The 13 Colonies
were part of
Britain’s
growing empire
These 13
Colonies would
soon go to war
with one of the
most powerful
nations in the
world, Great
Britain and King
George III.
King George III of Britain
• In 1760, King
George III began a
60-year reign.
• He appointed friends
to parliament and
soon began to assert
is leadership.
• Many of his policies
proved to be
disastrous.
Causes of the American
Revolution
• The Navigation
Acts
• The French and
Indian War and
the War Debt
• The Sugar Act
• The Stamp Act
• The Tax on Tea
• The Boston Tea
Party
• The Boston
Massacre
The Navigation Acts
• Britain used the
Navigation Acts as a
way to make money
off the colonies.
• The Acts regulated
colonial trade and
Manufacturing
• Therefore, activities
such as smuggling
were common.
People like John Hancock
smuggled tea and other goods
into the colonies
The French and Indian War—
The War Debt
• The French and Indian War in North
America had drained the British
Treasury dry, and the British called for
the colonist to help pay for the war.
• Colonist refused.
• King George III and parliament forced
colonist to pay through a series of
Taxes.
The French wanted to take over the British Colonies because they were
strategically located on the East Cost, Indians (Native Americans)
backed the French and helped to try and remove the British Colonists.
Do you think it was fair for the
British to ask Colonist to help
pay the war debt due to the
French and Indian War?
The Sugar and Stamp Acts
• The first of the taxes enacted was the
Sugar Act in 1764—this imposed a tax on
all imports into the colonies.
• The Stamp Act was a tax placed on all
written documents such as newspapers,
wills, pamphlets, books, etc. in 1765.
• Sugar Act—External Tax
• Stamp Act—Internal Tax
The Colonist
Protested—they
believed that because
the had no
representatives in
Parliament, they
should not be taxed.
This became the battle
cry of the Patriots.
Do you believe that the idea of
Taxation without Representation
and the taxes in general were
reasons enough to go to war?
Why or why not?
The Tax on Tea and the Boston
Tea Party
• The British also put a Tax on Tea. The
Colonist boycotted British Tea and
purchased smuggled Tea.
• Then in December of 1773 a group of
Colonist dressed up like Indians and
threw cargos of tea into Boston Harbor,
this was know as the Boston Tea Party.
The Boston Massacre
• In March of 1770, British soldiers
opened fire on a crowd that was throwing
snowballs with stones in them at the
soldiers.
• The death of five protesters was called
the Boston Massacre.
• The Boston Tea Party and Boston
Massacre both led to growing discontent.
The picture in the papers that was used to gather support
for the American Revolution
The Boston Massacre was a tipping
point in American support for the
revolution to come. Do you believe
that this is the reason the revolution
began or was the American Revolution
inevitable? Why or Why not?
Declaring Independence
• April 1775, the ongoing conflict erupted
into war in Lexington and Concord, in
Massachusetts.
• The American Revolution had begun.
• On July 4, 1776 the Colonist officially
declared their independence in the
Declaration of Independence when it was
signed and sent to King George III.
“We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all
men are created equal,
that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights…”
What did the Declaration of
Independence declare and why
was it so important? Would you
have been willing to sign the
Declaration? Why or Why not?
The Revolution Continues
Defeats and Victories
Saratoga and its Aftermath
• Washington moved the
Continental Army to New York,
where General Howe attacked.
• Two British generals tried to
cut off New England from the
rest of the colonies by
attacking from two sides.
• The British took control of New
York City and Washington’s
troops were forced into
Pennsylvania.
• British troops settled down in
New Jersey for the winter.
• Washington ignored traditional
European warfare tactics and
attacked in winter while the
British and Hessians (hired
German soldiers) slept.
• Washington drove the British
out of Princeton.
• One general did not show up,
and the colonists attacked
and defeated the other’s
troops in Saratoga, New York.
• The Battle of Saratoga turned
the Revolutionary War in the
colonists’ favor.
• Washington’s troops retired to
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania,
where a harsh winter and lack
of supplies killed many.
American Victory
• The colonists, helped by Lafayette’s French troops, forced the
British to Yorktown Peninsula in Chesapeake Bay.
• Cornwallis built a fort and waited for the British to rescue them.
• Washington saw his chance and blocked British ships from
rescuing Cornwallis’s troops.
• After bombardment by land and sea, Cornwallis surrendered on
behalf of the British.
• The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the
Revolutionary War.
Though some hoped that America would remain part of the
British Empire, the September 3, 1783, Treaty of Paris
formalized America’s independence from Britain.
Four Reasons why America Won
• Americans were more motivated.
• British generals were over confident
and made several mistakes.
• Time, fighting an overseas war was
expensive for the British.
• French helped the U.S. win the war.
The U.S. Constitution
• After victory, the 13 states ratified the
Constitution.
• In 1781, the 1st constitution was created
and called the Articles of Confederation.
• The Articles had many problems.
• In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was
created and replaced the Articles…The
Preamble, 7 Articles, Bill of Rights.
The U.S. Constitution is one of the
most important documents if not the
most important in the world. Why is it?
Also, in your opinion what is the most
important right listed in the Bill of
Rights? Why?