Reform, Resistance, Reform, Resistance, RevolutionRevolution

Imperial ReformImperial Reform

1760: George III inherited throne of 1760: George III inherited throne of Great Britain, age 22Great Britain, age 22

Collapse of political coalition that led Collapse of political coalition that led Britain to victory over FranceBritain to victory over France

King’s new ministers set out to King’s new ministers set out to reform the empirereform the empire

William Pitt is replaced by George William Pitt is replaced by George Grenville, Minister of the TreasuryGrenville, Minister of the Treasury

The Grenville MinistryThe Grenville Ministry John WilkesJohn Wilkes

Journalist for Journalist for North North BritonBriton criticized King criticized King

Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament ““Wilkes and Liberty”Wilkes and Liberty”

War put Britain in debtWar put Britain in debt Revenues needed to Revenues needed to

police colonies – police colonies – Grenville insists colonists Grenville insists colonists contribute financially to contribute financially to fund their own defensefund their own defense

Indian Policy and Pontiac’s Indian Policy and Pontiac’s WarWar

Indian and policyIndian and policy Fulfill wartime promisesFulfill wartime promises Proclamation Line of 1763Proclamation Line of 1763

Pontiac’s WarPontiac’s War germ warfare (smallpox blankets)germ warfare (smallpox blankets) Paxton Boys: Anti-Indian frontier reactionPaxton Boys: Anti-Indian frontier reaction

The Sugar ActThe Sugar Act

1764 – duties placed on Madeira wine, 1764 – duties placed on Madeira wine, coffee, molassescoffee, molasses

Colonists obtained cheaper molasses Colonists obtained cheaper molasses from Frenchfrom French

Launched Grenville’s war against Launched Grenville’s war against smugglerssmugglersComplicated paperwork and harsh Complicated paperwork and harsh

penaltiespenaltiesTried to make enforcement of Customs Tried to make enforcement of Customs

laws more profitable than accepting bribeslaws more profitable than accepting bribes

The Currency Act and the The Currency Act and the Quartering ActQuartering Act

Currency Act of 1764: Currency Act of 1764: Forbade colonies to issue any paper Forbade colonies to issue any paper

money as legal tendermoney as legal tenderQuartering Act of 1765Quartering Act of 1765

To quarter redcoats in private homes & To quarter redcoats in private homes & tavernstaverns

The Stamp ActThe Stamp Act

Stamp tax on legal documents and Stamp tax on legal documents and publications in the coloniespublications in the colonies

““no taxation without representation” no taxation without representation” vs. virtual representationvs. virtual representation

Internal vs. external taxesInternal vs. external taxesColonist offer – Requisitions (colonial Colonist offer – Requisitions (colonial

assemblies determine how to raise assemblies determine how to raise money asked for by the crown)money asked for by the crown)

The Stamp Act CrisisThe Stamp Act Crisis

Resistance to Stamp Resistance to Stamp Act: 1765 – lasted Act: 1765 – lasted almost one year, then almost one year, then repealedrepealed

Patrick HenryPatrick Henry Stamp Act CongressStamp Act Congress

Stamp Act Stamp Act unconstitutional and unconstitutional and should be repealedshould be repealed

Says virtual Says virtual representation does not representation does not applyapply

Patrick Henry

NullificationNullification

““Sons of Liberty” Sons of Liberty” and street violenceand street violence

Stamp Act nullified Stamp Act nullified de factode facto Agents resignAgents resign Merchants and Merchants and

nonimportation nonimportation resistanceresistance

““Sons of Liberty” Sons of Liberty”

RepealRepeal

Repeal Stamp Act (1766)Repeal Stamp Act (1766)Declaratory Act (1766): perceived Declaratory Act (1766): perceived

differently in colonies and Britaindifferently in colonies and BritainRevenue Act (1766): 1 penny tax on any Revenue Act (1766): 1 penny tax on any

molasses imported to coloniesmolasses imported to colonies

The Townshend CrisisThe Townshend Crisis

King George : King George : government of government of “measures, not men”“measures, not men”

Charles Townshend Charles Townshend member of Parliament member of Parliament and the Cabinet and the Cabinet

Townshend has a Townshend has a hard-line attitude hard-line attitude towards coloniestowards colonies

William Pitt

The Townshend ProgramThe Townshend Program Townshend Revenue Act Townshend Revenue Act

(1767)(1767) Taxed imports colonies Taxed imports colonies

could only legally get from could only legally get from BritainBritain

Purpose: pay salaries of Purpose: pay salaries of colonial governors and colonial governors and judges, freeing them from judges, freeing them from control of colonial control of colonial assembliesassemblies

British troops shifted from British troops shifted from frontier to urban portsfrontier to urban ports

Charles Townshend

The Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre

Increasing confrontations between Increasing confrontations between population and British soldiers in Bostonpopulation and British soldiers in Boston

Sons of Liberty grow bolderSons of Liberty grow bolderMarch 5, 1770: The MassacreMarch 5, 1770: The Massacre

British: Captain Thomas Preston and othersBritish: Captain Thomas Preston and othersDefense team: John Adams and Josiah Defense team: John Adams and Josiah

