Chapter 4: Imperial Wars and Colonial Protest

1754-1774

Julia Pitino

Argument

• American colonists saw harsher British policies as a threat to their liberties, resulting in deepened resentment for their motherland that eventually led to the American Revolution.

Why Harsher Policies?

• Original policy: salutary neglect• Little direct control• Many laws unenforced

• Imperial wars lead to reorganization of the empire

Why Harsher Policies? (cont)• Imperial Wars: to gain control of colonial trade• First Three Wars• King William’s War, Queen Anne’s War, King

George’s War• Conflicts between British, Spain, France

imperialists• French and Indian War• British & colonies defending land from French• Peace of Paris: Britain wins & gains supremacy

in colonies

Why Harsher Policies? (cont)

• After imperial wars, forceful policies are needed• British Empire needs $ to pay for cost of the wars

& to maintain force in colonies• Whigs: colonies should bear most of the cost

• Proclamation of 1763: colonial settling beyond Appalachians prohibited• Ignored by colonists

British Actions & Colonial Reactions

• Britain’s forceful policies put upon the colonies following 1763 provoke protest and strong reactions.

British Actions & Colonial Actions (cont)

• Sugar Act (1764): • Duties on foreign sugar• Navigation Acts strictly enforced

• Quartering Act:• Required colonists to provide food/shelter for

British soldiers

British Actions & Colonial Reactions (cont)

• Stamp Act:• Tax on most printed paper to raise $ for military• First direct tax

• Colonial Reaction to Stamp Act:• Patrick Henry demands no taxation while

addressing House of Burgess• Stamp Act Congress decides only representatives

can approve taxes• Sons & Daughters of Liberty turn violent• Boycott of British goods

British Actions & Colonial Reactions (cont)

• Declaratory Act (1766)• Repeals Stamp Act but;• Parliament may tax & make laws for the colonies

“in all cases whatsoever”

• The Townshend Acts• Charles Townshend becomes British chancellor• New duties on imports to pay crown officials

British Actions & Colonial Reactions (cont)

• Colonial Reaction to Townshend Acts• John Dickinson: “no taxation without

representation”• Circular Letter (1768)• Eventually Townshend Acts are repealed:

damaged trade & generated little revenue

“Those who are taxed without their own consent, expressed by themselves or their representatives, are slaves. We are taxed without our own consent, expressed by ourselves or our representatives. We are therefore--Slaves.”

“the Acts made there [in Parliament], imposing duties on the people of this province, with the sole and express purpose of raising a revenue, are infringements of their natural and constitutional rights; because, as they are not represented in the British Parliament, his Majesty's commons in Britain, by those Acts, grant their property without their consent.”

British Actions & Colonial Reactions (cont)

• Boston Massacre• Reaction to presence of British soldiers• Colonists harass guards who shoot back• Colonists acquitted, incident used to inflame anti-

British sentiment

• Boston Tea Party:• British East India Company suffers due to boycott of

British goods• Tea Act passes (1773) making British tea cheaper

than Dutch smuggled tea• Bostonians board a ship (carrying tea) arriving at

harbor & dump tea

British Actions & Colonial Reactions (cont)

• Intolerable Acts:• Parliament, king, Lord North angered by Boston

Tea Party• Retaliate with a series of harsh acts• Coercive Acts (1774): aimed to punish MA

colonists & control dissidents• Quebec Act (1774): British enforces Roman

Catholicism & non-representational government in its Canadian lands• Colonial anger: view act as an attack on

colonial land & resent new enforcements

New Philosophy deepens divisions

• The Enlightenment• European movement in literature & philosophy• Attracts many educated Americans• John Locke: “natural laws,” says citizens should

revolt against a government that doesn’t protect their rights• British policies are seen are seen as denying

“natural laws,” giving colonies reason to revolt