Road to Independence
1763-1776
Chapter 5
Relations with Britain
• 1763—Great Britain tries to end troubles with
the Native Americans by issuing the
Proclamation of 1763
• Prohibited colonist from moving west of the
Appalachian Mountains
• Colonist feared that a large number of British
troops in North America might be used to
interfere with their liberties
• Distrust was growing between Britain and the
colonies
Financial Troubles
• Great Britain had a huge debt after the French
and Indian War.
• Desperate for new revenue (incoming money)
the King and Parliament decide to tax the
colonies their fair share
Britain’s Trade Laws
• George Grenville becomes
prime minister of Britain
• Grenville decides to stop
illegal smuggling of goods.
• Smugglers to be sent to
vice-admiralty courts
• Writs of assistance
– legal document allowing
custom agents to enter ANY
location to search for smuggled goods
The Sugar Act
• 1764 Parliament passes the Sugar Act
• Was used to try to increase tax revenue
• If caught smuggling officers are permitted to
seize goods without going to court
• Writs of Assistance—violated their right to be
secure in their home
• Vice-admiralty court---violated their right to trial
by jury “Guilty to Proven Innocent”
• James Otis—Boston Lawyer argued for colonial
rights
The Stamp Act
• 1765 Tax on almost all printed material in the
colonies (newspapers, playing cards, wills)
• Opposition to Stamp Act focuses on 2 issues
– Parliament interfered in
colonial affairs by taxing the
colonies without consent
– Parliament ignored the
colonial tradition of
self-government
Protesting the Stamp Act
• Patrick Henry—young member of the Virginia
House of Burgesses
– Persuaded the burgesses to take action
– Virginia assembly passes a resolution
declaring it had the exclusive right and
power to tax its citizens
• Samuel Adams in Boston forms the Sons of
Liberty—protest the Stamp Act--1765
• 1765—Protesters burn effigies of tax
collectors, also raided and destroyed houses
Stamp Act Congress
• 1765 Delegates from 9 Colonies meet in NY
• Declare they cant be taxed by Britain
• Urged merchants, artisans, and farmers to
boycott goods from Britain
• Non-importation Agreements—farmers
promised not to buy from Britain
• March 1766 Parliament repeals the Stamp Act
• Same day Parliament passes the Declaratory
Act —stated that Parliament had the right to tax
and make decisions for the colonies
New Taxes
• Parliament passes the Townshend Act in 1767
• Tax on imported goods such as glass, tea,
paper, and lead
• Again, colonist boycott
• Women take active role—Daughters of Liberty
– Urged colonist to wear homemade fabrics
Writs of assistance enabled
British customs officers to
search
A. Foreigners
B. Foreign goods
C. People for contraband
D. Homes for smuggled goods
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
The colonist paid lower taxes on
molasses because of the
A. Sugar Act
B. Stamp Act
C. Proclamation of 1763
D. Writ of assistance
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
Which act ignored the colonial
tradition of self-government?
A. Townshend Act
B. Sugar Act
C. Stamp Act
D. Declaratory Act
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
Good being imported to the
colonist were taxed by the
A. Stamp Act
B. Declaratory Act
C. Sugar Act
D. Townshend Acts
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
Which act did the Daughters of
Liberty protest?
A. Stamp Act
B. Townshend Act
C. Declaratory Act
D. Sugar Act
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
What do we call a refusal to buy
a good
boycott
Who organized the Sons of
Liberty?
A. John Adams
B. Abigail Adams
C. Samuel Adams
D. Adam Brown
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
A formal expression of opinion
A. effigies
B. boycott
C. resolution
D. revenue
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
Incoming money
A. effigies
B. boycott
C. resolution
D. revenue
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]
Rag figures
A. effigies
B. boycott
C. resolution
D. revenue
[Default]
[MC Any]
[MC All]