Aim: How did political perspective
divide the American Colonies?
Review: Identifying Facts
Boston Massacre Boston Tea Party Currency Act
Stamp Act
Declaration of Rights
Declaratory Act
Lexington and Concord
Intolerable Act
Proclamation of 1763
Quebec Act
Sugar Act
Townshend Acts
1.) The ___ ordered all settlers to leave the Ohio 8.) A group of colonists dressed as
Valley and return to the established colonies.
Mohawk Indians dumped British tea
into a harbor in an event called the
2.) The ___ raised the tax on sugar and cloth
___.
goods.
3.) The ___ enabled the British government to
9.) The ___ made it illegal for the
tax legal and business papers used in
colonies to print their own money.
America.
10.) The ___ allowed Great Britain to
4.) The ___ stated that British had control over
close the port of Boston to all trade,
the colonies in all cases.
ban town meetings, house British
5.) The ___ placed new taxes on many items
troops in people’s homes, and require
important to the colonists, including glass,
that British soldiers accused of any
paper, and tea.
unlawful act be tried in Great Britain.
6.) The ___ extended the Canadian province of
11.) The First Continental Congress
Quebec into the Ohio Valley.
wrote the ___.
7.) British soldiers fired into a crowd of people
12.) British soldiers and American
in an event called the ___.
minutemen fought at ___.
The Second Continental Congress
• Even after the battles of Lexington and
Concord, most colonists still did not favor
independence.
• At the same time, many were ready to use force,
if necessary, to defend their rights against the
British.
• The Second Continental Congress met in
Philadelphia, in May 1775.
• The Congress chose George Washington as the
commander of the newly formed Continental
army.
• Took steps to pay for its army by printing paper
money.
• Starting to act like a government...
Petitioning the King
• Two resolutions passed in July showed the
uncertainty of the Congress.
• The first resolution was the Olive Branch
Petition sent to King George III.
– Stated that colonists were loyal to the King.
– Asked the King to stop all the fighting (between
Colonies and Britain) so disputes could be solved
peacefully.
Petitioning the King
• The next day, the Congress passed a tougher
statement called the “Declaration of the Causes
and Necessities of Taking Up Arms.”
– Written in part by Thomas Jefferson, the document
stated that the colonists were ready to “die freemen
rather than to live as slaves.”
• The effort to make peace failed.
Loyalists vs. Patriots
Essential Questions:
1. Who were Loyalists and who were Patriots?
2. What did Loyalists and Patriots believe?
Loyalists
 Loyalists were American colonists
who remained loyal to the Great
Britain
 They were often referred to as
Tories, Royalists, or King's Men by
the Patriots
 Historians estimate that 15% and
20% of the white population were
Loyalists
 Many Loyalists fled the country at
the start of the revolution
Who were loyalists?
 They were older
 Many were merchants and wealthy
 Many active in the Church of
England were Loyalists
 Most of the Pennsylvania Dutch
were loyalists
◦ They feared their royal land
grants would be in danger with a
republican form of government
 About100,000 loyalists left the
country after the revolution
Patriots
 Patriots came from many different
backgrounds
 Most were highly educated and
wealthy
 Support of ordinary men and
women (farmers, mechanics,
homemakers, and shopkeepers)
aided the Patriot cause
 These middle and lower classes
didn’t like their economic situation
◦ Largely due to British taxation
Views of the Patriots
 Believed British taxes
were not "legal“
 The colonists were not
directly represented in
Parliament
 The British believed in
"virtual representation,“
◦ All members of
Parliament represent the
interests of all the citizens
of the British empire
The Arguments
1.
People have rights
government can’t
take away, like
property
2.
Taxation takes away property
(i.e. – money and goods)
3.
American colonies would be weak
without Britain
Colonists don’t have voice in
Parliament, so they can’t tax
colonies (No taxation without
representation)
4.
Colonies profit from trade with
England
There’s no way colonies could
ever be represented –
Parliament’s too far
5.
Many colonists fought in
the French & Indian War
(we’ve done our part)
British personnel are
causing violence,
riots, and death
(Boston Massacre &
Boston Tea
Party)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A strong unified
British Empire is
good for all
Colonists are British subjects
and should obey British law
Taxes are due to French & Indian
War which was fought to protect
colonies
6.
Colonies are too far away
from England to have
representation in Parliament,
its just not practical
6.
The year is 1775, you are an
American colonists…
• Are you a loyalist or a patriot.
• Explain your selection & cite a minimum of two
pieces of evidence to support your choice.