UNIT 2 LECTURE NOTES
I.
DANCE TO REVOLUTION
A. Overview
1. Britain leaves an army in the colonies after 1763 and taxed the colonies to pay for part of it
- Colonists agreed that they should contribute to their own defense but insisted that taxation
without representation violated their rights as Englishmen
2. A series of three successive crisis would shatter England’s North American Empire by 1776
- Stamp Act Crisis: colonist’s petition their grievances, which fails – they nullify the act and
resist until Parliament repeals the act in 1766
- Townshend Crisis of 1767-70: Parliament imposes new taxes on imported goods, colonists
petition and resist. Britain sends troops to Boston, after violent confrontations, troops are
withdrawn and the acts are lessened and modified but not repealed
- The Tea Act of 1773: Boston destroys British tea, Britain responds with the Coercive Acts of
1774. Colonists create Continental Congress to organize further resistance. Neither side
gives ground as the situation heads toward military violence and war breaks out in April of
1775
B. French & Indian War Fallout
1. Pontiac’s Rebellion
- Neolin
 In 1761, a Delaware Indian, reports a vision in which God commands them to return to
ancestral ways
 Neolin calls for an end to dependence on Anglo-Americans
 By then he had accepted European ideas of Heaven, Hell, and God
 Wanted to rid European vices, rum
 Their extinction was God punishing them for accepting European ways
 Did not condemn French, who were still in great Lakes region
o some hoped this would help restore friendly relations and halt British
expansion
 This helped unify Indian communities
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Pontiac’s War
 Tribes voiced their growing concerns of British expansion
o The Treaty of Paris dealt them a harsh blow
o The removal of Spain and France removed their diplomatic weapon of playing
Europeans of one another
o When Natives voiced their concerns to British officials they quickly noticed
differences between the French
 General Jeffry Amherst despised the Indians and cut off trade that the Indians had come
to depend on
o The Indians struck back in 1763
 Conflict becomes known as Pontiac’s War, after an Ottawa chief
o Several tribes unified: Senecas, Delawares, Shawnees, Wyandots, Miamis, Ottawas,
and others attacked13 British outposts
o several of which were conquered by May 20
o They kept Forts Detroit and Pitt under siege
 which was something they were not supposed to be able to do due to lack of
unity and intelligence
 During this time nearly 2,000 colonists are killed
 The goal was to drive British back to the eastern seaboard & out of Ohio country
 British retaliate swift and cruelly
o Waged a primitive version of biological warfare
o This crushed the uprising and Pontiac was killed by a rival chieftain in 1769
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2.
This convinces Britain of need to stabilize western relations with colonists footing the
bill
 End of Rebellion
o Provincial forced restored peace in 1764, between 1764-66 peace treaties are
signed with the Indian groups
General Amherst: (1717-1797)
o rose to Commander in chief of British Forces in North America
o helped conquered Louisburg, Quebec, and Montreal in French and Indian War
o leader behind 1st biological instance of warfare by giving blankets infected with
smallpox to Indians
Colonel Henry Bouqet: Commander at Fort Pitt
o was ordered by Amherst to distribute smallpox infected blankets, which set off a lethal
epidemic in 1763-64
o the goal was genocide
Proclamation of 1763
King George issues Proclamation Act of 1763
 Set up governments in Canada, Florida, other conquered colonies
 Tried to regulate peace with Native Americans
 Layed out a Proclamation Line along the Appalachian mountains
 No settlements could be planted west of the line unless Britain purchased land from
Indians
 Settlers instead encouraged to move to Nova Scotia, northern New England or
Florida
- Superintendents: Albany congress had one lasting achievement
o London created two superintendence’s to take charge of relations with all western
Inidans
o one north of Ohio and one south of Ohio
o these offices would endure after the war
C. Economic Fallout
1. Grenville
- From Pitt to Grenville
o In 1760, George III (1760-1820) inherits British throne at age 22
o His principle advisor is John Stuart (Lord Bute)
 the two grow apart after the French and Indian War
 after poor decision-making Stuart resigns in 1763
o After the war John Wilkes harshly critics Stuart in The North Briton
o Stuart is replaced by George Grenville as Lord of Treasury in April 1763
- George Grenville: (1712-1770)
o became Prime Minister of Great Britain
o responsible for Sugar & Stamp Act
- John Wilkes: heavily criticized government, member of parliament
o accused several times of libel but was freed by Chief Justice Charles Pratt
o he was eventually pushed out of Britain by Grenville and outlawed, and he fled to
France
- Grenville’s Policies
o Growing Debt
 Britain’s debt had nearly doubled in the war with France
 Britain was already one of the most heavily taxed societies in the world
 In addition, more revenue was needed just to police the colonies
o Paying for Protection
 In 1763, they decided to leave 7,000 soldiers in the colonies and abroad
 Because the colonists would receive the benefit of this protection, Grenville
argued they ought to pay for most of it
The colonists were not asked to pay for Britain’s debt or domestic needs at first,
only toward their own defense
Centralized Control
 Instead on building on William Pitt’s (his brother in law – they had a falling out)
cooperative tone, Grenville resorted to Loudon’s coercive methods in dealing
with the colonists
 He believed London must gain centralized control over the colonies
Attitude
 Victory over France would mean new burdens not relief for the colonists
 Grenville felt that Britain won the war DESPITE interference, not help, from the
colonists
 Britain felt with their rapid rate of growth the colonies were slipping out of
control so authority needed to be established
 He sent about a self-fulfilling prophecy in which the government created what it
was trying to prevent, every step would undermine colonial loyalty
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2.
