Road to Revolution

Becker

US History

Navigation Acts

• 1621, 1651, 1660

• First attempts by Britain to take back power

• What colonies could sell and to whom

• Cotton, tobacco, sugar

• Very loose enforcement

• Colonies ignore/smuggle to avoid

Glorious Revolution

• Catholic King tries to make England Catholic

• Parliament rebels and is “dissolved”

• William and Mary are recruited as King/Queen

• Parliament is the big winner: powerful– Navigation Acts will be enforced– Import/Export taxes (tariffs) will be collected

Colonial Tensions• France mainly to the North and West

• Explore up the Mississippi, Ohio, MO Rivers

• Generally friendly with Indians– Focus on furs and trade, not colonizing– Frequent intermarriage with Indians

• French do import slaves for rice in Louisiana

• Much more equal members of society

• European wars spill over into colonies

French and Indian Wars• 1690: King William’s War

– Port Royal, Nova Scotia is captured

• 1710: Queen Anne’s War– Attack Quebec: fail. – Attack Quebec: FAIL. – Attack Quebec: fail.– Attack Quebec: succeed!!!!

• Indian Allies fight on both sides, but…

• French treat more fairly, less of a threat

"I have no reply to make to your general other than fromthe mouth of my cannons and muskets."

Indian Alliances• Iroquois are pan-Indian organization

– About five tribes are members– Most are friendly with French

• 1701: Grand Settlement of 1701– Iroquois neutral in European wars– French/English can’t win w/o tribes’ help– Hurts natives: tears alliance apart– Sparks intertribal warfare

King George’s War• Balance finally begins to tip

• 1739 England and Spain at war

• France joins war vs. England

• English in North America see opportunity– “Let’s take French land!!!”– Invade Canada: from MA, CT into Nova Scotia– Attack Louisburg in St. Lawrence River– Cuts off supplies to French in Great Lakes

King George’s War, cont’d• Only other supply point is Albany, NY

• This is owned and controlled by English– Colonists’ profit motive too strong to resist– Albany traders keep French supplied– Blockade fails miserably

• 1748 peace is made, Louisburg given back

• During war, Iroquois sign treaty with English– 1744 Treaty of Lancaster gives English OH R Vall– French consider this their territory– French resist, sparking last French/Indian War

EnlightenmentEnlightenment• Scholarly movement in mid-17th century

• Involves a revival of science (“why??”)

• Use of reason or logic, not emotions

• Distill nuggets of truth: (ex. Newton’s Law)

• In religion, involves explaining God

Enlightenment

First Great Awakening

First Great AwakeningFirst Great Awakening• Puritans do not like the Enlightenment

• “God” cannot be explained- you just believe

• Religious movement begins in MA, 1735

• Led by Jonathon Edwards: total depravity

• Stresses emotion over reason or logic

Results of AwakeningResults of Awakening• People question religious political norms

• Levels the playing field: equal depravity

• Moral objections to slavery

• First uniquely American system of thought

• Forms American identity apart from England

Colonial GovernmentColonial Government• Most colonies have a legislature/assembly

• All colonies have a royal governor

• Final authority is with King and privy council– This leads to very weak colonial assemblies– Legislation must be approved- INEFFICIENT– Example: Bacon’s Rebellion of 1676– Example: Stono Rebellion of 1739– Example: Land Riots of 1760s

Final French and Indian WarFinal French and Indian War

• AKA the Seven Years War

• Fought over land in the Ohio River Valley

• Iroquois sign over land to English– Treaty signed with drunken chief– French deny that treaty is binding

• French/Indians raid English settlers

Albany Congress

• Washington (VA militia) sent to protect settlers – He is defeated at Fort Duquesne

• Albany Congress called– Unite colonies to defeat the French– Albany Plan of Union written (Ben Franklin): fails– Colonies cannot unite: unwilling to work together

• Colonies call on England to take over the war

7 Years War, cont’d7 Years War, cont’d• First 3 years of the war French dominate

• Then William Pitt becomes “Sec of War”

• Pitt is no-nonsense guy: also arrogant– Colonies will feed and clothe British troops– Colonies will provide housing for troops

• English start winning: Fort DuquesneFort Pitt

• By 1761, English have essentially won

• Treaty of Paris signed in 1763

Results of the WarResults of the War• Much more land available in colonies

• England is deeply in debt due to war

• Colonies feel that THEY won the war

• Britain:– Has a very low opinion of colonial militias– Creates Proclamation Line of 1763– Permanently stations British troops in colonies– Asks colonies to help repay war debt

Proclamation of 1763• Britain is done with

colonial wars

• Expensive and problematic

• No settlement in the Ohio River Valley

• Wins Britain Native American support

• Outrages the colonies

Grenville Acts

• George Grenville has to pay off England’s debt– Decides colonies should help pay for war

• American Revenue Act (Sugar Act) in 1764– Reduce tax on molasses (sugar) from 6¢ to 3¢ per gal– Beefs up British Navy patrols and enforcement

• Currency Act: no colonial paper money– Confusion as to value; most worthless– Transactions in “hard” currency: gold/silver coins

