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The Birth of a Democratic Nation

• Objective 1.03:• Examine the causes of the

American Revolution.

“The Colonial Response: Events Leading to the American Revolution”

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17th century – mid 18th century

•SALUTARY NEGLECT–Britain didn’t pay close attention to the colonies.

–Colonies governed themselves.

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17th and 18th centuries

• Great Britain followed a policy of MERCANTILISM–The theory that a country should sell

more goods to other countries than it buys

–Favorable balance of trade:• Profit made on exports exceeds the costs of imports

The colonists felt…

• Fine as long as they were making money and allowed to handle their own affairs. (Run government, etc.)

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1600s• British government passed a series of

NAVIGATION ACTS– The colonies could trade only with the mother country.

– American goods must be exported in British ships.

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Early 1760s

• WRITS OF ASSISTANCE–British customs officials were given

the authority to search people’s homes for smuggled goods without a warrant.

The French and Indian WarThe French and Indian War• French empire collided w/ British empireFrench empire collided w/ British empire• British debt = high American TaxesBritish debt = high American Taxes

Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris Proclamation of 1763Proclamation of 1763

• Britain claimed land Britain claimed land east of the east of the Mississippi RiverMississippi River

• Banned all settlement Banned all settlement west of Appalachian west of Appalachian Mts. Mts.

• Increased Increased Independent SpiritIndependent Spirit

1764: Sugar Act1764: Sugar Act

• British Action:British Action:– Raised taxes on goods Raised taxes on goods

like…like…• SugarSugar• TextilesTextiles• WineWine• CoffeeCoffee• IndigoIndigo

• Colonial Response:Colonial Response:– First time a tax had been First time a tax had been

passed to raise revenue passed to raise revenue rather than regulate traderather than regulate trade

– Colonial merchants Colonial merchants protested the increased protested the increased dutiesduties

1765: The Stamp Act1765: The Stamp Act

• British Action:British Action:

– Taxed all documents, Taxed all documents, newspapers, and newspapers, and playing cards by playing cards by forcing colonists to forcing colonists to place a special stamp place a special stamp on the itemson the items

– Direct taxDirect tax

Colonial Reaction

““No taxation without representationNo taxation without representation””• Colonists felt they should not be taxed because Colonists felt they should not be taxed because

they did not get to elect anyone to Parliamentthey did not get to elect anyone to Parliament

– Boycotted English goodsBoycotted English goods• Boycott = refusal to buy or useBoycott = refusal to buy or use

– Sons of Liberty was formedSons of Liberty was formed

-Group that opposed English Rule and -Group that opposed English Rule and advocated independenceadvocated independence

British response…British response…

• Parliament repealed the Stamp Act Parliament repealed the Stamp Act – Boycotts so successful not one stamp was Boycotts so successful not one stamp was

ever soldever sold

1765: Quartering Act1765: Quartering Act

• British Action:British Action:– Colonists had to keep Colonists had to keep

British troops in their British troops in their homeshomes

– Purpose to keep troops in Purpose to keep troops in the colonies and reduce the colonies and reduce the costthe cost

• Colonial Response:Colonial Response:– Colonists did not get along Colonists did not get along

with army and did not want with army and did not want them there permanentlythem there permanently

– They despised the British They despised the British ““occupationoccupation”” and the and the soldierssoldiers

– Began to form meetings Began to form meetings about the Acts they about the Acts they dislikeddisliked

March 3, 1770: The Boston March 3, 1770: The Boston MassacreMassacre

1772: Committees of 1772: Committees of Correspondence formedCorrespondence formed

• Started by Samuel Started by Samuel AdamsAdams

• Used to pass Used to pass information between information between the coloniesthe colonies

• It was a secret It was a secret organizationorganization

1773: Tea Act1773: Tea Act

• Parliament repealed Townshend Acts Parliament repealed Townshend Acts except for the tax on teaexcept for the tax on tea

• Reduced taxes on tea, but forced Reduced taxes on tea, but forced colonies to buy tea from a certain colonies to buy tea from a certain companycompany

• The colonists saw through the trick; The colonists saw through the trick; how did they react………?how did they react………?

Dec. 16, 1773: Boston Tea PartyDec. 16, 1773: Boston Tea Party

Dec. 16, 1773: Boston Tea PartyDec. 16, 1773: Boston Tea Party

• The Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party– A group of colonists called the A group of colonists called the ““Sons of LibertySons of Liberty””

dumped tea into Boston Harbor in protestdumped tea into Boston Harbor in protest

– They were thinly disguised as Native AmericansThey were thinly disguised as Native Americans

Spring 1774: The Intolerable Acts

• Designed to punish the colonists for Tea Party

• Closed Boston Harbor• Restricted trial by jury• Searches without warrants• Quartering troops without permission• No town meetings allowed in Massachusetts

– Boston under military rule– Trying to isolate Massachusetts, but only

strengthened the colonies unity

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What would You do?

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1774: First Continental Congress

• 12 colonies… sent delegates to Philadelphia sent delegates to Philadelphia • Every colony except Georgia was thereEvery colony except Georgia was there• Lasted 7 weeksLasted 7 weeks• Divided on the issue of declaring

independence• Sent letter to the King asking for rights to be Sent letter to the King asking for rights to be

restored, wanted to remain loyal to Englandrestored, wanted to remain loyal to England– Defended colonies’ right to run their own affairs– Supported the protests in Massachusetts– Olive Branch Petition

Lexington and ConcordApril 19, 1775

• Start of the revolutionary war• British troops were marching to ConcordBritish troops were marching to Concord• They met local militia in Lexington, asked They met local militia in Lexington, asked

them to disperse, they refusedthem to disperse, they refused• Someone fired a shotSomeone fired a shot

– ““Shot heard round the worldShot heard round the world””

• Eventually, British were chased back to Eventually, British were chased back to Boston; militia fired at them from the Boston; militia fired at them from the woodswoods

Second Continental Congress

• Started May 1775Started May 1775• Divided in beliefs- independence v. loyalDivided in beliefs- independence v. loyal• Declared Independence from EnglandDeclared Independence from England• Wrote the Declaration of IndependenceWrote the Declaration of Independence• Supported the troops in BostonSupported the troops in Boston• Chose a generalChose a general

– George Washington

• Adopted Declaration of Independence on Adopted Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776July 4, 1776

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1776

•Thomas Paine’s COMMON SENSE argued for independence