Tar and Feathering

The The Boston Boston

MassacrMassacre e ((March March 5,17705,1770))

• The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. Five colonists were died & served as a rally point for patriots

• The presence of British troops in the city of Boston was increasingly unwelcome.

• A town meeting was called demanding the removal of the British and the trial of Captain Preston and his men for murder: They were defended by John Adams 

• Later, two of the British soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter.

• The Boston Massacre was a signal event leading to the Revolutionary War. It led directly to the Royal Governor evacuating the occupying army from the town of Boston.

The The Gaspee Gaspee IncidentIncident

(1772)(1772)

• British officers charged with enforcing the customs laws and the Stamp Act were becoming aggressive.

• In June of 1772, Her Majesty's Ship Gaspee, was charged with patrolling the waters of Narragansett Bay, off Rhode Island. The Capt. had earned a reputation as an overzealous enforcer; boarding and detaining vessels and confiscating cargoes, often without charge, and without recourse for merchants whose goods were impounded.

• Losses were mounting and it was widely believed that these harassments were directed specifically at members of the Sons of Liberty.

• On June 9, 1772, a local led the Gaspee into shallow waters near Warwick. The Gaspee ran aground and a party of fifty-five, led by a man named John Brown, planned an attack on the ship.

• The following evening they surrounded and boarded the Gaspee, capturing the entire crew. All were hauled ashore and abandoned, to watch as the Gaspee was looted and then burned.

• The boldness of this attack was even more remarkable in that none of the attackers made any effort to hide their identities. When the raiders were accused, rather than attempt to prosecute the attackers, charges were brought against Lt. Duddington for illegally seizing goods.

• When this news reached Parliament, there was outrage. A special commission was sent to apprehend the perpetrators of the Gaspee affair, and to take them to England for trial. Though the identities of the perpetrators were widely known, the investigation was fruitless. No arrest was ever made.

Committees of Committees of CorrespondenceCorrespondencePurposePurpose warn neighboring warn neighboring coloniescolonies about incidents with Br. about incidents with Br.

broaden the resistance broaden the resistance movement. movement.

started to united & started to united & organize the organize the

colonies as a colonies as a unit unit

Tea Act Tea Act (1773)(1773)8 British East India Co.:British East India Co.: Monopoly on Br. tea Monopoly on Br. tea

imports.imports. Many members of Many members of

Parl. held shares.Parl. held shares. Permitted the Co. to Permitted the Co. to

sell tea directly to sell tea directly to cols. without col. cols. without col. middlemen (cheaper tea!)middlemen (cheaper tea!)

NO COMPETITIONNO COMPETITION8 North expected the North expected the

cols. to eagerly choose cols. to eagerly choose the cheaper tea.the cheaper tea.

Boston Boston Tea Tea

Party Party (1773)(1773)

• The Boston Tea Party is perhaps the most well known colonial rebellion of them all.

• Colonists had been smuggling tea (Dutch) but refused to buy British tea even after the Tea Act in 1773, which made the price of the company’s tea cheaper.

• A group of Bostonians disguised themselves as Native Americans, boarded a British ship and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

• This response generated a mixed reaction from the colonists. Some felt that it was a justifiable defense of liberty, and others felt it was too radical.

The Coercive or The Coercive or Intolerable Acts Intolerable Acts (1774)(1774)

Lord NorthLord North

1.1. Port Bill Port Bill

2.2. Government Government ActAct

4.4. Administration Administration ofof Justice Act Justice Act

3.3. New Quartering New Quartering Act Act

The direct British response to the Tea Party.

Changing British Attitudes• The Intolerable Acts marked a very

important shift in British views towards the colonies– Prior to 1774 the British had seemingly

attempted to reconcile through all of their conflicts

• Salutary Neglect (Ignore the colonies as long as there wasn’t a problem)

• i.e. repealing acts the colonists protested– With the Intolerable Acts the British

began seeking to punish the colonies and to bend them to their will

The Colonial Mindset• Though a small minority of colonists

at this time had begun to make demands for independence, this was not the common mindset of the people– Most desired to remain with the

English Empire, they just wanted their rights as English citizens recognized

– However, the number of radical colonists who were entertaining thoughts of independence was growing

• The Thirds: 1/3 were Loyal, 1/3 were Rebels, 1/3 were undecided

The The Quebec Quebec

Act Act (1774)(1774)

• The boundaries of the province were defined by the Act. In addition to the territory of the French province of Canada, the borders were expanded to include land that is now southern Ontario, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota.

• This increased the size of the province threefold over the size of the French province.

• Land development companies such as the Ohio Company had already been formed to acquire ownership of large tracts and sell land to settlers and trade with the Indians.

First Continental First Continental Congress Congress (1774)(1774)55 delegates from 12 55 delegates from 12

coloniescoloniesAgendaAgenda How How

to respond to to respond to the Coercive the Coercive Acts & the Acts & the Quebec Act?Quebec Act?

1 vote per colony 1 vote per colony represented.represented.

The First Continental Congress• Was in response to the Intolerable Acts• All colonies, except GA, sent delegates to Philadelphia

in order to reason what to do about the new British policies and attitudes

• The main groups were…– Radicals: wanted great concessions from the British

such as repeal of all previous acts• Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John Adams, etc.

– Moderates: believed that the colonists were owed some concessions from the British (i.e. the overturning of the Intolerable Acts)

• George Washington, John Dickinson– Conservatives: were reluctant to make any demands

of the British for fear of further reprisals• John Jay, Joseph Galloway

The First Continental Congress• Adopted by the Congress…

– Suffolk Resolves: demanded that Parliament immediately repeal the Intolerable Acts; also that the colonies boycott all British goods and begin preparing militia in the chance of war

– The Declaration of Rights and Grievances: urged the king to acknowledge colonial protests and to make amends with colonial demands; it did recognize the right of Parliament to regulate commerce of the colonies without consent, but not to tax

– The Association: created committees throughout the colonies to enforce the Suffolk Resolves

– If these demands were ignored a second Congress would convene in May of 1775

The First Battles of the Revolution• After receiving the demands of

the First Continental Congress, England declared the colony of Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion– Additional troops were sent to the

colonies, specifically Massachusetts, to restore order

– Massachusetts was the hotbed of colonial defiance

– These two factors are what will lead to the first open conflicts of the Revolution

The British Are The British Are Coming Coming . . .. . .

Paul ReverePaul Revere & & William DawesWilliam Dawes make make their midnight ride to warn the their midnight ride to warn the

MinutemenMinutemen of approaching British of approaching British soldiers.soldiers.

The Shot Heard The Shot Heard ’’Round the WorldRound the World!!

LexingtonLexington & & ConcordConcord – April – April 18,177518,1775

The Second The Second Continental Continental

CongressCongress(1775)(1775)

Olive Branch Olive Branch PetitionPetition

Thomas PaineThomas Paine: : Common SenseCommon Sense

Declaration of Declaration of Independence Independence

(1776)(1776)

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

Independence HallIndependence Hall

New New National National SymbolsSymbols