The Beginnings of
Self-Government
Roanoke Island (1580s)
First English-speaking colonists in America
1584  fort and settlement with more than
100 men was established
- it was abandoned the following year due to
weather, lack of supplies and poor relations
with the Native Americans*.
The colonists and natives
didn’t get along despite
the fact that the two local
chiefs had been taken to
England in hopes of
forming good relations.
In 1587 another party of 110
English colonists, including
women and children, set
sail for the New World,
reaching Roanoke Island in
July of that year
Roanoke Island (1580s)
First English-speaking colonists in America
A week later - Capt. John White, was forced to return to England
for badly needed supplies.
White was waylaid in England for three years, and when he
returned to Roanoke Island in 1590 there was no sign of colonists.
Their houses were gone, and the only sign
of human presence was the letters “CRO”
and “CROATOAN” carved on two trees
 led some people to believe that the
colonists had sought the help of the
Croatoan Indians but they were not there.
The fate of the lost colonists is as much a
mystery today as it was then
Jamestown (1607)
• King gave The Virginia Company (London) a CHARTER to
establish a trading post
grant
– Def: written
of authority to make laws “for the
good and welfare” of Jamestown
Instituted Representative Assembly: lawmaking body
composed of individuals who represented the population
SOCIAL
CONTRACT
THEORY IN
ACTION
Plymouth Colony (1620)
• Virgina Company (London) got charter to establish the first
New England colony (fishing)
– Who were these “Pilgrims”?
• Poor or middle class landless individuals
• Contract to Work 7 years  GET LAND
Moving towards Self-Government
By 1732, all colonies had been established
• Each colony had its own:
-Political
documents
-Own constitutions
-Own legislatures
• REMEMBER – ALL WERE UNDER THE
RULERSHIP OF THE BRITISH
MONARCHY AND HAD NO
REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT
• Britain did little to manage colonies since they
were 2,000
miles away (2 months)
•
Colonies gradually became SELF-GOVERNING
– Few taxes and provisions
– BUT - 1651 Navigation Acts – British Shipping and Colonies
– Series of laws that restricted the use of foreign ships for trade between Britain and
its colonies
– English trade should be carried in English vessels
– Ships' crews had to be three-quarters English, and "enumerated" products
not produced by the mother country, such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar
were to be shipped from the colonies only to England or other English
colonies
But, mid 1700s - TIGHTENING
King George III
Dealt more firmly with
colonies
(1) Restrictive Trade Acts
(2) More control of local affairs
(3) New Taxes to support
British Troops in North
America
??Why are they still here??
Why
The American colonies
were
Still
Here?
affected as well
•
Great Britain compelled them to
pay taxes to relieve the British
national debt (exploited them for
the1750-1770,
economic
of the
From
thebenefit
English fought
themother
country with little regard for the
French
effectsline
ondispute
the colonists)
(border
of the new world)
• Called French and Indian War
– Native Americans sided with France
English defeated the French  at the cost of
enormously increasing the national debt of Great
Britain
1764 Sugar Act
• Imposed tax on all sugar
imported to colonies
• Tax revenues – help pay
for wars waged by
British and support
British troops here
Stamp Act (1765)
• Required use of tax stamps on all legal documents,
newspapers, pamphlets, playing cards, certain business
agreements
Colonists – severe economic burden and seen as
unjust
If colonies were to revolt work together
• Early Attempts
– 1643 New England Confederation “league of friendship”
• Strengthening colonial defenses against the threat of Indian attacks
• The organization was to be composed of two delegates from each of
the four member colonies.
– Six of the eight votes were necessary to adopt any measure
– Regular annual meetings were to be held, but additional conferences could be called
in cases of emergency.
