George III has just fought the Seven Years war. War cost a lot of money and Great Britain’s debt is very high. If you were king or queen of England how would you raise the money to pay of the debt?

The British Empire needed money Sugar Act of 1764

◦ imposed a duty on sugar, molasses, and other items

Stamp Act of 1765◦ First direct tax◦ Imposed a tax on advertisements, diplomas, legal

documents, newspapers, and playing cards

These acts were passed by Parliament ◦ Colonists not represented

British officials called it “virtual representation”

Many colonists rejected this argument

Colonial merchants promised to boycott British goods

Those who opposed the stamp act took to the streets in protest◦ Most were peaceful some turned violent

Terrified stamp agents resigned from their post

1. What did those who oppose British Taxes call themselves?

2. What group was formed to lead popular protests?

3. Who was the famous leader of this group?4. How did this group oppose the Stamp Act?

Page 101

Stamp Act Congress◦ October 1765 delegates from 9 colonies gathered

in NYC◦ They pledged obedience to Parliament, but

Parliament had no right to tax colonists British Merchants also protested the act The Stamp Act was Repealed March 1766

Asserted the “full power and authority” of Parliament “to make laws to bind the colonies and people of America in all cases whatsoever”

Passed in 1767 the act placed taxes on tea, lead, glass, and dyes for paint

Writs of Assistance were used to enforce the Townshend Act◦ Writs of Assistance were search warrants that

permitted customs officers to search any vessel, warehouse, or home

Required colonists to house and supply British Troops

Many colonists refused to supply money, supplies, or housing for troops

Boston was the most active center of protest◦ February 1768 Massachusetts Legislature drafted

a letter attacking “taxation without representation”

1768 General Thomas Gage sent British troops to Boston to enforce the Writs of Assistance

March 5, 1770 ◦ 50 or 60 colonists gather outside of a customs

house in protest◦ They met a small group of British soldiers

The mob yelled insults and threw ice & other things at the soldiers

British troops fired into the crowd

King George III left a small duty on tea ◦ There must “always be one tax to keep up the

right” British Prime Minister Lord North supported

the tax The British government decided

they would pay the colonial governor and judges in Massachusetts

A group led by Sam Adam that informed colonists of all “violations” the British government made against the colonies

By 1773 the British East India Company was almost bankrupt

The East India Company was allowed to sell tea directly to the colonies without paying duties

Many colonists believed this would open the door for a monopoly

December 16, 1773 the Sons of Liberty dumped tea off 3 ships into Boston harbor◦ Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party infuriated the British Parliament passes the Coercive Acts

◦ These acts were called the Intolerable Acts in the colonies

Closed Boston Harbor until the Tea was paid for

Forbade colonists from holding town meetings without governors permission

Royal officials charged with a crime in Massachusetts would be tried in another colony or in Great Britain

A new quartering act required local officials to provide food and housing in private homes for British soldiers

Passed 1774 Extended Quebec’s boundary south of the

Ohio River Overrode Massachusetts, Virginia, and

Connecticut’s claim to western territory Granted religious freedom to French Roman

Catholics

The First Continental Congress◦ Between Sept. 5 and Oct. 26, 1774

representatives from every colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia

◦ Delegates called for a ban on all trade with Great Britain

King George III was upset by the Continental Congress

Parliament ordered GeneralGage to put an end to the rebellion in New England

Gage decided to seize military supplies stored in Concord, Massachusetts

April 18, 1775 750 British troops left Boston and crossed the Charles River

Patriot watchmen see the troop movement Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel

Prescott warned local households

April 19 about 70 minutemen and Captain John Parker waited for British troops at Lexington Village Green

The British ordered “lay down your arms and rebels disperse”◦ The rebels started to leave, but a gun shot fired◦ The British troops fired◦ 8 colonists were dead and 10 others wounded

Each side blamed the other for the first shot British troops marched towards Concord

destroying colonists supplies then returned to Boston

As they moved back to Boston they were fired upon by minutemen◦ Minutemen suffered fewer then 100 casualties◦ The British suffered 273 casualties

May 10, 1775 John Adams pushed for the colonists to

declare independence John Dickenson of PA urged restraint Delegates agreed to form a Continental

Army George Washington of Virginia was chosen

to command the new army

June 17, 1775 militiamen dig in on Bunker Hill and Breed’s hill overlooking Boston

They were commanded “not to fire until you see the whites of their eyes”

The British, commanded by General William Howe, advanced 3 times on the hills◦ They took both hills, but suffered 1,054 casualties◦ The militia suffered fewer then 450 casualties

Congress pledged the colonist’s loyalty to the king and asked him to end the conflict

