Road to the American
Revolution
The French and Indian War
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The French & the
English both wanted
control of the Ohio
River Valley. The river
lead to Quebec, the
Mississippi River, New
Orleans (controlled by
France), the Louisiana
Territory, & was needed
for the fur trade
This is known as AngloFrench imperial
competition
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Anglo= English
imperial= Empire
building, as the
forceful extension of a
nation's authority by
territorial conquest
establishing economic
& political domination
of other nations
Anglo-French Competition
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Most of the
fighting took
place in Europe
and is known as
the 7 Years War
In the 1740’s
fighting began in
the colonies over
the Ohio River
Valley territory
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Governor of New
France built forts
along the Ohio River
to block English
settlement
Ben Franklin came up
with the Albany Plan
of Union – to unite
the colonies against
the French
Native Americans become Allies
with the French
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French & Native
 Ben Franklin draws a political
Americans fight the
cartoon entitled Join or Die –
English & the colonists.
Spain would enter on the
urging the colonies to unite
French side later
Native Americans see
this as a way to gain land
back from the English
George Washington
emerged as a heroic
leader during the war;
fighting alongside the
British
The British Triumph
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The British fleet
sailed up the St.
Lawrence River &
attacked Quebec
British won the
Battle of Quebec in
1759 and it became
the turning point
in the war

The Treaty of Paris 1763; ended the
French & Indian War
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Eliminated French power
in North Am.
The British gained
control over Quebec
(New France)
Spain had to give up
Florida – but received
control over New Orleans
& the Louisiana Territory
(but not for long ) as
compensation for losing
Florida
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The groundwork is being laid for
the American Revolution
WHY?
Colonists become more united
British & the colonists changed
their opinions of each other during
the course of the French & Indian
War
Colonists begin to regard the
British as weak and disrespectful
Colonists saw themselves as more
American than British
Proclamation of 1763

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Setters were moving
into Chief Pontiac's
territory
British officials did
not want the cost of
another war or to
disrupt trade

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King George III drew a
line running west of the
Appalachian Mountains
and declared colonists
could not settle that land
Settlers/farmers were
enraged and went
anyway
Britain Had to Pay for the French and
Indian War

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New taxes were passed
British custom agents
were collecting very little
money
Merchants were
smuggling goods without
paying customs duties –
taxes on imports and
exports

Those accused of
smuggling did not have
the rights of other British
subjects like a speedy
trail, jury trial & agents
did not have warrantsNO DUE PROCESS OF
LAW all British citizens
were supposed to have
these rights & colonists
were British citizens
The Stamp Act
Crisis
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To raise money
Passed by Parliament (the British
legislature) in March of 1765
Tax placed on printed materials
such as paper, pamphlets, wills,
posters, mortgages, playing
cards & diplomas
This was the first direct tax on
the colonies

Virginia House of
Burgesses came out
against the tax, a
huge debate began
in newspapers and
around the colonies
The Stamp Act Congress
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9 colonies sent representatives
As British citizens they were being denied
their right for representation in Parliament
“No taxation without representation”
Colonists ignored the tax
Colonists boycotted British goods
The tax was repealed (taken back)
Parliament passed the Declaratory Acts:
stating that Parliament had the right to
make laws for the colonies
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Membership grew
quickly
Intimidated tax
collectors
Organized meetings
Demonstrations
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Spun their own
homegrown cloth
Boycotted British
Tea
Promoted American
patriotism
Committee of Correspondence
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Thomas Jefferson suggested that the colonies
create a way to correspond & communicate
with one another
Helped unify the colonies & shape public opinion
Helped coordinate plans to resist the British
Ideas that Influenced the
Revolution
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Thomas Paine’s pamphlet
Common Sense- convinces
the colonists to break away
from the British. Natural
Rights of Life, Liberty and
Property – belong to every
human being
King George III was tyrant
The King seized power from
the people

Enlightenment
movement that
emphasized science
and reason as a way to
improve society
Boston Massacre
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1,000 troops were in Boston to
maintain control & Were
consistently harassed & heckled
A crowd of colonists taunted &
threw snowballs at a solider
guarding a customs house
The British captain & 7 soldiers
came to his aid
They fired in the crowd & when
the smoke cleared 5 colonists
were killed
Boston Tea Party
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Parliament passed the Tea Act in 1773 to help the British
East India Tea Company to keep from going bankrupt.
Portion of the tax was given to the company
British East India Tea Company could sell their tea to
the colonies cheaper, plus the company bypassed
American merchants
150 people boarded the ship and dumped 342 chests in
the Boston Harbor
The King was furious and punished the Boston people by
passing the Intolerable Acts.
 The Boston Port was closed till the tea was paid for,
the citizens had to QUARTER British soldiers, NO
more town meetings
Cause
Effects
1. The British Parliament passed the
Proclamation of 1763
1. Colonist resented limits placed on
westward expansion
2. Britain had huge debts from protecting the
colonists during the French and Indian War
2. In 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act to
raise more tax money for Britain
3. Britain passed the Stamp Act to raise
money; stamp placed on all printed goods
3. Colonists boycotted British goods &
claimed no taxation w/out representation
4. British troops occupied Boston & tensions
exploded into the Boston Massacre in 1770
4. Committees of Correspondence were
formed to coordinate resistance to the British
in the colonies
5. Parliament passed the Tea Act
5. Colonists protest by organizing the Boston
Tea Party
6. Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts
punishing Massachusetts
6. Protest committees elected delegates to the
First Continental Congress
5 ACTS of the Revolution
Proclamation Act of
1763
King George drew N-S line closing region west of
Appalachians to colonists
Intolerable Acts
Punished Mass., closed Boston port, no elected officials
Quartering Act
Forced colonists to pay for British troops lodging
Stamp Act
Required tax on printed materials, 1st direct tax on
colonists
Tea Act
Bypassed colonial merchants in tea sales, favored
British East India Tea Co.