Chapter 4:
The Great War for the Empire i. Consequences of the Seven Year’s War
● Effect on American colonists vs. British regulars
17561757/ 1758 colonial assemblies > authority established in colonists eyes.
Confirmed “fakeness” of English plans/ interferences in local affairs.
War was socializing experience for American soldiers > communal, voluntary, free, believers.
( opposite attitude from American soldiers, > resented arrogance/ arbitrary power use, in future helped with US response to British imperial policies.
● (Indians/ Iroquois)
French allies showed hostility towards British.
Iroquois Confederacy > allied with Britain, avoided antagonizing French.
Confederacy began to crumble > continued with British influence, became outnumbered, terms dealt
with military/ political equality
THE NEW IMPERIALISM p.108113
Burdens of Empire i. Commercial vs. Territorial Imperialists
● 1763: shift in Britain imperial design> used to view their power through trade relations, 18th century: English/ American leaders believed land served great value with population support.
Mercantilists
Guadalupe
British Empire grew twice bigger from expansion.
People thought UK should have control.
More colonies strived land expansion > complicated for who exactly would control what. ii. Britain's Staggering War Debt
● UK trying to deal with war debt > superiors objected unnecessary increases, UK could not rely on cooperation with colonial governments > UK empires could help needs.\
King George
Britain needed a change in trone (new king) > 1760, after grandfather> determined good monarch, gained uneasy parliament control, ministries unstable from changes. iii. King George III Shortcomings
Suffered from disease (insanity) > unable to perform official actions.
Problems emerged in colonies
● 1763 agreed colonists should be enforced to obey laws/ put effort for good of the empire.
The British and the Tribes
i. Proclamation of 1763
● English moved to upper Ohio Valley > Indians objected intrusion to land commerce (tribe alliance).
Preventing dispute > British issued Proclamation ruling > forbidding settlers past Appalachian line.
Western Settlement (Proclamation)
● Appealing British > allow London control westward movement for whites population.
Expansion would proceed as planned > conflict with tribes (affecting trade) might be limited.
West expansion takes up population > most important markets/ investments on east coast losing population (labor, wealth, resources, capital)
Native Perspective/ Relations
Had to give lots of land to white settlers > many also supported agreement for best/ reliable bargain.
● Cherokee encroachment).
Improved relations (british/ indians) after proclamation > in charge of southern indian affairs, in charge of northern. ii. White Encroachment
● Proclamation didn’t meet indian expectations (in the end).
Had to do with white settlers wanting to much (west speculation/ fur trade).
British tried establish limits/ rules for expansion > Americans failed to stop pushing.
The Colonial Response i. Sugar, Currency, and Stamp Acts
: to eliminate illegal sugar trade continental colonies and French/ Spanish in West Indies.
● Established courts to accuse smugglers > influence of lower duty could damage “US” market
> could lead to economic crash.
assemblies stopped issuing paper money > to suspend initial paper money out of market/ industry.
Stamp Act 1765:
● Imperial program reapplied old principles of > effective.
Officials collected more revenue than before 1763. ii. Paxton Boys
● Difficult for colonist to resist imperial regulations.
> established societies (atlantic coast) and back country
(further west) > “feared” to live too close to indians.
1763: band of people from PA (Paxton Boys) demand colonial taxes/ money to help defend against indians iii. Regulator Movement
● Farmers of Carolina, organized struggle high taxes collect by sheriffs > west not well represented in colonial assembly.
Armed/ collected taxes by force > used militiamen from east defeated 2000 regulators
“
Lawyers, ministers, professors depended on merchants/ planters for livelihood > many thought increased taxes would ruin lives. Paper money loss disenabled to pay their loans. iv. Postwar Depression
● Americans soon able to live with british laws/ policies. > economic anxieties rising.
Depression came 1760s > large group unemployed/ semi employed in the population. v. Political Consequences of the Grenville Program
● Political consequences for colonist government = very bad (not as bad for British).
Self government
(British challenged).
To resist imperial policy “would fight and die”.
STIRRINGS OF REVOLT p.113125
The Stamp Act Crisis i. Effects of the Stamp Act
Prime minister Grenville
Sugar act affected NE merchants.
● Stamps had to be purchased for all employment > lawyers, merchants, company owners, political leaders, printers.
