Road to RevolutionRoad to Revolution

What causes the colonists to revolt against British rule?

Mercantilism (1650s)• Idea a nation could increase its wealth by: 1) getting lots of gold

& silver 2) sell more goods than you buy 3) control all trade

• To increase wealth, British Parliament passes Navigation Acts

1) British ships & crew must be used in all colonial trade

2) Colonial products had to be shipped to Britain first

1754-1763: French and Indian War• France & Nat. Ams vs. Britain & Am. Colonists over land

• British losing at first due to ambush techniques by Nat. Ams, British Gen. William Pitt allies with Iroquois & defeats French

•1763: Britain gains all of Canada

•King George issues Proclamation of 1763 : no settlements west of Appalachians, colonists upset!

1. Sugar Act, 1764• British need money to pay for F& I war, cut tax on British molasses, hope colonists will buy

British molasses• Result: Colonists keep smuggling foreign molasses, despite increased penalties for smuggling

• Tax on documents & printed items (wills, newspapers, etc.)

Early Problems for Colonists (1764-1770)

2. Stamp Act, 1765

•First direct tax on everyday needs, colonists protest

3. Townshend Acts, 1767

• British repeal stamp act but pass Townshend Acts, taxing many items never taxed before (glass, ink, paint, paper, tea)

• Samuel Adams forms Sons of Liberty, slogan “No taxation w/out representation!”, start a boycott of British goods

Boston Massacre - 1770

• Due to protests, more soldiers in Boston• Soldiers open fire on protestors, kill 5 colonists• Paul Revere’s depiction further angers colonistsVQ1: Why were people protesting?VQ2: What escalated the violenceVQ3: What was Paul Revere’s role?VQ4: How did news travel about the massacre?

Boston Tea Party, 1773• British East India Co. losing money on tea. Parliament passes

Tea Act to help the company

• BEIC pays no export tax, but still tax on American tea

• Colonists dressed as Indians dump British tea into Boston Harbor (including King George’s personal tea)

Intolerable Acts, 17741. Boston Harbor is shut down

2. Quartering Act: forced colonists to house British soldiers

3. Reduced right of self-government , Mass Assembly susp.

4. Boston Massacre trial moved to London

Something must be done!

First Continental Congress, 1774

• 56 delegates meet in Philadelphia, say rights have been violated• If British Redcoats use violence, colonists should fight back,

create a militia called the Minutemen

Were not going to be pushed around!

Lexington & Concord• Minutemen start patrolling, more Br. Troops on way• Paul Revere warns “redcoats are coming”

•VQ 1: What is the first shot at Lexington known as?

•VQ 2: How many minutemen are killed at Lexington?

•VQ 3: Why were the British in Concord?

•VQ 4: What did the Battle of Concord prove to the Americans?