1776 – Colonists thought of themselves as American

American Revolution

POPULATION• 1776 – Colonists thought of themselves as

American

representation

• British parliament – Acted in best interest of England– Made it difficult to trade with French and Spanish

• Colonies – no representation in parliament• RESENTMENT!!

TAXATION

• England – huge debt• Colonies to pay:– Sugar Act: taxed sugar

bought from French or Spanish

– Stamp Act: all newspapers and legal documents to carry a stamp purchased from Britain

Boston tea party

• British East India Company– Controlled tea trading between India and the British

colonies

–Tea tax: Colonists refused to buy British tea• Left tea in warehouses

• British government:– Force colonists to buy tea– Tea Act: allowed British East India Co. to sell directly

to colonists – skipping wholesale merchants; made it cheaper than smuggled tea

Boston tea party

• Colonists:– Demanded removal of tea

tax– Refusing to unload tea

• December 16, 1773– Group of men “Sons of

Liberty”– Boston Harbor – dressed as

Mohawk Indians– Boarded British ships and

dumped 45 tons of tea