The Road to Revolution
Effects of the War
on Britain?
1. It increased the colonial empire in
the Americas.
2. It greatly increased England’s debt.
3. Britain’s contempt for the colonials
created bitter feelings.
Therefore, England felt that a
major reorganization of the
American Empire was necessary!
Effects of the War on the
American Colonials
1. It united them against a
common enemy for the first
time.
2. It created a socializing
experience for all the
colonials who participated.
3. It created bitter feelings
towards the British that
would only intensify.
The British Empire
Where’s Great Britain?
Where’s England?
The Island of Great Britain
Great Britain (is not) recognized as a separate country in modern
times, but rather that term politically describes the combination
of England, Scotland, and Wales.
"
What is Parliament?
The colonies had zero representation.
Road to Revolution
Albany Plan of Union
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1
Plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin
Called for a council of delegates from each
colony with a leader appointed by the British
king
Not approved because each colony wanted to
control its own taxes and make its own
decisions
1763
Road to Revolution
Proclamation of 1763
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2
Prohibited colonists
from settling west of
the Appalachian
Mountains
Disliked by many of
the colonists
• King of England.
• Instrumental in ending the
French and Indian War in 1763.
• Strong supporter of taxing the
colonies to pay for the debt.
• He opposed any compromise
with the colonial government in
America.
• After loosing of the colonies, he
withdrew his efforts at personal
government and went insane.
George Grenville
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In 1763 became Prime
Minister
He was determined to
reduce Britain's debt
He knew Britain was losing a
lot of money because of
smugglers
1n 1767, Parliament
authorizes “writs of
assistance” to reduce
smugglers
OR Warrants!!!
What is “Writs of Assistance”

These legal documents allowed customs
officers to enter any location to search for
smuggled goods.
1764
Road to Revolution
Sugar Act
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Tax on foreign molasses, sugar, wine, silks,
coffee, and other luxury items
Colonists refused to pay it
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See Video
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3
1765
Road to Revolution
Quartering Act
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4
Required
colonists
to house
British
soldiers
and
provide
them with
food and
supplies
1765
Road to Revolution
Stamp Act
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5
First direct tax on colonists
by Parliament
Forced people to pay a tax
on items such as
newspapers, playing cards,
and legal documents
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Colonists believed it went against the idea of no
taxation without representation (since no
American voted in elections to Parliament)
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See Video
Road to Revolution
Sons/Daughters of Liberty
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6
Protest group who helped organize boycotts
Sam Adams was an outspoken leader of the
Sons of Liberty in Boston
Women signed pledges against drinking tea,
promised not to buy British-made cloth, and
met at spinning clubs to make their own cloth
Paul Revere
Samuel Adams
•Sons of Liberty was a secret
society formed in protest of
British rule.
•They had a large role in the
repeal of the Stamp Act and the
Boston Tea Party.
•9 original members which
included the leaders Samuel
Adams and Paul Revere
“If our trade be taxed, why not
our lands, or produce, in short,
everything we possess? They
tax us without having legal
representation.”
Britishlaws
•Between 1765 to 1766,
the Sons of Liberty led
over 40 protests up and
down the colonial
coastline.
•Most of the protests are
located in the Middle
Colonies up through the
New England Colonies.
Stamp Act Protests: 1765 to 1766
•Successful in forcing the
British Parliament to
repeal the Stamp Act.
Road to Revolution
Boycott
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7
Refusal to buy goods or
have dealings with a
country or other entity
Colonists boycotted (or,
refused to buy or sell)
British goods
1766
Road to Revolution
Declaratory Act
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8
Act stated that parliament had the right to rule
and tax the colonies
Passed after Parliament put an end to the
Stamp Act, to warn colonists against future
protests
1767
Road to Revolution
Townshend Acts
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9
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Set of laws designed to
raise money from the
colonies
Acts placed import taxes on
paint, glass, lead, paper,
and tea coming into
America.
Acts also allowed British
officials warrants to search
anywhere for suspected
smuggled goods.
See Video
Charles Townshend
spearheaded the Townshend Acts, but died
before their detrimental effects became
apparent.