Stamps = not expensive → rationalized colonial trade taxes (colonists).
● Stamp act for England raise revenue in colonies*
House of Burgesses
Patrick Henry for “insulting” monarch. ii. Virginia Resolves
● Americans wanted same rights as English > tax rights through representatives/ Virginia assembly, Burgesses suspend Henry’s claims> were printed >“Virginia Resolves.
J > called meeting against new tax
New York 1765> petitioned king/ 2 houses of parliament. Americans owed parliament/ denied colonies being rightfully taxed (except within). iii. Sons of Liberty
● 1765: riots broke out around east coast (Boston), sons of liberty followers rebelled stamp agents
> stamp sales finished.
● British aristocrats attack (Boston) > governor (opposed stamp act/ officer of crown = attack victim.
crises = dangerous event for England and colonies > soon broke off (england backed down) >
British didn’t quit (from colonial assembly resolutions).
before act → colonists (NE) stopped buying English goods > to protest sugar act.
Colonial boycott starts having economic trouble. iv. Parliament Retreats
● Grenville prime minister 1766 > relax English/ colonists > stamp act suspended.
Parliament passes > colonists pay small attention to declaration of power
The Townshend Program i. Mutiny Act
● Quartering (Mutiny Act) prevent Indian/ French attack also to defend frontiers.
Quartering = voluntary since French Indian war → now mandatory.
MA assembly refuse vote mandated supplies to British troops, New York agreed > imperial authority challenge since headquarters in NY. ii. Internal and External Taxes
● NY assembly dispersed until colonists agree Mutiny act > taxation numbers grew (too much for colonists)
→ prevent stamp act passage, didn’t impose external transactions (internal superior).
External transactions = stamp act purpose (raise revenue for colonists).
● MA assembly leads stand up to not accept imposed parliament tax.
Townshend strengthen commercial regulation enforcement > establishing custom commissioner board in America > ened smuggling in Boston (headquarters) → continued colonial seaports. iii. Colonial Boycotts
● Boston merchants southern merchants/ planters cooperated.
1767: → hope break nomination agreement/ divide colonists.
The Boston Massacre i. Competition for Scarce Employment
● Customs commissioners (Boston) intensity > British placed troops (redcoats) inside city.
British soldiers want employment when off duty > competed with workers > clashes occurred.
March 5th 1770: shipyard workers and british soldiers “argue” leads to physical (rocks/ snowballs).
→ lined up men (protection) > soldiers fired killing 5
considered → “Boston Massacre”. ii. Samuel Adams
● Boston Massacre = british oppression/ brutality
viewed event on “calculated assault on peaceful crowd”.
● MA jury found british soldiers guilty of manslaughter > punishment > newspapers convinced soldiers guilty of murder.
Sam Adams in protest)
Relations with England puritan past > inclined viewing public events → thought England “full of sin/ corruption” (believed in America).
Proposed creation of “committee of correspondence” > publicised English hardship.
The Philosophy of Revolt i. England’s Balanced Constitution
● Quiet for little while > ideological challenge to England came about.
Governments established to protect from evil of people (corruption) > officials must be approved
(England and America).
English accepted changes, Americans looked from colonial charter perspective (permanent inscription of governing powers).
● Principle → right of people to be taxed only with consent > no taxation without representation. ii. Virtual vs. Actual Representation
● Americans believed division of sovereignty between assemblies > British believed in single/ ultimate authority British: could only be monarch/ or parliament
The Tea Experiment i. Revolutionary Discourse
● Politics discussed → in towns/ cities → men gatherings squares, schools, churches, taverns → also discussed discontent with English policies.
Product of social process (new ideas discussed).
Rebellion lying beneath the surface (metaphorical).
● Colonists seized british ship Delaware river > 1772: RI residents torch british ship (ship sank)
→ british sent commission to bring defendants back UK for trial.
1773: gave right merchandise export to colonies (no taxes imposed on merchants).
Act angered colonists > merchants feared bankruptcy/ replacements. ii. The Tea Act
Law provided no tax on tea.
● Lord North thought colonists would like new laws because reduced price on tea > considered another example unconstitutional tax > tea became boycotted
Boycott mobilized large segments of population.