Quincy, Jr.Quincy, Jr.Britain’s failed first attempt at military Britain’s failed first attempt at military

coercion coercion

Engraving by Paul Revere

Slaves and WomenSlaves and Women Anti-slavery movement in Anti-slavery movement in

British empire by mid-1700sBritish empire by mid-1700s Quakers, Evangelicals, Quakers, Evangelicals,

Methodists oppose slaveryMethodists oppose slavery Even slave owners like Even slave owners like

Patrick Henry condemn the Patrick Henry condemn the practice, but keep slaves for practice, but keep slaves for practical reasonspractical reasons

Sarah Osborn and Sarah Osborn and education for slaveseducation for slaves

Phillis Wheatley, freed slave Phillis Wheatley, freed slave and literary celebrity by age and literary celebrity by age 2020

Boston Patriots push for end Boston Patriots push for end to slaveryto slavery

Women’s role in Women’s role in nonimportationnonimportation

Phillis Wheatley

""On being brought from Africa to On being brought from Africa to AmericaAmerica":":

Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,Taught my benighted soul to understandTaught my benighted soul to understand

That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.Some view our sable race with scornful eye,Some view our sable race with scornful eye,

"Their colour is a diabolic dye.""Their colour is a diabolic dye."Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.´May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.´

The Last Imperial CrisisThe Last Imperial Crisis

Lord North attempts to save East India Lord North attempts to save East India Company, Britain’s largest corporationCompany, Britain’s largest corporation

Southeastern England and colonies Southeastern England and colonies purchased smuggled Dutch teapurchased smuggled Dutch tea

Millions of pounds of unsold tea left in Millions of pounds of unsold tea left in East India Co. warehousesEast India Co. warehouses

Issue to Lord North was save East Issue to Lord North was save East India Co.India Co.

The Tea CrisisThe Tea Crisis

Lord North’s solution: make East India Co. Lord North’s solution: make East India Co. tea cheaper than smuggled teatea cheaper than smuggled tea

Tea Act (1773)Tea Act (1773) Repealed duty on bringing tea to BritainRepealed duty on bringing tea to Britain Retained duty on sending tea to colonyRetained duty on sending tea to colony Gave monopoly on British empire tea trade to Gave monopoly on British empire tea trade to

East India CompanyEast India Company Sons of Liberty resistanceSons of Liberty resistance

Direct threats against shipsDirect threats against ships Boston “Tea Party”Boston “Tea Party”

Britain’s Response: The Coercive Britain’s Response: The Coercive ActsActs

Coercive ActsCoercive ActsBoston Port Act (1774)Boston Port Act (1774)Quartering Act (1774)Quartering Act (1774)The Administration of Justice Act (1774)The Administration of Justice Act (1774)Massachusetts Government Act (1774)Massachusetts Government Act (1774)

To colonists, above become the To colonists, above become the “Intolerable Acts”“Intolerable Acts”

The First Continental The First Continental CongressCongress

12 colonies (all except Georgia)12 colonies (all except Georgia) Philadelphia in September 1774Philadelphia in September 1774

Nonimportation and nonexportationNonimportation and nonexportation Crown and Parliament must repealCrown and Parliament must repeal

Coercive ActsCoercive Acts Quebec ActQuebec Act All Revenue ActsAll Revenue Acts

Principle of no legislation without consentPrinciple of no legislation without consent The Association: promoted boycotts and The Association: promoted boycotts and

protestsprotests

The Second Continental The Second Continental CongressCongress

Minutemen become Continental armyMinutemen become Continental armyGeorge Washington made commanderGeorge Washington made commanderResponse to the Conciliatory Response to the Conciliatory

PropositionPropositionOlive Branch PetitionOlive Branch PetitionThomas Jefferson and “Thomas Jefferson and “

The Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms””

Continental Congress assumed Continental Congress assumed Crown’s functions of governanceCrown’s functions of governance

IndependenceIndependence Areas supporting Areas supporting

independenceindependence New EnglandNew England Virginia and colonies Virginia and colonies

SouthSouth Overthrow of royal Overthrow of royal

governmentsgovernments mid-Atlantic coloniesmid-Atlantic colonies William FranklinWilliam Franklin

Thomas PaineThomas Paine Common SenseCommon Sense

Lord George GermainLord George Germain Russians and “Hessians”Russians and “Hessians”

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

Thomas Paine

ConclusionConclusion

Britain’s self-filling prophecy Britain’s self-filling prophecy nightmarenightmareBritish feared colonies’ independence British feared colonies’ independence

unless major reforms were put in placeunless major reforms were put in placeResistance of the colonists confirmed Resistance of the colonists confirmed

Britain’s fearsBritain’s fearsColonists feared that British Colonists feared that British

government would deprive them government would deprive them their rights as Englishmentheir rights as Englishmen

Mutual confidence was underminedMutual confidence was undermined

SourcesSources

Murrin, John M. Murrin, John M. Liberty, Equality, Liberty, Equality, Power: Power: A History of the American A History of the American PeoplePeople. . Thomson Publishing: 2005.Thomson Publishing: 2005.