Chapters 7 and 8

Revolutionary Period

British tried to get more money from the colonies through two main tactics: 1-actually enforcing their mercantilist laws and

taxes on shipping and imports2-passing taxes on the colonists themselves (not

on imports)Efforts to enforce mercantilist laws:

Admiralty CourtsAccused presumed guilty until proven innocentTrials held in Novia Scotia (Canada) not in the

coloniesWrits of Assistance

Customs officials could search warehouses, ships, houses without a warrant

British Taxation and Other Policies

New Taxes passed on the colonists: Lord Grenville1764-Sugar Act—tax on imported sugar

James Otis—no taxation without representation in Parliament

Legislation vs taxation1765-Quartering Act

Colonies had to help pay for the cost of housing/feeding British soldiers

1765-Stamp Act—tax on official paper documentsNot a tax on imports, a tax on colonists themselvesStamp Act Congress 1765 (9 colonies met)

Non-Importation Agreement—wouldn’t buy British goodsTaxation through representatives onlyStatement of rights and grievances

British Taxation and Colonial Reaction: Round 1 Lord Grenville

1767-Townshend ActsStamp Act repealedOther taxes on imports increased (paint, led,

nails, tea)Non-importation agreements not as effectiveCustoms officials in Boston attacked—Sons of

LibertySoldiers sent to protect them—Boston

Massacre 1770Boston Massacre 1770

Townshend Acts abandoned, except one. . .

British Taxation and Colonial Reaction: Round 2 Lord Townshend

Tea Act 1773—beginning of the chain of events that led directly to the beginning of the RevolutionColonists refused to allow importation of tea—that

way no taxes would be paidShips stuck in Boston HarborBoston Tea Party—December 1773

Repercussions to Tea PartyCoercive Acts 1774

Port of Boston closedMassachusetts assembly shut downNew Quartering Act (soldiers in homes)British soldiers tried in England not Boston(Quebec Act)

British Taxation and Colonial Reaction: Round 3 Lord North

1st Continental Congress 1774 Met in response to the Coercive Acts 12 of 13 colonies attended (all except Georgia) Non-importation agreement Communication among the colonies Stockpiling of weapons and ammunition in case of war

Lexington and Concord 1775 Massachusetts government (in hiding) began to stockpile

weapons in Lexington and Concord British went to seize weapons and colonial leaders Colonists attacked them Beginning of the Revolutionary War

2nd Continental Congress called in response to Lexington and Concord 1775 Functioned as the government of the 13 colonies(states)

throughout the war

Tea Party to Revolution

Still not clear what was happening, war, independence, revolution?

2nd Continental Congress made George Washington head of the Continental Army

Bunker Hill June 1775Major British casualties—no turning back pointGeorge III proclaimed the colonies in open rebellion

Common Sense-1776By Thomas Paine convinced many to seek independence

Declaration of Independence July 1776 Influenced by the ideas of John LockeColonies no longer, 13 states, United States began

Early Revolution 1775-1776

American forces faced numerous setbacks in the early days of the warDefeated at Long Island/New York 1776Lost control of Philadelphia 1777Forced to flee to Valley Forge for the winter of

1777A few exceptions

Trenton/Princeton winter of 1776—American victories

Rough Times for the Americans 1776-1777

Battle of Saratoga significantly changed the course of the warBritish army under General Johnny Burgoyne

surrounded in upstate New York (near Saratoga)

Americans forced the British to surrender—major victory

Significant: convinced the French to formally enter the war on the American side—1778

Others soon joinedSpain, Netherlands 1779

Turning of the Tide: Saratoga 1777

After Saratoga the British retreated back to New York City—hemmed in by Washington and the Continental Army

British attention shifted to the SouthMore loyalists thereGain control of the South, divide the colonies, finish off

Washington in the North laterEarly British successes

British conquest of Georgia 1778-1779Capture of Charleston (worst US defeat until WWII)

Americans strike backNathaniel Greene (from RI) the fighting QuakerAmericans win several minor battles against the BritishBritish retreat to Yorktown Peninsula in Virginia to

rest/recover

War in the South 1778-1781

Yorktown 1781British thought the sea would protect them, why?British navy defeated by the French at the Battle of the

Chesapeake 1781Washington and French Army under command of

Rochambeau snuck south to YorktownBritish surrounded and defeated, surrendered fall 1781Last major battle of the war, war continued for 2 more

years but it was clear that the US would win independence

Battles in the “West” (Upstate NY, Midwest) Iroquois (British allies) defeated-1779George Rogers Clark captured the west 1778-1779

The End of the War: Yorktown and the West 1781-1783

Support for the Revolution was not universal inside the colonies Patriots/Whigs—supported the Revolution Loyalists/Tories—supported the British Government Largest group of people were indifferent to the Revolution—

didn’t pick one side or the otherWho were the loyalists?

Wealthy who didn’t want to risk their property (not always) Recent immigrants from Britain (not always) British soldiers who settled in America after the French and

Indian War (not always) Religious minorities who felt gratitude towards the British

government for protecting their rights African American loyalists

Promised freedom by the British—some got it some didn’t Native American loyalists

5 of the seven nations of the Iroquois confederacy remained loyal

Status after the War

Patriots vs. Loyalists: The first civil war?

13 colonies achieved independence: United States formally recognized by Britain

In addition to the territory of the 13 colonies Britain gave the United states the eastern half of the Louisiana territory that it had taken from France after the French and Indian War in 1763

Spain regained Florida from the BritishUnited States government was to recommend that the

states reimburse loyalists for their lost property, stop persecuting loyalists, and repay British merchants for goods confiscated/destroyed during the warPersecution of loyalists stopped, but repayment often

did not

Peace of Paris: 1783

US after the Peace of Paris (1783)