The Leaders 1763 -1766

George 111

George Grenville PM 1763 -5

While Prime Minister, his government oversaw the

prosecution of John Wilkes and the passing of the

American Stamp Act 1765, which led to the first

disagreements between American colonies and

Great Britain that lead to the American

Revolutionary War.

After several months of being Prime Minister, he

began to have disagreements with young king

George III. The king started to think that the Prime

Minister was using him as a puppet. The king

convinced Rockingham to become the new Prime

Minister and Grenville never held an office again.

Andrew Oliver 1706 -1774

Andrew Oliver was a Massachusetts politician.

Andrew graduated from Harvard College in

1726.Oliver was the man commissioned to

enforce the Stamp Act in Massachusetts.

However, Oliver was forced to resign after

repeated violence from the colonists in Boston -

an effigy of him was hung up at the future Liberty

Tree on August 14, 1765 by Boston's "The Loyal

Nine” and that night his Boston house was

ransacked by the Sons of Liberty. On August

15th he resigned his commission, and was made

to resign again publicly when the stamps

actually arrived in Boston. He was brother of

Massachusetts Justice Peter Oliver and nephew

of Governor Jonathan Belcher. He served as

Lieutenant-Governor under his brother-in-law,

Thomas Hutchinson, and died in office.

Sam AdamsBorn: September 27, 1722

Died: October 2, 1803

Family: Married 1) Elizabeth Checkley (d.

1750); two children 2) Elizabeth Wells; no

children

Samuel Adams was an outspoken, active, and

radical leader of the anti-British agitation in

Massachusetts in the 1760s and 1770s, and

an early supporter of independence from

Great Britain. He helped organize the Sons of

Liberty in 1765, the Committees of

Correspondence in 1772, and was the leading

force behind the Boston Tea Party of 1773. He

was a delegate to the Continental Congress in

1774-1781, lieutenant governor (1789-1793),

and governor (1794-1797) of Massachusetts.

Thomas Hutchinson Chief Justice of Mass in 1765

Henry was elected to the House of Burgesses (the legislative body of the Virginia colony) in 1765. That same year, he proposed the Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions. The freshman representative waited for an opportunity where the mostly conservative members of the House were away (only 24% was considered sufficient for a quorum). In this atmosphere, he succeeded, through much debate and persuasion, in getting his proposal passed. It was possibly the most anti-British (many called it "treasonous") American political action to that point, and some credit the Resolutions with being one of the main catalysts of the Revolution. The proposals were based on principles that were well established British rights, such as the right to be taxed by one's own representatives. They went further, however, to assert that the colonial assemblies had the exclusive right to impose taxes on the colonies and could not assign that right. The imputation of treason is due to his inflammatory words, "Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third—" [Cries of "Treason! Treason!"] "George the Third may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it."

Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry's "Treason" speech before the House of Burgesses in an 1851 painting by Peter F.

Rothermel

According to biographer Richard Beeman, the

legend of this speech grew more dramatic

over the years. Henry probably did not say

the famous last line of the above quote, i.e.

"If this be treason, make the most of it." The

only account of the speech written down at

the time by an eyewitness (which came to

light many years later) records that Henry

actually apologized after being accused of

uttering treasonable words, assuring the

House that he was still loyal to the king.

Nevertheless, Henry's passionate, radical

speech caused quite a stir at the time, even

if we cannot be certain of his exact words.

William Pitt PM 1757 -61, 1766-8Speech against Stamp Act 1765 WHIG

Edmund Burke 1729 – 97 Whig

Was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher, who served for many years in the British House of Commons as a member of the Whig party. He is mainly remembered for his support of the American colonies in the dispute with King George III and Great Britain that led to the American Revolution and for his strong opposition to the French Revolution.

Ben Franklin in London in1765• In 1757, he went to England to represent

Pennsylvania in its fight with the descendants of the Penn family over who should represent the Colony. He remained in England to 1775, as a Colonial representative not only of Pennsylvania, but of Georgia, New Jersey and Massachusetts as well.

• Early in his time abroad, Franklin considered himself a loyal Englishman. England had many of the amenities that America lacked. The country also had fine thinkers, theater, witty conversation — things in short supply in America. He had thoughts of staying there permanently.

• In 1765, Franklin was caught by surprise by America's overwhelming opposition to the Stamp Act. His testimony before Parliament helped persuade the members to repeal the law

Charles Watson-Wentworth2nd Marquess of Rockingham

PM 1765-66, 1782WHIG