● 1773: strong colonist leaders prevent East India company landing goods in colonial ports. iii. Boston Tea Party
● December 6th 1773: During masquerade (party), 3 companies snuk on ships→ broke into tea chests, dropped them in the harbor.
Other colonies experienced similar stories (acts of resistance).
Refused pay “vandalized/ destroyed” property > parliament soon closed port of Boston > English forces took authority, search houses, worked to prevent crime. iv. Consequences
● Groups in colony extended boycotts > created substitutes for tea, textiles/ other goods.
COOPERATION AND WAR
New Sources of Authority i. First Continental Congress
● Intercolonial committees established > cooperation among colonies.
All 13 colonies attended continental congress meeting → except georgia.
5 major decisions
1. Reject all means of british authority.
2. Endorsed statement of grievances.
3. Extreme demand for withdraw of oppressive legislation.
4. Agree to nonimportation (no stopping great with England).
5. Continental Congress → continuing organization (meeting again following spring) ii. The conciliatory Propositions
● Parliament debated proposals for “satisfying” colonists.
→ repeal of Coercive Acts.
Decided colonies not being taxed by parliament > should tax themselves at demand.
> Proposition made too late → (war had started/ shots already fired)
(Crash Courses Below)
CRASH COURSE 6:
● American Revolution
American revolution > not about taxes.
> about taxes/ right to smuggle.
● British raised taxes to pay for war > British placed taxes on all items with colonial trade > why? to reduce industrial competition (trade regulation).
Colonists had no say on imposed taxes.
1760 → some colonies set own taxes for own legislatures.
Sugar act = first oppressive tax > extended molasses act > tax enforced/ gave british courts to take away smugglers for colonial courts.
● Stamp act: everything printed needed stamp (costs money) > act started by protesters > boycotted British goods.
Boycott helped people become aware of their liberties > street acts = violence.
Coordinated action worked > parliament repealed stamp act (victory in colonies).
● Great Britain still needed money > wanted to stop smuggling sources → colonist didn't like it.
Not everyone on board with boycotts (in colonies).
Boston Massacre occurred → 5 colonists killed → 9 soldiers charged manslaughter.
● British East India company dumped cheap tea in colonies for tax (
Party
Thought British back down after protests > British passed series of acts, (MA government act,
quartering act, Quebec act) >
● 1st continental congress = first government in America.
Delegates to PA = 1st revolutionary act of american revolution > not act of independence.
(Humans deserving rights of natural law) = BIG IDEA
● Fighting in war started 15 months before declaration.
Fighting: British soldiers against Massachusetts militia (minutemen) > British suffered casualties →
left Boston, when to NY.
said not everyone in colony was ready for independence (nationwide).
Thomas Paine: said “cause of America is in great measure, the cause of all mankind” (America is special).
> pamphlet sold 150000 copies (widely read)
● America soon became independent > 2nd continental congress declared independence.
CRASH COURSE 7:
● 2 kinds of revolutions → things that do change/ things that don't change.
Industrial revolution = England/ Europe’s revolution > American Revolution = American Revolution.
● Goal for British in war > make colonists surrender → taking over cities.
Colonists did not quit → (home field advantage, knowledge of terrain, supply lines).
Washington crossed Delaware > surprised Germans → victory!, good for him after past defeats.
: defeat for British > because of terrible generaling.
British take Charleston > soon lose smaller scale battles.
● British surrendered > > surrounded British on peninsula > British lost war.
Continental soldiers → had hard time > thought they were starving.
Some fought with British
> some kicked out of properties by British.
● 1775: Lord Dunmore → issued proclamation granted freedom to any slave deserted his master to
British.
Many slaves thought revolution as chance for escapes.
100000 slaves fled to British side > many returned to masters > 15000 left America when British did.
● Native Americans affected by war (wanted to stay out) → colonists also wanted them to stay neutral > said that indians were not involved/ concerned with British/ American problems.
Younger Indians sided with british > older ones sided with americans.
Indians didn’t get rights > (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness).
Republican motherhood > primary educators → needed to be educated ( ).
● Aspect of American Revolution > true religious freedom.
Jefferson called for “ ” between church and state.
Revolution change economy led to decline of apprenticeship/ indentured servitude.
● North and South broke apart.
North > focused on paid labor.
South > focused on slave labor.
● Eli Whitney cotton > (restored slavery).
Letting people have property = letting people have power.