1770
Road to Revolution
Boston Massacre
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10
Boston citizens were angry at the sight of redcoated soldiers on the streets.
Group of Boston civilians began insulting and
throwing snowballs at a British guard. More
soldiers arrived.
Mob of civilians surrounded soldiers in protest,
and in the confusion the soldiers fired their guns
into the crowd and 5 civilians died.
Following Boston Massacre, Townshend Acts
were repealed (ended), except for the tax on tea.
1770
Road to Revolution
Boston Massacre
1767
Road to Revolution
Townshend Acts
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9
Set of laws designed to
raise money from the
colonies
Acts placed import taxes on
paint, glass, lead, paper,
and tea coming into
America.
Acts also allowed British
officials warrants to search
anywhere for suspected
smuggled goods.
Charles Townshend
spearheaded the Townshend Acts, but died
before their detrimental effects became
apparent.
1772
Road to Revolution
Committees of Correspondence
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11
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Network of
communication for
passing along news of
British activity to the
colonies
Organized by Samuel
Adams in Massachusetts
Also formed in other
colonies
See Video
1773
Road to Revolution
Tea Act
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12
Designed to help the East India Company, who
was struggling financially
Gave company exclusive rights to sell tea
directly to the Americans without paying the
British import tax
Cut out business for colonial sea captains and
merchants
Colonists protested the act
1773
Road to Revolution
Boston Tea Party
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13
Organized by a group of
about 50 men (from the
Sons of Liberty), disguised
as Mohawk Indians
Dumped 342 chests of tea
into the harbor from a ship
in Boston
See Video
1774
Road to Revolution
Coercive (or Intolerable) Acts

Laws meant to punish the colonists for the
Boston Tea Party
1) Closed port of Boston until payment made for tea
2) British officials accused of a crime were to be
14
tried in English rather than American courts
3) British troops could be quartered in any town in
Massachusetts—even in private homes
4) Reduced Massachusetts’ right to self
government
5)
See Video
1774
Road to Revolution
Quebec Act
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15
Extended the Canadian province of
Quebec south to the Ohio River
Allowed French Canadians to keep
their laws, language, and Roman
Catholic religion
Colonists saw act as first step to
keep American settlers out of the
western lands
1774
Road to Revolution
First Continental Congress
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16
Group of delegates from every colony except
Georgia who met in Philadelphia
Did not seek independence at this time
Sought rather to right the wrongs that had been
inflicted on the colonies and hoped that a
unified voice would gain them a hearing in
London
See Video
1774
Road to Revolution
Suffolk Resolves
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Set of resolutions passed at a meeting in
Boston
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17
Demanded return to constitutional government
Demanded an end to trade with Great Britain
Plan for arming and training of militia
Paul Revere brought a copy to First
Continental Congress, who passed the
resolves
Road to Revolution
Militia
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18
A group of citizens who would be ready to fight
in any emergency
Road to Revolution
Minutemen
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19
Members of a militia who could be ready to
fight at a “minute’s” notice
Minutemen were usually 25 years of age or
younger, and they were selected (from the
militia) for their enthusiasm, reliability, and
strength
1775
Road to Revolution
Lexington and Concord
Taking Sides Assignment
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Analyze the many events that led the colonist
to revolution.
BUT, you will be asked to look at each evnt,
act, tax from the colonist perspective and the
loyalist perspective
1775
Road to Revolution
Lexington and Concord
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20
First battles of the American Revolution
British soldiers marched toward Concord to take
American’s supply of guns and gunpowder
British were surprised by group of minutemen in
Lexington (a town on the way to Concord)
British casualties were nearly three times those
of the Americans
1775
Road to Revolution
Second Continental Congress
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21
Delegates from all 13 colonies met in
Philadelphia
George Washington chosen to build a
Continental Army
1775
Road to Revolution
Olive Branch Petition
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22
Petition sent to the King by the
Second Continental Congress
begging him to stop the war
and make peace with the
colonists
Unsuccessful—George III
declared the Americans to be
rebels and the colonies went
to war