Ch. 2Ch. 2Section 2Section 2

Birth of a Democratic NationBirth of a Democratic Nation

Colonial Resistance and Colonial Resistance and RebellionRebellion By 1760, King George III took the English throne.By 1760, King George III took the English throne.

The British government began to tighten its grip on The British government began to tighten its grip on the American colonies. King George III adopted a the American colonies. King George III adopted a policy of policy of mercantilism, mercantilism, theory that a country should theory that a country should sell more goods to other countries than it buys.sell more goods to other countries than it buys.

Horde all the wealth and resources for your countryHorde all the wealth and resources for your country

Britain wanted to buy American raw materials at low Britain wanted to buy American raw materials at low prices and sell colonists British products at high prices and sell colonists British products at high prices.prices.

Colonial Resistance and Colonial Resistance and RebellionRebellion 1763 Britain won land from France in the French and 1763 Britain won land from France in the French and

Indian War. (1754-1763)Indian War. (1754-1763)

By this time the British needed to cover costs of the By this time the British needed to cover costs of the war (war debts and costs of ruling new lands) through war (war debts and costs of ruling new lands) through the colonists; also Proclamation of 1763 prevented the colonists; also Proclamation of 1763 prevented settlement of land west of the Appalachian Mts.settlement of land west of the Appalachian Mts.

Colonists resented the taxes for the sole reason that Colonists resented the taxes for the sole reason that they had no representatives in Parliamentthey had no representatives in Parliament

““No Taxation Without RepresentationNo Taxation Without Representation””

Colonial Resistance and Colonial Resistance and RebellionRebellion To protest, many colonists resorted to To protest, many colonists resorted to

boycotting, boycotting, or refusing to buy British or refusing to buy British goods.goods.

As a result, Parliament agreed to As a result, Parliament agreed to repeal,repeal, or cancel such taxes. or cancel such taxes.

Parliament would then place a new tax Parliament would then place a new tax on the colonists and try to force its will on the colonists and try to force its will on the people.on the people.

Colonial Resistance and Colonial Resistance and RebellionRebellion

Stamp Act (1765)Stamp Act (1765) – required all – required all colonists to attach expensive tax colonists to attach expensive tax stamps to all newspapers and legal stamps to all newspapers and legal documentsdocuments

Declaratory Act (1766)Declaratory Act (1766) – stated that – stated that Parliament had the right to tax and Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the colonies in ALL make decisions for the colonies in ALL cases.cases.

Colonial Resistance and Colonial Resistance and RebellionRebellion Townshend Acts (1767)Townshend Acts (1767) – levied new – levied new

taxes on goods imported to the colonies taxes on goods imported to the colonies such as tea, paper, and basic items that such as tea, paper, and basic items that colonists needed.colonists needed.

Tea Act (1773) Tea Act (1773) – allowed the British – allowed the British East India Company to bypass taxes thus East India Company to bypass taxes thus making tea cheaper than the colonial making tea cheaper than the colonial merchants who competed with the merchants who competed with the company; advantage over colonial company; advantage over colonial merchantsmerchants

Colonial Resistance and Colonial Resistance and RebellionRebellion

In response to this injustice, colonists In response to this injustice, colonists blocked all the company’s ships from blocked all the company’s ships from colonial ports except for in Boston, MAcolonial ports except for in Boston, MA

December 1773December 1773 -- Colonists dressed -- Colonists dressed up as Native Americans and dumped up as Native Americans and dumped the British tea into Boston Harbor in the British tea into Boston Harbor in protest protest (Boston Tea Party)(Boston Tea Party)

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion Parliament quickly responded by Parliament quickly responded by

passing the passing the Coercive ActsCoercive Acts which which restricted the colonists rights such as restricted the colonists rights such as trial by jury and allowed British trial by jury and allowed British soldiers to search people’s homes and soldiers to search people’s homes and even move ineven move in

Colonists called these the Colonists called these the Intolerable Intolerable ActsActs

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion To counter the Intolerable Acts, 12 colonies To counter the Intolerable Acts, 12 colonies

except Georgia, sent delegates to a meeting except Georgia, sent delegates to a meeting in Philadelphia known as the in Philadelphia known as the First First Continental Congress (Sept. 1774)Continental Congress (Sept. 1774)

This first meeting was meant to discuss This first meeting was meant to discuss concerns and send a letter to King George III concerns and send a letter to King George III to have their rights restored. Another to have their rights restored. Another meeting would be held if their demands were meeting would be held if their demands were not met within a year.not met within a year.

He did not take this well and sent troops to He did not take this well and sent troops to America.America.

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion In In April 1775, the Revolutionary War beganApril 1775, the Revolutionary War began

with two battles in Massachusetts, with two battles in Massachusetts, LexingtonLexington and and ConcordConcord

Colonists began to question their loyalty to Colonists began to question their loyalty to England, and began talking about independenceEngland, and began talking about independence

At the Second Continental Congress At the Second Continental Congress (May (May 1775):1775):- some people wanted independence (patriots)- some people wanted independence (patriots)- some people still felt loyal to England (loyalists)- some people still felt loyal to England (loyalists)

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion In January 1776, a colonist named Thomas Paine In January 1776, a colonist named Thomas Paine

inspired other colonists by publishing a pamphlet inspired other colonists by publishing a pamphlet called called Common Sense.Common Sense.

People agreed with Paine that it made “common People agreed with Paine that it made “common sense” to stop following the “royal brute” King George sense” to stop following the “royal brute” King George III.III.

This was a struggle for freedom from a tyrant.This was a struggle for freedom from a tyrant.

More than half of the colonists at the Second More than half of the colonists at the Second Continental Congress agreed to break away from Continental Congress agreed to break away from EnglandEngland

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion The Continental Congress acting as a The Continental Congress acting as a

government for the people chose a government for the people chose a committee to draft a document to committee to draft a document to officially announce the independence officially announce the independence of the U.S.of the U.S.

Thomas Jefferson would be the Thomas Jefferson would be the architect who did most of the writingarchitect who did most of the writing

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion The draft of the Declaration of Independence explained The draft of the Declaration of Independence explained

why the United States of America should be a free why the United States of America should be a free nationnation

It also argued that the British government did not look It also argued that the British government did not look after the interests of the colonists.after the interests of the colonists.

Listed a long list of abuses by King George III and also Listed a long list of abuses by King George III and also labeled him a tyrantlabeled him a tyrant

The purpose of government is to protect the rights of The purpose of government is to protect the rights of the people and if it disregards those rights, the people the people and if it disregards those rights, the people are entitled to change or overthrow it. (whose idea was are entitled to change or overthrow it. (whose idea was this?)this?)

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion These ideas were influenced by John Locke.These ideas were influenced by John Locke.

He saw government as a contract between He saw government as a contract between people and the rulers people and the rulers

People agree to give up some freedoms and People agree to give up some freedoms and abide by government decisionsabide by government decisions

In return, government promises to protect In return, government promises to protect them and their liberty. Any misuse of that them and their liberty. Any misuse of that power and the people should rebel.power and the people should rebel.

Colonial Resistance Colonial Resistance and Rebellionand Rebellion The Second Continental Congress The Second Continental Congress

approved the Declaration of approved the Declaration of Independence on Independence on July 4, 1776.July 4, 1776.

The American colonies were The American colonies were independent states, but true independent states, but true recognition from Great Britain would recognition from Great Britain would not be achieved until the war ended.not be achieved until the war ended.