Why Revolution?
By Charles Hail
1
Why Revolution?
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I used this lesson in my
observation at ISUS. It is meant to
be an overview of factors leading
to the American Revolution.
2
Factors Leading to the
Revolution & the
Declaration of
Independence
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People’s views
England’s Reactions
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Sense of Independence
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The Atlantic Ocean separated the
13 colonies from British rule and
influence.
Many in England felt the colonies
were only there to serve them.
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The Navigation Laws
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The Navigation Laws
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These were laws that prevented the
colonists from trading with anyone but
England.
These laws were poorly enforced for
many years and this led to smuggling.
John Hancock, as well as many other
colonists became wealthy because of
smuggling.
In 1763 the British Navy began to
enforce these laws, upsetting many
colonists.
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The Stamp Act
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The Stamp Act of 1765
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This new tax covered about 50
items that used stamped paper.
Some of the items taxed included
playing cards, marriage licenses,
and diplomas. (Diplomas!?!)
Colonists were outraged and
protested with the non-importation
agreement.
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The Non-Importation
Agreement
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The Non-Importation
Agreement
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This was an agreement among
many colonists to boycott British
goods and to no longer export
goods to England.
Do boycotts still work?
Can you think of any recent
boycotts?
10
Tarring and Feathering…
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Townshend Acts of 1767
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These laws were put into effect to
try to make up the money not
made from the Stamp Act.
This was an import or duty tax on
glass, lead, and tea.
Smuggling again became
widespread.
12
The Boston Massacre
13
Boston Massacre
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On March 5, 1770 a group of 60
Boston patriots were together on
the street, compared to 10 British
soldiers.
Someone in the crowd struck the
soldiers with sticks and clubs.
The soldiers fired into the crowd,
killing five people and wounding
six.
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Boston Massacre
Continued…
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The fist person to die was Crispus
Attucks, a former slave and the
son of an African American father
and a Native American mother
March the fifth was celebrated as
“Massacre Day” in many colonies
until the July 4, 1776 signing of the
Declaration of Independence made
it a bigger holiday.
15
The Boston Tea Party
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Boston Tea Party
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“Legal” tea was now cheaper than
the tea that was being smuggled
in.
The British East India Tea
Company was bankrupt and
England needed the tax money
from the tea it already had.
England granted the B.E.T.C. a
monopoly of the tea market in the
colonies.
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Another look…
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Boston Tea Party
Continued…
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Many colonists were outraged by
the monopoly and struck back.
On December 16, 1773, rebels
from Boston, dressed as Native
Americans boarded the ship in
Boston Harbor carrying the tea and
dumped it overboard.
This made the King mad and the
Intolerable Acts were put in place.
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The Intolerable Acts
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The Intolerable Acts,
1774
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Boston Harbor was closed until
restitution was made for the tea.
Restrictions were put on town
meetings.
British officials who killed colonists
were allowed to return to England
for trial.
In response the colonists formed
the first Continental Congress.
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Then…
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Then…
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England began to send troops to
the colonies, especially New
England.
Local militias began to form to help
stop the enforcement of the laws.
In April 1775, British troops
marched to Lexington and Concord
and the first shots of the revolution
were fired.
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More…
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More…
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On May 10, 1775 the Second
Continental Congress met.
On July 4, 1776 the Continental
Congress ratified the Declaration
of Independence.
The war went on for fourteen
months (April of 1775 to July of
1776) before it was official. Why?
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The Declaration is read!
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