of America didn't
really know what to do. After all, how do you build a new country? They decided to write the Articles of Confederation, a
document outlining some important rules for the colonies.
However, after a few years, it became obvious that they needed fairer and more detailed rules. So, important men from
each colony got together in Philadelphia and wrote the United States Constitution, which is the document that is the
basis of the American government even today, it's one positive effect that has thrived since it went into effect in 1789.
Another effect of the war was that it changed some people's attitudes about rights and freedom. Because the Americans
had rebelled, or fought against, a powerful enemy, the spirit of the revolution meant independence to them. Slavery,
women's rights, and religious freedom would continue to be limited for the next hundred years or so, but new attitudes
about these things began to develop.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS of the War: Although the Americans were victorious in the war, there were some negative effects. The
country had gained a large amount of debt during the war, which means that they borrowed a lot of money. Many people
living in the colonies chose to stay loyal to the British during the war, and since some of them didn't want to live in the
country anymore, they moved back to England or Canada.
Also, many cities and towns were damaged due to battles fought there. Another group of people who were negatively
affected were the Native Americans. The British provided help to some Native American tribes, so the tribes helped the
British during the war. After the war was over, many of the Native American settlements and lands were destroyed by
the Americans as revenge for helping the British military.
Women : Roles of Women During the Revolutionary War
Most women during the Revolutionary War stayed home and took
care of the farm or the family business while their husband was off
at war. They had to learn new skills and take on extra work. Some
women, however, took part directly in the war.
1. Nurses - Many women worked as nurses for the
Continental Army. They assisted doctors and took care of the sick.
This was a dangerous job as they were constantly exposed to the
many diseases that were common in army hospitals.
2. Spies - Women also worked as spies. Officers from both
sides tended to talk freely around women believing that they
wouldn't understand military terms and strategy. This made
women powerful spies who could gather top level information.
3. Camp Followers - Some women worked as camp followers
during the war. They would follow the army camp and help take care of the soldiers: mending clothes, cooking
meals, and cleaning up the camp.
4. Soldiers - Women were not allowed to serve as soldiers in the army, but this didn't stop some women from
fighting. They disguised themselves as men and used fake names when enlisting. Some women served for quite a
long time before being discovered.
Interesting Facts about the American Revolution
1. The first shot fired in the American Revolution was on April 19, 1775 and is called the "shot heard round the
world".
2. John Adams was the defence attorney for the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre. He would later
become a great leader in the Revolution and the 2nd president of the United States.
3. George Washington, the first President, only attended school until he was 14 years old. He became Commander of
the Virginia Militia when he was just 23.
4. The Battle of Bunker Hill was actually fought on Breed's Hill.
5. Although the war was between the colonies and Great Britain, other countries got involved as well. The French
were a major ally to the colonies and there were French, German, and Spanish soldiers who fought in the war.
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