Chapter 4
Section 2
Issues Behind the
Revolution
Growing Tensions
Native Americans in the Great Lakes region
were concerned about British interests.
The British colonists were not hunters and
traders like the French.
As farmers, the British represented a much
greater threat to Native American land and
resources than did the French. The Native
Americans tried to explain their concerns to
British government officials, but the British
government ignored them.
The Aftermath: Tensions
Along the Frontier
1763  Pontiac’s Rebellion
Fort Detroit
British “gifts” of smallpox-infected
blankets from Fort Pitt.
Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763)
• Indians in the
Great Lakes
region rebelled
against British
occupation. They
destroyed every
British fort in the
region. The
uprising was
called Pontiac’s
Rebellion, after
one of the
Ottawa leaders.
BACKLASH!
British  Proclamation
Line of 1763.
Colonials  Paxton Boys (PA)
In October, King George of Britain issued the
Proclamation of 1763, closing the Great Lakes
region to settlement by colonists. Colonists
ignored the proclamation and other peace
treaties between the British and Native
Americans, and continued to settle in forbidden
areas. Britain’s lack of success in halting the
colonists’ migration further undermined its
authority in America.
COSTS OF AN EMPIRE
• The costs of governing and defending Britain’s
vast empire made the British people the most
heavily taxed people in the world.
• While Britain struggled with its heavy debts
and taxes, its colonies in America were
prospering.
• The British government decided that the
colonists should begin to pay some of the
costs of their own government and defense.
Theories of Representation
Q-> What was the extent of Parliament’s
authority over the colonies??
Absolute?
OR
Limited?
Q-> How could the colonies give or withhold consent
for parliamentary legislation when they did not
have representation in that body??
Colonists complained that the changes violated their rights
as British subjects, but mostly they went along with them.
Opposition to the next step was much stronger, however.
PM George Grenville’s
Program, 1763-1765
1. Sugar Act - 1764 marked the start of a new
British policy designed to raise more income from the
colonies.
2. Currency Act – 1764 colonists not allowed to
issue paper currency.
3. Quartering Act – 1765 required colonists to
provide housing and supplies for British troops in America
4. Stamp Act – 1765
Stamp Act Crisis
Stamp Act placed a tax on newspapers,
pamphlets, legal documents, and most other
printed materials.
The Stamp Act marked the first time that the
British government taxed the colonists for the
stated purpose of raising money.
Colonists begin to protest
Colonist merchants began a boycott of British
goods.
Stamp Act Congress – 1765 James Otis (M) led
the argument called for “no taxation without
representation.”
Sons (Daughters) of Liberty – (John Adams)
Many were lawyers, merchants, and craftspeople those most affected by the Stamp Act.
Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, but
imposed the Declaratory Act - This gave
parliament supreme authority to govern
the colonies.
Townshend Duties Crisis:
1767-1770
Charles Townshend, Secretary of the Exchequer.
* import taxes on goods, such
as glass and tea. Colonists
rebel, British troops sent to
Boston to put down violent
resistance.
* A crowd threatened the
British soldiers. Known as the
Boston Massacre, the soldiers
opened fire and killed five
colonists.
*Parliament canceled all the
Townshend taxes, except for
the duty on tea.
Boston Tea Party
Boston Massacre
December 16, 1773
*In May 1773, the Parliament
passed the Tea Act, an act
that gave a British company
special tax exemption in the
colonies.
*The American colonists
protested and marched to
the harbor where the three
ships were docked and
dumped 342 chests of tea
overboard.
*The tea that was dumped was
to be valued over 90,000
pounds which is equal to
$159,611.25!
Intolerable Acts (Coercive )
In March 1774, Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts, which
included closing Boston Harbor and imposing martial law.
Intolerable Acts were:
1. Quartering Act – Quartering of British soldiers in civilian
homes
2. Quebec Act – It rearranged the Canadian Borders.
3. Administration of Justice Act – It protected royal officials
accused of capital crimes. They had to be tried in England.
4. Massachusetts Government Act– It gave the royal
government direct control over the colony down to town
meetings.
5. Boston Port Bill – Closed Boston Harbor and reparations
were made for the tea that had been destroyed.
First Continental Congress (1774)
55 delegates from 12 colonies (no GA!)
Agenda  How to respond
to the Intolerable Acts?
1 vote per colony
*renew boycott of goods
*organize armed militias.
*made a direct appeal to the king,
outlining their grievances and
asking for understanding.
The Shot Heard ’Round the World!
Lexington & Concord – April 18,1775
Conflict at Lexington and
Concord
* British learns of
stockpile of weapons in
Concord, set out to seize
weapons
*Boston Patriots learned about
the British soldiers’ plan The
battles that ensued became
known as the Battles of
Lexington and Concord.
* sparked the
Revolutionary War
Lexington and Concord