Taxes
- Sugar Act
o Grenville issues Stamp Act in 1764 because it was a “just and necessary” revenue to be
raised in the defending the American colonies
o This launched Grenville’s war on smugglers
o Placed duties on wine, coffee, and molasses (3 pence per gallon), pence is pretty much
the equivalent of a penny, smallest coin denomination, started with Greece and Rome
o Molasses Act of 1733 was intended to keep French molasses out of North America (6
pence per gallon)
o Colonists were smuggling French molasses at 1 penny per gallon and labeling it British,
more than 90% of molasses imports was French
o It greatly increased bureaucracy in enforcing the acts, the goal was to make it more
profitable for custom agents to enforce the tax than to accept bribes
o The Act encouraged prosecution of violators in admiralty courts, no jury, British judges
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Currency & Quartering Act
o Currency Act of 1764
 Forbade the colonies to issue paper money as legal tender, Virginia had issued
money during the war, which had now lost value
 The Sugar Act (&Stamp) required that all duties be paid in specie (gold and silver
coins)
 Colonists feared paying Brits in specie would lead to a drain with the coins leaving
the country and hurt trade
 Britain argued that coins would be used to pay for colonial protection, but Boston
saw their money paying for troops in Canada, they did not see America as a whole
 America existed in British minds but not colonial heart in 1765
o Quartering Acts
 Requested by Sir Thomas Gage who became Amhert’s successor as army
commander
 Asked for Parliamentary permission to quarter soldiers in private homes when on
the march away from barracks, required assemblies to provide supplies which they
were already willingly doing
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Stamp Act
o Grenville put off passage of Stamp Act for a few years while other taxes were initaied
and while he planned it out, colonial protection was costly and grenville needed more
revenue
o The problem is that this would be a direct tax on the colonists – all the others were just
on imports
He argued it would not violate no taxation without representation because Parliament
“virtually represented” the colonists and took everyones needs into account
o Argues there was no difference between external (port duties) and internal taxes
o He also indicated to colonists that if they could aprospose a better plan for revenue he
would listen
The Stamp Act passed in Feb of 1765 to go into effect November 1
o All contracts, licenses, newspapers, pamphlets, playing cards, and most other legal
documents would be void unless executed on officially stamped paper
o Law courts would not accept any document not stamped
o Most colonial leaders accepted it as a situation beyond their power to change
o It would be ordinary settlers that would take action against eh Act
o
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D. Colonial Response
1. Stamp Act Congress
- The Stamp Act became a public relations disaster
 All 13 colonies drafted legislation objecting to it as a form of taxation without
representation
 They also rejected the distinction between internal and external taxes, they believed
both violated British constitution
 They agreed they ought to pay for their own defense
 They preferred the traditional method where the crown would ask for a sum and
the colonial assembly would decide how to pay for it
 They feared taxation by Parliament would tempt Britain to rule without the consent
of their assemblies
- Parliament refused to receive the petitions
 Grenville believed petitions have never and would never work
 To the colonists it was in bad faith, because he asked for their advice and then
immediately dismissed it
- Resistance began in spring of 1765 and continued for a year until it was repealed
- Patrick Henry: (1736-1799) founding father.
 Served as post colonial Virginia Governor
 famous for “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech
 was an anti-federalist and opposed the U.S. Constitution
 newcomer to Virginia House of Burgess in 1765
 Launched resistance by introducing 5 resolution on May 30/31
 Known as Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions
 Was the strongest anti-British statement up to that point
 Many credit this as one of the main catalysts of the revolution
- Soon a Stamp Act Congress was created to meet in New York
 October 1765 in which 9 colonies sent representatives
 They passed resolutions affirming colonial loyalty to the king but condemned the
Sugar and Stamp Acts
 Said that colonial representation in Parliament is impractical because of distance
 but that virtual representation for colonists across an ocean is ridiculous because
they had no voting rights in England and Parliament would never pay the taxes
themselves that they were now levying on the colonies
2.
Sons of Liberty
- Resolutions did not repeal the stamp Act, but street violence would and it would be led by
Boston
- The movement would be led by a group called the Sons of Liberty, but would first start in
Boston
 August 14, an effigy hangs from gallows in town, became known as Liberty Tree
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3.