• Protests and anger among merchants/smugglers

< Massachusetts

Delaware>

N CarolinaNew Jersey

Stamp Act

• Next in Grenville’s series of laws

• Places a tax on paper products

• Newspapers, legal docs, books, etc.– Affects mainly the wealthy– Poor mostly illiterate: paper worthless– Those affected control public opinion

Colonies Respond to Stamp Act

• Stamp Act Congress called– Colonies gather and write a formal protest– Declaration of Rights and Grievances– List of rights as Englishmen: how they were violated

• Sons of Liberty formed– Adams cousins, John Hancock, etc– Protest, riot, lynching, burning in effigy,

tar/feathering

Tar and Feathering

Burning in Effigy

Stamp Act Repealed

• Parliament reconsiders after protests

• 1766 decides to repeal Stamp Act

• But, they want to make it clear who’s in control

• Declaratory Act passed– Parliament has the power to tax colonies– Parliament will tax the colonies in the future

Townshend Acts

• Grenville dies, Townshend takes over

• Direct vs. Indirect Taxation

• New round of taxes– Lead, paper, paint and tea

• New court system– 3 admiralty courts for trials– Writs of assistance: right to search ships

Riots and Protests Ensue• No more popular than

the last round of taxes• Britain deploys troops

to Boston to keep order, protect British officials

• Nonimportation Agreements are passed

The Boston Massacre (March 5,1770)The Boston Massacre (March 5,1770)

The Real Story

• Group of boys trying to “get at” British guards

• First insults, then snowballs iceballs

• Soldier finally whacks one boy with rifle

• Mob shows up to confront soldiers

• Guards get nervous and call for reinforcements– Captain Preston arrives with 7 soldiers– Fix bayonets and order crowd to disperse

The Real Story

• Crowd becomes angry; begin throwing ice/rocks

• Clubs and even a sabre pulled out

• “Fire on us, if you dare!!”

• Soldiers hear the word “fire”–Preston or colonist?

• One round of fire: 3 dead, 2 dying, 6 wounded– Crispus Attucks, freed slave, is among dead

• Trial, John Adams is redcoats’ lawyer

• Preston and 4 troops acquitted; rest convicted

Committees of Correspondence

• Letters written by radical patriots

• Adams cousins, James Otis, Josiah Quincy

• Sent to colonies; read at town meetings

• Talk about British abuses and atrocities

• Stir up popular support against British

• Still, NOONE is serious about independence

Tea Act (1773) British East India Co. is

having financial problems

Parliament decides to bail them out

Eliminates the specific tax on tea (Townshend stays)

English tea is now cheaper!

British expect colonists to eagerly buy the cheaper tea

Colonists see it as Britain forcing them to buy British over Dutch tea: protest

Boston Tea Party

• Cheaper tea also cuts into smuggling profits– In 1773, 900,000 lbs of tea smuggled– In 1773, 562,000 lbs of tea imported legally

• Without tax, legal tea cheaper than smuggled• Colonists begin by protesting, boycotting

– Boston refuses to unload 3 British tea ships there– Captains refuse to leave until ships unloaded

• Stage is set for a little party

Boston Tea Party

• Sons of Liberty organize protest• Dress as Mohawk Indians: avoid recognition• Board ships, hack open crates of tea, dump• 342 crates of tea destroyed (45 tons)• In today’s currency, value of about $2M• News reaches England: Parliament furious• Declare colonies to be in state of rebellion

Boston Tea Party (1773)Boston Tea Party (1773)

The Coercive or Intolerable Acts (1774)

Lord NorthLord North

1. Boston Port Act1. Boston Port Act

2.2. Massachusetts Massachusetts Government ActGovernment Act

4.4. Impartial Administration Impartial Administration of Justice Actof Justice Act

3. Quartering Act3. Quartering Act

5.5. (Quebec Act)(Quebec Act)

First Continental Congress (1774)First Continental Congress (1774)

55 delegates from 12 colonies (GA abstains)55 delegates from 12 colonies (GA abstains)

Agenda Agenda How to How to respond to the respond to the Coercive Acts & the Coercive Acts & the Quebec Act?Quebec Act?

- 1 vote per colony represented.- 1 vote per colony represented.

First Continental Congress

• 3 basic accomplishments• Organize boycotts

– All British products– Enforced in ALL colonies

• New “Declaration of Rights and Grievances”– Written to Parliament– Lists violations of rights and how to fix

• Create the Continental Association– Train militia groups (Minutemen)– Stockpile weapons

The British Are Coming The British Are Coming . . .. . .

British get word of weapons stockpilesBritish get word of weapons stockpiles

Paul Revere, William Dawes’ midnight ride Paul Revere, William Dawes’ midnight ride

Warn Warn MinutemenMinutemen of approaching British soldiers of approaching British soldiers

The Shot Heard ’Round the World!The Shot Heard ’Round the World!

Lexington & Concord – April 18,1775Lexington & Concord – April 18,1775

Lexington & Concord

• Minutemen block road from Lexington to Concord

• Weapons stockpiles are in church at Concord

• British and militia face off – someone fires a shot

• Redcoats assume battle begun, fire round of shots

• Untrained Minutemen turn and flee

• British continue to Concord, but not in time

• Militias haunt British as they return to Boston