George III rejected the petition and ordered the royal navy to blockade all shipping to the colonies

He also sent Hessian Mercenaries to help defeat the Americans

Washington placed cannons and troops on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston

Washington wanted to force Howe to take the hill or flee Boston

March 26th Howe and 1,000 loyalists from Boston fled to Nova Scotia

Patrick Henry◦ “Give me liberty or give me death”

Thomas Paine ◦ Write the pamphlet called “Common Sense”

published in January 1776◦ “Government, even in its best state, is but a

necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one”

◦ 120,000 copies were sold in 3 months after its publication

Patrick Henry

Thomas Paine

June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee introduces a resolution at the Second Continental Congress◦ It stated the colonies should be free and

independent states Congress appointed a team to led by

Thomas Jefferson to write a formal Declaration of Independence

July 2, 1776 congress declares itself independent from Great Britain

July 4, 1776 congress adopts the Declaration of Independence

After the evacuation of Boston the British Invaded New York

Washington attempts to defend New York◦ He fails

Washington’s troops retreat from Manhattan and fall back to Yonkers

October 28, 1776 Washington’s Army controls a hill in the town

The British Army advanced on the hill with Hessian soldiers leading the attack

The fighting is intense but the British win a victory

Washington is forced to retreat across New Jersey and into Pennsylvania

December 26, 1776 Washington’s army crosses the Delaware River on Christmas night They attacked the 1,400 Hessian

soldiers in Trenton led by General Johann Rall ◦ 120 were killed◦ 918 were taken prisoner

Only 5 soldiers were wounded in Washington’s army

The British want to counterattack Washington’s troops after the battle of Trenton

Washington abandons his camp moves towards Princeton

January 3, 1777

Colonel Charles Mawhood leads the British troops at Princeton

Washington orders Brigadier General Hugh Mercer to attack the British

Mercer is pushed back

Washington arrives with reinforcements and Mawhood retreats to Trenton

The American victory raises morale for the patriots

The British suffer another loss

Washington moves to Morristown for winter quarters

Washington chose the Morristown for its strategic location

It is located between New York, Philadelphia, and New England

Washington would use town supplies to rearm his army

The town also provided food

September 11, 1777 Howe and the British army are initially held

back, but they keep advancing Washington and Nathanael Greene arrives

with reinforcements, but it is to late The colonial army retreats The British victory leaves Philadelphia

vulnerable

October 4, 1777 British lookouts are attacked by the colonial

army The British reinforce their troops and win a

victory The British victory ensures they will control

Philadelphia through the winter of 1777-1778

Planned by British General John Burgoyne 3 British divisions would meet at Albany and

defeat the patriot forces◦ The plan was flawed, 2 of the 3 groups had to

pass through land filled with, lakes, swamps, hills ,and forests

◦ They were met by groups of patriot militia Only Burgoyne made it to Albany Burgoyne met patriot forces led by General

Horatio Gates◦ Burgoyne surrendered to Gates on Oct. 17, 1777

Saratoga stands as the turning point in the war

France signs a formal alliance with America in February 1778◦ France supplies gold, naval support, supplies, and

troops Spain and the Netherlands join as French

allies a year later

Marquis de Lafayette◦ Became a member of Washington’s general staff

Barron von Steuben◦ Prussian soldier◦ Helped to train soldiers at valley forge

Winter encampment from 1777-1778 Soldiers had little food and poor living

conditions 3,000 soldiers died of malnutrition and

disease 1,000 soldiers deserted camp because of

hunger Von Steuben however, trained soldiers and

officers well◦ They emerged tougher and well disciplined

June 28, 1778 The continental army attacks the rear of a

British column The British repulse the initial attack Washington arrives and rallies his troops to

re-attack The battle is a draw, but some consider it

an American victory

Patriot troops used a system of guerrilla warfare

Using a hit and run tactic to wear down the enemy

British General Cornwallis was winning southern battles after landing in Charleston, SC

Cornwallis would move north towards Virginia

Cornwallis moved his army to Yorktown, VA August 14, 1781 Washington receives word

from the French naval commander that he is moving his fleet to block the Chesapeake Bay

Washington orders his army to move towards Yorktown

Washington along side French troops force Cornwallis to surrender on October 19 1781.

Signed September 3, 1783 The treaty granted the United States

Independence, land from the east coast to the Mississippi, and land from the Great Lakes to Florida.

The treaty was only negotiated with Great Britain

1. How were women affected by the war?2. Were women allowed to vote after the

war?3. How did the Revolution inspire slaves?4. How many African Americans fought for

the patriots?5. What is emancipation?6. Where did emancipation take place after

the Revolution?Page 126