Taxation without Representation


Relations with Britain – Proclamation of 1763 –
problems
Britain’s Trade Laws
Smuggling
 Writs of assistance





1764
Lowered the tax on molasses
Let officers seize goods from smugglers
without going to court
Angered the colonists



1765
Placed a tax on all printed materials –
newspapers, formal documents, dice and cards
Parliament taxed the colonists without their
consent
Boycott of
British goods



Patrick Henry – member of the House of
Burgesses urged colonists to take action
Samuel Adams – started the Sons of Liberty


1766
Parliament had the right to tax and make
decisions for the British colonies “in all cases”



1767
Taxed imported goods – glass, tea, paper, lead
Colonists were outraged


March 5, 1770
Fighting broke out between British soldiers and
colonists – 5 dead
Crispus Attucks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcDoN-KEiKQ Evening of,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP8rwwaRuww J Adams defense

Boston Massacre Explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPiYIiFwXJ4


1773
Gave a British tea company the right to ship tea
to colonies without paying all the taxes –
boycott


Three ships arrive in Boston loaded with tea
Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty disguised
themselves as Mohawks, boarded the ships, and threw
the tea into the ocean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SojndUE1NpI&list=PLNO9cgN_YQ67pLa9yVqNb30SnGGi48XGE&index=3




1774
Very harsh laws used to punish the colonists
Closed Boston Harbor
Banned town meetings

Forced colonists to have soldiers in their homes

Set up a permanent government for Quebec,
Canada

The First Continental Congress – voted to
support Massachusetts – urged each colony to
set up a militia
Minutemen
 British commander heard
about weapons in Concord
 Sons of Liberty were watching
 Paul Revere warned “the regulars are out!”





April 19, 1775
British troops continued to Lexington where
they met 70 minutemen – shots are fired – 8
colonists were killed
A second fight at the North Bridge killed 73
British soldiers
The British were defeated



Second Continental Congress – 55 delegates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_HL-ZCiQSY&list=PLNO9cgN_YQ67pLa9yVqNb30SnGGi48XGE
Olive Branch Petition – asked the king to repeal
the Intolerable Acts
Continental Army is established
George Washington made commander in chief
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JTxVHQAp8w



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrGEQvAZQtA


First major battle – June, 1775
Proved Americans could fight bravely and
would not be easy to defeat



Written by Thomas Paine
Attacked having kings and queens as rulers
Encouraged independence


Chosen to write the Declaration of
Independence
July 4, 1776




Preamble – explanation
Lists unalienable rights – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Lists the grievances against the king
Declared our independence and that we are the United States of
America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71FOkujQ5vw