 Dissolved in 1680s
– 1754 Meeting called in Albany, NY
• Discuss problems of colonial trade, danger of attacks
of French and Native American allies
• Ben Franklin proposed ALBANY PLAN OF UNION
– Formation of a Congress (Meet annually)
– Some powers (military, Native Americans, trade)
– Turned Down by colonies and Crown
» Many in the British government, already wary of some of the strongwilled colonial assemblies, disliked the idea of consolidating
additional power into their hands
1765 (Oct) 9 out of 13 colonies sent delegates to
STAMP ACT CONGRESS (NYC)
• Prepared a DECLARATION OF RIGHTS AND
GRIEVANCES against new British actions
• Sent to the King
First
opposition to
British gov’t
from colonies
• Result 
Parliament repealed Stamp Act BUT CROWN PASSED
NEW LAWS TO BIND COLONIES MORE TIGHTLY TO
CENTRAL GOV’T IN LONDON
These new laws included…
• Declaratory Act (1766): Parliament had the
right to make laws for the colonies in all
matters
• Townshend Acts (1767): Raising revenue
(taxes) in the colonies to pay for the judges
and governors to remain loyal to England
Resentment
Colonists Reaction
and Anger
• Increase in mob violence
– Boston Massacre –
Colonists Reaction –
1) Protests multiplied
2) Protested taxes by a
BOYCOTT (refusal to
purchase all English
goods)
– Street fight that occurred on
March 5, 1770, between a
"patriot" mob, throwing
snowballs, stones, and sticks, and
a squad of British soldiers.
– British fired on mob – 5 died
– A town meeting was called
demanding the removal of the
British and the trial of Captain
Preston and his men for murder.
At the trial, John Adams
defended the British, leading to
their acquittal and release
On November 28
Dartmouth arrived in Boston harbor with a
cargo of tea.
1773 POWERFUL
CLIMAX…
BOSTON TEA PARTY
Effectiveness of American Boycott
England Responds:
Samuel
Adams
and
others
were
- Drop of 70 percent in tea sales over three years.
Tea Act (1773): financial aid
determined that the cargo would not be
to East India Trading
landed in the city (blocked 3 ships).
Company (bankrupt)
Deadline – 20 days off ship (Act)
A group of some 50 men
- disguised as Mohawk Indians
(unconvincingly)
The vessels were boarded, the cargo
carefully taken from the holds and placed on
the decks.
There, 342 chests were split open and
thrown into the harbor. A cheering crowd on
the dock shouted its approval for the
• brewing
Colonistsofdressed
as Mohawk
this “saltwater
tea.”
Indians
The “Tea Party” was quickly restaged in
• Dumped 350 chests of British tea
other port cities in America
into harbor
Allowed the company to
sell tea to the colonists at a
low price (lower than the
price of smuggled tea even
including the required tax).
The British reasoned that
the Americans would
willingly pay the tax if
they were able to pay a low
price for the tea.
British Parliament Responded…
• Intolerable Acts(1774 ): closed Boston harbor, placed
gov’t of Boston under DIRECT British control
• Quebec Act (1774): Removal of political freedoms; strip
colonies of colonial assemblies
• Quartering Act (1774): permitted troops to be quartered
in unoccupied buildings, inns, taverns
In response… RI, PA, and NY proposed a
Colonial Congress be held
• ALL colonies would
select delegates to
send to Philadelphia
FIRST
CONTINENTIAL
CONGRESS
Carpenter’s Hall (Sept 5 1774)
12/13 colonies sent delegates (GA no show)
WHY? Georgia needed British military help to
defend their borders and protect them from the
Creek Indians at the time... They did not think
it wise to participate in boycotts or openly criticize
Great Britain and risk losing their protection
They decided…
• Should send a petition to King George to
explain grievances
• Con’t to boycott British goods
– Declared that each county and city should form a
committee to spy on peoples actions and report to
the press names of those who violated the trade
boycott
– List of names – printed in local newspaper
• Require each colony to start an army
*We did not advocate
INDEPENDENCE
We wanted to right the wrongs that
had been inflicted upon us and
hoped that a unified voice would
gain us a hearing in London.
When British Government
received petition…
• Condemned Congress’s actions as Open
Acts of Rebellion
• Responded with EVEN STRICTER
MEASURES…
April 1775
•
•
The British Army set out from Boston to
Battle of Lexington capture rebel leaders and destroy the
Americans store of weapons and
and Concord
ammunition in Concord.
Redcoats v Minutemen
- The colonists were warned (Paul Revere)
Location: Lexington and Concord, Mass that the British Army was approaching.
- The local militia was able to hide much
of their ammunition and weapons
Once the British decided to retreat, they
began the long march back to the city of
Boston.
The Americans continued to gain forces
and continued to attack and harass the
British during their retreat.
British reached Boston they had lost 73
FIRST BATTLE OF THE
men and 174 were wounded.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The Americans lost 49 men and 41 were
wounded.
Let’s take a look at what was
happening…
• John Adams
• Part II
Independence
HW – Identify
what colony
each of the
main character
delegates were
from.
Stop
Notes