The American Revolution
The Colonies Fight for Their Rights
North America 1750
Objectives
• Describe the battles of the
Revolutionary War.
• Describe and evaluate reasons for why
the colonies rebelled against the British
Empire.
Vocab
• French and Indian War
• Proclamation of 1763
• Sugar Act
• Due process
• The Stamp Act of 1765
• The Townshend Acts
England and Colonies prior to 1754
• The Navigation Acts
• Colonies become Royal Provinces with
governor
• Colonists win right to assemblies in 1689
England and Colonies prior to 1754
• English Bill of Rights
• Trial by jury
• Outlawed cruel and unusual punishment
• King could only raise taxes with
parliamentary approval
The French and Indian War
• British and French expanding in North
America
• Started as fight over the Ohio Valley
• Both sides had Native allies
• Natives had own objectives
• Bankrupts England
Growing Discontent
• The Proclamation of 1763
• Settlers defy treaty with Native Americans
• Britain can’t pay for another war so soon
• Limits settlement West of the Appalachian
Mountains
• Angers farmers and land speculators
Growing Discontent
• Customs Reform
• Britain has to pay for:
• 10,000 troops in North America
• French and Indian War
Growing Discontent
• In 1763, England makes law trying
smugglers in military court without a jury
• Angers colonists
• British citizens have right to speedy, jury trial
Growing Discontent
• The Sugar Act of 1764
• New taxes on sugar and six other
imported goods
• Merchants say—”Taxes hurt trade!”
• Also, merchants…
• …were guilty until proven innocent.
• …could have goods taken by officials without due
process
• …couldn’t sue over mistakes
• The Currency Act of 1764
• Banned paper money
Growing Discontent
• The Stamp Act
of 1765
• Sugar Act not
balancing the
books
• First direct tax
on colonists
The Stamp Act
• The Stamp Act of 1765
• Required stamp on most printed materials
• Call for “No taxation without
representation” picks up
• Patrick Henry
• Stamp Act Congress
Growing Discontent
• Five acts in three years
• Sons of Liberty in 1765
• Organize demonstrations
• American boycott leads to repeal of
Stamp Act in 1766
• However, Parliament passes law saying
it can make laws for the colonies
Growing Discontent
The Townshend Acts
• The Revenue Act of 1767
• New taxes on imported trade goods
• More trials without juries for violators
• Property seized without due process
• Writs of Assistance
• General search warrant
The Townshend Acts
• Action and Reaction
• John Dickinson
• Colonies should unite to resist Townshend Acts
• Self-government
• Colonists begin to assert more and more
independence
• Leaders include:
•
•
•
•
Sam Adams
John Adams
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
The Townshend Acts
• Virginia House of Burgesses passes
boycott on business with England in
1769
The Boston Massacre
• Colonists begin targeting British
customs officials
• In 1768 Britain sends 1,000 soldiers to
Boston
• March 5, 1770 group of colonists
demonstrates against the British
• Taunt soldiers
• British fire on demonstrators, killing five
and wounding six
Boston Tea Party