It was a effigy of Andrew Oliver, who was a stamp distributor
An effigy is a model or symbol of someone or something
Men roamed the streets that night shouting defiance at the governor and destroying
Oliver’s office and invaded Olive’s home to kill him, he was not there but soon
resigned
 August 26 – angry crowd damages Lt. Governor Thomas Hutchinson’s mansion
 The militia finally appears to police the streets but no one is punished for either
event
Every colony except Georgia had their stamp master resign by Nov 1
 With no one to distribute stamps the Act could not be implemented
Following the lead of Boston the Sons of Liberty would soon control the streets with active
protests
The Stamp Act was soon nullified in spring of 1766
Declaratory Act
- King George dismisses Grenville in summer of 1765
 replaces him with Charles Watson Wentworth Marquis of Rockingham
- Rockingham decides on repealing the bill by December 1765, but has to won over the crown
and parliament to agree
 He wins support by promising a Declaratory Act which would affirm Parliaments
sovereignty over the colonies
- 3 pieces of legislation ended the crisis:
 Declaratory Act: Parliament has full power and authority to make laws binding to
the colonies in all cases
 The Second Act repealed the Stamp Act because it was detrimental to commercial
interests of the empire
 The third was the Revenue Act of 1766
o reduced molasses duty to one penny, but imposed duty on all imported
molasses, it generated much revenue and colonists did not object to it, they
would accept external duties
- The repeal was met with wild celebration, almost a national holiday
E. Townshend Acts
1. Policies
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In 1766 King George again replaces his government ministry
He persuades William Pitt to form a government
 he also becomes Earl of Chatham
Charles Townshend was left spokesman in the House of Commons
 a witty speaker but had no loyalty and betrayed most everyone
 but he was consistent in his hard line approach to the colonies
Problems with Quartering Act
 New York created a problem by objecting to the quartering act as a form of “taxation
without representation”
o the line became famous from Boston politician James Otis
 Under old rules an army would ask for quarters and supplies and the assembly
voted them
o Consent was an integral part of the process
 Now Parliament was telling colonial legislatures what they must do
 In 1767 Parliament passed the New York restraining act, which forbade the
governor to pass any law until New York complied
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F.
 Instead the helping the army the Quartering Act weakened loyalty to Britain
William Pitt loses favor after slipping into depression and Townshend takes over colonial
policy in 1767
As a part of the budget he proposes the Townshend Revenue Act of 1767
 New duties on imports that the colonies could only buy from Britain: tea, glass, lead,
paint
 His goal was to use American revenues to pay salaries of colonial governors and
judges which would free them from dependence on assemblies
 British army began withdrawing from the frontier and concentrating on the north
coasts, this was mostly to save money but it looked aggressive – colonists were ok to
pay for an army to protect the frontier, but to pay for an army to police them?
 Tea Act, East India Company---The Tea Act gave the East India Company a
monopoly on the trade in tea, made it illegal for the colonies to buy nonBritish tea
After Townshend’s death in 1767, Augustus Henry Fitzroy (Duke of Grafton) becomes Prime
minister
Stronger Resistance
1. Non-Importation
- The colonists were divided over areas of resistance
- They were also struggling with the external-internal distinction of British involvement
- In February 1768 in Massachusetts, the assembly sent the “Circular Letter” urging the colonies
to work together in resisting new British Acts
 Urged them to resist Quartering Act and Townshend revenue act
 92 members of Massachusetts Assembly stand by the letter
 The number “92” also becomes a symbol of liberty
- The radical Boston Gazette called for nonimportation of all British goods
- Many disagreed due to economic dependence on British goods
- However, 1769 nonimportation was approved in Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania
2.
Boston Massacre
- In late 1769 clashes between redcoats and civilians were growing
- Bostonians were growing tired of the military intimidation
- The Sons of Liberty enforced code in Boston and harassed soldiers
- They intimidated any merchants who did not comply with nonimportation
- Boston Massacre
- On March 5, 1770 a crowd began hurling snow and rocks on a lone guard at the customs house
- When he called for help eight redcoats showed
- Captain Thomas Preston ordered to drive the attackers back with bayonets
- One soldier accidentally fired his weapon which set off a chain reaction
- In the crowd, five were killed and six were wounded
- Preston and his men stood trial for murder and were successfully defended by two Patriot
lawyers
- Preston and five others were acquitted while the other two were branded on their thumbs
- Sons of Liberty named the event the Boston Massacre and it became a rally cry
3.
Gaspee Incident
- The years of 1770-1773 were fairly calm
- In 1772 the customs vessel Gaspee ran aground near Providence
 After dark men with blackened faces boarded the ship, attacked the captain, and
burned the ship
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4.
Britain sends dignitaries to the colony with instructions for the perpetrators to stand
trial in England
 No one talks and the inquiry fails
The colonies considered this a huge threat of Americans standing trial in England
Twelve colonial assemblies created permanent Committees of Correspondence
The goal was to keep in touch with each other to anticipate the next assault on their liberties
Committees of Correspondence
- Purpose
- warn neighboring colonies about incidents with Br.
- broaden the resistance movement.
- There is a growing feeling that the British government is conspiring to destroy liberty in
America
- The Committees will eventually form into the First and Second Continental Congresses
- These incidents convince Britain that is is pointless to to prosecute individuals for politically
motivated crimes – Whole Communities need to be punished
- Britain has an important choice to make – what holds the empire together – consent or
force?????